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Merck Forest & Farmland Center
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Forest Management at MFFC
Most of Vermont’s modern forests were open fields a century ago when agriculture dominated land use.
George Merck began acquiring land parcels in the 1940s to establish a private preserve for his family’s recreation. His interest in arboriculture and professional forest management led him to establish the Vermont Forest and Farmland Foundation in 1952 — one of the first land management experiments in the United States.
Sustainable forest management provides many benefits:
Water Filtration
Well-managed forests remove impurities from water, recharge aquifers, and store enormous amounts of carbon.
Filtration
Well-managed forests remove impurities from water, recharge aquifers, and store enormous amounts of carbon.
Wildlife
Forestry operations enhance habitat and forage opportunities, improving biodiversity and the stability of wildlife populations.
