Sessions-Neil Property, North Parcel, Middlebury River
Sessions-Neil Property Conserved in East Middlebury Middlebury, VT – In a cooperative effort between the Middlebury Area Land Trust (MALT) and the Town of Middlebury, Faith Sessions-Neil, of Hinesburg, Vermont, and her sister Janice Allen, of Englewood, Florida, have recently protected an 11.7-acre piece of land in East Middlebury. The property lies off Ossie Road and contains 1600 feet of frontage on the north bank of the Middlebury River as well as two islands in the river. The MALT and the Town of Middlebury jointly purchased the land from the sisters. The land has been in the family since it was purchased by Faith’s great grandfather Hiram Champlin Sessions in 1830. Handed down through the generations, Faith’s brother Edson eventually inherited the original farmhouse and 10 acres of land, and Faith and Janice inherited the lands east of Route 7, including the parcel that MALT and the Town of Middlebury purchased. Faith remarked, “My sister Janice and I are so pleased to have MALT and the Town of Middlebury purchase our land that borders the East Middlebury River. The river is so unsettled and raging at times; we feel that MALT can manage and protect the river corridor in the best possible way. We hope that MALT can help protect the land to the south of the river as well. Funding for this project was also provided in large part by the Vermont River Management Program, which supports protection, management and restoration initiatives that encourage natural river stability. The program has also conducted river assessments across the state and developed a corridor planning guide. A public meeting was held in East Middlebury in late September 2007 to discuss the river’s history and obtain feedback from the community. Shannon Pytlik, a river resource scientist with the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation, spoke to the history of river management in Middlebury and the benefits of protecting this property. The next phase of the project includes the purchase of a buffer strip and wooded parcel on the south bank of the river	The land is extremely valuable because of its ability to act as a natural flood control for other areas of the Middlebury River. Many years ago upstream portions of the Middlebury River were re-engineered or ‘channelized’ – the natural, winding course of the river was made straight - causing the river to descend very rapidly out of the mountains toward the valley. Protecting this wetland corridor will allow the river a chance to slow down, take its natural course, meander and flood when necessary. The conservation of this land will also help protect the river’s overall water quality. Robin Scheu, MALT’s Interim Executive Director, said, “This important project was the result of several years of hard work and persistence on the part of many people, including MALT’s former Executive Director, Gioia Kuss, land owner Faith Sessions, Middlebury Town Planner Fred Dunnington, and the Middlebury Selectboard. We are very pleased to have worked in partnership with these individuals and groups. I’d also like to acknowledge and thank the Town of Middlebury for funding the purchase of this property through the Middlebury Conservation Fund.” Photos by Hannah Panci, 2007

Sessions-Neil Property, North Parcel, Middlebury River

Sessions-Neil Property Conserved in East Middlebury

Middlebury, VT – In a cooperative effort between the Middlebury Area Land Trust (MALT) and the Town of Middlebury, Faith Sessions-Neil, of Hinesburg, Vermont, and her sister Janice Allen, of Englewood, Florida, have recently protected an 11.7-acre piece of land in East Middlebury. The property lies off Ossie Road and contains 1600 feet of frontage on the north bank of the Middlebury River as well as two islands in the river. The MALT and the Town of Middlebury jointly purchased the land from the sisters. The land has been in the family since it was purchased by Faith’s great grandfather Hiram Champlin Sessions in 1830. Handed down through the generations, Faith’s brother Edson eventually inherited the original farmhouse and 10 acres of land, and Faith and Janice inherited the lands east of Route 7, including the parcel that MALT and the Town of Middlebury purchased.

Middlebury River

Faith remarked, “My sister Janice and I are so pleased to have MALT and the Town of Middlebury purchase our land that borders the East Middlebury River. The river is so unsettled and raging at times; we feel that MALT can manage and protect the river corridor in the best possible way. We hope that MALT can help protect the land to the south of the river as well.

Funding for this project was also provided in large part by the Vermont River Management Program, which supports protection, management and restoration initiatives that encourage natural river stability. The program has also conducted river assessments across the state and developed a corridor planning guide.

A public meeting was held in East Middlebury in late September 2007 to discuss the river’s history and obtain feedback from the community. Shannon Pytlik, a river resource scientist with the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation, spoke to the history of river management in Middlebury and the benefits of protecting this property. The next phase of the project includes the purchase of a buffer strip and wooded parcel on the south bank of the river

The land is extremely valuable because of its ability to act as a natural flood control for other areas of the Middlebury River. Many years ago upstream portions of the Middlebury River were re-engineered or ‘channelized’ – the natural, winding course of the river was made straight - causing the river to descend very rapidly out of the mountains toward the valley. Protecting this wetland corridor will allow the river a chance to slow down, take its natural course, meander and flood when necessary. The conservation of this land will also help protect the river’s overall water quality.

Robin Scheu, MALT’s Interim Executive Director, said, “This important project was the result of several years of hard work and persistence on the part of many people, including MALT’s former Executive Director, Gioia Kuss, land owner Faith Sessions, Middlebury Town Planner Fred Dunnington, and the Middlebury Selectboard. We are very pleased to have worked in partnership with these individuals and groups. I’d also like to acknowledge and thank the Town of Middlebury for funding the purchase of this property through the Middlebury Conservation Fund.”

Photos by Hannah Panci, 2007