By Nick Richardson, president and CEO of the Vermont Land Trust
For some it may feel too soon to ask this question, as new cases of Covid-19 are reported every day and the economic impacts for our state and our country grow more severe. Yet it’s this question we must ask relentlessly over the days and weeks to come if we are to come through these difficult days together as Vermonters.
At the Vermont Land Trust, we support the vitality of our working lands through land conservation and other approaches to foster rural community development and environmental stewardship. Over our 44-year history, we have conserved close to 600,000 acres of working lands and open space, and we work closely with those who own and steward those acres. We are therefore uniquely attuned to the economic challenges facing rural communities and the working lands they rely upon. Farmers and woodland owners are facing difficult market conditions, miniscule margins and high operating costs — all while caring for the land we love and growing the food we put on our tables.
Rural areas of our state were facing critical challenges before this pandemic, but their future story doesn’t need to be one of decline. It can be one of reinvigoration and revitalization if we include them in setting the course for recovery. The road to recovery must be wide enough to include all Vermonters and long enough to ensure that it reaches every community, in every corner of our state.
Over the past seven weeks, I have been inspired by the ingenuity demonstrated by our farmers who are feeding us at a time when the national food distribution system can’t keep up. Local farms are shifting sales channels, product lines and health and safety protocols. They are selling more and more online, collaborating with other producers, creating CSAs, and increasing production to serve growing demand for local food. This mirrors what is happening nationwide, with a stunning resurgence in local food.
We must remember our farmers, including dairy farmers who are facing unique challenges, when it comes time to rebuild our economy. A vital regional food system, one where food is grown, processed, distributed and consumed in a sustainable manner, is not only viable (as we are seeing) it is also essential to the health and prosperity of Vermont.
In addition, we are seeing the strength of rural communities, which have become places of refuge. During our time of isolation, we are grateful for our open spaces that ground us and for nature that inspires us.
We must remember these small towns and what they have contributed to our wellbeing when it comes time to rebuild. Our open spaces and forested landscapes are cooling the planet, filtering our water, and providing us all with majestic and serene environments.
In the coming weeks and months, as we shift from crisis management to recovery, meeting basic human needs must come first. This includes providing medical care to those who need it, resources and jobs to those who are unemployed, healthy and safe homes, and access to food. But we can’t stop there. We must put in place policies that lead to lasting, structural change and economic opportunity for all.
So, in answer to my question, can Covid-19 make us stronger? Yes, it can. By investing in our strengths, our people, and the qualities that have always underscored our success. Our farms and forests are not just our heritage, they are also our future.
