Sustainable Woodstock’s New Program Coordinator
Dear Woodstock Community:
We are thrilled to introduce the latest addition to our dedicated team. Heather Knoll comes to us with a background in grassroots program development, community gardening, and a strong commitment to making the world a greener place.
Heather spent the first part of her life on her family’s organic farm, and after spending her childhood watching the farmland and woodlands of her west coast community paved over to make way for strip malls, Heather decided at a young age to dedicate herself to helping communities find balance with the natural world.
Heather has spent a number of years in the non-profit sector focused on conservation and nature education. One of her achievements is the creation and oversight of a hike and campout volunteer docent program for the conservation non-profit LandPaths. This program not only allowed participants to explore the beauty of the natural world but also empowered them to become stewards of the environment. Heather trained volunteers and led community gatherings, fostering a sense of connection and action among participants to create a community hub at LandPaths’ Bohemia Ecological Preserve.
Heather’s experience at LandPaths working closely with private landowners and public agencies to establish public access programs showcased her adeptness in building bridges between the community and previously inaccessible natural treasures.
During Heather’s tenure as a Community Gardener for the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria, Heather served as an ambassador for the Community Garden, coordinating the Tribal Elder garden CSA program. She also played a pivotal role in organizing garden workshops and events, creating opportunities for connection and education in the garden for the tribe’s citizens.
Heather co-taught a garden after-school program for the tribe’s youth, demonstrating her dedication to nurturing the next generation’s connection to the environment.
Heather furthered her passion for sustainability as a Grow Team Manager at the gardening start-up Avalow. Her experiences included hosting remote garden education workshops and developing educational content for the Avalow app and social media. We are excited to have Heather as part of our community. Her diverse experiences and deep commitment to environmental stewardship will undoubtedly enrich our mission. We hope that you’ll help us in welcoming Heather to the team by joining us for one of our upcoming community events:
• Annual Electronics Recycling & Paper-Shredding Day: Saturday, October 14, 2023, 10:00am-1:00pm, Woodstock Union High School & Middle School parking lot, 100 Amsden Way, Woodstock, VT 05091 Vermont Shred will accept sensitive documents for shredding. Good Point Recycling will collect used electronics for recycling and reuse, such as televisions, computers and monitors, peripherals, printers, telephones, electronic game consoles, handheld electronic devices and stereo equipment.
• Window Dressers: Thursday, October 26th through Thursday, November 2nd, 2023. North Chapel Unitarian Church: 7 Church Street, Woodstock, VT, 05091 Window Dressers is a nonprofit that brings volunteers together to build insulating window inserts for a participating town’s residents. Sustainable Woodstock is making inserts for income-sensitive folks in our area. We are in need of members of the community to contribute to the effort by participating in the Community Build where the inserts are made. Click here for the full schedule and to sign up to volunteer to help your neighbors stay warm this winter!
