Northern Rivers Land Trust Receives Wolcott Property Bequest

Aerial map of Alton Smith property, Wolcott.

The Northern Rivers Land Trust has received the largest single donation in its 19-year history. Long-time Wolcott resident Alton "Tony" Smith, who died on August 30, 2024, willed his 55.5-acre property to the land trust. Smith's estate transferred the property to the NRLT at a closing in Hardwick today.

In the year prior to his death Smith was working with the NRLT to place a conservation easement on his property. While his poor health prevented completion of the easement process, Smith's Last Will and Testament granted the property to the NRLT with a requirement that it be conserved and donated to the Town of Wolcott.

The property borders the recently established Wolcott Community Forest. On August 20 of this year the Wolcott Selectboard agreed to add 53.5 acres of the property to the Community Forest. The residence and two acres will be sold, and the funds from that sale will be used to create the Alton Smith Conservation Fund at the NRLT. The funds will be used by the land trust to further its mission to support landowners to conserve and protect the ecologically important and working lands at the headwaters of Vermont's Winooski, Lamoille, and Black Rivers for the benefit of future generations.

"I know Tony would be delighted that his property now will be protected and used as part of the Wolcott Community Forest for generations to come," said Jack Travelstead, NRLT Board chair. Smith lived in Wolcott for nearly 50 years. His love for the land led him to pass it on to NRLT "to be conserved and preserved for future generations to enjoy." A dedicated outdoorsman, hiker and conservationist, Smith was the 21st person to climb with his pals George Putnam and John Sharp all the 4000-foot mountains in New England and New York in the winter. Smith and Sharp continued their adventures and scaled the rest of the 100 highest peaks in New England in the winter. When he was not hiking, Smith was helping people find jobs through his position at the Vermont Department of Employment and Training. He retired in 2010.

Putnam, the executor of Smith's estate, said: "This transfer of Tony Smith's property to the Northern Rivers Land Trust is a major step toward realizing Tony's dream. Tony purchased several parcels of land that he wanted to preserve for future generations - land encompassing forests, streams and beaver ponds. Thanks to the NRLT and the Town of Wolcott, most of Tony's property will be added to the Community Forest, fulfilling Tony's dream beyond his early hopes and expectations."

The NRLT serves the towns of Albany, Craftsbury, Greensboro, Hardwick, Walden, Wolcott, and Woodbury.