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May 14, 2026
4:00 – 7:00 p.m. ET
Woodstock, Vermont

Join the Forest Stewards Guild for a lively Guild Gathering at the Hawkes Family Tree Farm in scenic Woodstock, Vermont!  

Longtime Guild member Gerry Hawkes has been honored with the 2025 Tree Farmer of the Year Award by the Vermont Woodlands Association, recognizing his thoughtful ecological forestry practices. To celebrate, he’s welcoming the Guild community to his beautiful 60-acre property in Vermont’s Southern Green Mountains.  

Together, we will:   

• Tour the Hawkes Family Tree Farm and explore a vibrant forest shaped by decades of careful silviculture and selective thinning 

• Discover the ponds and vernal pools Gerry has built for wildlife and learn how his forest roads have been designed to protect their habitat 

• Step into his workshop to see some of the small-scale logging equipment he’s invented over the years 

• Finish the evening with appetizers and s’mores around Gerry’s campfire 

Gerry is especially eager to welcome early-career professionals and students to his Tree Farm, giving everyone the chance to see the lasting impact of dedicated management and connect with the next generation of conservation leaders. 

This event is part of our 30th Anniversary celebrations, with member-hosted gatherings that honor decades of ecological forestry and highlight the exemplary stewardship of Guild members nationwide. We can’t wait to see you there