Land Stewardship
Protecting the land and honoring its agricultural heritage is at the heart of South Village. South Village has conserved and protected 150 acres of open space by clustering the homes into a compact village footprint. This responsible, sustainable development strategy provides South Village residents with some wonderful benefits:
- 117 acres of woodlands, wetlands, and meadows, home to abundant wildlife, including hawks, wild turkeys, foxes, and deer.
- A 12-acre farm producing organic fruit, vegetables, honey and more.
- Walkability with ample sidewalks, quiet paths, and two pocket parks.
The South Village Stewardship Fund (SVSF)
The South Village Stewardship Fund (SVSF) supports the agricultural and land conservation programs at South Village. It also provides on-site environmental education programs that serve and enrich our community.
SVSF Vision
We envision a world where people of all ages are deeply connected to their food, our preserved lands and our community, and therefore make choices toward sustainable systems in nature and society. Sharing an appreciation for this open land and working landscape brings South Village residents together in new and unexpected ways.
SVSF History
Established in 2008, the SVSF is a private 501(c)(3) foundation that works in conjunction with the South Village Community Association and South Village Homeowner’s Association to provide conservation programming to our community. Their role is to support the Land Management Plan, a document that governs the sustainability of the conservation and agricultural lands owned by the Community. For several years, our collective focus has been establishing the farm as a community nucleus. Over $250,000 has been invested in land improvements, equipment, buildings, and community-shared agriculture operations. In addition to helping establish our working farm, Will Raap, one of South Village’s founders, installed one acre of solar panels that supply renewable energy to the City of South Burlington at discounted rates. Consideration is being given to transfer the ownership of these panels to SVSF so they might supply electricity to our residents.
SVSF Programming
SVSF supports community programs, including:
- Raised garden beds
- Saturday morning yoga
- Blazed open space trails for community use
We also support Common Roots activities that connect local youth with nature through education and service programs. Future programs will include ecological activities in the preserved lands and education programs that support the goals of the South Village Community Land Management Plan.
SVSF Operations
Funding for our foundation comes from primarily two sources. First, and to date, the largest, is from the sale of property in South Village. As specified in the Declarations of South Village, one‐half of 1% of the purchase price of lots and homes is dedicated to our foundation (paid by the seller). Our second source of revenue comes from private donations. One resident family generously donated the funds to purchase the three Haygrove High Tunnels that extend our growing season and protect crops from the ever-changing weather and winds. We are greatly appreciative of this gift. Other residents have contributed in various ways by donating time, money, and materials. We have also applied for and received grants in support of our work. All donations are tax-deductible as we are a 501(c)(3) non-profit foundation. Each year our board of directors meets with our farmer and program manager, and conservation professionals to prepare a budget and develop new programs for the upcoming year. Conservation land management is ongoing.
