Spring 2013 Symposium
The Forgotten 20 Percent: Land Use Development and Conservation Challenges in Rural America
Friday, April 19, 2013
Chase Community Center, Vermont Law School, South Royalton, VT
Co-hosted by the Environmental Law Center, Office of the Associate Dean for Student Affairs and Diversity, and the American Planning Association, Northern New England Chapter
About the Symposium:
This symposium addressed a wide range of cutting-edge topics facing rural America, including:
- Demographic trends in Vermont and in other rural areas across the country and the world
- Alternative strategies for effective conservation of rural back country areas
- Approaches for providing affordable, high quality internet, transportation and other public services
- Exploring the state of the rural housing stock and rural economy
- Examining the benefits and burdens of use-value taxation, such as the widely used “current use” tax programs
Watch the Symposium Here:
Schedule:
8:00 – 8:45 Registration 8:45 – 9:00 Welcome and Introductions
- Marc Mihaly. President, Dean, and Professor of Law, Vermont Law School.
9:00 – 10:15 Keynote Panel
- Ken Johnson, Senior Demographer, the Carsey Insitute, University of New Hampshire
- Gershon Feder, Chair, Publications Review Committee, International Food Policy Research Institute
- Mark Lapping, Distinguished Professor, Muskie School of Public Service, University of Southern Maine
10:15 – 11:30 Rural Infrastructure: Challenges and Strategies
- Karen Horn, Director of Public Policy and Advocacy, Vermont League of Cities and Towns
- Robert Bruce, Former General Counsel, Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
- Joe Segale. Policy and Planning Manager, Vermont Agency of Transportation.
12:15 – 1:30 Alternative Approaches to Land Conservation
- Robert Liberty, Director, Urban Sustainability Accelerator, Toulan School of Urban Studies and Planning, Portland State University
- Jane Difley, President/Forester, Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests,
- Robert Anderberg. Vice President and General Counsel, Open Space Institute
1:30 – 2:45 Rural Taxation: Benefits and Burdens
- Deb Brighton, Independent Consultant in VT, specializing in tax policy issues
- Lori Lynch, Professor of Agricultural Economics, University of Maryland,
- Darby Bradley. Former President, Vermont Land Trust
3:15 – 4:30 Building Sustainable Communities: Employment and Housing in Rural America
- Gus Seelig, Executive Director, Vermont Housing & Conservation Board
- Laurie Ristino. Director, Center for Agriculture and Food Systems, Vermont Law School
- Shaun Gilpin, Program Director, Mobile Home Program, Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity