The forest is ideally suited for the development of a year-round homesite while continuing the growth of the existing, professionally managed timber resource.
Property highlights include:
The property is situated in the northeast section of Brookfield Township and northern tip of Chelsea Township, in an area predominately forested and generally at Brookfield’s highest elevation. This location gives way to long views to the west from certain locations near and on the land.
Locally, there are a few year-round neighbors adjacent to the property with mixed home sizes, styles, and maintenance levels. Not far from the property in all directions, the landscape changes from predominately forested to a greater mix of open farmland, creating an attractive local setting.
While the property is situated in a rural area, away from traveled roads, three town villages are nearby. Williamstown village is 6 miles to the northwest, where most amenities are available. Chelsea Village, the county seat, is 7 miles to the southeast. The small hamlet of Brookfield, at Sunset Lake, is 5 miles to the west, while Montpelier is 20 miles north. Boston is about a 2.75-hour drive to the southeast.
Cell service from the property is very good.
Access is provided by roughly 400’ of direct frontage along the town-maintained portion of Cemetery Street; beyond this point, the land has another 1,590’ along the non-town-maintained section of this road. In addition, 725’ of frontage exists along Taylor Hill Road; though this is not town-maintained, this road is kept open in the winter months by local neighbors. Electric power and telephone service runs along Taylor Hill Road and the town-maintained portion of Cemetery Street, with existing and potential driveway cuts easily upgraded and/or established along these roads for housing and/or future forest management activities. Internal trails are well developed, and a VAST snowmobile trail runs along Cemetery Street, providing direct access to this recreational asset.
Gentle to moderate slopes, with mostly southern and western exposure, define the terrain. The property's northern, central and eastern sections are gently sloping and generally the highest elevation in the area at 1,840'.
The entire property was once farmed and part of a homestead, evident by the pine stands that have become established from old field abandonment, the many stone walls that cross the land, remnants of a stone foundation, and the tiny Goodridge Cemetery that is located on the Property along Cemetery Street.
The headwaters of a small stream originate on the land, and a small forested wetland is located in the northeast corner. Soils are generally well drained on the land west of Cemetery Street, as well as the separate +/-4-acre parcel east of Cemetery Street that comes with the property. This +/-4-acre lot has been positively tested for septic options and thus is buildable, offering a nice potential homesite amongst tall, dense trees.
The primary potential homesite is just off Taylor Hill Road, given its close proximity to Taylor Hill Road, existing clearing, and the availability of electric and telephone service along this road. However, other building options are available deeper within the land with considerable driveway construction. These interior sites would offer nice views with tree clearing.
The timber resource has been carefully managed, producing the exceptional stands that exist today. A timber inventory in the spring of 2019 for the purpose of establishing timber value was used to estimate the current timber volumes and values. Upon accounting for volumes harvested in 2020-21, plus annual growth, current total sawlog volume is 398 MBF International ¼" scale (4.2 MBF/acre), with 1,868 pulpwood cords (19.8 cords/acre). Combined total commercial per acre volume is 28.18 cords (a figure above average for the region). Stumpage values were assigned to the volumes in June 2023, producing a property-wide Capital Timber Value (CTV) of $105,000 ($1,107/commercial acre). See the Timber Valuation in this report for details.
Hardwoods are the dominant species, holding 89% of total volume. Species composition is dominated by sugar maple with associates of white ash, red maple, white birch, yellow birch, cherry, and red spruce.
Orange County, Vermont is well known for producing some of the finest sugar maple in the country due to its soils which are perfectly suited to maple growth. This, combined with careful management, has produced an exceptional timber resource. The forest management is FSC certified.
The property's management plan identifies four forest stands. Stands 1 & 2 are sugar maple stands that are generally fully stocked with high-quality growing stock and sawlogs. The average diameter of the maple is nearly 15". Scattered, very old sugar maples (±110 years of age) are present, adding diversity to the resource. The poorer quality white pine in stands 3 & 4 was recently harvested, along with some of the spruce/fir in stand 3. Silvicultural history includes a light thinning in 2010 plus, the above-mentioned harvest which occurred in 2020-21.
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