Vermont Land Use: 77% Forest, 10% Agriculture, 6% Developed

Vermont's 24,900 km² (9,616 sq mi) breaks down as follows:

Forest (77% — 2nd highest in U.S. after Maine)

• Northern hardwoods dominant: sugar maple, beech, yellow birch
• Spruce-fir at higher elevations
• Uses: timber (sustainable harvest), maple syrup (#1 U.S.), recreation, carbon sequestration, habitat
• 80% privately owned (family forests); 20% public (Green Mountain NF, state forests)

Agriculture (10%)

• Dairy: 60% of ag sales; ~600 farms (down from 11,000 in 1950)
• Maple syrup: 2M+ gallons/yr (50%+ U.S.)
• Diversified: vegetables, apples, berries, hemp, craft grains
• Working Lands Enterprise Initiative supports innovation

Developed (6%)

• Urban clusters: Burlington (45k), Essex, South Burlington, Rutland, Montpelier (capital, 8k)
• Ski resorts: Stowe, Killington, Sugarbush, etc. (major economic drivers)
• Smart growth policies: Act 250 (1970), downtown designation, village centers

Wetlands (4%)

Marshes, swamps, bogs, vernal pools. Critical for flood attenuation (Lake Champlain basin), water filtration, amphibian habitat. Regulated under Vermont Wetland Rules (2002).

Water (3%)

• Lake Champlain (435 sq mi, 587 mi shoreline) — 6th largest U.S. lake
• Connecticut River (eastern border)
• Lake Memphremagog (shared with Québec)
• Uses: drinking water, recreation, hydro, irrigation

Vermont's land ethos balances production, preservation, and rural character—codified in pioneering planning statutes.