Conservation of wild spaces and medicinal plants, education on our collective and sacred responsibility of earth stewardship, and healing within ourselves and our communities, are our most important work right now if we as a species are to prevent, or survive, this and future pandemics.
Climate crisis, community tensions, and of course, COVID-19, have all contributed to a challenging time for nonprofits, especially those focused on conservation. Thanks to the support of our donors, we’ve continued to work towards our mission of conservation, education and healing.
Through on-site programs for local youth, partnerships with Hospice, and virtual education programs including end-of-life care, ecological conservation, and herbs for grief & trauma, we’ve begun nurturing seeds of healing in service to plants, planet, and people.
We look forward to carrying this work forward in 2022 and expanding our reach – with your support.
Make your tax-deductible contribution today
In 2018, Sage Mountain Botanical Sanctuary was re-incorporated as a 501c3 nonprofit organization to carry forward the thirty-year legacy of herbalist Rosemary Gladstar into the next era. When COVID-19 interrupted our plans to reopen the Sanctuary in 2020 after a few years of repairs and restoration, it gave us an extra season to incubate a vision of conservation, education, and healing into the next thirty years and beyond. In 2021, we began a gradual reopening of Sage Mountain for private retreat guests and day visitors, while developing new partnerships to carry our charitable mission into the community. 2021 celebrations include:
- Relationships with local government through municipal leadership positions fostered opportunities for conservation in our corridor
- After nearly a year of efforts, a proposed ATV trail that would encircle the Sage Mountain property and bisect our wildlife corridor was successfully blocked thanks to our efforts engaging local Wetlands and Watershed district coordinators.
- Local public school children began attending community service and environmental learning programs at the Sanctuary
- After many quiet years, the Mountain began receiving guests for private retreats and day visits in August 2021. During our initial three-month pilot season, we hosted over 80 individuals for private retreats and 100 individuals for day visits.
- Sage was accepted into the USDA Conservation Stewardship Program and the Vermont Public Charitable Property program
- Several grants contributed to efficiency improvements to the property
- A grant funded compost system was installed on the property
- Over six miles of our trail network were restored
- Ginseng poachers and illegal hunters were documented and cited to state Fish and Wildlife, leading to deeper partnership and educational programs to local landowners
- Over forty community and school gardens received vegetable, herb and flower seeds collected from the Sage Gardens
With the support of your tax-deductible gift this season, we will be able to implement plans in 2022 including:
- Implementing Forest Farming training and educational outreach to nurture more medicinal plant cultivation in our region
- Expanding educational programs with local schools and the Washington County Youth Service Bureau
- Cataloging and digitizing the extensive Sage Mountain library and archive
- Continuing partnerships to inventory local plants and wildlife activity in collaboration with state agencies and local organizations
- Growing our conservation efforts to protect the precious wildlife that call Sage Mountain home
- Expanding our Healing for the Heroes program to facilitate education, herbal remedies, and retreat support to over 10,000 nurses and frontline healthcare workers
- Expanding our private retreat lodging facilities including a new campground, glamping sites, and the addition in 2023 of more private cabins
- Installing a Memorial Garden in collaboration with Hospice
- Launching monthly group educational programs and expanding our private retreat opportunities
Sage Mountain Botanical Sanctuary serves as a touchstone for conservation, education and healing, in Central Vermont and beyond. We are proud of the role we serve in protecting plants, animals, and the human spirit into the coming year, only made possible by your support.
This #givingtuesday we invite you to support our initiatives in conservation, education and healing, by sharing your tax deductible donation in support of our mission – work that we carry out to honor the legacy of our ancestors and teachers before us, on behalf of all species and future generations. Visit www.SageMountain.com/support/ to make your tax-deductible charitable contribution today.
With our deepest gratitude,
the staff, volunteers, and critters at Sage Mountain Botanical Sanctuary