Member Highlight: Gerry Hawkes has earned Vermont Tree Farmer of the Year

Congratulations to Gerry Hawkes, a longtime Guild member, forester, and tree farmer, who has earned the 2025 Vermont Tree Farmer of the Year award from the Vermont Woodlands Association! For 55 years, Gerry has managed his 60 acres in Vermont’s Southern Green Mountains, practicing ecological forestry and drawing on a lifetime of careful observation and a deep respect for nature. His methods rely on rotational thinning to enhance tree health and combat threats such as the sugar maple borer and invasive species—often utilizing small-scale logging equipment he designed and built himself.