A Vermont town takes matters-and a mountain-into its own hands.

Mount Ascutney rises 3,000 feet above the town of West Windsor, Vermont. For generations, the ski resort at its base was the community’s center of gravity-until warming winters and a vanishing snowpack drove the resort out of business in 2010. Without a steady stream of visitors, property values dipped, local businesses faltered, and longtime West Windsor residents feared their town’s identity as a hub for outdoor recreation could fade away.
So a group of locals came up with a wild idea to save their mountain: they’d buy it.
Find out how The Trust for Public Land helped the people of West Windsor bring their ambitious plan to life.