Stowe Land Trust's Tom Rogers shared his guest perspective with the Stowe Reporter about fostering the places and values we care about most this giving season.
On a walk through the woods earlier this fall, I stopped to watch a squirrel dart across the trail, an acorn clutched tightly in its mouth. Moments later it paused, dug a small hole, tucked the acorn inside and covered it with a sprinkle of leaves before scampering off in search of the next prize. Further along, I saw chipmunks stuffing their cheeks, blue jays tucking seeds into tree bark and nuthatches ferrying beech nuts to hidden spots throughout the forest.
This flurry of activity happens every year as the animals of the forest prepare for the long winter ahead. What’s remarkable, though, is not just their gathering, but the unexpected outcome: many of the seeds they cache are never found again.
Those forgotten acorns and beech nuts, resting quietly beneath the soil, lie dormant through the cold months and eventually sprout into saplings. Over time, they grow into the next generation of forest, providing food, shelter and beauty for countless creatures, including us.
Standing among the trees that day, it struck me that nature’s rhythm offers a lesson for us, too. The end of the year is not only the season of harvest. It is also the season of planting, preparing and giving. It is the time when both the forest and our community invest in the future.
As the year draws to a close and winter settles over Vermont, many of us begin to think about the places and causes that matter most. We give to organizations that strengthen the roots of our community: the programs that educate our children, the arts that inspire us, the nonprofits that lend a hand to neighbors in need, and the land that sustains us all.
We are fortunate to witness the generosity of our community every year. Across the valley, people give their time, energy and resources to nurture the places and programs they care about, from forests and farms to trails, rivers, arts and education. These acts are not done out of obligation. They come from a place of hope and care, from a belief that shared investment can create something enduring, and from a desire to nurture something lasting. In doing so, we strengthen the very community we all depend on.
In that sense, the forest offers a gentle reminder: small acts, offered at the right moment, can take root in ways we never fully see. Like squirrels, chipmunks and jays, we plant seeds for the future, even if we may never see all the ways they grow. Some seeds shape the experiences of our children and neighbors today. Others grow slowly and quietly, creating new opportunities, spaces and connections for generations to come. Every act of care, generosity and attention adds to the forest of our community, sustaining it and allowing it to flourish long into the future.
Unlike the creatures guided by instinct, we have the gift of intention. We can choose where to plant our seeds, how to nurture the places and values we care about most, and how to share what we have so that others may thrive. When we give with gratitude, those seeds of generosity take root in ways that ripple far beyond what we can see.
So, as you walk through the woods each fall, take a moment to notice the quiet work happening all around you in preparation of the coming year. The blue jay calling overhead, the chipmunk rustling through the leaves, the squirrel tucking away an acorn — all are part of nature’s enduring cycle of renewal and abundance. We too have a role to play in that cycle.
This is the season for giving, and for planting the seeds of the community and the landscape we want to grow together.