...In 1996, Farley became the Executive Director of Vermont Coverts, an organization with a mission to “encourage and effect the maintenance, enhancement and/or creation of wildlife habitat on private forest lands in Vermont.” Covert is an old English word referring to a thicket or a place providing protection for wildlife. Farley enjoys working with people around the state who are dedicated to stewardship and forest management. With the help of over 300 volunteers, Farley coordinates workshops for landowners focused on managing land for wildlife habitat.

Farley describes her path to Sterling College as circuitous. While Farley was completing her bachelor’s degree at Sarah Lawrence College, a friend introduced her to then Sterling’s Grassroots and Rural Resource Management Program—a unique two-year program focusing on natural resource management that eventually became the foundation of the College’s current bachelor degree programs. After completing the Grassroots Program Farley decided to stay at Sterling and earn her associates degree. When asked about her choice to spend her last year of college at Sterling, Farley stated, “It was one of the best decisions I have made in my life; it affirmed my commitment to work with people and the environment.” Since that decisive year at Sterling College, Farley has worked hard to help people understand the responsibility we must all accept for conserving our natural resources.

Farley began teaching at Sterling College in 1989. She brings elements of her current and past work experiences to each of the courses she teaches. Farley’s connection with Vermont Coverts allows opportunities for students to present research to various audiences. For example, Vermont Coverts has been the sponsor for several students working on their Senior Applied Research Projects. This has provided the students with an opportunity to work directly with Vermont landowners through workshops on such topics as assessment of bear stand habitats (Vanessa Petro ’06) and vernal pool ecology (Christina Goodwin ’02).

Farley is co-professor for Sterling’s Global Field Study trip to Belize, where students study marine and tropical ecosystems and explore their natural communities and related management issues. In particular, Farley focuses on the continual monitoring of the Monkey River watershed (see related article in this issue). She is thrilled to see students embrace the Belize experience and feels that Global Field Studies, in general, impact students in an invaluable way.

Farley Brown embodies the principles of experiential education and promotes an interdisciplinary approach to environmental stewardship. The College is fortunate that Farley decided to attend the Rural Resources Management Program back in 1985 as she realized her passion for sustainable land management and environmental education. Now, Farley continues to develop and engage her passion and pass along her energy and knowledge to current Sterling College students.

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