Information about The Champion Lands Deal


The Champion Lands deal in Vermont was part of a package deal with Champion, to buy 295,000 acres from them in NY, VT, & NH for $72.25 million. The purchase price for their 133,000 acres in VT was $26.5 million plus transaction expenses. The funds came from:

Sources of Funding
$7.5 million Essex Timber Co.
$4.5 million State of Vermont
$4.5 million Freeman Foundation
$6.5 million U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
$4.0 million Mellon Foundation
$1.0 North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA)
Plus assorted smaller grants and private fundraising

Uses of Funding
Essex Timber Co. spent $7.5 million to buy 84,000 acres, subject to easements.
State funds purchased the public access easement on the 84,000 acres that went to Essex Timber Co.
Freeman Foundation Funds purchased the conservation easement locking in forestry on the Essex Timber Co. land.
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service funds bought 26,000 acres for the Conte National Wildlife Refuge.
Funds from the Mellon Foundation and NAWCA were used to purchase 22,000 acres around West Mountain.
Transaction costs were covered by the Freeman Foundation and other private fundraising.