NorthWoods was founded in 1989 as the Vermont Leadership Center by William C. Manning. VLC’s mission was to serve as a destination for environmental education and youth leadership development. The Center attained non-profit 501(c)3 status in 1995. A youth conservation service program was initiated in 1995, and land management and research programs were added in 1996.

In 2004, the NorthWoods Stewardship Center took title over the VLC in order to reflect the region-wide impact the organization now has. NorthWoods purchased the facilities and surrounding property from Manning, who still volunteers his time and adjacent land for the use of our programs.

In 2009, longtime board member and generous supporter Lydia Spitzer donated 1350 acres of forestland and wetland adjacent to the Center’s original property. NorthWoods’ 1500 acres are managed for sustainable timber production, experimental silviculture research, and habitat preservation, and the Vermont Land Trust holds conservation easements over nearly all of the organization’s land.