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NBC5 In Depth with Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation Commissioner Danielle Fitzko

Fitzko was recently appointed by Gov. Phil Scott as commissioner of the Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation

EVERYONE CALLS HER DANNY. SHE TOLD US SHE MOVED TO VERMONT AFTER TELLING HER HUSBAND THEY REALLY SHOULD LIVE WHERE THEY VACATIONED. WELL, 20 YEARS LATER, SHE’S NOW IN CHARGE OF KEEPING OUR FORESTS HEALTHY AND MAKING YOUR VACATION ONE TO REMEMBER. COMMISSIONER, THANKS FOR THE TIME. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. HOW DOES THAT SOUND, COMMISSIONER? NEW. YEAH, GETTING USED TO IT BECAUSE YOU’RE A VETERAN OF THE DEPARTMENT. YES, I’VE BEEN WITH THE DEPARTMENT 20 YEARS. YEAH. AND. AND YOUR AREA OF EXPERTISE IS URBAN FORESTRY. URBAN FORESTRY? YES. I SERVED AS THE URBAN FORESTRY PROGRAM MANAGER FOR 15 YEARS. AND THEN AFTER THAT, I’VE BEEN DIRECTOR OF FOREST FOR FOUR YEARS. SO 20 YEARS IN PR, SO HAPPY TO CONTINUE SERVING. SO YOU YOU WOULD HELP TOWNS ESSENTIALLY PLANT TREES THAT WOULD SURVIVE, RIGHT? WE LIKE TO LOOK AT IT AS TREES PROVIDE A LOT OF BENEFITS AND AND WHEN THEY’RE IN DOWNTOWN, THEY’RE ON THE FRONT LINE. SO WE TALK ABOUT HOW DO WE RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT THE BENEFITS AND HOW TO PLANT AND CARE FOR THEM SO THAT WE REALLY CAN MAXIMIZE ALL THOSE BENEFITS DOWNTOWN. NOW, YOU LEAD THE DEPARTMENT. IT’S NOT A BIG DEPARTMENT, RIGHT? 130, 40. ABOUT 130 PEOPLE YEAR ROUND. AND THEN DURING THE SUMMER SEASON, WE BRING ON ABOUT 400 TO 450 SEASONAL STAFF, MAKE TO OPERATE OUR 56 VERMONT STATE PARKS. SO YOU’RE HIRING LIKE CRAZY. HOPEFULLY MOST OF THAT’S DONE BY NOW BECAUSE THEY’RE IN TRAINING RIGHT NOW. OKAY. AND HOW’S THAT GONE? I MEAN, HAVE YOU BEEN ABLE TO TRACK THE PEOPLE THAT YOU NEED? IT’S BEEN GOING WELL. IT’S ALWAYS A LOT OF WORK FOR STAFF TO BRING ON THAT MANY PEOPLE AND TO TRAIN THEM AND ONBOARD THEM. BUT DOING PRETTY GOOD THIS YEAR. WE’VE GOT AN EXCELLENT CREW. SO PARKS HAVE NOT YET OPENED YET. BUT AS YOU SAY, 56 AROUND THE STATE. I THOUGHT THERE WERE 55. SO YOU’VE ADDED ONE? YES, WE ADDED ONE RECENTLY TO CONNECT MOUNTAIN RAMBLE AND ONE. ONCE THE PARK IS OPEN, WE’LL JUST STATE PARK ONE OPENS THIS WEEKEND, JAMAICA STATE PARK. AND THEN BY MEMORIAL DAY, ALL OF OUR PARKS WILL BE OPEN. NO FEE INCREASE. THIS YEAR WE HAD A FEE INCREASE LAST YEAR, SO THEY WILL SEE STEADY RATES THIS YEAR. OKAY. AND THEY’RE ALL A LITTLE DIFFERENT. I WAS LOOKING AT SOME OF THE THEY’RE VERY DIVERSE. SOME HAVE A LOT MORE IN TERMS OF FACILITIES THAN OTHERS. BUT THERE’S AN ADVANCED RESERVATION SYSTEM THAT’S BEEN IN PLACE FOR QUITE A NUMBER OF YEARS NOW. DO YOU HAVE ANY SENSE YET AS TO I MEAN, IT’S EARLY, BUT DO YOU HAVE ANY SENSE YET ABOUT INTEREST IN THE UPCOMING SEASON? I HOPEFULLY IT WILL BE STRONG AS IT WAS LAST YEAR. LAST YEAR WE HAD OUR HIGHEST NUMBERS EVER WITH ALMOST 1.2 MILLION. SO I DON’T KNOW WHAT THE FORECAST IS, BUT TYPICALLY PEOPLE LOOK AHEAD AT THE WEATHER AND SAY, IS IT GOING TO BE A GOOD WEEKEND? AND SO THEY CAN BOOK REALLY UP TO THE DAY BY EVEN CALLING THE PARK IF THERE’S AVAILABILITY. MAYBE IT’S DURING THE PANDEMIC. I IMAGINE THAT A LOT MORE PEOPLE WHO WERE EAGER TO STAY FAR APART FROM ONE ANOTHER DISCOVERED THE STATE PARKS AND SORT OF TOOK ALTERNATIVE ACTIONS. YES, WE SAW AN INCREASE DURING THE PANDEMIC. PEOPLE FOUND STATE PARKS FELT SAFE AT STATE PARKS AND THEY FELL IN LOVE AND THEY’RE RETURNING, WHICH IS FANTASTIC. WE’VE BEEN DOING A LOT OF WORK OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS TO UPGRADE A LOT OF OUR FACILITIES AT STATE PARKS, BATHROOMS, SOME PLAYGROUNDS TO JUST MAKE THEM REALLY ENJOYABLE PLACES FOR FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS TO COME AND STAY. YEAH, I WAS I MEAN, WE’RE A LITTLE RIVER STATE PARK NEXT TO THE RESERVOIR. IT’S VERY PICTURESQUE. AND JUST DRIVING IN HERE TODAY NOTICED SO MUCH OF YOUR NEW INVESTMENT CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS IN CABINS AND INFRASTRUCTURE. YEAH, CABINS IS ONE AREA THAT WE ARE EXPANDING. PEOPLE REALLY LIKE TO HAVE THE SHELTER OF THE CABIN AND SO WE’VE BEEN WORKING WITH SOME OF THE VERMONT TECH CENTERS TO HELP BUILD CABINS. SO IT’S A GREAT WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT. AND THEN WE GET THESE NEW RESOURCES IN OUR PARKS. DO YOU HAVE IS THAT WOULD WE SEE THIS AROUND THE STATE? I DON’T KNOW WHAT KIND OF CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS THERE HAVE BEEN SYSTEMWIDE OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS OR PERHAPS THIS YEAR. WE HAVE SOME NEW ONES THAT RECENTLY WENT IN AND ASCUTNEY STATE PARK, AND IT’S A FEW I DON’T KNOW EXACTLY WHERE THEY’RE ALL ARE, BUT THERE’S AN INVESTMENT BEING MADE TO SORT OF DIVERSIFY OUR CAMPING OPPORTUNITIES FROM CAMPSITES, TENT SITES TO LEAN TOS, TO CABINS, EVEN REMOTE CAMPING AND, YOU KNOW, THE SERVICES VARY. YOU HAVE OVERNIGHT ACCOMMODATIONS. SOME ARE JUST FOR DAY VISITS. WHAT WOULD YOU SAY? DO YOU HAVE A I MEAN, YOU PROBABLY HATE THAT QUESTION. EVERYBODY GETS IT. YEAH, I HAVE FAVORITES FOR DIFFERENT REASONS. YOU KNOW, I LIVE IN STOWE AND WHEN I WAS RAISING MY DAUGHTER, WHO’S NOW 16, WE LOVED WATERBURY CENTER STATE PARK. IT’S JUST A GREAT DAY USE AREA. IT WAS A GREAT PLACE TO BRING YOUR KIDS AND FAMILIES GOT TOGETHER AND WE WATCHED THEM PLAY IN THE WATER. IF I’M GOING CAMPING, SOMETIMES I LIKE TO GO MORE REMOTE AND GO UP TO NORTHEAST KINGDOM, WHERE I CAN ACCESS SOME REALLY GOOD MOUNTAIN BIKE TRAILS ON ON THE KINGDOM TRAILS EMERALD LAKE STATE PARK DOWN SOUTH. THAT’S WHERE I GREW UP. SCORED GORGEOUS. WELL I HAVE SOME VISITING TO DO. YOU DO? YES. THE OTHER PART OF YOUR YOUR JOB IS IS TO MANAGE THE HEALTH OF OUR FOREST. AND I’M WONDERING ABOUT THAT. WE HAVE SOME SOME PREDATORS, SOME NATURAL PESTS THAT HAVE BEEN IN THE HEADLINES A LOT. FIRST, THE SPONGY MOTH, WHAT WE USED TO CALL THE GYPSY MOTH. WE ANTICIPATE THEY’LL BE BACK THIS YEAR, BUT IT’S SPOTTY, RIGHT? IT’S NOT A UNIFORM ACROSS OUR STATE BY ANY MEANS, RIGHT? YEAH. SO WE DID SEE AN INCREASE OF SPONGY MOTH A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO AND IT WAS ON THE RISE LAST YEAR. WE HAD ABOUT 43,000 ACRES THAT WERE DEFOLIATION BY SPONGY MOTH. OUR FOREST HEALTH TEAM, WE’RE FORTUNATE TO HAVE THEM GOES OUT AND MONITORS FOR FOREST HEALTH AND BASED ON THE EGG MASK COUNT SO THEY KIND OF COUNT LIKE WHAT’S OVERWINTERING WE CAN EXPECT TO SEE A DECREASE IN SPONGY MOTH THIS YEAR. ALSO, THIS WEATHER THAT WE’RE HAVING, THIS RAINY WEATHER, THERE IS A PREDATOR THAT WAS RELEASED MANY, MANY YEARS AGO THAT IT’S A FUNGUS AND IT THRIVES IN THIS WET WEATHER. SO THAT SHOULD HOPEFULLY ALSO PUT SPONGY MOTH IN CHECK. THAT’S THE NATURAL ENEMY. IT’S NOT NATURAL. IT’S INTRODUCED. SPONGY MOTH IS ALSO NOT A NATIVE PEST. IT WAS INTRODUCED MANY YEARS AGO AND SO WAS THIS FUNGUS TO CONTROL IT. SO WE THINK WE’RE TOWARD THE TAIL END OF THE CYCLE. I THINK WE’RE HEADING DOWN, WHICH IS A REALLY GOOD SIGN. STATE’S NOT GOING TO SPRAY. I DON’T THINK WE HAVE IN ANTICIPATION OF SPRAYING THIS YEAR, BUT WE’LL CERTAINLY MONITOR AND WORK WITH LANDOWNERS. IF THEY’RE LOOKING TO SPRAY, WE CAN GIVE THEM SOME GUIDANCE. EMERALD ASH BORER, PARTICULARLY IN CENTRAL VERMONT. I THINK THAT THOSE WERE THE MOST RECENT STORIES WE’VE DONE. THAT’S A PROBLEM. YES, EMERALD ASH BORER AFFECTS ALL SPECIES OF ASH, WHICH WE HAVE A LOT OF ASH IN THE STATE. WE ESTIMATE ABOUT 1.6 BILLION ASH TREES. IT’S NOT JUST IN CENTRAL VERMONT. ACTUALLY, IN 13 AS OF 14 COUNTIES IN THE STATE. THAT’S WHAT WE FOUND. EMERALD ASH BORER DOESN’T MEAN ALL THOSE ASH TREES ARE INFECTED. WE’RE STILL IN A SLOW THE SPREAD OF EMERALD ASH BORER, PARTICULARLY THINKING ABOUT NOT MOVING FIREWOOD. THEY LIKE TO HITCHHIKE IN FIREWOOD. SO WE’RE STILL ASKING FOR PEOPLE IF THEY SUSPECT THEY HAVE EMERALD ASH BORER TO LET US KNOW AND GO TO INVASIVE AND CLICK ON THE REPORTED BUTTON. AND OUR FOREST HEALTH TEAM, NOT JUST IN FPR BUT ALSO IN THE AGENCY OF AGRICULTURE AND UVM WILL RESPOND AND GET BACK BECAUSE WE ARE TRACKING IT AND WE’RE ALSO RESPONDING TO IT AS WELL, PARTICULARLY ON STATE LANDS AND IN PARTICULARLY IN STATE PARKS WHERE WE KNOW WE HAVE EMERALD ASH BORER, WE KNOW THE TREES ARE GOING TO DIE, WE KNOW THEY CAN POSE A PUBLIC SAFETY RISK AND WE’RE PROACTIVELY REMOVING ASH TREES. NOW, ANYTHING ELSE ON YOUR RADAR? CERTAINLY THERE’S SOME PESTS THAT WE DON’T HAVE HERE IN VERMONT THAT WE’RE WATCHING. ONE CALLED OAK WILT THAT CAN AFFECT OAK TREES, BEECH LEAF DISEASE. SO OUR FOREST HEALTH TEAM HAS MONITORED PLOTS OUT. NOW WE’RE WE’RE LOOKING FOR IT WORKING WITH OUR REGIONAL STATE PARTNERS AS WELL. WE KEEP A STRONG EYE ON LOOKING AT THE HEALTH OF OUR FOREST. WE ACTUALLY GET UP IN PLANES EVERY YEAR AND MAP ANY SORT OF DEFOLIATION AND WE TRACK TRENDS OVER TIME AND YOU’D LIKE PEOPLE TO REPORT WHAT THEY SEE. ABSOLUTELY. COMMISSIONER DANNY FIASCO, MANY THANKS FOR YOUR TIME AND GOOD LUCK. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND WE’LL BE RIGHT BACK.

NBC5 In Depth with Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation Commissioner Danielle Fitzko

Fitzko was recently appointed by Gov. Phil Scott as commissioner of the Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation

Danielle “Danny” Fitzko moved to Vermont after telling her husband that they should “really live where they vacation,” and now, 20 years later, she is in charge of keeping Vermont’s forests healthy and making others’ vacations one to remember.Fitzko was appointed by Gov. Phil Scott in April as commissioner of the Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation after having served in an interim role since January. She has worked at FPR since 2003 and said she is excited to take on this new role.NBC5’s Stewart Ledbetter recently sat down with Fitzko to learn about her plans for maintaining one of Vermont’s greatest natural resources.

Fitzko was appointed by Gov. Phil Scott in April as commissioner of the Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation after having served in an interim role since January. She has worked at FPR since 2003 and said she is excited to take on this new role.

NBC5’s Stewart Ledbetter recently sat down with Fitzko to learn about her plans for maintaining one of Vermont’s greatest natural resources.