Vermont Workshops Preserve Black Ash Basketmaking Tradition

State officials are teaching traditional basketmaking to protect a craft threatened by the emerald ash borer.

Updated on Oct. 25, 2026 in Botany

Vermont Workshops Preserve Black Ash Basketmaking Tradition

Live Poll

Should communities prioritize preserving traditional crafts when the natural resources they require are dying?

The Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation recently concluded a series of workshops teaching the traditional craft of black ash basketmaking. Funded by the U.S. Forest Service, these events help preserve the skill as the emerald ash borer kills the majority of the state's black ash trees.

Why it matters

The invasive emerald ash borer has spread to every county in Vermont, threatening to eliminate the black ash trees that are essential to indigenous and traditional basketry crafts. By training new practitioners, the state aims to maintain the knowledge of these techniques before the raw materials become unavailable.

Workshops utilized 6- to 8-foot logs sourced from Hardwick and Green River Reservoir State Park. Participants manually separated annual growth rings to create splints for weaving, a process requiring significant labor.

The players

Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation

This state agency is responsible for managing public lands and addressing forest health issues including invasive species management.

U.S. Forest Service

This federal agency manages national forests and provides funding for collaborative programs aimed at conservation and forest health.

The details

Participants in the workshops used mallets to pound black ash logs, allowing them to separate growth rings into flexible splints. This traditional method of material preparation is vital to the craft, as the loss of ash trees due to the emerald ash borer infestation continues to impact the landscape.

2002: Emerald ash borer was first detected in the U.S. Midwest.
2018: Emerald ash borer was confirmed in Vermont.
Late September 2026: Basketmaking workshop occurred at Atkins Field in Hardwick.
October 17, 2026: The final workshop of the year took place in East Montpelier.

The Big Picture

The workshops extend the response to the 2018 discovery of the emerald ash borer in Vermont by transitioning from ecological management to cultural preservation. This effort shifts the discipline from merely monitoring forest decline to actively saving traditional knowledge before local extinction.

These workshops provide residents with the rare opportunity to learn a traditional, material-specific craft before the local tree population is decimated. Participants gain hands-on experience in log preparation and weaving that could be used to preserve other fiber arts.

The takeaway

Preserving traditional crafts requires active intervention as invasive species permanently alter the local landscape. Interested residents should monitor state agency announcements to participate in future training sessions before regional materials become inaccessible.