Vermont Workshops Preserve Black Ash Basketry Skills
The series teaches traditional weaving as the invasive emerald ash borer continues to kill black ash trees across the state.
Updated on Oct. 25, 2026 in Botany
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Vermont organizers concluded a series of five black ash basketmaking workshops in 2026 to help preserve traditional weaving techniques. The initiative aims to pass on craftsmanship skills while the emerald ash borer, an invasive beetle first found in the state in 2018, kills a majority of black ash trees across the region.
Why it matters
The emerald ash borer infestation is eliminating the primary material for black ash basketry, threatening the future of a traditional craft. These workshops accelerate skill transmission, ensuring that weavers can continue to work with the material before the species is largely decimated in Vermont.
The workshops utilized 6- to 8-foot logs sourced from Hardwick and Green River Reservoir State Park. Instructors leading the sessions completed a 3-year apprenticeship to master the material preparation techniques.
The players
Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation
The state agency responsible for managing natural resources and mitigating the spread of invasive species like the emerald ash borer.
U.S. Forest Service
The federal agency that administers national forests and grasslands and funded the 2026 black ash basketmaking workshop series.
The details
Basketmaking involves harvesting a black ash log and stripping the bark to expose the growth rings. Participants use mallets to pound the wood, which separates the annual growth rings into flexible, thin layers known as splints. These splints are then woven into baskets, a process requiring specific physical force to ensure the structural integrity of the wood fibers.
Timeline
2002: Emerald ash borer first detected in the U.S. Midwest.
2018: Emerald ash borer confirmed in Vermont.
Late September 2026: Basketmaking workshop held at Atkins Field in Hardwick.
October 17, 2026: Final workshop of the year held in East Montpelier.
The Tech Race
This project runs parallel to ongoing state efforts to curb the emerald ash borer, which is now present in every county in Vermont. The initiative emphasizes cultural conservation as researchers expect the beetle to eliminate the majority of ash trees across the state.
Local artisans and cultural practitioners in Vermont are the primary beneficiaries, gaining the ability to process logs before local ash populations decline further. The workshops provide a critical window for community members to learn traditional preparation methods that require years of hands-on apprenticeship.
The takeaway
The workshop series preserves traditional weaving skills as a hedge against the inevitable loss of black ash trees. Readers should monitor updates from the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation for future workshop scheduling in 2027.
What happens next
Organizers expect to continue the basketmaking workshop series in future years as the supply of black ash allows.
Further reading
Learn more about the latest research and conservation efforts at Botany.
Source note: This article includes information reported by VTDigger.
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Should communities prioritize preserving traditional crafts when the natural resources they require are dying?
