[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 110 (Friday, July 1, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E686-E687]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




COMMEMORATING THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE VERMONT INSTITUTE OF NATURAL 
                   SCIENCE (VINS) IN QUECHEE, VERMONT

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. PETER WELCH

                               of vermont

                    in the house of representatives

                          Friday, July 1, 2022

  Mr. WELCH. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the outstanding work 
and enduring impact of the Vermont Institute of Natural Science (VINS) 
in Quechee, VT. I would also like to congratulate them as they 
celebrate their 50 Year Anniversary. Since their opening in October of 
1972, VINS has served as a pillar of the community, educating 
Vermonters

[[Page E687]]

on the beautiful wildlife in our state and what we can do to conserve 
it. The organization and its staff have shown a remarkable commitment 
to research, conservation and education.
  The genesis of VINS can be traced back to David Laughlin, who 
spearheaded a study of the Ottauquechee River in central Vermont. The 
river was found to be badly polluted by waste and runoff. Joining Dr. 
Laughlin's efforts were his wife Sally Laughlin, Rick Farrar, and June 
McKnight. The group's efforts ultimately led to the first water quality 
litigation in the state of Vermont. The group built on the momentum 
from the victorious river cleanup, remaining vigilant in their 
commitment to preserving the river's future. Their brainstorming 
culminated into the idea to establish an environmental organization 
aimed at educating young children. Thus, came the Vermont Institute of 
Natural Science in 1972.
  Since its founding, VINS' mission has stressed education as a 
critical tool in changing perspectives and maintaining a healthy 
environment. Early on, Sally Laughlin led the charge to establish a 
bird-banding project with the help of her experienced colleague, Rick 
Farrar. The bird banding program, educational activities, and the river 
clean-up, established VINS as a critical Vermont institution.
  Today, VINS is defined by its environmental and education focus at 
the VINS Nature Center, with 35 exhibit and education raptors utilized 
in daily live education programs from a trained educator's hand; the 
Forest Canopy Walk and Outdoor Classroom; the ADA trail network; VINS 
School Programs, which reach 3,400 students and 600 teachers each year; 
the Adventure Playscape; and the Center for Wild Bird Rehabilitation. 
The rehabilitation center treats injured birds found throughout the 
state with the eventual goal of releasing them back into the wild. The 
center treated a record of 1,098 birds last year alone. Those birds 
which cannot be released safely are kept at VINS' Nature Center as 
``ambassadors'' for their species to help educate curious visitors.
  As Executive Director Charles Rattigan takes VINS into its next 50 
years, the institute remains a sought-after destination for visitors 
and residents of Vermont and the Upper Valley. This year alone, over 
69,000 visitors passed through its gates to learn about raptors, native 
species and the environments in which they live. Curious people of all 
ages learned how to actively care for our natural world, helping to 
fulfill VINS' crucial mission of motivating individuals and communities 
to care for their environment. I want to recognize VINS for its 
passionate commitment to education, research and avian wildlife 
rehabilitation. VINS continues to be an influential steward of the 
natural world, in Vermont and beyond.

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