DREAM Co-Founder Mike Foote Honored by Vermont Land Trust with Conservation Award

(Left to right) Maggie Donin, Vermont Land Trust’s Farmland Access Director; Hannah Doyle, Owner of Boneyard Farm; DREAM Co-Founder and Empowerment Director Mike Foote; and VLT Project Director Bob Heiser.

MONTPELIER, VT — Vermont Land Trust recognized DREAM Program co-founder and Empowerment Director Mike Foote on September 17 at its annual awards ceremony for his decades of work supporting outdoor recreation opportunities for rural and low-income youth in Vermont and beyond.

Foote, who started DREAM in 1999 as an undergraduate at Dartmouth College, received the 2025 Land and Lives Award in recognition of leadership, resourcefulness, and inclusiveness that have made an enduring difference in the well-being of Vermont’s land and people. 

“This isn’t a single person’s achievement,” said Foote. “DREAM has been built by so many partners, families, kids, and mentors. Our overnight adventure base, Camp DREAM, has created memories, developed young minds, and provided a safe, outdoor space for some of the most vulnerable youth in our communities.”

Vermont Land Trust (VLT) also recognized Camp DREAM for its exceptional contributions to unite land and lives. DREAM and VLT share a long history dating back to 2005 when Foote developed a partnership with VLT to buy and conserve 50 acres of land on Metcalf Pond to establish Camp DREAM, located in Fletcher, Vermont. The camp, which provides outdoor opportunities for children living in underserved communities across Vermont and the Northeast, is a critical piece of DREAM’s year-round commitment to closing the opportunity gap for underserved youth.

“It is truly inspiring to witness the unflagging commitment Mike and his team bring to ensuring all kids have opportunities for adventures, shared experiences, and for developing meaningful relationships with one another and with the natural world,” said VLT Project Director Bob Heiser. “Mike’s ability to make good things happen for these kids reflects his true caring and his recognition of the power of these relationships between people and with the land.”

In 2024, Foote led an effort to acquire a one-acre island located at the northern end of 71-acre Metcalf Pond. The island provides additional recreation and adventure opportunities for campers from DREAM’s three primary locations—Vermont, Philadelphia, and Boston—and from its newly expanded programs in Albany, New York; Portland, Maine; Providence, Rhode Island; Southwest Connecticut; and Washington, D.C.

The island was made possible with funding from the Vermont Housing & Conservation Board. “This is a great example of our Vermont community coming together to ensure that all youth have access to incredible out-of-school time, opportunities and adventures,” said Foote at the time of the purchase.

Hannah Doyle and Mike Foote

Hannah Doyle of Boneyard Farm was also recognized at the VLT ceremony with the 2025 Eric Rozendaal Memorial Award given annually to a farmer in recognition of outstanding service to community, land stewardship, and innovation.

“Camp DREAM and Boneyard Farm represent how conservation can strengthen Vermont’s communities and landscape,” said Tracy Zschau, President & CEO of the Vermont Land Trust. “Mike Foote and Hannah Doyle embody what it means to care for both land and people, and we are thrilled to recognize their tireless work through these awards.”