Documents
2025 Windham Regional Plan
The Windham Regional Plan was adopted by the Windham Regional Commission on July 29, 2025. The purpose of the Windham Regional Plan (the plan) is to provide guidance for change in the Windham Region. The plan reflects shared values and concerns of the people who live in the 27 towns and it discusses issues facing the region. Based on a set of over-arching regional goals and priorities, the plan sets long-term policies for the region. The plan is a living document that must continually evolve to reflect the dynamic social, economic, and environmental conditions in the region. Statute requires that the regional plan be updated every eight years, but it is the WRC’s intent that the review and update process should be an ongoing effort.
Link to the 2025 Windham Regional Plan: https://plan.windhamregional.org/
Community Development
Four-Town Housing Study, PDF, Housing Needs Assessment (7Mb); PDF, Homes for Us! (22Mb)
Four-town housing study for Jamaica, Londonderry Weston, Winhall, prepared by AIA Communities by Design and UMASS Landscape Architectural and Regional Planning Program, September 2025
Outdoor Recreation Inventory & Analysis for the Windham Region, PDF (22Mb)
Prepared by the Conway School, Winter 2025
Beloved Places: River and Road, Vermont’s Route 30 & West River Corridor, PDF (46Mb)
UMass-Amherst undergraduate landscape architecture studio exploration the Route 30 and West River corridor that includes an inventory of the place and design vignettes., May 2024.
A Primer on Planning for Prevention, PDF
Developed by the Windham County Regional Prevention Partnership and Windham Regional Commission, 2017.
Resiliency Action Plan for the Town of Vernon in Preparation for the Eventual Closure of the Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station, PDF
Prepared by Windham Regional Commission using funds from the Vermont Municipal Grant program, June 2012, updated July 2013.
Tri-State Region Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy Comparison, PDF
This planning exercise identifies key goals and assets, shared challenges, and potential opportunities for the Tri-State Region. By comparing each region’s CEDS, this document seeks to identify commonalities within the three regions, opportunities for aligning on-going efforts, and serve as a guide for future Tri-State Region endeavors. Funding was provided by the EDA in partnership with the Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation, as well as the Franklin Regional Council of Governments, Southwest Region Planning Commission, and Windham Regional Commission to support this CEDS comparison and collaboration building among these partnering organizations.
Economic Impacts of Vermont Yankee Closure by the UMass Donahue Institute, PDF
Prepared for the Franklin Regional Council of Governments, in collaboration with the Windham Regional Commission and the Southwest Region Planning Commission (NH), this study examined the direct and indirect economic impacts of the pending closure of the Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station.
Forestry and Natural Resources
Landscape Based Forest Stewardship in the Windham Region, PDF
Prepared by Windham Regional Commission, March 2015.
Undeveloped Waters in Southeastern Vermont, PDF, maps | PDF, report, southern Windham Region | PDF, report, northern Windham Region
Analysis prepared by Windham Regional Commission with funding provided by Section 604(b) of the Federal Clean Water Act, administered by the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources, 2013-2015.
Woodlands of the Windham Region; Our Working Landscape, PDF
Prepared by the Conway School, Winter 2015.
The Forest Products Industry of Windham County, Vermont: Status, Challenges, and Opportunities, PDF
By Doug Morin, created in partial fulfillment of University of Vermont Master’s in Natural Resources (Ecological Planning) requirements, March 2012.
Other topics
Deerfield River Valley 4-town Flood Adaptation & Resilience Project
A graduate scenario planning studio in the UMass-Amherst Landscape Architecture and Regional Planning, in collaboration with the Architects Foundation Communities by Design (CBD) program, engaged with the communities of Dover, Readsboro, Whitingham and Wilmington in a flood adaptation discussion. The resulting project is called Deerfield Resilience in Shifting Environments (RISE). While these resources were developed using these four Deerfield Valley towns as a focus, the recommendations are applicable throughout the region and beyond.
- Process-based Educational Materials, PDF
- Resilient Funding Guide, PDF
- Floodproofing Toolkit, PDF
- Deerfield River RISE Process Report, PDF
- Evolving Together: Dover, Readsboro, Whitingham, and Wilmington, PDF
Village Sanitation Pilot Study, PDF
A collaborative wastewater planning effort to explore environmentally sound and practical wastewater solutions in Vermont villages. This partnership between the Rich Earth Institute, the Windham Regional Commission, and Nutrient Networks engaged neighbors in two villages in the Windham Region (Westminster West and West Dummerston) to assess, at a neighborhood scale, the feasibility of innovative wastewater solutions to respond to septic system challenges and to facilitate compact village development in Vermont.
Municipal Guidance for Flood Emergencies in Vermont, PDF
Prepared by Windham Regional Commission, August 2016.
Windham Region Mobility Study, PDF
Coordination of Transportation Services to Improve Mobility for All of the Windham Region’s Residents, prepared by Stedman Hill Consulting, November 2012.
Weatherizing Town Buildings: What Local Officials and Energy Committees Need to Know, PDF
Prepared by Windham Regional Commission using state Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) funding. 2012.
Barriers to Low Impact Development, PDF
Prepared by Windham Regional Commission using grant funds from the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation. 2010.
When People and Money Leave (and the Plant Stays) – Lessons Learned from the Closure of the Vermont Yankee Power Station: A Tri-Region Experience, PDF
Produced with funding from the U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration and the Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation with technical expertise and support contributed by Windham Regional Commission, Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation, Franklin County Regional Council of Governments and Southwest Region Planning Commission.