MONTPELIER — Governor Peter Shumlin has appointed an East Middlebury man as the Addison County representative on the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Board, as well as new members from Windsor and Bennington counties.
Patrick Berry has been appointed from Addison County to replace Gary Gibbs, Tim Biebel has been appointed from Windsor County to replace Steven Adams, and David Fielding has been appointed from Bennington County to replace Ron Wilcox.
The 14-member Fish and Wildlife Board is a group of Vermont citizens that enact fish and wildlife regulations for hunting, fishing and trapping. Members serve for six-year terms.
“I appreciate the invaluable role that the Fish and Wildlife Board plays in the conservation of our natural resources in Vermont,” Gov. Shumlin said. “The board is made up of well-informed citizen-conservationists who thoughtfully represent the perspective of Vermont’s hunters, anglers, trappers and wildlife watchers.”
Patrick Berry served as commissioner of the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department from 2011 to 2014. Now employed as the vice president for philanthropy at the Vermont Community Foundation, Berry spends his free time waterfowl, turkey and upland bird hunting with his dogs, as well as fishing on Lake Champlain and on local streams. He lives in Middlebury with his wife and two sons.
“Patrick continues to be an avid conservationist and outdoorsman since stepping down as commissioner,” said Porter. “He has a strong working relationship with Vermont’s sporting community and our conservation partners. I look forward to working with him in his new role as a member of the board.”
Tim Biebel is a general contractor and Vermont native who has been hunting since he was 7 years old. He has hunted mule deer, antelope and even caribou, but still prefers hunting white-tailed deer in Vermont. His love of deer hunting is evident on his colorful and popular hunting blog, the4pointer.com, on which he shares stories and photos of deer hunting in Vermont. He lives in Windsor with his wife and 4-year-old son.
David Fielding, who works in accounting and finance, is an avid big game hunter and angler. He can often be found fishing his local streams such as the Mettawee and Batten Kill. Fielding enjoys hunting deer in Vermont with bow, rifle and muzzleloader, and hunting big game across North America. He is a native Vermonter and Vietnam veteran who lives in Manchester.