Like the dog in John Irving’s Hotel New Hampshire named “Sorrow” who follows his protagonists, I have learned, having had to put several dogs to sleep, “Sorrow” follows us for a long time. Last week my wife and I had to put down our handsome yellow Lab, Jack.
The golden-winged warbler (GWWA) is an early-successional species whose songs have captivated many. Vermont is currently the only New England state that hosts a population of these unique and beautiful birds, which require a special habitat of sparse trees and shrubs, with an understory of grasses and forbs, all adjacent to a forested area. In addition golden-wings are ground-nesting birds and prefer hardwood rather than softwood trees.
Among foresters, American beech (Fagus grandifolia) is a common source of consternation. It is often considered a low-value, low-quality “weed,” outcompeting other tree species and taking over the forest’s understory. Some foresters interested in maintaining diversity, increasing forest health and growing more commercial tree species have adopted special practices just to avoid regenerating beech, including treating cut beech stumps with herbicide.
We often hear about climate change and its implications, but what does it actually mean for Lake Champlain and the communities around it? Lake Champlain has already seen drastic increases in lake temperature.
Let’s call this the armchair edition of Out-Doors. Despite frigid temperatures and biting winds, I have managed to cross-country ski nearly every day. But an hour or two of exercise in temperatures either side of zero does not fill these brief winter days. So I’ve been reading about the outdoors and have some ideas for your fireside hours.
When I tell someone that I am a forester, their response is usually “great!” This is generally followed by a brief pause, and then, “What does that mean?” We foresters are confused with loggers, park rangers and arborists, in addition to many other professions. What defines a forester is that we practice “forestry,” the management of forested ecosystems.
Some people say we’re due for a January thaw. As I write this, the temperature outside is -3 and the wind chill is -20. The night sky has finally opened up after a snowstorm blanketed the valley, and the stars are shimmering brightly. It’s the kind of cold that when you breathe in, the hairs inside your nose clang together like fragile glass tendrils daring to shatter. All around us people are hibernating in their dens, huddled against the woodstove or heater. But the hardiest of us are enjoying the arctic blast, knowing that the lake is “making ice.” If I were a betting man, I’d put money on the whole lake freezing over this year and lots of truck traffic in the bays.
As a solar community organizer, I spend a lot of time talking to people about renewable energy. The question I get most frequently is, “Why is there so much wind and solar energy in Vermont?” Folks from out of state, or those who spend time in other places, are surprised by the number of wind projects on our mountains and solar installations on our homes and businesses.
The harvesting of trees is disruptive. Anyone who tells you otherwise is glossing over how thoroughly a disturbance like logging can affect a forest, its growth and fertility. In my mind of the most important thing that foresters do is oversee the harvesting of forest products while looking after the health of the forest and its inhabitants.
When I was growing up down in Windham County, Bill Guenther, the county forester, used to lead a Big Tree Tour every year. As a kid I hadn’t yet fallen into my current tree-crazy state, and I never attended one of Bill’s tours.
Take a walk on the wild side of Burlington! Rock Point is the largest parcel of undeveloped land in the city. Miles of trails, breathtaking views and natural wonders await. Here’s what you need to know.
Thanksgiving means a lot of things to a lot of people. For most of us it’s about family and expressing gratitude for our blessings. For some those blessings are simply having a roof over our heads, food in the cupboard or enough wood for the stove or oil for the furnace.
Horsford perennials crew Olivia Clark, Tori Hellwig and Ted Roberts, busy preparing perennials for winter, took a quick break for some workplace shenanigans last week. Photo by Kristin Sprenkle
BIG THANKS! On behalf of the Recreation Department, we would like to take the time to thank all of the dedicated soccer coaches this season: Jeff Albertson, John Higgins, Elizabeth Hunt, Rob Anderson, Jonathan Couture, Josh Golek, Josh Bagnato and Jamie LaBerge. We had over 100 Charlotte children participate in the soccer program this season, and it would not have been possible without our volunteer coaches. Thank you for all that you do for our community!
On Nov. 8 Deb Preston said, “This morning I was putting the garden to bed, so I was out amongst all the pretty frost.” Same day, Kit Perkins said, “I took this early morning; first hard frost.”
The eastern wild turkey, a member of the galliformes order, is a delicious mouthful for man or beast. One of five distinct subspecies of wild turkey found in the U.S., it is also the most widely distributed. Benjamin Franklin called the turkey a “bird of courage” and urged that it, rather than the bald eagle, become our national symbol. He called the eagle a “bird of bad moral character” and a “real coward” that stole fish from other species, such as the osprey.
Vermonter Chris Myers, 32, comes from three generations of snowmobilers. He was recently appointed president of the Shelburne Charlotte Association of Snow Travelers (SCAT) Snowmobile Club and Vermont Association of Snow Travelers (VAST).
Vermont trapping season has started and runs through March 31. Each trapping season, dogs, cats and other non-targeted animals, including endangered and protected species, are injured or even killed in traps.
As realtors say, “location, location, location.” Elmore Mountain, while technically at the northern end of the Worcester Range, is quite isolated, and no mountains block its views. The Elmore State Park website recommends taking the 4.0-mile loop trail clockwise, hiking up the shorter (1.74 mile) but steeper and rockier Fire Tower Trail and down the beautiful and more gradual 2.3-mile Ridge Trail.
Many articles online discuss bike transportation trails—on and off road. The advantages of biking to work, for errands, to friends’ houses or just for fun are many. Bike Commuting’s Worst Enemy Isn’t What You Think is written by Arian Horbovetz, a Strong Towns member and blogger at The Urban Phoenix. The following article is republished from his blog, with permission.