Vermont fall fishing season heats up as waters cool

Shawn Good, a fisheries biologist with Vermont Fish & Wildlife, poses with a beautiful late-fall Northern Pike caught on Lake Champlain. (VTF&W Photo)

The dropping temperatures and shorter days of fall bring some of the year’s hottest fishing action on Vermont’s lakes, ponds and streams, according to the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department. 

“As water temperatures cool off, many different fish species begin to feed heavily,” said Shawn Good, a fisheries biologist with Vermont Fish & Wildlife. “From warm water species such as largemouth and smallmouth bass, northern pike, perch, and walleye, to cold water species like trout and salmon, fish feeding activity really picks up and creates exceptional fishing conditions for anglers.”  

While the hot temperatures of summer can sometimes make fishing slow, the autumn months represent a transition time when fish become more active and easier to catch. This increase in feeding activity can be attributed to fish boosting their reserves of essential nutrients in order to sustain themselves during winter when their metabolism slows and they feed less. 

Fishing pressure on Vermont waters also decreases significantly as the seasons change, so there is less competition from other anglers.

“Fall is one of the absolute best times to be on the water in Vermont – regardless of what species you want to target or where you want to fish,” Good said. “Some of the best days I’ve had on the water have come late in the fall when many other anglers have already put their rods away for the winter. It’s an amazing time of year to be on the water, and you’ll likely have your favorite fishing holes all to yourself.”

One enhanced fall angling opportunity is bass fishing, whether it be on world-renowned Lake Champlain, the diverse Connecticut River or one of Vermont’s many smaller lakes and ponds. 

"Fall makes the great bass fisheries of Vermont even greater,” Good said. “Cooler air temperatures bring comfortable fishing weather and less boat traffic, and the bass also know to take advantage of cooling water temperatures by feeding more in shallow water. More bass in shallow water means more exciting bass opportunities for anglers.”

“Vermont has near equally abundant smallmouth and largemouth populations,” Good said. “You can try different fishing strategies for the two bass species during other seasons, but I've found largemouth and smallmouth bass mix together more in the fall when temperatures cool. This makes fall bass fishing even more fun."

“For bass and pike, fishing locations and lure selection are pretty straight forward at this time of year when these species are feeding aggressively. In any lake or pond, focus on fishing around the outside edges of dying weedbeds and shorelines that change from shallow to deep water. If you can find 6 to 8 feet of water along the edge of a thinning weedbed, that’s a great place to start. As the weeds thin out and break down in the colder water, baitfish are left without dense cover to hide in, and predators like bass and pike take advantage of that.”

“Casting large brightly colored lures that have a lot of vibrating and flash will elicit vicious strikes.  White or chartreuse spinnerbaits, chatterbaits, or wide-wobbling crankbaits are great choices.”

Other hot fall fishing action includes northern pike and walleye fishing on the Connecticut River and trout, salmon and northern pike fishing on Lake Champlain. 

One of the great things about late fall fishing is that there’s no need to get an early start.  Being on the water in the early morning isn’t necessary.

“Sleep in and wait until the sun is well up and the surface water temperature has inched upwards a few degrees,” Good said. “With water temperatures hovering in the 40s and low 50s, fish like bass and pike need a couple of extra hours to warm up and begin to feed. You can be on the water by 10 a.m. and off by 3 p.m. These are short days, but possibly some of the most productive of the year.”

To purchase a Vermont fishing license or to find out more about fishing opportunities in Vermont, visit www.vtfishandwildlife.com.

— Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department

Officials to public: Help protect nesting loons

Loons nesting along lake shorelines are susceptible to human disturbance, and their nests can be flooded and destroyed by motorboat wakes, Vermont officials say. (VF&W Photo / Mitch Moraski)

Few birding experiences rival hearing the haunting call of the loon or seeing them glide by in protected coves on a lake.  However, for the birds’ protection, Vermont Fish and Wildlife is asking boaters and anglers to enjoy loons from a safe distance this summer.

“Loons were removed from Vermont’s endangered species list in 2005, but they face continued threats from human disturbance during the breeding season and ingestion of fishing gear,” said Rosalind Renfrew, wildlife biologist with Vermont Fish and Wildlife.

“Many areas where loons nest on Vermont’s lakes are surrounded by signs reminding people to give loons the space they need, but not all nesting areas are marked,” she added. “We’re asking people to enjoy loons from a distance rather than approaching them, whether you are in a boat or on shore.” 

Renfrew also reminds people to avoid using lead fishing tackle.  Every year Vermont loons die from lead poisoning after swallowing fishing tackle.  Lead sinkers weighing one-half ounce or less are prohibited in Vermont, but larger tackle­­­ still has the capacity to slough off lead into the environment over time.  Renfrew also recommends anglers to be careful to not attract loons to their bait and lures, and especially to not leave any fishing line behind as it can entangle and kill loons.

Eric Hanson, biologist with the Vermont Loon Conservation Project and Vermont Center for Ecostudies (VCE), asks anglers to reel in for a few minutes if loons are diving nearby.  To give anglers a place to discard their lead tackle, VCE will be placing collection tubes for lead tackle and discarded fishing line at over 20 boat access areas beginning this summer.  VCE coordinates the loon project in partnership with the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department.

Hanson and his colleagues monitor Vermont’s loon population and have put out game cameras around loon nests to monitor the behavior of people around them.  Hanson says most people are respectful of nesting loons and give them space, but people sometimes inadvertently harm loons without meaning to.

“Loon chicks can be difficult to see, so we ask motorboaters to note where loon families are and to avoid those areas,” said Hanson.  “We also ask that motorboaters obey ‘no wake’ laws within 200 feet of shorelines because boat wakes can flood and destroy shoreline loon nests.” 

As Vermont’s loon population continues to increase and canoeing and kayaking continues to become more popular, there is greater potential for people to come into conflict with loons. Hanson reminds boaters to avoid pursuing loons in a canoe or kayak, especially loons with young. 

“Occasionally a loon will be curious and approach people, and if that happens, just enjoy it,” said Hanson.  “However, loons that are constantly swimming away from you are stressed and may abandon their young if they feel they are in danger.”

Hanson also urges shoreline property owners to maintain appropriate habitat for loons, including shrubby and forested areas along shorelines, where loons can nest.  Having shrubs and trees instead of lawns along shorelines also improves water quality which is essential for healthy lakes, aquatic insects, fish eggs, fish, and loons.

Volunteers interested in monitoring loons for the Loon Conservation Project should contact Hanson at loon@vtecostudies.org.  Volunteers can monitor lakes all summer long with a focus on lakes with loon pairs and nesting. 

Volunteers can also survey one or two lakes on Loonwatch Day, being held on July 15 this year, between 8 and 9 a.m.  The goal is to survey all lakes greater than 20 acres at the same time, which provides a population count and checks on small lakes that are surveyed less often during the rest of year.  

— Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department

Vermont Ice Fishing Festival coming to Barnard

To celebrate Free Ice Fishing Day, the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department will hold an Ice Fishing Festival for kids and others new to ice fishing at Silver Lake State Park in Barnard on Saturday, Jan. 28. (VTF&W Photo by Joshua Morse)

One of Vermont's favorite statewide events is coming back this month. The state’s Free Ice Fishing Day is Saturday, Jan. 28.

Free Ice Fishing Day is held annually on the last Saturday in January. The day is geared toward giving new ice anglers an opportunity to try ice fishing before purchasing equipment, but any angler may ice fish on any waterbody open to ice fishing statewide without a fishing license on Free Ice Fishing Day.

To celebrate, the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department is holding an Ice Fishing Festival at Silver Lake State Park in Barnard — its first since the start of the pandemic. The festival will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event is free and open to all ages as well as families with kids. 

“The Ice Fishing Festival typically draws between 500-700 participants for a day of fishing, skill-building, and community,” said Education Specialist Corey Hart. “Everyone at the department is excited to be bringing this favorite winter celebration back after a two-year hiatus.”

Vermont Fish and Wildlife staff, as well as instructors from Vermont’s Let’s Go Fishing Program, will be on-hand to teach ice fishing skills. These include knot tying, baiting and using an ice fishing rod, and most importantly, how to stay safe on the ice. They will also discuss fishing regulations and fish identification. 

Fish and Wildlife staff will operate a fish fry station to cook up participants’ catch, and there will be plenty of cocoa on hand. Participants are encouraged to dress appropriately for the weather, and ice cleats are strongly recommended.

“Ice fishing is one of the most accessible forms of fishing and can be a great way to introduce people to how much fun fishing can be,” said Fish and Wildlife Commissioner Christopher Herrick. “This festival will demonstrate that ice fishing isn’t just about catching fish. It’s also a great way to spend some time outdoors with friends and family. You can skate, sled, make a snow fort, and have a cookout — all while waiting for the flags on your tip-ups to signal when you’ve caught a fish.”

Fishing equipment will be loaned for this fun day on the ice, or participants may bring their own.  For more information, visit the Vermont Fish and Wildlife website. Registration can be completed online in advance at https://www.register-ed.com/events/view/189542

People may also register when they arrive, although registering in advance will enable participants to get on the ice faster.

— Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department

Ice fishing tip-ups being arranged. These are used to suspend bait at a set depth. (VTF&W Photo by Joshua Morse)

Vt. plant believed extinct since 1908 is rediscovered

The purple crowberry (pictured) grows low to the ground in exposed, high elevation habitats.  The purple crowberry is easily mistaken for the common and closely related black crowberry (not pictured). (VTF&W Photo Courtesy Glen Mittelhauser)

The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department recently announced that the purple crowberry, a diminutive alpine shrub last documented in Vermont in 1908, has been rediscovered on Mt. Mansfield.

“This is an extraordinary find,” said Bob Popp, a botanist with the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department, in a statement.  “The purple crowberry is easily overlooked alongside the closely related and more abundant black crowberry.  This discovery emphasizes the benefit of having a community of keen botanical observers on the ground.”

The purple crowberry (Empetrum atropurpureum) grows low to the ground in rocky habitat above the tree line.  The species is identifiable by needle-like leaves and purple berries, and is found in the Northeast in Maine, New Hampshire, and New York.  The purple crowberry is listed as uncommon in New Hampshire and state-endangered in New York.

Vermont botanists had searched Mt. Mansfield — the site of the 1908 historical record — for the purple crowberry unsuccessfully in recent decades and had determined that the species was no longer present in the state.

A fresh set of eyes on an overlooked stretch of Mt. Mansfield upended that conclusion.

“I’m always looking for new purple crowberry populations,” said Liam Ebner, a recent graduate from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and a trained summit steward with the Adirondack Mountain Club.

At the time of his discovery, Ebner was on Mt. Mansfield as participant in the 2022 Northeastern Alpine Stewardship Gathering, a biennial conference hosted this year by the Green Mountain Club and The Waterman Fund. 

“Since I saw a crowberry plant, I decided to check it out and was pretty surprised to see that it was purple crowberry up there,” Ebner said in a recent announcement.

Ebner reported his find to the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department the following day.  He added that as an alpine stewardship professional he was able to approach the plant — which was off the trail — while staying on exposed rock, preventing damage to the crowberry or the plant’s surroundings.

Popp revisited the site on Oct. 19 and confirmed three clumps of purple crowberry.

“That observant members of the public rediscovered two different plant species believed lost from our state in the same year is a tribute to our community’s flourishing interest in and knowledge of the natural world,” said Popp, who worked with community scientists earlier this year to confirm the rediscovery of the small whorled pogonia, a federally threatened orchid, in Vermont.

“At the same time, we do not encourage anyone to venture off trail in search of rare alpine plants,” Popp added. “The work of the Green Mountain Club as stewards of our delicate alpine areas is part of what has allowed the purple crowberry to persist in this highly trafficked area for more than a century.”

The newly discovered purple crowberry population is located safely off the trail and at low risk of trampling.  The department is not disclosing the purple crowberry’s exact location to protect the plants from accidental damage.

“The discovery of a purple crowberry population after so many years really underscores the importance and effectiveness of the Green Mountain Club’s Backcountry Caretaker program,” said Nigel Bates, caretaker program supervisor at the Green Mountain Club, in a statement.

The club, which manages 500 miles of hiking trail in Vermont, including the alpine zones in the state, employs caretakers trained in stewardship and alpine botany to educate hikers and encourage responsible use during the hiking season. 

“We take this sighting as proof that our practices on the mountain are working,” said Bates. “And we thank visitors for their commitment to walking on durable surfaces, leashing their dogs, and protecting the fragile alpine flora communities in Vermont.”

In the short term, the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department and the Green Mountain Club will monitor Mt. Mansfield’s purple crowberry population for signs of predation or encroachment by other plants.  In the longer term, the department will consider the purple crowberry for designation on the state’s threatened and endangered species list as more is learned about the species’ viability in Vermont.

— Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department

State: Help protect loons and their young

A nesting loon on Green River Reservoir in Hyde Park, Vermont. (VTF&W photo by Tom Rogers)

Few birding experiences rival hearing the haunting call of the loon or seeing them glide by in protected coves on a lake.  However, for the birds’ protection, the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department is asking boaters and anglers to enjoy loons from a safe distance this summer.

“Loons were removed from Vermont’s endangered species list in 2005, but they face continued threats from human disturbance during the breeding season and ingestion of fishing gear,” said Doug Morin, wildlife biologist with Vermont Fish and Wildlife.

“Many areas where loons nest on Vermont’s lakes are surrounded by signs reminding people to give loons the space they need, but not all nesting areas are marked,” Morin added. “We’re asking people to enjoy loons from a distance rather than approaching them, whether you are in a boat or on shore.” 

Morin also reminded people to avoid lead fishing tackle.  Every year Vermont loons die from lead poisoning after swallowing fishing tackle. Lead sinkers weighing one-half ounce or less are prohibited in Vermont, but larger tackle­­­ still has the capacity to slough off lead into the environment over time. Morin also recommended that anglers be careful to not attract loons to their bait and lures, and especially to not leave any fishing line behind, as it can entangle and kill loons. 

Eric Hanson oversees the Loon Conservation Project for the Vermont Center for Ecostudies in partnership with the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department.  He and his colleagues monitor Vermont’s loon population and have put out game cameras around loon nests to monitor the behavior of people around them.  Hanson said most people are respectful of nesting loons and give them space, but people sometimes inadvertently harm loons without meaning to.

“Loon chicks can be difficult to see, so we ask motorboaters to note where loon families are and to avoid those areas,” Hanson said.  “We also ask that motorboaters obey ‘no wake’ laws within 200 feet of shorelines because boat wakes can flood and destroy shoreline loon nests.” 

As Vermont’s loon population continues to increase and canoeing and kayaking continues to become more popular, there is greater potential for people to come into conflict with loons. Hanson reminded boaters to avoid pursuing loons in a canoe or kayak, especially loons with young. 

“Occasionally a loon will be curious and approach people and if that happens, just enjoy it,” Hanson said.  “However, loons that are constantly swimming away from you are stressed and may abandon their young if they feel they are in danger.”

Hanson also urged shoreline property owners to maintain appropriate habitat for loons, including a forested area along shorelines where loons can nest.  Having shrubs and trees instead of lawns along shorelines also improves water quality which is essential for healthy lakes and loons.

Volunteers interested in monitoring loons for the Loon Conservation Project should contact Hanson at loon@vtecostudies.org.  Volunteers can monitor lakes all summer long with a focus on lakes with loon pairs and nesting. 

Volunteers can also survey one or two lakes on Loonwatch Day, being held on July 16 this year, between 8 and 9 a.m.  The goal is to survey all lakes greater than 20 acres at the same time, which provides a population count and checks on small lakes that are surveyed less often during the rest of year.  

— Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department 

Editor’s Note: Omni Reporter will return after the July Fourth holiday weekend. Happy Fourth, everyone!

State: With bears roaming, time to take bird feeders down

With snow melting everywhere, bears are starting to emerge from their winter dens. (VTF&W Photo by Kris and Norm Senna)

As I look over the wildlife adventures we’ve had over the past two years, nothing compares with bear encounters. And I’m not talking about encounters I’ve had. It’s my wife who has been lucky enough to cross paths with multiple bears over the past two summers. If this happens during your next hike, she recommends remaining calm, and no, don’t run (more safety tips here). In fact, over this time, our ursine friends became such a part of the neighborhood that a neighbor of ours named one of the bears Ursula. 

Cute as that might be (and I’m smiling as I write this), the folks at Vermont Fish and Wildlife are hoping Vermonters can help cut back on the number of times that bears wander into residential areas. To that end, they’re asking Vermonters to take down their bird feeders now — about two weeks earlier than usual. 

With the spring thaw advancing, and reports of bear sightings starting to trickle in, wildlife officials hope this small request will make a difference, so that everyone can live together without too many frequent visits from the bears, whether walking near your home, or trying to take out the trash — which bears love to get their paws on. Hopefully less bird seed for bears means less of those other visits. Though for sure, we don’t mind seeing them once in a while - we do, after all, share a beautiful state together. 

To see Vermont Fish & Wildlife’s full press release, keep on reading. And thanks! 

— Gareth Henderson

_

The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department says warm spring weather and melting snows will cause bears to come out of their winter dens in search of food.  The department recommends taking down bird feeders and keeping them stored until December, to avoid attracting bears. 

“Although we typically recommend taking down bird feeders by April 1, we are asking Vermonters to take them down early this year,” said Jaclyn Comeau, the department’s bear biologist.  

The department is already receiving bear reports as of March 7, and encourages Vermonters who experience a conflict with bears to submit a report through the Living with Black Bears web page.  The warmer temperatures predicted now will stimulate more bears to emerge from their dens to seek any food sources they can smell. 

“Preventing bears from having access to human-related foods, such as bird seed, is key to successful coexistence,” Comeau added.   

Bird feeders are just one of the things that can attract hungry bears.  Other sources of food that bears find appealing are garbage, open dumpsters, backyard chickens, pet food, barbecue grills, campsites with accessible food, and food waste.  

“Purposely feeding a bear is not just bad for the bear,” said Comeau. “It is also dangerous for you, it causes problems for your neighbors, and it is illegal.” 

The department offers the following tips to coexist with bears: 

• Take down birdfeeders between late March and December. 

• Store garbage in bear proof containers or structures—trash cans alone are not enough  

• Follow the steps on our web page for composting in bear country 

• Use electric fences to keep chickens and honeybees safe 

• Request a bear-proof dumpster from your waste hauler 

• Feed your pets indoors 

• Never feed bears, deliberately or accidentally 

And for Vermonters who wish to connect with and appreciate songbirds after taking down their birdfeeders this spring, the department will be partnering with Audubon Vermont to highlight alternatives like the Native Plants for Birds Program.  

“Birds and native plants co-evolved over millions of years together,” said Gwendolyn Causer, Audubon Vermont’s communication coordinator and environmental educator. 

“Native plants provide essential food resources for birds year-round and also host protein-rich native butterfly and moth caterpillars, the number one food for songbird nestlings.  And best of all, they do not attract bears.”  

To help better understand peoples’ interactions with bears and inform measures for coexistence with this species, the department asks Vermonters to submit reports of bears engaging in potentially dangerous behavior like targeting bird feeders or garbage bins, feeding on crops or livestock, or investigating campgrounds or residential areas, through our website’s Living with Black Bears tab.

Endangered no more: Bald eagle reaches Vt. milestone

A nesting pair of bald eagles in Barnet, Vermont. (VTF&W Photo by John Hall)

It was a big week for conservation in Vermont. On Thursday, officials revealed that the bald eagle was no longer endangered in the Green Mountain State. Wildlife officials announced this upcoming change in spring of 2021, after years of restoration efforts throughout Vermont. 

“The bald eagle’s de-listing is a milestone for Vermont,” Wildlife Division Director Mark Scott said in a statement. “This reflects more than a decade of dedicated work by Vermont Fish & Wildlife and partners. It shows that Vermonters have the capacity to restore and protect the species and habitats that we cherish.”

That conservation capacity will be essential moving forward, officials noted. But the bald eagle wasn’t the only animal to make statewide news this week. Seven species and three critical habitats were the subjects of changes on Vermont’s Endangered and Threatened Species List.

Along with de-listings for the bald eagle and short-styled snakeroot, a flowering plant of dry woodland habitats, Thursday’s update included a range of new listings. Two invertebrate species, the American bumblebee and a species of freshwater mussel known as the brook floater, and two plant species, Houghton’s sedge and rue anemone, have been listed as endangered. State endangered species are considered at immediate risk of becoming locally extinct in Vermont.

One bird species, the Eastern meadowlark, received a new designation as threatened. State threatened species are considered at risk of becoming endangered without timely conservation action.

Three Vermont landscapes also received new designations as critical habitats that are essential for the survival of threatened or endangered species, according to Thursday’s official announcement. The newly listed sites support species including the common tern and Eastern spiny softshell turtle, as well as little brown, Northern long-eared, and tricolored bats.

“These new listings reflect the stressors affecting Vermont’s plant, fish, and wildlife species,” said Wildlife Diversity Program Manager Dr. Rosalind Renfrew. “In the face of climate change and habitat loss, our mission is to conserve these species and others to the very best of our ability on behalf of all Vermonters, who demonstrate time and again that they care about the survival of wildlife populations.”

The new listings are a vital step towards enabling the department to carry out that mission, officials said. They trigger additions to existing species and habitat management plans, development of recovery metrics, initiation of population monitoring, and strengthening or establishing critical partnerships.

“We dedicate incredible resources through population monitoring, habitat conservation and improvement, and education and outreach to preventing species from reaching these thresholds in the first place,” said Scott, the Wildlife Division director. “But, when necessary, we also draw on our successful track record leading endangered species recovery efforts including restoring Vermont’s populations of common loon, osprey, peregrine falcon, and now the bald eagle. We will bring that same dedication to each of these new listings.”

— Gareth Henderson

Click here to find out more about Vermont’s endangered species and related recovery plans.

Nesting loons have a record year in Vermont

A record 109 pairs of loons nested in Vermont in 2021, with 125 chicks hatched and 84 surviving through August. (VTF&W Photo by Tom Rogers)

Vermont’s loons are thriving with a record 109 nesting pairs reported in 2021, the highest since loon monitoring began in 1978, according to wildlife experts.

“Across Vermont, 77 loon nests produced 125 chicks this year, and 84 of those chicks survived through August,” said Eric Hanson, wildlife biologist with the Vermont Center for Ecostudies (VCE). 

VCE leads the Vermont Loon Conservation Project in partnership with the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department. In a Tuesday’s announcement, officials noted the importance of that collaboration.

“We are very grateful to Eric Hanson and the many volunteers who help monitor Vermont’s nesting loons,” said Fish and Wildlife’s bird biologist Doug Morin. “The loon has been the flagship species of our nongame work ever since the nongame tax checkoff and conservation license plate programs have been helping to fund these efforts.” 

“Vermont’s loon project is a tremendous success story,” added Morin. “It’s hard to believe that in 1983 there were only seven nesting pairs.”

Loons were removed from Vermont’s endangered species list in 2005 following decades of recovery efforts.  One of the main threats still facing loons as they continue to recover is human disturbance during the breeding season.

Keeping your distance from loons is of great importance, but Morin also reminds people to avoid lead fishing tackle.  Loons sometimes swallow stray fishing tackle and suffer the effects of lead poisoning.  Lead sinkers weighing one-half ounce or less are prohibited for fishing in Vermont.  And, Morin recommends that anglers be careful to not attract loons to their bait and lures, and especially don’t leave any fishing line behind as fishing tackle does kill loons. 

“Many areas where loons are nesting on Vermont’s lakes are surrounded by signs reminding people to give loons the space they need, but not all nesting areas are marked,” said Morin. “We ask people to enjoy loons from a distance, whether they are in a motorboat, a canoe or a kayak.” 

Check out the VCE website for more information about the Vermont Loon Conservation Project and how you can get involved.

— Gareth Henderson

Groundbreaking data project aims to protect wildlife

2016 lidar-derived tree cover (light and dark green), overlaid with 2011 habitat blocks (yellow), highlights the opportunities to improve Vermont Conservation Design with new data that account for connecting landscapes, state officials said. (Image Provided)

Vermont’s conservation efforts are getting an important data technology upgrade, thanks to some new grant funding. 

This week, the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department won a $106,256 competitive federal grant to use groundbreaking new data to help conservation planners protect plants, animals and natural habitats in the face of climate change, according to Wednesday’s announcement. The process is based on Vermont Conservation Design, a science-based assessment of Vermont’s ecologically functional landscape. The new data approach helps guide strategic fish and wildlife conservation, notably through upgraded mapping capability.

“With this grant, we are excited to fine-tune our assessment to better identify lands and waters that contribute to Vermont’s healthy environment with climate change in mind,” said Director of Wildlife Mark Scott in a statement. 

This work will help priority species, from moose and northern long-eared bats to native bees and rare plants, remain healthy and able to adapt to changes in the climate, Scott added.

First released in 2015, Vermont Conservation Design maps the habitat needed to ensure Vermont’s wildlife remains healthy and abundant. Six years later, new state-wide “Lidar” data from the Vermont Center for Geographic Information provide an opportunity to upgrade this conservation tool, officials said. 

Lidar, short for Light Detection and Ranging, is a remote sensing technology that uses aircraft-mounted laser scanners and a global positioning system to map landscape texture, giving researchers a more accurate understanding of land cover. It provides 400 times higher resolution than any previous landcover data.

The new data will reveal critical details for wildlife movement and ecological connections, like hedgerows through fields and forest edges close to roads. These connections allow animals to move from one habitat block to the next as they adjust their ranges to climate change, as officials said in this week’s announcement.

“These very detailed land cover maps will help us find the places where wildlife, such as black bears and bobcats, can travel between large patches of forest,” said Jens Hilke, a conservation planner at Vermont Fish and Wildlife.  “It is critical that wildlife have the ability to move around the state and beyond, especially as climate change pushes plants and animals into new habitats.”

— Gareth Henderson

Fall foods abundant for wildlife

Mountain ash berries are among the many fall foods enjoyed by wildlife this year. (VTF&W Photo by John Hall)

As the cold weather intensifies, woodland creatures are having no trouble finding food. Vermont Fish and Wildlife is reporting that several important fall foods for wildlife are abundant this year following last year when many foods were lacking.

Fish and Wildlife staff survey mast stands around the state each fall season, and in 2020 they documented that many important berry and nut species were lacking. That helped cause a dramatic increase in the number of bears harvested in the hunting season due to the bears searching widely for alternative foods including corn.

Results for this year are markedly different, with most species of nuts and berries available to wildlife and some, such as apples, choke cherries and mountain ash berries being very abundant. Acorn numbers were the highest in 20 years. It was a good year in most areas for beech nuts, for although many of the beech stands surveyed contained abundant nuts, other stands contained few or none. 

“The great variation in beechnut numbers between sites that were sampled was a surprise to us, as we had predicted it to be an excellent year for beechnut production following such poor numbers last year,” said State Wildlife Biologist Jaclyn Comeau who was recently chosen to fill the position of Black Bear Project Leader. 

To learn more about the animals that inhabit the Green Mountains, check out this Vermont Fish and Wildlife page. 

— Gareth Henderson

Bears are some of the many creatures who will benefit from this year’s abundant fall foods. This photo was taken in November 2015. (VTF&W Photo by Kris & Norm Senna)

Vermont expanding home weatherization program

A mid-morning scene in Woodstock Village. (Gareth Henderson Photo)

In a bid to lower energy bills and boost energy efficiency, the state of Vermont is directing $7.9 million in federal relief money to home weatherization efforts. Officials say reducing greenhouse gas emissions is also part of the goal. 

This funding from the American Rescue Plan Act will expand the state’s Weatherization Assistance Program, run by the Vermont Department for Children and Families (DCF). This program usually weatherizes between 800 to 1,000 homes each year, according to Vermont Gov. Phil Scott, who announced the news Wednesday. 

“This investment will allow more than 550 additional homes to be weatherized, helping create good weatherization jobs, reduce costs for Vermonters and help our planet,” Scott said in a statement. 

About $1.6 million of the additional funding will be used to provide “one-stop” comprehensive weatherization and efficiency improvements in multi-family housing, state officials confirmed. 

A household is eligible for no-cost weatherization services if their gross household income is below 80% of the median income in their area. A family of four with an annual income of about $67,000 would be eligible in most Vermont communities.

“Weatherization saves the Vermonters we serve about 35%, on average, on their home energy use,” said Sarah Phillips, director for the DCF Office of Economic Opportunity, in the Wednesday announcement. “That helps lower their energy bills, keeping money in their pockets for other necessities like food, clothing and medications.”

Priority for funding is given to households receiving seasonal fuel assistance; high-energy use homes; families with young children; older Vermonters; and people with disabilities.

Free weatherization services include energy audits with methods like blower door testing and infrared scans; energy renovations such as insulation, air sealing and heating system upgrades; health and safety improvements like addressing ventilation, carbon monoxide and unsafe heating issues; efficiency coaching; and referrals to other programs and services.

On average, the program makes about $8,500 worth of improvements per home, adds about 1,500 square feet of insulation and reduces drafts by about 40%, according to the state.

For more information, check out the program page on the DCF website.

— Gareth Henderson

State seeks volunteers to conserve turtle nesting sites

A spiny softshell turtle hatchling looks out into the world. The state is looking for volunteers to help prepare nesting areas for this threatened creature. (VF&W Photo by Tom Rogers)

Wildlife officials are looking for volunteers to help a creature listed as threatened in Vermont: the spiny softshell turtle.

People are invited to join the Fish and Wildlife Department’s annual beach cleanup day, which prepares turtle nesting sites for next year. It takes place on Saturday, Oct. 16, and gives people a way to help conserve Vermont’s spiny softshell population. Loss of nesting sites through shoreline changes and development is a key reason this turtle is threatened in Vermont.

On cleanup day, participants are asked to arrive at 10 a.m. at North Hero State Park (directions below). After finishing at North Hero, the group will carpool to another site in Swanton. 

Volunteers will pull up vegetation on nesting beaches to prepare the nesting sites. They may also find a few hatchlings that occasionally remain in nests underground this late in the year, officials said. In addition to spiny softshell turtles, these nest sites are also used by map turtles, painted turtles and snapping turtles. 

State biologist Toni Mikula will have hatchling spiny softshell and other turtles on hand and will talk about the long-term turtle recovery efforts.  Some of these hatchling turtles will be raised in captivity by the ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain while they are small and most vulnerable to predation, according to the state. They will be released back into Lake Champlain next spring.

“This is a great way to help conserve threatened wildlife right here in Vermont,” Mikula said in a statement. “It’s also a fun way to learn more about the turtles and to see some recently-hatched baby turtles.”

Participants are asked to dress in layers of warm clothes and to bring water, work gloves, a leaf rake, short-handled tools such as trowels, and their own lunch. Families and kids are welcome.  The cleanup may run until 4 p.m., although participants can choose how long to assist.

“This has turned into a very popular annual event for people interested in conservation,” Mikula said. “We’re always glad to see so many people care about wildlife.”

To get to North Hero State Park, follow Route 2 north past Carry Bay in North Hero. Take a right on Lakeview Drive, just before Route 2 swings west toward Alburgh. Follow Lakeview Drive almost to the end until you reach the North Hero State Park entrance sign on the left. Drive to the end of the road always bearing right. 

For more information, please contact Mikula at Toni.Mikula@vermont.gov.

— Gareth Henderson

Notice: This event is outdoors and there is enough space for social distancing. Hand sanitizer will be provided. Some hand tools will be provided but attendees are also encouraged to bring their own.

Volunteers help during a previous beach cleanup day in Vermont to help spiny softshell turtles. (VF&W Photo by Tom Rogers)

New funds to advance cleanup at dozens of Vt. brownfield sites

Vermont is investing $25 million to clean up and spur redevelopment on some major contaminated sites, which have sat vacant for years due to the cost of environmental remediation.

About 70 eligible sites are on the list to receive funding through the Brownfield Reuse and Environmental Liability Limitation Act. The overall $25 million comes out of a $210 million state budget surplus and was approved by the Legislature. It marks the first time state dollars have been used toward these brownfield projects, officials said in their Thursday announcement. Historically, this work has been funded exclusively by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

One of the projects benefiting from this influx of money is the 270,000-square-foot former Jones & Lamson Machine Co. building in Springfield, a huge driver of the manufacturing powerhouse this town was decades ago. The effort to demolish and remediate this 14-acre site will now receive $3.7 million from Vermont’s Brownfield Economic Revitalization Alliance program, the Valley News reported Friday. From that same program, new funding is also going to clean up a brownfield site in St. Albans and two in Burlington. 

The full amount of $25 million will be administered in parts by the state Agency of Natural Resources and the Agency of Commerce and Community Development (ACCD). 

This week, officials touted the significant environmental and economic impacts of this money.

“The level of funding will speed up a process which will no doubt result in business retention and expansion, job creation, and housing development, like we’ve never seen in Vermont,” said ACCD Secretary Lindsay Kurrle in a statement.

Also in Thursday’s announcement, Peter Walke, the state’s commissioner of environmental conservation, noted the multiple ways the funding makes a difference.

“This historic state funding for brownfields will help us address longstanding environmental issues and better protect public health,” Walke said. “The benefits include everything from reducing sprawl by encouraging the use of existing infrastructure to encouraging renewable energy on brownfields.”

To help reach these goals, he also noted the importance of partnerships across state agencies, with the EPA and regional planning commissions, and many other groups and organizations. 

In Thursday’s statement, Gov. Phil Scott said this type of funding represents “exactly the kind of lasting impact” Vermont needs. 

“I hope this new level of state funding shows communities across Vermont that we are committed to helping all corners of the state recover and rebuild stronger than ever before,” Scott said.

— Gareth Henderson

Hundreds of acres conserved in Killington’s AT corridor

One can follow the Thundering Falls boardwalk, pictured here, up to the newly conserved 629 acres. (Photo by the Green Mountain Club)

In another step forward for conservation, 629 acres of land surrounding the Appalachian National Scenic Trail in Killington, Vermont, will now be protected for generations to come. 

The Conservation Fund recently conveyed the property to the National Park Service (NPS), thanks to funding from the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF).

This action secures the immediate viewshed and day-hike entry on both sides of a 1.3-mile stretch of the AT, according to the official announcement. With that, the newly conserved land will continue to provide recreational access for hiking, biking, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing. 

“This acquisition highlights the power of partnership in preserving and protecting the Appalachian National Scenic Trail. The National Park Service thanks all those involved for their commitment and support to secure this property and its critical viewshed for the enjoyment and benefit of all,” said Wendy Janssen, superintendent of the AT.

The Conservation Fund, a national environmental nonprofit, purchased the property in 2014 through its Working Forest Fund with support from the Richard King Mellon Foundation as part of 30,000 acres of former industrial timberland threatened by conversion across Vermont, New York, New Hampshire and Maine. The organization managed it as a sustainable working forest until the NPS could secure the necessary LWCF funding to acquire and protect the land. 

Those scenic 629 acres are now being managed by the U.S. Forest Service as part of the Green Mountain National Forest (GMNF) and provides critical habitat for black bears, moose and migratory birds, as well as important wintering areas for deer.

“The GMNF is excited about the new acquisition along the Appalachian Trail in Killington because the lands will provide extra protection of the trail and add valuable wildlife value and habitat connectivity along this high use trail section,” said Christopher Mattrick, ranger for the Rochester and Middlebury District.

This latest acquisition complements decades of local efforts to conserve over 16,000 acres of natural lands in the region and enhance protection for the AT corridor, including 1,017 acres adjacent to the state-owned Les Newell Wildlife Management Area that The Conservation Fund conveyed to NPS in 2012 through the Chateauguay No Town Conservation Project.

“The rugged ridgeline traversed by the Appalachian Trail in the Chateauguay region is at the heart of this high priority and vulnerable landscape of wilderness amidst an increasingly developed area of Vermont,” said Sally Manikian, The Conservation Fund’s New Hampshire and Vermont representative. “The Conservation Fund’s efforts over the last three decades to ensure habitat connectivity, recreational beauty, and watershed protection here have been driven by partnerships and bolstered by local community support.”

This is one of Vermont’s first conservation wins since the passage of the Great American Outdoors Act in 2020, which fully and permanently funded the LWCF, the announcement noted. LWCF is a bipartisan program that conserves ecologically and scenically valuable land across the U.S. — including many of Vermont’s iconic natural places, like the GMNF, Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge and the Appalachian National Scenic Trail.

Vermont’s Congressional delegation — U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy, U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, and U.S. Rep. Peter Welch — supported the use of federal LWCF funding for this project.

Leahy, chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, said: “This trail in Killington is perhaps the most important gateway to the Appalachian Trail and to the National Forest in Vermont and the region. … This is a legacy for generations of Vermonters now, and to come.”

“We have a long history of conservation in Vermont,” Sanders said. “And it’s because of conservation efforts like this that we are able to safeguard our ecological heritage, our proud tradition of working the land, our local economies, and some of the most extensive, accessible and scenic outdoor spaces in the U.S.”

“Vermont’s outdoor recreation opportunities are world-renowned and our shared commitment to conservation and sustainability is critical to our way of life,” Welch said. “The protection of these acres around the Appalachian Trail will preserve Vermont’s wildlife and ensure this historic area remains accessible and safe for recreators.”

Management and stewardship of the AT in the Northeast is accomplished by a unique array of partnerships, all of whom helped design and implement this acquisition, according to the recent announcement. Through a partnership agreement between the NPS and the U.S. Forest Service, the lands will be added to the GMNF Appalachian Trail Corridor management unit. The Appalachian Trail Conservancy and the Green Mountain Club support the AT in Vermont through stewardship and maintenance.

— Gareth Henderson

Celebrating pollinators: the cornerstone of our food supply

A butterfly visiting the Sunflower House at Billings Farm. (Billings Farm & Museum Photo)

The bees, butterflies, birds and moths we see zipping from flower to flower in the summer are integral for growing close to 90% of our food supply. This weekend, an event in Woodstock is focusing on exactly that. 

Billings Farm & Museum’s Pollination Celebration will highlight this big contribution from such small creatures with hands-on activities and interactive programs for all ages, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. For example, people will get a chance to meet local beekeepers from Hall Apiaries and Vermont Beekeepers Association. You can also explore the Sunflower House in full bloom, and hear a talk with the team from the Woodstock Inn & Resort that created it. Games and activities for kids will also be part of the weekend, as will some foods. People can sample herbal tea or corn and tomato salad made with ingredients pollinated in the Billings Farm gardens. Good news for culinary enthusiasts: They’ll be able to take home some pollinator recipes.

The event underscores the great importance of pollinators to our way of life. Earlier in the year, the state released information on this very topic, including a quote from state zoologist Mark Ferguson. 

“The majority of our flowering plants need pollinators in order to produce seeds,” Ferguson said. “Vermont is home to hundreds of species of pollinators from bees to butterflies to beetles and other bugs that play a vital role in pollinating our flowers, trees and food crops.” 

The upcoming celebration is one more way to learn about and appreciate these animals, and what they mean to the sustainability of the world. For more details on the Pollination Celebration, visit billingsfarm.org.

— Gareth Henderson

State: If you see a fawn, steer clear — they’re OK

Fawns are being born now and should be left alone; their mothers are almost always nearby, officials say. (VF&W Photo by John Hall)

People throughout the Green Mountains are enjoying nature this time of year, and it's also the season when deer fawns are arriving. 

With that in mind, wildlife officials are asking the public to leave fawns alone if they see them in the wild. Most deer fawns are born in late May and the first and second weeks of June, according to Vermont deer biologist Nick Fortin. He said people often assume a fawn that is alone is lost or needs rescuing, but the mother is almost always nearby. 

“It’s in the best interest of Vermonters and the wildlife that live here, for all of us to maintain a respectful distance and help keep wildlife wild,” Fortin said in a statement. He added that, for its own safety, taking a wild animal into captivity is illegal in Vermont. 

Fawns do not attempt to evade predators during their first few weeks, instead relying on camouflage and stillness to remain undetected, officials explained. During these times, fawns learn critical survival skills from their mothers.  Bringing a fawn into a human environment results in separation from its mother, and it usually results in a sad ending for the animal, officials added.

Fortin encourages people to resist the urge to assist wildlife in ways that may be harmful, and he offered these tips:

• Deer nurse their young at different times during the day and often leave their young alone for long periods of time. These animals are not lost. Their mother knows where they are and will return.

• Deer normally will not feed or care for their young when people are close by.

• Deer fawns will imprint on humans and lose their natural fear of people, which can be essential to their survival.

• Keep domestic pets under control at all times, as they may harm fawns and other baby animals.

Leaving a fawn alone in a secluded spot is primarily a way for deer to hide their young from predators while feeding, Fortin explained in an interview with WCAX. People may see a fawn alone in the wild multiple times without ever seeing the mother, and should still avoid disturbing it, he added.  

— Gareth Henderson

Unexpected recycling, for an old problem

The evening sky as seen from Mountain Avenue in Woodstock, Vermont (Gareth Henderson Photo)

One of the thrills of being a journalist is learning interesting facts that have a broad impact, and then sharing them.

The following was news to me: It can take four centuries for a tennis ball to naturally break down in the environment. Well, that's why a Vermont nonprofit is working to keep this popular athletic item out of the landfills.

In fact, RecycleBalls, in South Burlington, Vermont, has found some success in putting this material back to use, when many serious players would discard the balls after one tennis match. The key: founder Derrick Senior invented a machine that separates the fuzz from the tennis ball rubber, NECN's Jack Thurston recently reported. The fuzzy material has been used as footing for horse arenas, and the chips of rubber have even been used to help construct new tennis courts. Other balls are punctured, to use as floor protectors on the legs of tables and chairs, Thurston reported.

Senior and his son, Ryan, are continuing to expand their efforts, distributing their collection boxes to gyms, parks and other tennis facilities across the country. Part of that is getting people used to the idea that you can recycle old tennis balls. "We are changing habits in this country," Derrick Senior told NECN.

A few hundred million tennis balls head to U.S. landfills annually, estimates the renowned tennis brand Wilson, a major supporter of RecycleBalls. That number equates to 20,000 tons of waste that doesn't break down. This Vermont nonprofit has kept about 6 million balls out of the waste stream over the past four years, the NECN report states. "We're definitely making an impact," Ryan Senior said during his interview.

Though the issues of waste in this country are vast, a number of compelling efforts have come to light in recent years — this being one of them. It's encouraging to hear about this effort happening right here in the Green Mountains, and even more so to hear about this nonprofit's work across the country. Learning about this solution, one wonders what other non-decomposing materials could also be diverted to new uses that keep them out of the waste stream. With recent innovations and the drive to protect the planet, we can expect other fresh ideas down the road. There's no better time than now, for this type of new thinking to resolve old problems. We have a shared responsibility to encourage and create such solutions, so we can all thrive in a stronger future.

— Gareth Henderson

Helping the environment, one life at a time

The Ottauquechee River, as seen from East End Park in Woodstock, Vt. (Gareth Henderson Photo)

Around the world, 129 billion single-use face masks are used each month, and 3 million are thrown out every minute. They’ve entangled wildlife and polluted waterways, and some marine animals have eaten them. 

That situation might look too big for any of us to make a positive impact. But we can each do something to minimize the damage of this pandemic-specific waste, if we ever have to dispose of a single-use mask. In short, when you throw one out, cut or remove the straps — which makes it harder for animals to be strangled in them. By doing so, you can make a difference, noted Maria Algarra, founder of Clean This Beach Up, an environmental organization in Miami Beach, Florida.

“The idea is to dispose of your mask properly, put it in the bin, but also remember to cut or rip off the straps. That will be saving so many lives,” Algarra said in a PBS NewsHour segment, which aired on Earth Day last week. 

Part of the issue is that, how to properly dispose of something is not a top priority for many people, according to Jenna Jambeck, of the University of Georgia. For example, someone who goes shopping with a single-use mask and gloves, may not know how they’re going to throw them out after their errand is done. That gap has a big impact on the environment over the past year. 

“It just really came to light, I think, through the PPE that we were wearing,” Jambeck told the NewsHour. 

That culture of waste is especially worrisome, when you combine it with a number like 129 billion of those single-use masks being used and discarded each month. However, that means, as a global community, we have billions of opportunities to do what’s right. If we ever have the need to pick up a single-use mask, we can know that cutting those straps before throwing them out can have a true, positive impact on the world’s precious creatures.

Furthermore, we can know we’re very much not alone in caring about such issues. Maria Algarra and Jenna Jambeck, from the PBS NewsHour piece, are involved in constant efforts to clean up and benefit the environment, and there are many more people working to protect our natural surroundings and the animals that depend on them. We support those initiatives when we engage in loving, thoughtful treatment of the world around us, and take steps to reduce harmful human impacts on wildlife. We can truly make a difference, one life at a time. 

— Gareth Henderson

60-degree temps are returning; so is hiking

Flowers shine in the sun in Killington, Vermont. (Gareth Henderson Photo)

We haven’t been able to say this in a while: We have four days of over-60-degree weather in the Woodstock, Vermont, forecast from Wednesday to Saturday. Tuesday is close, expected to hit 57.

The increasing warm weather has meant more time outside, more sports, more wildlife — all the things we love about the warmer season. It also means mud season, which requires some careful attention when planning hiking trips. The Green Mountain Club, which maintains the Long Trail, asks people to avoid using trails with mud, even if they’re not officially closed (as many state forest trails are, due to the conditions). 

But lower-elevation trails dry out faster, and the club has some suggestions for what trails to hike that are below 2,500 feet. Mount Ascutney in Windsor, Mount Philo in Charlotte, and “dirt roads statewide” are on the list of staff favorites. Also on the site are suggested day hikes by location and mileage, as well as state-owned trails that are open by location and mileage. The Green Mountain Club has some words of wisdom for hikers at its website, under their “Other things to consider” section.

The group also correctly states, “Mud season is also the time when the natural world comes alive.” They provide some additional ways to explore the natural world, such as this article on spring peepers or their video on Alpine plant communities. For those history-lovers, the video shares some historical notes on the Green Mountain Club and its many contributions to Vermont.

The joy of such familiar outdoor activities, like the gladness of seeing old friends again, adds a certain freedom to life. It’s a freedom that a sunny spring day with a calm breeze uniquely provides, with its natural atmosphere of progress. That uplifting feeling supports us as we continue through 2021, it helps sustain hope, and it reminds us that so many of the things we love about the Green Mountains are still there to greet us in the outdoors. That’s a comforting thought — one that makes the sun shine a little brighter.

— Gareth Henderson

New bill aims to strengthen invasive species prevention

Trees in the late-afternoon sun along River Road in Woodstock, Vermont. (Gareth Henderson Photo)

The push to revitalize forests being destroyed by invasive species will have new funding, if a new bill wins approval in Congress. 

U.S. Rep. Peter Welch of Vermont, who reintroduced the legislation on Thursday, emphasized the link between the environment and the economy. The bill would also fund efforts to stem future infestations of invasive pests and pay for relevant federal studies.

“Invasive species are devastating to forests which are a central part of Vermont’s economy and our way of life,” Welch said. “This bill will fund efforts to revitalize damaged forests and highlight the need for making this a priority within the federal government.”

More than 200 tree species growing on nearly two-thirds of forestland in the continental U.S. will be threatened by non-native insects and pathogens over the next decade. The most prominent trees threatened with extinction include American chestnut, elm, and ash. Vermont’s ash trees in particular are threatened by the Emerald Ash Borer, an invasive beetle first discovered in Vermont in 2018 that is taking a heavy toll on local forests. The Vermont Woodlands Association is one of the sponsors of the bill. 

“After many years of working with our friends at the Center for Invasive Species Prevention, Vermont FPR (Forest, Parks and Recreation), private forestry, academia, and other invasives nonprofits, VWA is proud to support the Invasive Species Prevention and Forest Restoration Act as an important legislative initiative in the work to restore America’s trees under threat of ecological extinction from invasives,” said Al Robertson, Secretary of the Vermont Woodlands Association.

Welch’s bill does the following:

• Expands the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service’s access to emergency funding to combat invasive species when existing federal funds are insufficient and broadens the range of activities that these funds can support.

• Establishes a grant program to support institutions focused on researching methods to restore native tree species that have been severely damaged by invasive pests.

• Authorizes funding to implement promising research findings on how to protect native tree species.

• Mandates a study to identify actions needed to overcome the lack of centralization and prioritization of non-native insect and pathogen research and response within the federal government, and develop national strategies for saving tree species.

Though we have many urgent needs today relating to human survival, it’s critically important that we stay focused on the needs of our environment. Decisively addressing the impact of invasive species is crucial to protecting the vitality of our landscape. For Vermont and many states, that goes to the heart of creating a sustainable economy. Rural economies and their business ecosystems often depend on maintaining a healthy environment, since that’s a huge part of what attracts new residents, keeps visitors returning, and ensures money for businesses in the high season. 

Sometimes, it’s easy to make the assumption that the natural world will always be there, in the healthy state we’ve depended on for so long. But it takes work to sustain that, and efforts like this bill help that work successfully continue, so we can support a strong environment — a crucial part of Vermont’s economic future and its very identity.

— Gareth Henderson