Vermont seeking input on wildlife management

A Vermont buck observes its surroundings. (VF&W Photo by John Hall)

What do peregrine falcons, deer and bear have in common? They all share a natural habitat that’s at the center of a wildlife management effort in southern Vermont.

The state is developing a new long-range management plan for the Castleton Management Unit, which encompasses over 4,200 acres of land in the Birdseye and Blueberry Hill Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs). This long-range plan serves as a guide for management of Agency of Natural Resources land, and typically lasts for 20 years. Currently, the state’s focus is hearing from Vermonters. 

“Soliciting input from the public is an important part of the management planning process, and it is a chance for us to hear from the public early in the process about how they use and what they value about these lands,” said Travis Hart, a state wildlife biologist involved with developing the plan, in a statement. 

Part of this early stage is an upcoming public meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 29, to explain the proposal and gather input from Vermonters. The in-person meeting is from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Kehoe Conservation Camp in Castleton, and the public can also share comments online. 

The Birdseye and Blueberry Hill WMAs are iconic in Vermont, forming a uniquely rugged set of mountains and valleys in a part of Vermont popular with outdoor enthusiasts.  In total, these WMAs span 4,285 acres of important wildlife habitat, including the geologically remarkable Birdseye WMA cliffs where peregrine falcons nest each spring.  These WMAs are popular destinations for deer, bear and upland bird hunters during the fall hunting seasons and turkey hunters in the spring.  Given the large size of these WMAs, people can also enjoy backcountry experiences with wildlife. 

The online survey will be open until Dec. 3. The same information to be presented at the Sept. 29 meeting is on Vermont Fish and Wildlife’s website, www.vtfishandwildlife.com.

The public will get another chance to weigh in after the first draft of the long-range plan is complete, officials said. The Vermont Agency of Natural Resources is administering the long-range planning process through the Fish and Wildlife Department, and the Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation.

— Gareth Henderson