Like something straight out of Dr. Seuss’s Book, the tufted tops of the black spruce remind me of a landscape expected to be seen in “The Lorax” at any time of the year. The Peacham Bog Natural Area, approximately 748 acres within Groton State Forest, is open to the public and managed by the Department of … Continue reading
Tag Archives: winter
The “star” of Wetlands – The Story of Morris
The Art of Storytelling -Happy Spring and enjoy the last chapter of the winter tracking series. Chapter 6: The “star” of wetlands; Morris digs and swims. When I say I am the star of many Vermont wetlands, I actually mean it. Not only do I have a star shaped nose but I am also in … Continue reading
Tracks that disappear – The Story of Mr. Barred Owl
Chapter 5: Tracks that disappear; use your ears and your voice Have you ever heard of Fairlee Forest? It is located in Orange County, Vermont. Well if you haven’t heard of this place before, let me introduce you. It is my home, and I think it is a pretty great place to live. My name … Continue reading
Listen Carefully and Pounce – the Story of Mrs. Fox
Come meet the animals using the wetlands of Vermont during the Winter season: Winter Tracking Series; a new story every week until the full moon following the first day of Spring; March 20, 2016. Chapter 4: Mrs. Fox listens carefully and pounces. Well hello there. I am Mrs. Lisica Fox. I have relatives all … Continue reading
A Rare, Secretive Creature with Big Furry Feet – The Story of Peluria
Chapter 3: A rare, secretive creature with big furry feet, 4 letters in its name, but not a Yeti. Perhaps you recognize this picture of the wetland above from reading the story of Clarence, the snowshoe hare, in Chapter 2 of this series. Well, this wetland area is part of my home too. Oh, I’m … Continue reading
The Art of Camouflage – the Story of Clarence
Come meet the animals using the wetlands of Vermont during the winter season. The Winter Tracking Series will share a new story every week until the full moon following the first day of spring; March 20, 2016. Chapter 2: The art of camouflage, the story of Clarence My name is Clarence, and I am a … Continue reading
Sledding in a Wetland – the Story of Otto and Luna
Come meet the animals using the wetlands of Vermont during the winter season. The Winter Tracking Series will share a new story every week until the full moon following the first day of spring; March 20, 2016. Two river otters, Otto and Luna, make their home in and around a small lake in Vermont (see … Continue reading
Winter Storytelling – Wetlands Under Snow
Over the next few weeks, the Wetlands Program will share some stories with you of animals that are still using wetlands during the winter months. Come and learn about Otto, Luna, Clarence and others; who they are, and how you can recognize them in a wetland, without ever actually seeing them. A wetland in winter … Continue reading
Along the Lakeshore: Caring for Damaged, Unsafe and Dead Trees
Winter storms can break off branches and tops of trees, causing significant changes to the shoreland environment. Although a snapped hemlock or maple might seem destructive at first, the dismembered branches create new hiding places and obtainable sweet buds to feed rabbits and other small mammals. An opening in the tree canopy allows sun to … Continue reading
It’s Official: Lake Champlain is Closed!
The National Weather Service announced on Monday, February 16, 2015, that Lake Champlain is now completely covered in ice. Remarkably, this is the second year in a row that the ice has extended over the entire lake surface (last year it closed February 12th). Given the sub-zero temperatures we’ve been experiencing over the last few … Continue reading