BTV Conservation News
The Pulse of Burlington's Wild Green Heart

September/October/November Issue 

A Letter from Dan & Alicia 
 
Late summer days are warm but nights are cool. Kettles of broad-winged hawks make great lazy circles in the sky as they ride warm mid-day thermals gaining altitude for a long migration south. One of Vermont's most loved seasons is about to begin--fall. Grab your backpack and binoculars and lace up your boots. Time to go into the field. 

Fall is a time to look up.  Hawks are migrating; trees are changing color.  This issue of BTV
Conservation News takes a look at trees in Burlington. From the rare, wild American Chestnut that school children discovered in Ethan Allen Park to the reforestation efforts underway across the city, we celebrate the trees in our forests.  Also learn more about the Conservation Resolution passed by the City Council this spring and about how permeable driveways can improve lake water quality. 

This season, we welcome a new team of Master Naturalists, even while the graduating team continues to enrich the community with walks, talks, events and other conservation work.
 
Hope to see you in the woods,

Alicia Daniel
Field Naturalist, BPRW
 
Dan Cahill,
Land Steward, BPRW
Trees and Hawk Migration 
Rare American Chestnut Discovered In Burlington

Once upon a time (last year) in Ethan Allen Park some school children discovered a rare American Chestnut Tree.
 
Reforestation for Climate Action

BPRW is planting trees all over Burlington.  But not just anywhere.  Tree species and the parks where they are planted are selected for very specific purposes, but collectively trees are being planted to reach a Climate Action goal of 50% tree cover.  
 
We're All About The Fall

The Champlain Valley has many beautiful fall colors to admire including the rich golds of the hickories, vibrant reds of the maples, pale yellows of the poplars and the dark lasting green of the evergreens. These trees are not only beautiful but they tell the story of Burlington's landscape.

Click Here To Read The Article By Eliza Daeschler
Hawk Migration 

Broadwing hawks use Vermont as their summer nesting grounds. Their fall migrations journey is on average 4,500 miles and takes 9 weeks. Lucky for Burlington residence, we are close to one of the best sites for watching these birds as they start their long migration to South America.

Click Here To Read The Article By Eliza Daeschler
The Master Naturalist BTV Program
Vermont Master Naturalist Program Launches in the Champlain Islands

BPRW Field Naturalist Alicia Daniel is partnering with Master Naturalist Chuck Husle to launch the Vermont Master Naturalist Program in South Hero next March.

Meet Jacob Holzberg-Pill:
Master Naturalist

Jacob is a busy guy.  Not only is he raising a young son, he runs the Tree Keeper Program for Branch Out Burlington and is a Master Naturalist.

"Wild Burlington" Events

On Sunday, September 10th from 2-3:30pm come to a free community storytelling event called "Wild Burlington" at Evolution Yoga Studio. As part of the BPRW's Master Naturalist Program, there will be a community art exhibit and storytelling event at Evolution Yoga Studio over the course of the South End Art Hop Weekend. The art exhibit opens September 1st and will feature the works of local artists, including Burlington residents who participated in a series of artistic workshops celebrating Burlington's natural landscapes.



Drawing in Nature

In July, people gathered in Ethan Allen Park for a workshop called Drawing In Nature.  Artist Loren Sopher encouraged participants to doodle, draw contours and experiment with texture and shading. Art will be on display during the Art Hop at Evolution Yoga Studio the weekend of September 9-10.  
Poetry in Nature
   
Also in July at Oakledge Park, poet Angela Patten (top left facing the camera) led a workshop on poetry in nature.  Participants read poems by Mary Oliver, Jane Kenyon and others to inspire their work.
 

VYCC in the Urban Wilds 

BPRW Field Naturalist Alicia Daniel goes for a walk on the wild side with the VYCC crew when they take a break from trail building in Arms Park.  Here they take a well deserved rest on boulders quarried for local building in the early 1900s.
Conservation Resolution
 
Imagine your neighborhood coyote on a dawn hunt through some of Burlington's 3,300 acres of open space. Her commute from lakeside bluffs over to the Intervale farm fields threads together a forested route of wild lands owned and managed by a multitude of stakeholders. How can these lands be managed to promote connectivity for wildlife and people alike?
 
Permeable Driveways and Lake Water Quality

Asphalt, concrete, and even gravel driveways can be a big part of the impervious urban landscape. So when the time came to do something about our driveway, rather than simply repave it, we decided to make it pervious - allowing the stormwater that previously ran off to infiltrate into the ground.

Save The Date: Field Walks + Talks

Burlington Parks, Recreation & Waterfront: 
  • October 15th Tree Walk. Master Naturalist Jacob Holzberg-Pill will lead a fall tree walk at Rock Point. 10:00 am- 12:00 pm.  Meet at 5 Rock Point Road.

BPRW Creative Exploration of Burlington's Natural Landscapes:
  • September 10th: Wild Burlington. Free Community Storytelling Event at Evolution Yoga Studio. 2:00pm - 3:45pm 

Branch Out Burlington: 
  • Awesome Tree Contest: Nominations accepted through September in this contest to discover spectacular Burlington trees. Submissions will be judged in October. For more information see link below.
 
 
Burlington Permaculture: 
  • September 13th: The Cross-Pollinator Potluck Series. 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm. Oakledge Park, Flynn Ave. (Meet at Stone Circle).


Tracking Club

 
This issue of BTV Conservation News Edited by Colleen Ward