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The Pulse of Burlington's Wild Green Heart
July/August 2017
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A Letter from Dan & Alicia
July falls plum in the middle of summer when the rush of spring gives way to the meander of timeless days. Summer can feel like a canoe floating lazily down the Winooski River where a startled beaver gives a sharp tail slap. Summer can have all the joyful exuberance of a bee plunging its fuzzy head into a golden flower to get drunk on the nectar. This issue of BTV Conservation News celebrates the watery world of beavers and the flowery world of bees.
Burlington has a healthy population of beavers. This past March, a beaver hauled itself out of the lake in the heart of the city leaving a snowy trail of tracks through a stretch of the Urban Reserve. Beavers are dramatically shaping the landscape down at Ethan Allen Homestead, felling trees and changing waterways. Join BPRW and WVPD naturalists for a walk on Tuesday July 20
th from 5:30 to 8:30 at Ethan Allen Homestead to explore the lives of beavers and the signs that they leave.
Summer is a season of flowers and the host of insects that rely on them for food. We hope you enjoy field naturalist Gabe Andrews's article as he takes us on a bike tour looking at what BPRW and partners are doing to attract pollinators to Burlington Area Community Gardens.
The Master Naturalists Elise Schadler, Mary Ann Samuels, and Katie Michaels have created a series of events celebrating Burlington's wild landscapes. July workshops include botanical drawing and poetry. Participant's works will be featured in an art show in September's Art Hop. Registration is free and the link is below.
BPRW looks forward to launching a new class of Master Naturalists in August. The Master Naturalist BTV Program trains citizens in natural history and engages them in conservation work in the City. Please join us on this year-long exploration of the beautiful natural world of Burlington from the geology of Rock Point to winter mammal tracking in the Winooski floodplain. A full description of the program and a link to the application are in this issue. Applications are due July 15
th.
Hope to see you in the woods,
Alicia Daniel
Field Naturalist, BPRW
Dan Cahill,
Land Steward, BPRW
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Beavers
In the Northeast, beavers are second only to humans in the way that they can alter whole landscapes. These animals work hard all summer so that they can pass the winter cozy in the lodges they have built, living in a pond they created,
and eating the food they have stored.
Join BPRW and WVPD naturalists on a walk on July 20th to see what busy Burlington beavers have been up to at Ethan Allen Homestead.
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Pollinators
How would a bee see Burlington? What places in the city would she find more suitable than others?
To explore these questions, I planned a day in the life of a bee. I mapped out the 14 community gardens spread throughout the city, hopped on my bike, and went to investigate the local pollinating hot spots.
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The Master Naturalist BTV Program
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How to Apply to be a Master Naturalist
One sunny day in June, Master Naturalists Kate Kruesi and Jacob Holzberg-Pill led a rare plant walk at Rock Point. Thank you for your interest in the Master Naturalist BTV Program.The deadline for the application is July 15, 2017.
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Photography in Nature
On Saturday J
une 17th at Ethan Allen Park, participants arrived with cameras in hand and were enthusiastic to learn about photography in nature, taught by Sean Beckett. Individuals learned how to correctly capture subjects in nature using elements from the natural environment to enhance the subject. Participants were able to test out their new photography skills on a beautiful sunset on top of the Ethan Allen Tower.
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Meet Elise Schadler: Master Naturalist
Elise is finishing up her training to become a Master Naturalist just in time to start a new chapter in her life. Elise was very influenced by her childhood memories of playing around trees, which has helped inspire her to pursue a career in working for the Vermont Urban Community Forest Program. To learn more about her interests, passions, and hobbies read the article on Elise Schadler.
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Master Naturalists' May Wildflower Walk
The Master Naturalists met on May 14th at Ethan Allen Park to lead a team wildflower walk. Walk participants learned how to identify wildflowers in the Park, including Bloodroot and Meadowrue. Each Master Naturalist was responsible for introducing the others to two specific wildflower that they had researched before the walk.
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Who are the 2017 Master Naturalists?
The 10 Members who signed
up
for the Master Naturalist BTV Program w
anted to deepen their understandiing of Burlington's natural history. Throughout the year, they have developed the skills they need to make conne
ctions between pieces, patterns and processes in nature. To learn more about the people participating in the Master Naturalist program this year, click this link.
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Trail Improvements
The Vermont Youth Conservation Corps have graciously dedicated their time to improving the
main trail in Ethan Allen Park. They started upgrading this trail on June 20th.
Look out for updates on this trail construction and other trail projects in the next issue of BTV Conservation News.
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Conservation Corner
On June 5th Burlington's City Council unanimously passed a resolution titled "Burlington's Trails & Natural Land Conservation Initiative-recognition, connection & stewardship of Burlington's Open, Natural and Wild Spaces" s
ponsored by City Councilors Richard Deane (pictured) and Joan Shannon. This conservation resolution begins the process of creating an integrated trail system to connect open lands across Burlington. Partners hope this project will help educate citizens of Burlington on how to conserve nature so that it can be enjoyed for years to come.
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Save The Date: Field Walks + Talks
Burlington Parks, Recreation & Waterfront:
- July 20th: Sign of the Beavers. 5:30 pm - 8:30 pm. 1 Ethan Allen Homestead
BPRW Creative Exploration of Burlington's Natural Landscapes:
Green Roof Event
- July 7th and July 8th:
Sat 9:00 am - 2:00 pm (bring your lunch), Sun 9:00 am - 12:30 pm
- Cost: $85
Come learn more about Green Roof structures, technologies, and plantings with a hands-on workshop. You will try your hand at prepping the soils and installing the layers on Saturday, and then planting on Sunday.
Branch Out Burlington:
- July 11th: Love Our Trees. Tues 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm. UVM Horticultural Farm, 65 Green Mountain Dr.
- August 12th: Love Our Trees. Sat 9:00 am - 11:00 am. UVM Horticultural Farm, 65 Green Mountain Dr.
Burlington Permaculture:
- July 12th, August 9th, September 13th: The Cross-Pollinator Potluck Series. 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm. Oakledge Park, Flynn Ave. (Meet at Stone Circle).
Tracking Club:
- July 30th: Tracking Club Summer Paddle. 4:00 pm - 8:00 pm. Salmon Hole, 236 Riverside Ave.
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