State hold forum over land concerns

By PATRICK ADRIAN
[email protected]
WINDSOR, Vt. — Vermont Fish and Game officials addressed residents’ concerns about how an 826-acre wildlife management area in Windsor will be managed by the state.

More than 40 people gathered at the Windsor Welcome Center for a forum Wednesday to hear a presentation from biologist Chris Bernier, forestry manager Tim Grenier and habitat protection manager John Austin about the department’s plans for the land it acquired from the state in March.  

The priority of wildlife management, explained Bernier, is to protect and conserve habitats, while guaranteeing public access for recreational activities, which could include hunting, trapping, fishing or viewing and tracking wildlife. 

While classifying the site as grasslands, Bernier characterized it as “complex”  due to its variety of habitats: grasses and low-lying shrubs, masses of oak and hickory and multiple water sources. 

The land’s popularity among area naturalists had many wondering how the land and activities might change under the department’s stewardship.  

Bernier said they are still in the beginning stages of determining the long-range plan for managing the land.  Their team has already surveyed and established the boundaries and property lines, and are currently inventorying and mapping the land.  Once assessing the ecosystem the team can begin determining what that long term plan should be. 

The department will also hold two meetings with the public to acquire its feedback and final approval, Bernier said. 

The officials explained some of the work to expect in the future, particularly with the grasslands. 

On similar Vermont sites, wildlife managers have focused on reinvigorating the soil, working with local farmers to add fertilizers and lime to reduce the acidity. 

Poor land quality limits what the managers can do with the land over the long term, Bernier said.

Another common practice involves brush-hogging and mulching across areas, as well as applying herbicides to kill the harmful invasive plants like poison parsnips and knotweed, Bernier explained. 

Grenier said if the seeding of these plants are captured early, it will be too late to contain them. Resident Michael Quinn expressed concern about the impact of aggressive practices on the golden wing warbler, a species that nests on the ground.  Quinn asked whether softer approaches could be taken like manually cutting shrubs, rather than with machinery.

Grenier said that because the team has not become to assess the land, it has not determined if the  the golden wing warbler will be the highest priority.  If it is though, Grenier felt community volunteers could help with an idea like Quinn’s proposal.

Quinn reacted to the phrase, “whether the warbler is the highest priority.”

Grenier said he did not mean to downplay the bird’s importance to the local habitat. He only wanted to remind the public that the team has not reached that point.

Austin stepped in to help his partner, agreeing with Quinn about the bird’s importance.  

“It’s one of the species that got me excited about this property,” Austin said, “So it is not falling on deaf ears.”