Dragonflies were among the pioneers of flight on planet Earth, and once stalked their prey on wings that were a foot long. Though smaller in size, modern dragonflies still inspire imaginative names: spreadwings, dancers, bluets, forktails, sprites, darners, snaketails, emeralds, skimmers, meadowhawks. . . Bob Engel will lead a walk to introduce these primitive, yet sophisticated, insects. Bob will teach participants to recognize the different groups and species of dragonflies.
Many good resources exist for those interested in learning to identify dragonflies, so after Bob’s introduction, anyone who catches the dragonfly “bug” can continue to learn.
Bob Engel is a Professor Emeritus from Marlboro College where he taught biology and environmental science for over 30 years. Sponsored by BEEC

(Where Cider House Rule was Filmed in Dummerston, VT)

Join Consulting Forester Ian Martin and County Forester Bill Guenther for a tour of a recent timber harvest on a portion of the historic 500+ acre Scott Farm (http://scottfarmvermont.com) in Dummerston. The harvesting crew from Long View Forest Inc. in Westminster used a mechanical harvester and a forwarder, and hand-felled some of the larger trees. Most of the volume removed was large, over-mature white pines that yielded high volumes per acre. The job was one of the best that Bill has seen. During the tour, we will also discuss some white pine health problems that we have seen in recent years, including needle blights and Caliopsis canker.Sponsored by Putney Mt. Assoc. 

This tour is family friendly, and can be enjoyed by all ages. Scott Farm wil allow people to bring well-behaved dogs on short leashes. The terrain is moderate, mostly on logging roads, though we will walk on some logging slash. Given our local tick populations, please be safe and use repellent. If you would like an alternative to DEET-based repellents, data reviewed by the Environmental Protection Agency indicate that products containing 20 percent picardin (active ingredient) also are effective. As we can have warm weather in July, participants should bring water for hydration.

Parking is limited at the tour site, so we will carpool from the Dummerston Town Office (1523 Middle Road) in Dummerston Center. Please arive at the Town Office by 5:30 p.m. so that we can arrange the carpooling and use as few vehicles as possible. The tour site is just a few minutes’ drive from the Town Office. For more information, contact County Forester Bill Guenther at Bill.Guenther@vermont.gov or 802-257-7967 (ext. 305). 

The Dummerston Conservation Commission meets the second Thursday of every month at the Dummerston Town Offices. . Anyone who has an interest in supporting the mission of the commission is welcome to attend. Please call 257-0012 for further information.

In the midst of hurricane season 2017, join the Dummerston Conservation to learn about the great hurricane that decimated this area in 1938.

 A hurricane will never surprise us again. But that’s what happened to the people of New England on September 21, 1938. Without any warning, the most destructive weather event ever to hit the Northeast pummeled the coast and blasted its way to Vermont and New Hampshire with torrential rain, flooding, and sustained winds of 100 miles per hour.

 In his book,  Thirty-Eight: The Hurricane that Transformed New England, Stephen Long tells the story of New England’s Katrina. A journalist and co-founder of Northern Woodlands magazine, Long focuses on the devastation to the region’s forests and the daunting challenge facing New Englanders still in the throes of the Great Depression. His presentation is richly illustrated with archival photos of storm damage and the unprecedented recovery operation. 

 Carl Safina wrote, “Stephen Long brings this storm alive again. And this is not just history; it’s a cautionary tale of what the future may have in store.”

Andrew is an invasive plant specialist and will do a guilded walk of Putney Mountain trails to familiarize participants with some of our most common invasive plant species. The walk will include a visit to the Putney Mountain summit to discuss the ongoing project using grazing animals to control glossy buckthorn, and conversation about the history of invasive plants in Vermont, the connection between invasive species and our agricultural history, and what the future might bring for invasive plants in New England. Meet in the Putney Mountain parking lot.  Sponsored by Putney Mt. Assoc

Mondays Oct. 2 and 9 (two part series)

This course helps participants choose locally appropriate land use planning strategies for conserving natural resources. It uses case studies and exercises to show how taking action can work in real life. The overall goal is to build understanding of what you can do, how to work with different people in your community, how to choose ways to protect natural resources, and how to make it happen.

This course also includes a bit of “pre-work.”  Prior to beginning the first class, we will provide a link to several online videos.  Watching these will ensure that everyone starts the course with a certain level of knowledge about planning in Vermont, so we can spend our time together digging deeper into some of the common challenges that arise.

 To register contact: Monica Przyperhart, Community Wildlife Program

VT Fish & Wildlife Department

[phone]      802-461-5118

[website]    http://www.vtfishandwildlife.com/get_involved/
partner_in_conservation/community_wildlife_program/

[email]    Monica.Przyperhart@vermont.gov