CONTIGUOUS FORESTS IN DUMMERSTON
Documentation of Contiguous Forests in Dummerston
Southeast Characteristics
Goes down to river.
1) Between 200-300 acres,
2) Connects northern areas along the river, although banks might be too steep in places for some animals to travel.
3) Home to future gravel pit
4) Includes complementary landscape defined by the Vermont Biodiversity Project.
Southeast parcel 2
Between Middle Road and Kipling Road
Characteristics:
1) Some conserved by Vermont Land Trust (100-150 acres)
2) Connects with Black Mountain conserved lands
3) Geology, soils unremarkable
Southcentral parcel 3
Kipling Road-Black Mountain Road
Characteristics:
1) Part of east-west Black Mountain corridor, two good road crossing links.
2) Contains major persistent wetland
3) Near Scott Farm, Nahlauka and other important sites
4) Acreage fairly small
West River southeast bank
Characteristics
1) Connects with West River Trail in Brattleboro
2) Moose have been seen here
3) Contains small wetland (emergent persistent)
4) Abuts a Route 30 potential crossing site and crossing to Black Mountain
5) Acreage small
6) Waits River Formation-possible rich sites
West River – Wickopee Hill
1) 200+ acres in a few large parcels
2) Road crossings, Route 30 and Wickopee Hill
3) Connections to Pleasant Valley natural lands in Brattleboro
4) Waits River Formation-possible rich sites
Stickney Brook – Sunset Lake south
1) 1,300+ acres, mostly large parcels
2) 238 acres conserved by Town of Brattleboro to protect reservoir
3) 195 acres protected by VLT
5) Connections to Pleasant Valley natural lands in Brattleboro
6) Half Waits River, half Northfield, some rich sites likely
7) Contains Wickopee Hill and steep slopes down to Stickney Brook
Southwest corner
1) <100 acres, including one 77 acre parcel
2) Contains Dummerston Hill, the high point in the town
3) Good connection to important wild lands in Marlboro (Sunset Lake), Halladay Brook watershed, and other Dummerston lands
4) Contains possible beaver ponds
Stickney Brook North
1) A couple of large parcels provide good connection to great wild lands in Newfane
Beaver Pond Road
1) Well connected to wild lands to north and into Newfane
2) This ridge has a couple of large parcels (140 acres)
3) Waits River, rich site potential
4) Contains stream and fairly large scrub-shrub wetland
West Dummerston, central
1) +/- 1,500 acres
2) Known to have rich ledge sites
3) One large parcel (200 acres) owned by Yale
4) Important Route 30 crossing site
5) Connections to wild land in Newfane
6) Contains oldest rock in town (Missisquoi?)
7) Some high elevation plateau, some ridge top, some moderate north-facing slopes
8) Maple Valley ski area. Can this be “developed” in a way that doesn’t impact the wildness of this part of town?
Northwest corner
1) Steep south slopes, the southern end of Putney Mountain
2) +/- 700 acres
3) Connects to the west slope of Putney Mountain Ridge in Brookline
4) Waits River Formation, potential rich sites
5) One large (302) acre parcel in the corner
6) Three streams
7) Connects to Black Mountain via north-central lands
Fall Brook-Spaulding Hill north
1) +/- 400 acres
2) Some large parcels
3) Waits River formation, confirmed rich sites along Fall Brook. Others possible
4) Interesting historical sites, cellar holes. No information available.
5) Vital northern connection from Black Mountain lands to Spaulding Hill and Putney Mountain West.
6) Contains small isolated scrub-shrub (vernal pool) wetland
7) Adjacent to larger Jones Road wetland complex
Salmon Brook North
1) Important stream-travel corridor. Nice wide, low-gradient stream.
2) Contains good variety of topography, steep east facing side of Spaulding hill
3) 250 – 300 acres in 3 large parcels
Bunker Farm
1) Recently conserved?
2) Contains important open land and early-successional shrub habitat
3) Sugarbush west of Bunker Road has excellent spring ephemeral rich woods.
4) Connections north to Putney and from east Dummerston wild tracts.
5) +/- 350 acres
Canoe Brook
1) 250 acres
2) Unusual White Oak community
3) Important wild corridor from CT River and lands east
Sweet Tree
1) 500 acres, 220 conserved
2) Known rich hillside site
3) Contains lower elevation hills, north, east and south aspects
4) Connections to open lands, Canoe Brook corridor, possible CT River access.
Bunker – Miller Island
1) Contains significant population of Triphora trianthophora
2) Some land conserved
3) +/- 100 acres
4) Deer wintering area
Pinnacle
1) Important part of north-south corridor, links to Black Mountain
2) +/- 600 acres, 260 conserved (69 with “Forever Wild” designation)
3) Waits River, some rich sites known
4) Contains Prospect Hill and possible route of hiking trail
5) Variety of slopes and aspects
6) Contains four known vernal pools and a few other small wetlands
7) Interesting historical sites
Black Mountain
1) Geologically unique (for southern Vermont)
2) Contains 6 rare plants and 2 significant natural communities
3) Almost 1,000 acres, 345 acres conserved
4) Deer wintering habitat
5) Contains at least three wetlands
Black Mountain east
1) +/- 450 acres, including some Scott Farm lands
2) Waits River, some rich sites possible
3) Contains some of the least steep undeveloped land in town
East Dummerston Island
1) Large parcel conserved by Vermont Land Trust
2) Waits River formation, possible rich sites
3) Low elevation hills, gentle slopes
4) Permeability somewhat limited
Nourse Hollow
1) Contains important wetland community
2) Large parcel conserved
3) Permeability somewhat restricted
Dummerston elevations:
Top of Black Mountain 382 meters
Highest point is the top of Dummerston Hill at 501 meters
457 at top of Spaulding Hill.
Prospect 353
Land rises to 420 meters to west