By Mary Ellen Copeland | Co-President
“Preserving undeveloped lands in the present assures us that they will be available for wildlife and people into the future.”
Thanks to help from loyal donors, Green Mountain Conservancy has purchased and conserved 913 acres of forest and early successional habitat in southern Vermont, the Deer Run Nature Preserve to 1. prevent further forest fragmentation; 2. support essential carbon sequestration; 3. slow the effects of climate change; 3. provide a refuge, wildlife corridor and diverse habitats for native species; 4. safeguard the waters of the West River Watershed; 5. protect the view of the ridgeline and 6. provide access to wild land for recreation, education and enjoyment. Meandering woodland trails accessible to people of all ages make the Preserve a popular site for environmental education and relaxing in nature.
Officials from the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources tell us that there are representatives of almost every plant and animal species found in Vermont on this property. An environmental consultant, a key member of the GMC board of directors, has conducted a biodiversity inventory of the Preserve that found multiple rare species like the tubercled orchid and the three bird orchid on the land. This inventory guides the management of the land to insure that all these species can exist well into the future in spite of the weather extremes caused by a warming planet.
GMC is now partnering with other local, regional and national organizations to acquire key lands that are contiguous to its current holdings, as well as parcels, both large and small in other areas of the region, to insure the continued protection of key wildlife corridors across Vermont and New Hampshire. These corridors provide clear passage for flora and fauna from the Green Mountain National Forest to the White Mountains, from the smallest mycorrizal fungi, to our beloved pollinators and many, many species of birds to our large mammals like porcupine, beavers, coyotes, bobcats, moose and bear, all species that depend on these corridors to insure their survival. This survival is threatened by overdevelopment that inhibits their passage across the landscape. Even mowed lawns and paved parking lots can threaten species survival.
Vermont is committed to addressing the issue of climate change by conserving 30% of its land by 2030. The on-going work of the Green Mountain Conservancy GMC is a key part of that effort. An ample acquisition fund will allow us to continue this vital work.
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