BTV Conservation News
When spring arrives with a rush in the Champlain Valley, the snow melts into wildflowers and bird songs lace our woods. In this issue, join BPRW’s Field Naturalist on wildflower walks at Ethan Allen Park in Burlington and Redrocks Park in South Burlington, because you can never have too many wildflowers. Also as plants start to show themselves on the forest floor, which ones can you harvest and which ones should you leave?
Catch up on the latest wildlife sightings, learn more about Grow Wild efforts to return native plants to Burlington and how to provide habitat for insects all year around. Find out how TapONE is finding ways to bring maple sugaring to their neighbors. And please join us for the City Nature Celebration starting on the 51st anniversary of Earth Day.
We hope to see you (from a safe distance) in the woods,
Alicia Daniel
Field Naturalist, BPRW
Dan Cahill,
Land Steward, BPRW
Spring Wildflower Walks, Bedrock to Birds, and Foraging
Spring Wildflower Walks
Each spring woodland wildflowers burst from underground and race to flower before the leaves come out on the trees. Join BPRW Field Naturalist Alicia Daniel on two walks to explore flowery places in Burlington and beyond.
Link to Wildflower walk in Ethan Allen Park
Link to Wildflower Walk in Redrocks Park
Bedrock to Birds: Plants, Animals and People in Burlington
Explore the incredible diversity of Burlington’s landscape across space and time. How do the seemingly bottomless deltaic sands at Starr Farm influence the living communities so long after the Winooski changed its course? How does the calcium rich bedrock, formed by the accumulation of shells on ancient ocean floors, write itself in the carpet of woodland wildflowers throughout our spring forests in the heart of our City? Check out the article and the video that dive into these exciting stories.
Article by Chris Ajello and Alicia Daniel
Ethical Foraging
A question and concern that has been coming up for stewards of the Intervale’s uncommon natural community, the Silver Maple Ostrich Fern Riverine Floodplain Forest is: where have all the wild leeks and Ostrich ferns gone? How do we engage in an ethical harvest of plants in our natural communities?
Wildlife in Burlington
On April 8, The Vermont Land Trust hosted a webinar highlighting wildlife in Burlington. Check out the recording of this webinar to learn about the animals moving through the City of Burlington. This webinar was produced in partnership with Burlington Wildways, Intervale Center, Tracking Connection, and Burlington Parks Recreation and Waterfront.
Will you please keep your dog on a leash?
At BPRW, we are working hard to make our forested parks welcoming to you, your neighbors, and our wildlife. Not everyone loves dogs. Dogs can stress wildlife, other people who are afraid of them and even other dogs who are dog shy. Check out this article produced by the Intervale Center that highlights 10 good reasons to leash your dog.
Ten Good Reasons to Leash Your Dog
Partnering in Conservation
Grow Wild: Spring Clean up of Yards and Gardens
Gardeners and landscapers are being asked to rethink what our gardens can contribute to increasing and returning biodiversity to our landscapes. Who knew how much it matters to our insect pollinators to leave stem stubble in our gardens year-round to provide nesting habitat and winter shelter!
TapONE Sugaring Comes to Burlington
Tap ONE (Old North End) began as a homegrown idea around a campfire in the woods. Then this spring, nine residents of the Old North End tapped maple trees around Burlington. Three weeks and seven backyard boils later they had 4 gallons of syrup and lots of stories to share. Enjoy this reflection on the inaugural TapONE sugaring season.
Poetry Walk Project is Seeking Black and Indigenous Poets
April is both Poetry Month AND Earth Month. This project is the perfect combination of the two!
Burlington Parks Recreation and Waterfront, in partnership with The Vermont Releaf Collective, The Fletcher Free Library and The Community Economic and Development Office is seeking poets for submissions about the theme The Intersection of Healing, Nature, and Revolution from Black and Indigenous perspectives.
Last day to apply: April 26, 2021
Burlington Area Community Gardens
Two Takes on Pollinators in our Yards and Gardens
Flowers offer the world significantly more than natural beauty. About one third of food production globally is possible because of animal pollinators including bees, birds, butterflies, bats, and mammals. These animals move pollen grains between flowers to initiate plant reproduction. Our food originated from flowers, and pollinators are essential for turning these flowers into food.
Articles by Erin O’Neill and Ron Krupp
Springtime Wild Herbs in our Gardens
This time of year there are so many wonderful herbs just starting to spring up in our area, and many in our gardens. When I first started gardening at Rock Point I was told that my plot had been neglected for some time. But what I was very excited to find throughout the growing season was a wonderful plethora of wild-growing edible and medicinal plants!
Spring Events
April Bingo Card
Play this game with your family and friends! There’s SIX different BINGO cards in the the PDF so everyone can get their own unique card. Whether you’re hanging out in your back yard or walking around town or exploring a park near you, try and find all of these spring themed things. You can go even further with your exploration by adding your finding to the iNaturalist app!
City Nature Celebration
The arrival of spring in Northern Vermont is a cause for celebration – perhaps made all the sweeter in 2021 because of all we have been through. One silver-lining in this challenging year of sheltering in place is that many of us have become more attuned to rhythms of the nature and the diversity of life that surrounds us, even in our more urban settings. The cities of Burlington and Winooski are teaming up with the University of Vermont, and lots of other partners, this spring to celebrate these deepening connections with the more-than-human world through series of activities and opportunities collectively known as at City Nature Celebration. We are excited to announce this will include an online speaker series and a in person event on May 1.
City Nature Celebration Website
In Case You Missed It
Community Summit on Climate Change Solutions Using Nature
On March 29, 2021 – The Conservation Board hosted a community summit to discuss climate change solutions using nature. Check out the recording from the community summit and visit the City website to learn more about this exciting planning process. We want to hear, from you. Please consider submitting feedback via the Burlington Nature Based Climate Solutions Survey.
Stay Tuned for a Special Conservation News Issue
In the coming month we will be sending a special issue highlighting park projects happening throughout City’s natural areas, greenbelts, and backyards. Stay tuned for the excitement!
City Of Burlington Parks, Recreation & Waterfront
Address: 645 Pine Street, Suite B
Burlington, VT 05401
Phone: (802) 864-0123