Join Fellowship of the Wheel, Audubon Vermont, and the Chittenden County Forester for a free, public walk and discussion of forest management, recreation, and forest bird conservation on the site of an upcoming forest management project at the Hinesburg Town Forest.

From warblers and thrushes to vireos and flycatchers, Vermont provides summer breeding habitat for some of the greatest diversity of neotropical migratory songbirds found anywhere in the lower 48 states. Many of these species are at risk due to loss of suitable habitat, forest fragmentation, introduced species, incompatible forest management, and climate change.  Bird conservation in the 21st century requires a proactive, multi-disciplinary approach.

Over the past decade Audubon Vermont has been working closely with landowners, foresters, maple syrup producers, legislators, and others to raise awareness of the important role our state’s forests play in hemispheric bird conservation. At this event, Steve Hagenbuch, Audubon’s senior conservation biologist and forester, will help us assess current forest habitat conditions and consider opportunities for future management. Ethan Tapper, the Chittenden County Forester, will also discuss forests, forest management, and how the management of the Hinesburg Town Forest will be done with both forest birds and recreation in mind.

The Hinesburg Town Forest (HTF) is an 864-acre parcel owned and managed by the Town of Hinesburg for over 70 years. It provides critical wildlife habitat and natural good and services, demonstrates responsible forest management and offers over 17 miles of trails annually used by tens of thousands of hikers, bikers, and wildlife watchers. It is also the birthplace of the Foresters for the Birds program, a which seeks to promote forest management with bird habitat in mind.

Over the next two winters, the northeastern portion of the HTF will be managed from the HTF’s Hayden Hill East trailhead. The goal of this project is to increase the diversity, complexity and resilience of forests in this portion of the HTF, encourage the development of great wildlife habitat and to demonstrate responsible, regenerative forest management using an open, transparent and inclusive process. While some sections of trails will need to be closed during the project, it is being structured to allow the Hayden Hill East trailhead to remain open, and for most trails to remain open to the public throughout.

To learn more about this project, check out the links and resources here at: https://linktr.ee/HinesburgTownForest. To learn more about similar projects in the south of the HTF and at the Andrews Community Forest in Richmond check out Story Maps on these projects here: https://arcg.is/09zfC1 and here: https://arcg.is/0yCGi.

This will be an in-person event and will require uphill walking over uneven surfaces. To join us, meet at the Hayden Hill East trailhead at 10:00 AM on Sunday, September 19. Please bring your questions about forest management, birds, recreation, the interaction between them, and anything else you need to be prepared for weather and trail conditions.