Tag Archives: Champlain Islands

Crosby tract preserves wetlands habitat along Lake Champlain

This news release was issued by the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department on February 1, 2013

After 17 years, Crosby tract preserves wetlands habitat along Lake Champlain

The Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department and The Nature Conservancy have partnered to conserve a parcel of land that connects two separate units of the Mud Creek Wildlife Management Area and protects a 4-mile contiguous stretch of wetland from Ransoms Bay of Lake Champlain to the Canadian border. The tract also connects with 1,000 acres of conserved land on the Quebec side of the border.

The purchase of the 148.9 acre parcel follows a long-term effort to conserve the tract by Fish & Wildlife’s Bill Crenshaw and The Nature Conservancy’s Jon Binhammer.

Mud Creek, Alburgh, VT

“What makes the Crosby tract special is that Bill Crenshaw and Jon Binhammer worked on the conservation of this land for 17 years with two different landowners,” said Jane Lazorchak, land acquisition coordinator for the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department. “Bill and Jon’s perseverance to see that this land was conserved and available to the public, in addition to their many other conservation projects throughout Vermont, represent a legacy that will last for generations.” Crenshaw retired in December following a 39-year career with the Fish & Wildlife Department.

“We have finally achieved our desired result – permanent public access to about 30 acres of uplands, 120 acres of wetlands, and 1,800 feet of frontage on Lake Champlain, including a natural lake sand beach and rock outcrop called Blue Rock,” said Binhammer.

The Crosby tract and Mud Creek area is well known for its waterfowl and other wetland-associated wildlife. “These forested wetlands are the preferred habitat for wood ducks, and the rocky outcrop is a basking habitat for the spiny softshell turtle, a state-threatened species,” said Binhammer.

“This is an outstanding piece of fish and wildlife habitat,” added Crenshaw. “About 75 percent of it is Lake Champlain-influenced wetlands which are naturally productive.”

Funding for this purchase came from the North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA), passed by Congress in 1989 to conserve wetlands throughout North America for waterfowl and other wetland-dependent species. Vermont Duck Stamp Funds were used in part to help match the NAWCA grant. The Vermont Duck Stamp Program started in 1985 by Legislative action and to date has completed 82 projects in the state with approximately 11,000 acres of wetlands and adjacent uplands protected or enhanced.

Click Here to view video of Mud Creek Wildlife Management Area: Alburgh, Vermont

Media Contacts:

Jane Lazorchak, 802-479-4405
Jon Binhammer, 802-229-4425

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More About Conservation Efforts:

South Hero Bird House Forest

South Hero Painted Bird House Forest

The Champlain Islands are typically Vermont, but they also have a quirkiness that gives them their own unique charm. One of these unique locations is the South Hero Bird House Forest.

The South Hero Bird House Forest

South Hero’s West Shore Road is a narrow dirt road that winds along the many inlets and bays of South Hero’s west coast. Here you’ll find classic old summer camps, stony beaches, new multi-million dollar vacation homes, vineyards and wineries, and spectacular views and sunsets.

There are a few out-of-the-way, hidden, yet fascinating sites to explore, if you know where to look.

Hundreds of Bird Houses in South Hero, Vermont

Just north of Whites Beach, a few feet from the roadside, are hundreds of brilliantly colored bird houses hanging from the trees along the swampland. It’s almost impossible not to notice, and on summer days, it’s not uncommon to see someone slow down for a better look.

According to the property owners, they were trying to deal with the mosquitoes that came from the nearby swamp. The bird houses are home to tree swallows that eat mosquitoes. This natural pest control allows the owners to sit outside in the evening and enjoy themselves.

The project started 15 years ago, with 20 bird houses; when the owner checked after a year, he found each one occupied. He built more, and more; and now has over 400 bird houses. His wife was the one who convinced him to paint them the striking bold colors.

Want to see this for yourself?

Take Route 2 to South Hero, and turn onto South Street in South Hero village. Follow South Street until you reach West Shore Road, past Allenholm Orchards; then follow West Shore Road until you get to Whites Beach. The bird houses will be on your right, just past the parking lot.

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Other Articles About Lake Champlain Islands:

List of Lake Champlain's Islands

45th Parallel Towns: Alburgh, Vermont

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Alburgh, Vermont

A 45th Parallel Town

Alburgh, VermontA 45th Parallel TownPhoto by Mary Fortin

Alburgh, Vermont is the only 45th Parallel Town located in Vermont’s Grand Isle County, and is the western-most of Vermont’s 45th parallel towns.

Alburgh offers the only land route (via bridges) between New York and Vermont north of Crown Point, New York and Addison, Vermont. Unlike the other four towns in the county (Isle La Motte, North Hero, Grand Isle and South Hero) which are on islands, Alburgh is a peninsula projecting southward from Canada into Lake Champlain. Like the other four towns, it has a considerably higher percentage of lakeshore property than other towns on the Lake, making it popular for summer homes and camps.

What’s in a Name?

Ira Allen and 64 associates are named on the charter, but it was Allen who paid the fees and it was always considered “his” town, so it is reasonable to accept that the name is a contraction of Allenburgh or Allensburgh.

The name was changed to Alburg in 1891 on recommendation of the United States Board on Geographic Names, which for the sake of standardization, determined that all municipal names ending in ”-burgh” were to be changed to ‘-burg”. Other Vermont towns affected were Enosburgh, Ferrisburgh and Irasburg. In 2006, a majority of Alburgh voters approved changing the spelling of the town’s name back to Alburgh.

Pronunciation?

Most residents pronounce the “Al” as in “Allen,” and this is the generally accepted pronunciation, although there are some who pronounce it as in “ball”.

History

In 1734, much of the land had been granted by the French in Canada. After the British victory in the French and Indian War, those titles were passed to Henry Caldwell and later to his son. This later led to disputes between the Republic of Vermont, the United States and Canada over the rights of various claimants. Ownership was eventually confirmed to the settlers who were actually in possession of the land.

Later in 1781, when it was chartered, Ira Allen was one of the commissioners appointed to negotiate the boundary between the Republic of Vermont and State of New York. It was agreed that Alburgh would be part of Vermont, but disputes continued.

Alburgh was an important rail hub until the early 1960’s providing connections between northern New York State, Vermont and the rest of New England, and Canada. With the ending of the railroad era, Alburgh has become primarily an agricultural and vacation home community.

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Alburgh Dunes State Park

This 625-acre property became a state park in 1996. It is named for the sand dunes near its’ natural sand beach. This beach is one of the longest beaches on Lake Champlain.

The beach and dunes make up a barrier island, geologically similar to formations commonly found along ocean shorelines. The sand here has come from a layer of glacial till, the soil that was left when the last glacier melted.This sand settles out in a pocket between the rocky “Point of Tongue” to the east and “Coon Point” to the west, forming the beach. Southerly winds blow the sand back from shore to form dunes. This forms a barrier between the lakeshore and the wetland behind, and an island because the beach and dunes, however slowly, continue to migrate into and over the wetland.

The wetland behind the beach includes the largest black spruce bog in Grand Isle County. Black spruce swamps and bogs are more typical of colder, northern climates than of the Champlain Valley, which is Vermont’s warmest area. Core samples from the bog reveal peat to depths of more than 26 feet.

Alburgh, Vermont Masonic Lodge

http://www.alburghvt.org Office Hours: Monday – Friday 9 AM-5 PM

(802) 796-3468 email: townofalburgh@fairpoint.net