Tag Archives: news

Progress Update on Community Sailing Center

Winter at CSC – Construction in Full Swing

Construction Update!

Progress Update on Community Sailing Center

Things are moving along nicely here on the balmy shores of Lake Champlain this month!

Although temperatures this morning were nonexistent – topping out at 0°, construction crews were as busy as ever.

The crews have just about finished pouring the foundation of the beautiful new waterfront home for the Pomerleau Community Waterfront Campus & Raymond P. Sullivan Sailing Education Center.

Progress Update on Community Sailing Center

CSC is almost there… but not quite yet.

So far they’ve raised $5.1 of the $5.75 million needed to complete the project. This is the perfect time of year to give a gift that will keep on giving.

By helping with their Love Your Lake campaign, you’ll help assure access to our most beautiful natural resource for our entire community for generations.

Help the CSC guarantee:

Lake Access. Life Lessons. For All.

Donation information here.

Future Pomerleau Community Waterfront Campus & Raymond P. Sullivan Sailing Education CenterFuture Pomerleau Community Waterfront Campus & Raymond P. Sullivan Sailing Education Center

Other Articles on the Community Sailing Center:

Ghosts and Legends of Lake Champlain
Lake Champlain is located between New York’s majestic Adirondacks and Vermont’s famed Green Mountains. Yet despite the beauty of this region, it has been the site of dark and mysterious events; it is not surprising that some spirits linger in this otherwise tranquil place. Fort Ticonderoga saw some of early America’s bloodiest battles, and American, French and British ghosts still stand guard.
Champlain’s islands–Stave, Crab, Valcour and Garden–all host otherworldly inhabitants, and unidentified creatures and objects have made appearances on the water, in the sky and in the forests surrounding the lake.
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2016 a Record Year for Vermont Bald Eagles

Vermont Bald Eagles Nest in Record Numbers in 2016

 

2016 a Record Year for Vermont Bald EaglesIn 2016 bald eagles produced 34 successful young in Vermont, smashing the most recent record of 26 in 2013 according to the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Dept. The birds remain on the list of species protected under Vermont’s state endangered species law, but this strong year has conservationists hopeful for their continued recovery.

 

 

This year also saw record nesting success for several other bird species monitored by biologists and volunteers in Vermont. Peregrine falcons successfully raised at least 81 young birds in 2016, breaking the previous state record of 67, according to Audubon Vermont who monitors nesting peregrine falcons in partnership with the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department.

 

 

2016 a Record Year for Vermont Bald Eagles and for Nesting Loon Success

Vermont also welcomed 80 new birds to the state’s loon population, breaking the previous record of 69. The Vermont Center for Ecostudies monitors the state’s nesting loons.

The mild weather this spring likely helped boost numbers of all three birds, according to John Buck, migratory bird biologist with the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department.

 

“The cooperative weather provided a bump to many species this year, but the continued recovery of these species is the result of a long-term effort by our department and our partners to conserve the habitat these birds need to thrive,” said Buck.

Peregrine falcons and bald eagles declined in the Twentieth Century nationwide due to loss of habitat, disturbance to nests, and the effects of the pesticide DDT. Laws such as the Clean Water Act, the Endangered Species Act, and a ban on DDT have aided in the recovery of these birds. Loons similarly faced dramatic declines as a result of shoreline development and human disturbance of their habitat.

In 2005, peregrine falcons, loons, and osprey were removed from Vermont’s state endangered species list following years of conservation effort. Bald eagles have recovered in most of the contiental U.S. and have been removed from the federal endangered species list, but remain on Vermont’s state endangered species list as they continue to recover locally.

“Vermonters have played a huge role in the recovery of these species,” said Margaret Fowle, biologist with Audubon Vermont. “We work with a large number of citizen volunteers who help monitor nests, while the general public has aided in recovery efforts by maintaining a respectful distance from these birds during the critical nesting season. Paddlers have been keeping away from nesting loons, and the climbing community has been helpful by respecting cliff closures and getting the word out about where the birds are.”

2016 a Record Year for Vermont Bald Eagles supported by license plate sales

Vermonters can help researchers in their effort to conserve birds by donating online to the nongame wildlife fund at www.vtfishandwildlife.com or by purchasing a conservation license plate, including the new loon design plate.

 

 

Other Lake Champlain Wildlife Articles:

Missisquoi Bay Watershed Plan

Plan for Lakes, Rivers and Wetlands of the Missisquoi Bay Watershed

The lakes, rivers and wetlands of Lake Champlain’s Missisquoi Bay watershed provide recreational opportunities, drinking water and support for wildlife habitat and plant communities.  Water resource protection and remediation is necessary to ensure the community’s continued enjoyment of these uses.

Plan for Lakes, Rivers and Wetlands of the Missisquoi Bay Watershed

Karen Bates, Watershed Management Division basin planner, and partners in the watershed have assessed water resources, conducted high-resolution water quality modeling, and combed through every previous assessment to document projects to protect high quality waters and remediate where needed.  The result is the draft Missisquoi Bay Watershed Tactical Basin Plan, which is now ready for public review and comments.  The plan also contains a chapter on how the basin-scale allocations of the new Lake Champlain Total Maximum Daily Load(TMDL) are broken down into small geographic areas to assist communities and stakeholders in identifying the best locations to implement phosphorus reduction projects.  The following table outlines the plan objectives and strategies.

missisquoitable2

A series of three public meetings to learn more about the tactical basin plan and provide comments has been scheduled over the next month. The meetings are co-hosted by the Northwest Regional Planning Commission, the Northern Vermont Development Association, and the Lake Carmi Local Implementation Team. The schedule is:

  • November 9th, 6:00-8:00 pm, Georgia Fire Station, Georgia, VT (joint presentation with the Lamoille Plan)
  • November 14th, 6:00-8:00 pm, Jay Municipal Building, Jay, VT
  • November 17th, 5:00-7:00 pm, FELCO Community Room, Franklin Homestead, Franklin, VT

The draft tactical basin plans will be accessible via the Watershed Management Division’s basin planners and online.

The public comment period is November 1st through close of business (4:30 pm) on December 2nd.

For more information, contact Karen Bates by email or phone at (802) 490-6144.

Ethan Allen: His Life and Times
is the story of one of Vermont’s
most famous citizens.Written by
Willard Sterne Randall this book
sheds a new light on one of
Vermont’s founding fathers.
Buy Ethan Allen: 
His Life and Times Here

 

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Lake Champlain Area Year-Round Trout Fishing

Lake Champlain Area Year-Round Trout Fishing

The “open season” for trout may be closed, but there are several stream sections where you can still fish for trout. Below are a listing of Lake Champlain tributaries where trout fishing is allowed year-round under the following conditions.
 

Lake Champlain Area Year-Round Trout Fishing

The sections of streams listed below are open to trout fishing year round according to the following rules:

  • Only artificial flies or lures may be used, except during the open season for trout (2nd Sat. in April – Oct. 31).
  • Catch and release only (trout must be immediately released where caught), except during the open season for trout.
  • During open season for trout, follow normal size restrictions, daily limits and possession limits.

 

Lake Champlain Tributaries

Lamoille River:

From the Lake Champlain boundary (top of Peterson Dam in Milton) upstream to the top of the Cady’s Falls Dam in Morristown.

Lewis Creek:

From the Lake Champlain boundary upstream to the State Prison Hollow Road (TH#3) bridge in Starksboro.

Missisquoi River:

From the top of the Swanton Dam in Swanton to the top of the Enosburg Falls Dam in Enosburg Falls.

Otter Creek:

From the Lake Champlain boundary upstream to the Danby-Mt. Tabor Forest Road bridge (Forest Road #10) in Mt. Tabor.

Winooski River:

From the Lake Champlain boundary upstream to the VT Route 2/100 in Duxbury and Waterbury.NOTE: Check specific stream sections in “Index of Rivers & Streams” for other regulations.

 

Other Vermont Streams to Fish for Trout Year-Round

Black River:

From the Connecticut River boundary upstream to the Howard Hill Road Bridge in Cavendish.

Deerfield River:

From the Woods Road (Medburyville) bridge in Wilmington upstream approximately 2 miles to the VT Route 9W bridge in Searsburg.

East Creek (Rutland City):

From the confluence with Otter Creek upstream (approximately 2.7 miles) to the top of the Patch Dam in Rutland City.

Hoosic River:

From the Vermont/New York border upstream to the Vermont/ Massachusetts border.

Moose River:

From the confluence with Passumpsic River upstream to the downstream edge of the Concord Avenue bridge in St. Johnsbury.

Ompompanoosuc River:

From the Connecticut River boundary upstream to the Union Village Dam in Thetford.

Passumpsic River:

From the Connecticut River boundary upstream to the top of Arnolds Falls Dam in St. Johnsbury.

Waits River:

From the Connecticut River boundary upstream to the top of the Central Vermont Power Dam (Green Power Mountain Dam) in Bradford.

Walloomsac River:

From the Vermont/New York border in Bennington upstream to the top of the former Vermont Tissue Plant Dam (downstream of Murphy Road) in Bennington.

West River:

From the Connecticut River boundary upstream to the Townshend Dam in Townshend.

White River:

From the Connecticut River boundary upstream to the bridge on Route 107 in Bethel.

Williams River:

From the Connecticut River boundary upstream to the top of the dam at Brockway Mills Falls in Rockingham.


Other Lake Champlain Fishing Articles:

Injured Bald Eagle Released Back into the Wild

Injured Bald Eagle Released Back into the Wild

Staff with the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department and Vermont Institute of Natural Sciences released a juvenile bald eagle back into the wild last week at Dead Creek Wildlife Management Area in Addison, Vermont.

The young eagle was injured when it fell from its nest early this summer. A local wildlife photographer notified the landowner and Fish & Wildlife staff that the eagle was injured. The bird was initially treated at the Outreach for Earth Stewardship rehabilitation facility in Shelburne, and then transferred to the Vermont Institute for Natural Science in Quechee to complete its rehabilitation. Biologists attached special identification bands to the eagle’s legs before releasing it to the wild.

“This release is a great moment for eagle restoration in Vermont,” said Fish & Wildlife bird biologist John Buck. “This day would not be possible without the dedicated efforts of the many people who care deeply about restoring the bald eagle to its rightful place among Vermont’s wildlife community.”

Bald eagles declined nationwide due to loss of habitat and the effects of the pesticide DDT. Laws protecting eagles, such as the Clean Water Act, the Endangered Species Act, and a ban on DDT have aided in the recovery of the United States’ national symbol.

According to Buck, Vermont’s bald eagle population is in the midst of a strong recovery. He cites continued support from the public through funding wildlife programs like the Nongame Wildlife Fund and maintaining a safe distance from nesting eagles, in addition to the work of conservation partners, as critical to the species’ continued recovery in Vermont.

 

 

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