Conservation Commission

The tree is located on the Robert Strang property
on the Jericho/Essex town line, Vermont Route 15, and has remarkably survived the
ravages of both Dutch Elm Disease and the ubiquitous road salt to reach its current
youthful majestic height.
The Jericho Conservation Commission (JCC) has an advisory role to the Selectboard, DRB, PC and other town commissions on best practices for management of natural resources in Jericho, including the use of the Conservation Reserve Fund. The Conservation Commission is committed to public education and strives to help Jericho residents learn more about the natural communities within our town and beyond. The JCC is also available for residential consultation on request. The JCC has membership in the Vermont Association of Conservation Commissions.

Meetings are held on the Third Wednesday of each month at 7:15 pm via Zoom.

There are vacancies on this committee. If you would like to serve on this committee click here for an application.

If you would like to sign up to be a volunteer click here to add your name to our list



Photo: Jericho Town Tree - An American Elm (Ulmus americana) on Rt. 15 near the town line with Essex.

The Jericho Conservation Commission (JCC) has an advisory role to the Selectboard, DRB, PC and other town commissions on best practices for management of natural resources in Jericho, including the use of the Conservation Reserve Fund. The Conservation Commission is committed to public education and strives to help Jericho residents learn more about the natural communities within our town and beyond. The JCC is also available for residential consultation on request. The JCC has membership in the Vermont Association of Conservation Commissions.

Meetings are held on the Third Wednesday of each month at 7:15 pm via Zoom.

There are vacancies on this committee. If you would like to serve on this committee click here for an application.

If you would like to sign up to be a volunteer click here to add your name to our list



Photo: Jericho Town Tree - An American Elm (Ulmus americana) on Rt. 15 near the town line with Essex.

  • Pollinator Pathway

    The Jericho Conservation Commission presents Bethany Barry and Fran Putnam with Pollinator Pathway of Addison County to share their experience creating and maintaining places for pollinators — butterflies, bees and other insects -- in their community. Are you interested in improving pollinator habitat in your home garden or community space? Can we create a multi-town pollinator pathway in eastern Chittenden County? Regional conservation commission members and anyone with an interest in creating pollinator habitat are welcome to attend. The program will be a slide presentation with discussion on how the Pollinator Pathway group was created and plenty of examples of planting choices for both home gardens and meadows.

    To join the meeting via Zoom, please email program_assistant@drml.org for the link.

    When: Monday, June 24, from 7 - 8:30 p.m.

    Where: Deborah Rawson Memorial Library, 8 River Road, Jericho, VT

    Please RSVP to info@jerichovt.gov if you are planning to attend. There will be door prizes! We hope to see you there.

  • Seeing the Forest for the Trees - Film and Q and A


    Join the Jericho Conservation Commission on Saturday, April 27th at 5pm for dinner and a movie!


    Come have a slice of pizza and watch the short documentary film “Seeing the Forest For the Trees,” released in 2024, which celebrates the importance of working forests in Vermont. After the film we will have Ethan Tapper, the Chittenden County Forester, and Don Tobi, Tree Warden for Jericho and Underhill, available for a Q and A. Come learn more Vermont’s forests, forestry, and forest products industry. How is a healthy forest products industry important to healthy resilient forests, wildlife, biodiversity and forest ecology? What are the benefits of responsible forestry? What is the Use Value Appraisal (Current Use) program, and how can you participate? What other programs are available for working forests?

  • Be A Good Bear Neighbor

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    The Conservation Commission reminds you to take down your bird feeders, clean them and store them until December. Bird feeders are often a bear's first lesson that human environments can be a source for food. Learn more about the importance of reducing bear-human interactions and how each of us can help keep Vermont's bears wild!

    https://vtfishandwildlife.com/learn-more/living-with-wildlife/living-with-black-bears

    To continue providing food for birds when you shouldn't put out a feeder consider using berry-producing plants and plants and trees that support the life cycles of native caterpillars. Did you know that a Black-capped Chickadee (and most songbirds) feeds its young exclusively on tiny moth caterpillars? You can create a nature-based buffet for the birds and help keep bears away and safe just by adding certain native plants to your garden.

    https://www.audubon.org/native-plants

    jerichovt.org/backyard-habitat


    Photos: Sabina Ernst



    Bear Reports to VT Fish and wildlife Stats for Jericho, Vermont:

    96 bear incidents reported between 2011-23,

    • 35% were related to garbage
    • 17% were chicken-related

    For additional information on coexisting in bear habitat:

    https://bearwise.org/

    https://www.vermontpublic.org/local-news/2023-03-23/bear-incidents-are-on-the-rise-in-vermont-what-should-you-do-to-avoid-them


  • VNRC Wild & Scenic Film Festival

    Vermont Natural Resources Council (VNRC) is excited to be hosting in-person screenings of our 2024 Wild & Scenic Film Festival at the Woodstock Town Hall Theatre in Woodstock on of April 4, 2024, and at Main Street Landing in Burlington on April 18, 2024. We hope you will join us for an evening of inspiring short films about stewardship, recreation and the resilience of our communities and natural areas. Doors will open at 5:30 pm for both shows, with the film program beginning at 6:00 pm. Tickets will be available soon!

    Watch Trailer

  • Living With Bears

    Spring is around the corner and the Conservation Commission would like to remind residents that bears emerging from hibernation will be hungry and on the move looking for food. Now is a good time to think about how we can be good neighbors to black Bears and all wildlife that shares space with us in Jericho. Bird feeders should be taken down by mid-March or possibly before if warm weather and lack of snow hasten the bears' reappearance. We are sharing an article published in the Jericho Underhill Land Trust Newsletter which provides specific tips for living in harmony with black Bears.



    Being Responsible Neighbors With Black Bears*

    By Sabina Ernst

    The Jericho Underhill Land Trust and our members understand that land conservation is crucial for the survival of large mammals including black bears. Black bears (Ursus americanus) are omnivorous animals that require large areas of land to thrive. When we conserve large parcels of unfragmented forest land we help preserve their habitats and ensure that they have enough space to roam and forage for food. We also help maintain the ecological balance in an area, which is essential for the survival of other species that also depend on the same habitat.
    Photo: Sabina Ernst


    However, land conservation alone is not enough to protect black bears. At our Annual Meeting in October we were fortunate to hear from Jaclyn Comeau, Black Bear biologist for Vermont Fish and Wildlife. Jaclyn advised us that human behavior modification is necessary to ensure that bears are not negatively impacted. We learned that human activities can lead to conflicts between humans and bears, which can result in the death of bears. Bears, generalist omnivores with a keen sense of smell (several 1000 times more sensitive than humans), often find their way to our yards because of our carelessness and once they learn that a location has a food source they do not forget. The Fish and Wildlife department uses the adage “A Fed Bear is a Dead Bear” to remind us of the potential consequences of complacency.

    Jaclyn gave examples of the top human sources that lead bears to venture closer to our homes: pet food, bird feeders, barbecue grills, garbage, and household trash containers.

    More specifically, she gave us stats for Black bear reports to Fish and Wildlife from Jericho and Underhill which showed that in Jericho, of 96 bear incidents reported between 2011-23, 35% were related to garbage and 17% were chicken-related. In Underhill, for 86 bear reports in the same time period, 22% were related to garbage and 35% were chicken-related.

    As Jericho-Underhill Land Trust supporters and responsible wildlife stewards we need to:

    • Keep chickens and honeybees secure within an electric fence or other bear-proof enclosure.

    • Never feed bears, deliberately or accidentally.

    • Feed pets indoors.

    • Feed birds from December to March only (Winter Solstice to Vernal Equinox) and consider adding landscape plants which provide natural food sources, such as berries and seeds, for birds instead of using feeders.

    • Store trash in a secure place. Trash cans alone are not enough!

    Land conservation is essential for the survival of black bears. However, it is equally important to modify our human behaviors to ensure that bears are not negatively impacted. By working together to conserve land and modify our behaviors, we can help to protect black bears and ensure that they continue to play a vital role in maintaining the balance of nature. To read more and find resources for living responsibly in bear country please visit:


    *This article was originally published in the Jericho Underhill Land Trust Newsletter (Winter 2023)

  • Public Notice - Mill Brook floodplain restoration/streambank stabilization project

    PUBLIC NOTICE

    Pursuant to Executive Order 11988 (Floodplain Management) and Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) implementing regulations at Title 44 of the Code of Federal Regulations Part 9, FEMA hereby provides final notice of its decision to provide Hazard Mitigation Grant Program funding for an action located in a floodplain. Funding would be provided through the Vermont Agency of Transportation to the Town of Jericho to for the Mill Brook floodplain restoration and streambank stabilization project.

    The action is located at the confluence of Mill Brook and Winooski River along VT Route 117 in Jericho, Vermont. The project is to reduce erosion and maintain the riverbank adjacent to Route 117 while enhancing floodplain function. A temporary access road would be established on the west side of Route 117. Construction would include the removal of failing riprap and historic armoring. A failing stone berm would also be removed. A ballasted engineered log jam using stacked logs with root wads would be installed. The west side of the brook would be excavated to widen it several feet. A flood bench would be created and restoration with trees, shrubs, and native planting would occur.

    Work would occur within a mapped special flood hazard area, which could cause short-term adverse effects. However, the natural and beneficial floodplain functions would be restored at the site long-term. Sedimentation and erosion controls would be employed and staging areas would be on pre-disturbed ground to reduce impacts. The site could still be impacted by flooding; however, the adjacent roadway would no longer be at risk. A map of the area of available upon request.

    The project must take place in a floodplain due to the nature of the risk being mitigated. Ten additional alternatives were considered, including “no action” and road relocation. No action would leave Route 117 at risk. Relocating the roadway is not practicable and could have adverse impacts on the community. The action would conform to applicable state and local floodplain protection standards. Grant conditions will also require compliance with all federal, state, and local laws, including coordination with the local floodplain administrator.

    Map requests and comments about this project and potential floodplain impacts should be submitted within 15 days of the date of this publication to:

    Kari Elkins, Environmental Protection Specialist

    Federal Emergency Management Agency, Boston, MA

    kari.elkins@fema.dhs.gov; (256) 343-3570

  • Chittenden County Forester Year-end Report

    Here is a recap of 2023 from our County Forester, Ethan Tapper.

    Hi all,

    It has been such a pleasure to be your County Forester in 2023! As I do each year, I'm reaching out this morning to share my 2023 edition of "A Year in Review" -- a collection of the projects I've had the privilege to been involved in over the last year -- and links to where you can learn more.

    2023: A Year in Review

    2023 was another jam-packed year for forests and forestry in Chittenden County! Here are some highlights and opportunities to learn more:

    • I wrote 12 articles for 10 community newspapers in Chittenden County (see archive, here: https://www.miltonindependent.com/search/?f=html&q=tapper&s=start_time&sd=desc&l=25&t=article%2Ccollection%2Cvideo%2Cyoutube&nsa=edition), and a quarterly column in Northern Woodlands Magazine (see archive, here: https://northernwoodlands.org/search/results/eyJyZXN1bHRfcGFnZSI6InNlYXJjaFwvcmVzdWx0cyIsImtleXdvcmRzIjoiXCJmb3Jlc3QgaW5zaWdodHNcIiJ9).

    • My YouTube channel continues to grow, with more than 135 videos, 1,000 subscribers and 20,000 views per month! Explore and subscribe to my YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCG5pCDPHUyOiA2vW1l7L6oA?sub_confirmation=1

    • I led 49 public educational programs, attended by 1,700 people – to stay apprised of upcoming events and educational opportunities in 2024, subscribe to my email list here: https://vermont.us7.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=58398f7a782118e355bf99377&id=58d2751d34

    • I completed a forest management project at the Catamount Community Forest in Williston, including a massive public outreach effort -- walks, videos, articles, press releases, television appearances and more. Besides demonstrating responsible forestry, this project is part of an ongoing project called Adaptive Silviculture for Climate Change, that will inform how we care for and manage forests in a changing climate. You can learn more about this project by checking out this story map: https://arcg.is/18CXGa

    • I concluded a two-winter forest management project at the Hinesburg Town Forest’s Hayden Hill Road East access. This project was also part of a larger outreach effort, with 19 public events, videos, articles, and educational signage. This project will also be part of the ASCC program, part of UVM research on planting climate-adapted tree species.

    • I also continued working with the Town of Westford to conduct some forest management on the Westford Town Lands – including some “micro-scale” commercial forest management at the Maple Shade Town Forest (which included producing timbers for the restoration of the Vermont Youth Conservation Corps’ east monitor barn), and non-commercial Forest Stand Improvement (FSI) with Essex High School’s forestry tech program. The work at the Maple Shade Town Forest will be continuing this winter!

    • I was able to work with the Town of Huntington on Forest Management Plans for each of their two town forests: the 245-acre Huntington Community Forest and the 100-acre Huntington Town Forest. In an effort to make it more accessible, for the first time I have drafted a Forest Management Plan – for the Huntington Town Forest – as a story map. Check it out here: https://arcg.is/1P8G0z0

    • I was able to secure funding from the Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Habitat Stamp program, and, in partnership with Vermont Coverts and VDFW, was able to implement some non-commercial wildlife habitat management at four different community forests. This included: mast tree release and invasive plant control at the Andrews Community Forest, early-successional habitat creation at the Preston Pond Conservation Area, golden-winged warbler habitat management and early-successional habitat creation at the LaPlatte Headwaters Town Forest, Forest Stand Improvement at the Westford Town Lands, and the installation of interpretive signage at the sites of all of these projects.

    • I became a full-on bird nerd, and was able to become one of Vermont’s three Audubon-endorsed foresters.

    • I was honored to be able to travel to Pennsylvania and New Jersey to deliver keynote addresses at conferences for the Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry and the New Jersey Forestry Association. You can watch a recording of my New Jersey speech here: https://youtu.be/dze8WAd8rvo?si=FA63hzSzMGzzTIyd

    • As always, you can check out everything I’m working on at one place on my LinkTree, at https://linktr.ee/ChittendenCountyForester

    I hope you all have a Happy Holidays, and I’m looking forward to connecting with you in 2024!

    Best,

    Ethan Tapper

    Chittenden County Forester

    ethan.tapper@vermont.gov

  • Forests Matter

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    The Conservation Commission recently attended this presentation of Vermont Fish and Wildlife - Community wildlife Program.

    The concept of maintaining intact forest in Vermont is not new and is something that town planning and conservation commissions have been implementing for years. But as rural sprawl has increased forest fragmentation and the VT Legislature passed Vermont's Forest Integrity law (often referred to as Act 171), the topic is receiving increased interest. The Department of Forests, Parks, & Recreation and the Fish & Wildlife Department has worked with partners to put together a video series highlighting this important topic. The video series pulls together interviews from a diversity of professionals in the field; from foresters, biologists to planners and volunteers working at the local level.


  • Bear Talk at JULT's Annual Meeting

    Jericho Underhill Land Trust Annual Meeting

    Monday, October 2nd 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Underhill Town Hall

    Come celebrate a busy year of land conservation at our Annual Meeting! Refreshments start at 6:30 p.m. with a short business meeting at 7 p.m. We are delighted to have Jaclyn Comeau, a wildlife biologist and the Black Bear Project Leader for the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department as our guest speaker. Her topic will be about living with black bears.

    For over nine years, Jaclyn has led black bear research and education in Vermont. As a Black Bear Project Leader, she works to coordinate and conduct research evaluating the effects of industrial wind development within large bear-scarred beech concentrations on black bears. She also captures black bears to fit them with satellite GPS collars. She studies black bear activity and habitat use via telemetry and remote camera data. She evaluates roads as potential landscape barriers in cooperation with Staying Connected Initiative. And finally, Jaclyn assists Vermont residents with resolving human-bear conflicts. Bring your questions and learn more about our important black bear neighbors.

  • Why We Need Insects and Other Invertebrates


Page last updated: 18 Sep 2024, 06:47 PM