Global Warming and Brook Trout Habitat

Great article in the Rutland Herald about the impact of global warming on the brook trout fishery in Vermont.

The article points out that as the temperature continues to climb, the suitable habitat for brook trout will diminish with less than 100 years before brook trout can only be found in the highest mountain streams.

From the story:

The national nonprofit Natural Resources Defense Council and Defenders of Wildlife spotlighted the problem in a 2002 report "Effects of Global Warming on Trout and Salmon in U.S. Streams." Using weather projections from the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, they estimated that upward of 40 percent or more of rivers and streams now suitable for cold-water fish will become too warm to sustain them by 2090.

Federal projections are even worse. A New England Regional Climate Variability and Change Assessment done for the U.S. Global Change Research Program says if the Earth's greenhouse-gas levels double because of fossil-fuel burning and other emissions, "the region faces a 50- to 100-percent potential loss of habitat for brown, brook, and rainbow trout."

The full story can be read here.

It's enlightening, entertaining and flat out scary.

Cliffs Closed to Protect Peregrine Falcon Nests

The Fish & Wildlife Department has announced that eight cliff areas have been closed to protect nesting peregine falcons.

The areas include the following:

• Nichols Ledge in Woodbury - access to any part of the cliff is closed.


• Fairlee Palisades in Fairlee - access to any part of the cliff is closed.


• Deer Leap in Bristol - access to any part of the cliff is closed.


• Bolton Notch in Bolton - trail below cliff is open, but cliff access is closed.


• Rattlesnake Point in Salisbury - southern overlook is closed, western overlook is open.


• Mt. Horrid in Goshen/Rochester - access to any part of the cliff is closed, but Great Cliff lookout is open.


• Snake Mountain in Addison - cliff top south of pond is closed, all trails are open.


• Smuggler's Notch in Cambridge - Elephant's Head area is closed.

Doug Blodgett, Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department biologist, said the areas will be closed until Aug. 1, but if a falcon pair doesn't nest or if the nesting is not successful, the areas will be reopened.

Area updates will be posted on the Fish & Wildlife's Web site at: www.vtfishandwildlife.com or by calling (802) 241-3700.

Steven D. Faccio

Peregrine Falcons

"The areas closed include the portions of the cliffs where the birds are nesting and the trails leading to the cliff tops or overlooks," Blodgett said. "In many cases the lower portions of the trails are still open. Signs are posted at the trailhead or along the trail indicating which areas are off limits."

If you see peregrines, report it to the Fish & Wildlife by e-mailing: doug.blodgett@state.vt.us.

Powdr Says Passes Went Away With ASC

The Rutland Herald covered the Killington lifetime ski pass brouhaha.

In the article, a Powdr representative basically says the pass holders are SOL.

However, Powdr spokesman Mark Fischer said Thursday the filings Post was
referencing only pertained to ASC, not to Powdr or SP Land.

"Powdr is under no obligation whatsoever to provide the lifetime passes," he said.

He said that's because the passes were only designed to last as long as Sherburne Corp. or its successors. When Powdr and SP Land bought the resort, they bought the land, facilities and equipment but not Killington Ltd. and its liabilities.

"The lifetime passes don't refer to their lifetime, it's the lifetime of the corporation," Fischer said. "Powdr, in an effort of good will, will provide for the passes for the next couple of years, and we're under no obligation to do that. We just don't want to cut people off cold turkey."

That doesn't look good for pass owners, although there is still talk of potential legal action on some of the discussion boards and blogs that are hitting the issue.

Read the Herald article here.

Officials: The Water is Cold

OK, that might seem obvious, but apparently some people don't know that the water they're boating on is cold.

So some people are encouraging boaters to take precautions or maybe even just stay home.

According to an Associated Press story, the water temperature in some lakes and rivers is in the 40 degree to 50 degree range, a temperature that saps the life from a body in as little as a half an hour.

It takes even less than that for the cold water to have an affect on you.

A few years back I was tossed from the drift boat from which I was fishing into 42-degree river water. The immediate impact was stunning. My breath was ripped from my lungs as I gasped for air. After 30 seconds, I was able to breath more normally, but almost instantly the cold began to sap my strength.

It was all I could do to swim the 30 yards or so to the shore of the river, which was flowing at about 5,000 cubic feet per second. When I finally reached the shore several minutes later and hundreds of yards downstream, I was so weak I couldn't stand up for several more minutes, crawling from the water on my hands and knees and laying in the sun to regain my strength.

Two fishing partners were in the same shape as I was and we all agreed the PFDs were likely the difference in making it to shore or not. I'm not sure how much more time I could have spent in the water and still had the strength to make it to shore.

Please folks, wear your PFDs no matter how strong a swimmer you are.

Killington Lifetime Passes Won't Be Honored?

Killington lifetime pass holders may be getting the shaft.

It does appear, based on all the talk on blogs, online discussion forums and from other sources that the new owners are yanking the lifetime passes.

But can they? A lot of people don't think so, but there have been no lawyers or business contract experts weighing in on these discussion. Mostly it's just a bunch of skiers who feel like Powdr is giving these people the shaft.

Here is a key provision of the Purchase Agreement as found on the Securities Exchange Commission.

PURCHASE AGREEMENT
by and among
American Skiing
Company
Killington, Ltd., Pico Ski Area Management Company
and
SP Land
Company, LLC
February 16, 2007
Article VIII - Covenants

8.23 Lifetime Passes. Buyer shall honor all Lifetime Passes and shall cause any agreement for the sale of the Resort or the Business to require such subsequent owner to honor such passes; provided that in no event shall Buyer be required to enforce (nor shall it have any liability in respect to) such covenant with respect to such subsequent owner. This covenant shall survive Closing indefinitely.

This is the link to the full Purchase Agreement.

Now, I'm no lawyer, nor would I want to be, but this little piece of the purchase agreement certainly sounds to me like lifetime pass holders were expected to keep those passes and the new owners bought the responsiblity of honoring those passes.

I guess time will tell.

More on Browns River Conservation Effort

The Associated Press featured an interesting story about the Upper Browns River on Monday.

The story is about the project near Westford in Morgan Brook, a feeder stream for the Browns River that was recently named one of 10 rivers to watch by a national group.

Here's a Blog entry I made about this river May 1.

In the AP story, writer Wilson Ring writes:

"Morgan Brook is barely three feet wide and less than a foot deep, but the meandering waterway is still capable of supporting a population of six-inch brook trout."

The story details how the brook is being reclaimed by adding fencing to keep cattle out when it crosses fields, trees are being planted to provide cooling shade, farmers are being paid to keep their cornfields farther from the river banks, and a culvert will be replaced with a bridge to allow the fish passage upstream.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Biologist Christopher Smith said the changes are starting to pay off, but the real benefit is well on down the road.

"Restoration really starts with change in land use," Smith said in the AP article. "This is a project that will play itself out over the next 10 to 15 years."

The effort is a multiagency program with state and federal agencies cooperating with local landowners and conservation groups to make the restoration effort work even though many of the agencies are participating for completely different reasons, according to the article.

One governmental entity may only be interested in clean water, while another wants to ensure the survival of the fish species.

More on the restoration efforts and the program behind it can be found at: www.fishhabitat.org.

This is exactly the kind of interagency cooperation that we need to better protect wildlife and habitat and it's great to see landowners and others eagerly participating.

Killington Nixes Lifetime Passes?

A group of people holding lifetime ski passes at Killington have apparently been notified that their lifetime passes will no longer be honored by Powdr, the resorts new owners.

Not much is known about this, or if it's even true at this point.

Here's a quote from a letter pass holders received, according to a post on KillingtonZone.com:

"The Pass was a benefit you or your predecessor in interest, received for being an initial investor in Sherburne Corporation during the resorts infancy. The specific language in your stock or bond certificate granted you "a pass entitling the holder to use free all ski lifts operated by the corporation in Killington Basin so long as the [Sherburne] corporation shall operate in that area under the agreement with the State of Vermont." When the resort changes ownership as part of this sale, Killington, LTD will no longer own or operate the lifts at the resort. Thus, ar the time of the transfer of ownership, your Pass will expire and the new Owners have no obligation to honor your pass.
If you are wondering why the rights under your pass survived the last sale of the resort it is because when we acquired Killington, we acquired the stock of Sherburne Corporation's parent (which owned other resorts in addition to Killington) and therefore Sherburne Corporation continued to operate the resort under an agreement with the State of Vermont, unlike in the current contemplated sale, where the new owners are acquiring the assets of the Killington and Pico Ski Resorts."

This is clearly a story that is going to be ongoing.

Stay tuned.

Turkey Hunter Survives Encounter With Boulder

Incredible story on the front page of today's Rutland Herald about a Vermont Fish and Wildlife Board member who was nearly killed in what he called "a freak accident."

Jeremy Baker, 35, of Rutland dislodged a boulder estimated to be 300 pounds, which rolled over him causing serious facial injuries. Baker said that if he hadn't been accompanied by a teenager who went for help, he likely wouldn't have survived.

After being evacuated from the turkey woods and transported to Rutland Regional Medical Center, which then transferred him to Dartmouth Medical Center, Baker is on the mend.

Some 100 stitches, five staples, a fractured eye socket, broken nose and broken jaw bone, Baker is back to worrying about more important things ... like replacing many of his turkey calls that were in his vest and were destroyed by the same boulder that destroyed his face.

Read the whole story here.

Duck Stamp Photos Chosen

Copyright: Heather Forcier
This photo of a ring-necked duck by Heather Forcier will appear on Vermonts 2007 State Duck Stamp. The four images for 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010 duck stamps are at the Web site:

Vermont Fish & Wildlife Service

Click on Support Fish & Wildlife and Migratory Waterfowl Fund.


A Vermont photographer's images have been chosen to appear on the Vermont State Duck Stamp for the next four years.

Heather Forcier of South Burlington is the winner of the Vermonts Fish & Wildlife Department's duck stamp photo competition. Her photos of a ring-necked duck, harlequin duck, gadwall and wood duck will appear on Vermont's State Duck Stamps from 2007 to 2010.

The images were chosen by wildlife biologists and a member of the Vermont Waterfowl Advisory Committee. There were 201 photos submitted by seven noted Vermont wildlife photographers.

Limited edition photographic prints of the winning images will be available for sale.

Duck stamp funds are used to protect and enhance wetlands or adjoining uplands through purchases, easements and habitat improvement work.

For more information about Forcier see her Web site at: www.heatherforcier.com.

Moose Applications Due June 1

The deadline for moose hunting applications is fast approaching.

Anyone interested in applying for a moose permit have until June 1 to get their application postmarked, or to the Vermont Fish & Wildlife office at 4:30 p.m.

Applications are available on the Web at www.vtfishandwildlife.com or at license agents.

Application fees are $10 for residents and $25 for nonresidents. If successful, a license is $100 for residents or $350 for nonresidents. Season dates are Oct. 20-25 or Oct. 27-Nov. 4.

The department will issue 1,250 permits this year, up from last year’s 1,115 permits. Wildlife managers expect a success rate of 58 percent. The state has an estimated population of 4,900 moose.

Teenager to face second trial in hunting death

The Associated Press is reporting that Collin Viens, 19, of Georgia will be tried for the second time in August in connection with the shooting death of a St. Albans deer hunter during the 2005 deer season.

Viens is accused of shooting Rejean Lussier, 60, while Lussier sat in a farm tractor looking for deer.

The first trial ended with a hung jury last fall. A plea bargain that would have resulted in no jail time for Viens was rejected by the judge in April.

UVM Students Create F&W Database

A Burlington Free Press article today describes a new computer tool the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department has at its disposal thanks to students at the University of Vermont.

The UVM students created a database in collaboration with the F&W department to help the department better manage its land records.

See the full story at the Free Press.

Or for more information about the project read about it here at the F&W site.

Top 10 Signs of a Great Winter

Here are the Top 10 signs that Vermont had a great winter, courtesy of the Vermont Ski Areas Association.

See the list here.

Bear Trapping Ban Hearing Draws a Crowd

Hundreds of people turned out for a hearing May 8 about banning bear trapping in Maine. The Maine House is considering a bill that would ban all types of bear trapping except for research, damage control or to protect the public.

The issue was reported in full in the Bangor Daily News story that was picked up and distributed by The Associated Press.

The issue is a hot one and hundreds of people showed up at a hearing held by the Legislature's Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Committee May 8. According to the Bangor Daily News story, trappers and sportsmen far outnumbered supporters of the ban at the hearing.

The Daily News says the arguements for the bill were essentially the same as a 2004 bill to ban bear trapping and bear hunting with dogs or over bait. That bill was defeated by voters.

You can find theBangor Daily News article here.

N.H. officials say officer justified in shooting bear

In a bit of a sad story in New Hampshire, a Laconia police officer has received the backing of N. H. Fish and Game Major Tim Acerno after the office shot and killed a bear last weekend.

The officer responded to a call of a bear that had been hit by a car after a passerby saw the bear laying off the side of the road and thought it had been struck. As the officer approached the bear, which was laying off the road under a tree, it suddenly stood up and the officer shot the bear, killing it.

What wasn't known until later when conservation officers arrived on scene was that there were cubs up the tree and the bear was most likely asleep.

Conservation officers were able to coax the cubs from the tree and it is hoped they can be released back into the wild this summer.

This is a sad story, but based on what the police knew and what the officer ended up facing, it's understandable the way things turned out.

The full story can be found at the New Hampshire Union Leader.

Click here for the article.

Charges dropped against alleged bear baiter

Charges have been dropped against a man accused of killing a bear over bait last fall.

Michael Bodi, 51, of Chester was cited Sept. 20 after a tip alleged Bodi had killed the bear in a baited area.

According to a May 9 story in the Rutland Herald, the charges were dropped because a confidential informant didn't want to testify publicly in the case. Windsor County State's Attorney Robert Sand told the Herald that without the state's main witness, there was no choice but to drop the prosecution.

Bodi said his bear meat and bow were returned and a hold on his bear hide that is at a taxidermist was lifted.

Public Hearings on Proposed Fish Regs Set

The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department will hold two public hearings May 14-15 on the proposed regulations regarding importation and possession of fish in Vermont.

The first meeting will be at 6 p.m., Monday, May 14, at the Essex Junction Fish & Wildlife office, 111 West St. The second meeting will be at 6 p.m., Tuesday, May 15, at the Rutland Fish & Wildlife office, 271 N. Main St.

The proposed regulation would cover three categories of fish species:

• Prohibited fish
• Restricted fish
• Unrestricted fish

Prohibited fish are those that are prohibited except with a commissioners prohibited fish species permit. They include non-native Vermont fish that are known to pose a hazard to native fish species.

Restricted fish includes native and some fish that are now part of the Vermont landscape. They don't require a prohibited fish species permit, but may be regulated through other department permits.

Unrestricted fish are those that are commonly imported into the state for aquariums. These are fish that pose minimal or no risk to Vermont fish. No permit is required but the fish may not be released.

Fisheries biologist Shawn Good said the regulation is needed to protect Vermont's fish species.

“The proposed regulation is needed to protect Vermont's native fish communities and aquatic ecosystems from the harmful effects of introduced exotic fish species,” Good said. “The introduction and establishment of exotic invasive fish species has had massive biological and economic ramifications across North America and requires millions of dollars in expenditures annually for state and federal control programs.”

Anyone interested in seeing the full list of species covered, or the text of the proposed regulation can find it at: http://www.vtfishandwildlife.com/. Click on Law Enforcement and then Rules and Proposed Rules.

Moosalamoo Gets National Rec. Area Designation

Mark June 2 on your calendars.

That's the day the U.S. Forest Service will celebrate the 75th anniversary of the creation of the Green Mountain National Forest as well as the new designation of the Moosalamoo National Recreation Area.

The event will be held at the Blueberry Hill Inn in Goshen, Vt., with family-based activities beginning at 7 a.m. with an early-morning bird watching walk followed by various trail tours starting at 10 a.m.

There will also be a working forest walk, wildlife and wildflower walk, scenic hike, mountain bike ride and a visit to a historic site. Bring a picnic and stay for entertainment at noon with drinks and deserts provided.

The Moosalamoo National Recreation Area is 15,857 acres offering trails for hiking, mountain biking, world-class cross-crountry skiing and snowmobile riding.There is also the Robert Frost Wayside and camping at Silver Lake and Moosalamoo campgrounds.

More information about the area can be found at www.moosalamoo.org.

The event also celebrates the 75th anniversary of the establishment of the Green Mountain National Forest, which today ecompasses 400,000 acres and is one of only two national forests in New England.

The events June 2 will include exhibits from local trail and stewardship organizations from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

For more information about this event, contact the Rochester Ranger District: (802) 767-4261, or www.fs.fed.us/r9/fmfl/index.htm.

Fish and Wildlife warns drivers to watch for moose

It's that time of the year when moose are on the move and too often find themselves in front of a speeding car.

The Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife released a statement saying that May is the month drivers are most likely to hit a moose, with dark the worst time.

Last year, Vermont drivers hit 36 moose in May of the 203 that were hit in all of 2006, according to the news release.

In the release, the department suggests drivers be aware as they drive, particularly at night. Don't overdrive your headlights and watch for moose on roadsides. Reduce your speed when you see the "Moose" warning signs on the highway. On secondary roads, the department recommends driving at 40 mph or slower. If you see a moose, slow down or stop. Don't try to zip past before it moves.

Vermont Days to be Held June 9-10

Vermont Days 2007 will be held June 9-10 offering people a chance to try state offerings without charge.

That Saturday you can fish without a license, and both days you can visit state-owned historic sites and the Vermont Historical Society Museum without charge. There will be various fishing events, music, freebies and other attractions.

You can find more information about Vermont Days here, or you can obtain a printable list of Vermont Days events here.

Camp Cleanup Volunteers Needed

The Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department is hoping you'll volunteer a little free labor to clean up two conservation camps.

Each spring, Fish & Wildlife personnel and volunteers rake leaves, cut brush and firewood, build water bars, clean buildings, repair door hinges and perform other cleaning and maintenance chores at the Buck Lake and Edward Kehoe conservation camps.

This year's effort will take place the weekend of May 19-20. The Buck Lake camp is located off Route 14 in Woodbury. The Kehoe Conservation Camp is on the west shore of Lake Bomoseen in Castleton.

The efforts are important so that kids 12 to 14 years of age can have a safe and enjoyable experience at the camps as they've done for the last 40 years.

All help will be appreciated whether it's a half day or the entire weekend. Meals are provided and lodging is available.

To volunteer, contact Jessica Plouffe at (802) 241-3768 or jessica.plouffe@state.vt.us.

Save a Bear, Remove Bird Feeders

The Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department wants you to take down your bird feeder to keep from tempting a hungry bear emerging from its winter nap.

In a news release, the department reports bears raiding feeders already.

"We are getting reports of bears getting into bird feeders," said Col. Robert Rooks of the Fish & Wildlife Department. "We are urging people to help by removing any food sources that may tempt the bears."

Rooks says a bear attracted to a bird feeder will likely return and could become a nuisance bear that has to be destroyed.

"We care about these bears as much as anyone," Rooks said. "Having to destroy one that has become a threat to human safety is not a pleasant experience, and we know that moving them to another location doesn't change their behavior. They continue to seek food near people because they have learned that it works."

The same thing can be said of leaving pet food, barbacue grills, garbage and other smelly things that attract bears.

"Never purposely leave food out for bears," Rooks said. "Feeding bears may seem kind, but it is almost a sure death sentence for the them. Help keep bears wild."

And if your conservation sense doesn't convince you to do the right thing to prevent a bear problem, Rooks also points out that Vermont law prohibits a person from killing a bear that has been attracted to a bird feeder and a person can be fined up to $1,000 for that.

To learn more about bears, check out the Black Bear fact sheet on the department's Web site at: www.vtfishandwildlife.com.

Operation Game Thief Pays Off

Eight people have received $800 in rewards in the first three months of 2007 as part of the Operation Game Thief program in Vermont.

The eight anonymous tipsters provided information to the Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife that resulted in the arrest and prosecution of game law violators. A conviction is not necessary to earn the reward.

Operation Game Thief is a joint venture between the Fish & Wildlife Department and the Vermont Federation of Sportsmen's Clubs.

To report a game law violation, call (800) 75-ALERT or to any game warden.

To help pay for these rewards, contributions may be sent to:

Operation Game Thief
P.O. Box 8523
Essex Junction, VT 05451-8523

Vermont River On 10 Rivers to Watch List

The Upper Browns River in Vermont has been named one of the 10 Waters to Watch by the National Fish Habitat Board, a group of the nation's leading authorities on aquatic conservation.

The effort on the Upper Browns River will focus on two miles of riparian restoration with one mile of new habitat for the Eastern brook trout and other species.

The river was picked because of the work by private landowners and federal partners to establish riparian buffers and removal of fish passage barriers.

For more information on this project or the 10 Waters to Watch program, contact Chris Smith, (802) 872-0629, or at the Web site: www.fishhabitat.org.