Mode of transport: Premier Bus with 45 people capacity
Hiking distance: 1.5 miles (At Pond Woods site)
Stops: Map of Itinerary
- Hilton Burlington
- Monkton rd salamander crossing
- Pond Woods WMA (2-3hr and Lunch)
- Bathroom stop Maplefields
- Fairhaven 22a
- Hilton Burlington
Drive time: 3 hr & 10 min
Description:
In this hands on excursion, participants will explore wetlands and vernal pools in southern Addison County looking for a variety of Vermont's amphibian and reptile species including, wood frogs, spotted salamanders, eastern musk turtle, painted turtle, and snapping turtle. We'll visit wetlands in the Pond Woods Wildlife Management Area, a successful salamander crossing structure and a road segment that is in design for a series of snake crossings. The trip will involve about 1.5 miles of hiking. Expect to be moving around wetlands where rubber boots are recommended for versatility but not required.
VT Herpetofauna Fun Facts:
Of the 40 reptile and amphibian species in Vermont, 19 are considered rare, uncommon, or otherwise at-risk
Vermont may have lost one species in recent times, the boreal chorus frog, last heard in 1999
Several factors threaten Vermont’s reptile and amphibian populations, including habitat loss, road mortality, illegal collection and killing, pollution, and disease
The VT Herp Atlas (https://www.vtherpatlas.org/herp-species-in-vermont/) tracks observations and is a great place to find out more about amphibian and reptiles species in the state