World 061020

WORLD SPORTS & OUTDOORS
Many of Vermont’s pollinator species continue to remain in
peril, and as Vermonters are returning to their gardens and
landscaping projects this spring, the Vermont Fish & Wildlife
Department would like to share with the public a few simple
and supportive decisions they can make to greatly benefit our
essential pollinator species.
“The majority of our flowering plants need pollinators in
order to produce seeds,” says Vermont Fish & Wildlife
Department zoologist Mark Ferguson. “Vermont is home to
hundreds of species of pollinators from bees to butterflies to
beetles and other bugs that play a vital role in pollinating our
flowers, trees and food crops. These insects are responsible
for pollinating 60 to 80 percent of Vermont’s wild plants and
play a critical role in the propagation of fruits and vegetables
in gardens, wild berry patches, commercial berry farms, and
apple orchards. Vermont’s bees also play an important role in
pollinating early spring wildflowers like spring beauty and
trout lily.”
“But many pollinator species in Vermont are in trouble,
Ferguson says. Habitat loss, invasive species, single-crop
farming, disease, and pesticide use are a few of the threats
affecting populations of these insects across our state.
Vermont’s native bees, which include over 300 unique species
and three that are threatened or endangered, are among our
pollinators being impacted the most.
A recent examination of our 17 different bumble bees compared
recent observations with historical collections and concluded
that several species have drastically declined or even
disappeared from Vermont, including the Rusty-patched
Bumble Bee.
To better understand not only the number and diversity of
our native bee species, but also their distribution and population
trends, the department and partners are conducting a
three-year study, surveying Vermont bees. Vermont Fish &
Wildlife is working closely with the Vermont Center for
Ecological Studies (VCE) and is inviting any members of the
public interested in contributing to this data collection to email
info@vtecostudies.org or visit http://val.vtecostudies.org/
projects/vtbees/.
Vermonters can also take a stand in conserving our native
bees and other pollinators with a few simple household
Swimming Holes Open with New Guidelines
The Vermont River Conservancy (VRC) anticipates swimming
holes throughout the state will see many visitors with
the warm weather upon us. VRC’s core mission is protecting
public access to places along rivers that are well-loved by
community members and visitors alike. However, VRC’s
Executive Director Steve Libby emphasizes the importance of
swimming hole visitors to follow state guidelines regarding
recreating on public land during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Vermont River Conservancy sees the unique role swimming
holes play in communities throughout Vermont,” Libby says,
“these are places to enjoy the peace that a river can provide,
to cool off on a hot day, and to recharge your mental wellbeing
during these unsettling times. VRC protects swimming
holes for public enjoyment, but we rely strongly on the
respectful behavior of visitors to ensure these sites can remain
open during the pandemic, and are cared for and maintained
for years to come.”
Visitors to swimming holes protected by VRC will find
signs guiding proper use of the site during the Covid-19 pandemic,
including:
Tree Identification Book from the Arbor Day Foundation
Helps People Identify Tree Species
The Arbor Day Foundation has a book that helps people
identify trees in a simple, step-by-step process. The book,
What Tree Is That?, is available for a $5 donation to the nonprofit
tree-planting organization.
What Tree Is That? is a fun, easy-to-use tree identification
guide that features hand-drawn botanical illustrations highlighting
the distinctive characteristics of many tree species.
Nature lovers and professional arborists alike have called
this pocket field guide a must-have, user-friendly resource. Its
beautiful, full-color illustrations are in precise detail and
depict natural colors, shapes and textures so users can make a
positive species identification in a few steps.
The Arbor Day Foundation offers this book to help people
identify trees throughout the Eastern and Central regions of
the United States. What Tree Is That? uses a unique step-bystep
approach for identifying the species of each tree, explaining
what to look for in the shape and arrangement of the
Vermont’s Moose Hunt Auction is Open
Vermont’s auction for three moose hunting permits is open
until 4:30 p.m. August 12. Bids will be opened and winners
notified on August 13.
The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Board authorized a total of
55 permits for the 2020 moose season. Auction winners of
three of those permits will hunt in Wildlife Management Unit
E in the northeast corner of the state during the October 1-7
archery season, or in the October 17-22 regular season.
Bids must be entered with a sealed bid form available from
Vermont Fish and Wildlife.
A minimum bid of $1,500 is required, and winning bids
have typically been at least $4,000 when the number of permits
available were higher. Bids do not include the cost of a
hunting license (residents $28, nonresidents $102) or moose
hunting permit fee ($100 for residents and $350 for nonresidents).
Moose permit bid packets can be obtained by calling Fish
and Wildlife at 802-828-1190 or by emailing (Cheri.Waters@
Pollinators in Peril
eronts pollinators reain in peril and with so any wild plants
and coercial food products dependent on bees and other
insects, the tie to act is now. F photo by hris ngra.
considerations:
• Provide a variety of vibrant flowers and native plants to attract
pollinators to your yard and garden.
• Learn to live with wildflowers and weeds growing in your yard
and fields. Pollinators prefer a variety in their habitat, even if it
looks untidy to humans.
• Keep an eye out for bare patches of lawn where ground-nesting
bees may make their home.
• Use pesticide alternatives such as pollinator-friendly barriers
to keep unwanted pests off your plants.
• Avoid using insecticides (especially those that contain neonicotinoids
such as imidacloprid, thiamethoxam, clothianidin).
• Reduce the amount of property that is mowed, mow less often,
and consider leaving fields un-mowed until October when most
pollinators have finished their pollinating activities.
You can also ensure the viability of Vermont’s pollinators
by contributing to our habitat conservation projects though the
Vermont Habitat Stamp program: https://vtfishandwildlife.
com/node/225
To learn more about Vermont’s pollinators and additional
ways to help, please visit https://vtfishandwildlife.com/
node/191 or contact Mark.Ferguson@vermont.gov.
• • •
• • •
• • •
• Don’t go to public swimming holes if you are sick.
• Avoid crowded trails and swimming holes that do not allow
a minimum of six feet of distance. If a parking lot is crowded,
please go elsewhere.
• Leash your dog.
• Avoid risky activities, so as not to put more strain on hospitals
and emergency responders.
• Be mindful of the popularity of these sites and don’t linger
too long, to make space for others to be there.
• Do not wear a mask while swimming, but do bring a mask
with you for walking along the trail.
• If you enjoy Vermont’s swimming holes, please consider a
donation to VRC to help protect special places along our
rivers for public use for years to come. Vermont River
Conservancy is a Montpelier-based non-profit that works to
protect and preserve important land along Vermont waters
such as waterfalls, gorges, swimming holes, wetlands, river
and lake shores and islands. Information is available at
www.vermontriverconservancy.org or by calling VRC at
(802) 229-0820.
leaves, differences in the leafstalks and specific characteristics
of fruits, flowers, buds and bark.
“Our What Tree Is That? pocket guide is an ideal resource
for developing a greater appreciation for trees,” said Matt
Harris, chief executive of the Arbor Day Foundation. “The
Arbor Day Foundation strives to help people enjoy and appreciate
trees, and we feel our pocket field guide will do just
that.”
What Tree is That? is also available as an online interactive
version at arborday.org.
To obtain a tree identification guide in full color, visit
arborday.org or send your name, address, and $5 for each
guide to:
What Tree Is That?
Arbor Day Foundation
100 Arbor Ave.
Nebraska City, NE 68410.
Vermont.Gov).
Proceeds from the moose hunting permit auction help fund
Vermont Fish and Wildlife educational programs.
“Moose density in WMU E, where the hunt will occur, is
more than one moose per square mile, significantly higher
than any other part of the state,” said Nick Fortin, Vermont
Fish and Wildlife’s biologist in charge of the moose project.
“Moose densities greater than one per square mile support
high numbers of winter ticks which negatively impact moose
health and survival.”
“Research has shown that lower moose densities, like in the
rest of Vermont, support relatively few winter ticks that do not
impact moose populations,” said Fortin. “Reducing moose
density decreases the number of available hosts which in turn
decreases the number of winter ticks on the landscape. The
goal is to improve the health of moose in WMU E by reducing
the impact of winter ticks.”
Muzzleloader Antlerless Deer
Permit Applications Available
Vermont’s muzzleloader season antlerless deer permit
applications are now available on Vermont Fish and Wildlife’s
website (www.vtfishandwildlife.com). A link to the information
and online applications is on the home page.
The Fish and Wildlife Board met on May 20 and set antlerless
deer permit numbers for the fall deer hunting seasons.
Hunting for antlerless deer will be allowed statewide during
the archery season. One deer of either sex will be allowed
during the October 24-25 youth and novice weekend hunt.
The muzzleloader seasons on October 29 - November 1 and
December 5-13 will have antlerless permits available for 19 of
Vermont’s 21 Wildlife Management Units.
Landowners who post their land may not apply for a landowner
priority muzzleloader antlerless deer permit. They are
eligible to apply in the regular lottery for an antlerless deer
permit.
“Yearling antler beam diameters, fawn weights and other
physical condition measures are declining or are below optimal
levels in many areas, indicating that deer have exceeded
the level their habitat can support long-term,” said Nick
Fortin, Fish and Wildlife’s deer project leader. “Minimal
population growth is expected in 2020, however, deer populations
in 10 WMUs will be above their respective population
objectives. The goal is to reduce deer populations in those
areas while stabilizing populations in other areas.”
The deadline to apply for a muzzleloader antlerless deer
permit is August 12.
Deer Ages Available on
VTF&W Website
Behind the Old “Trading Post”
• • •
Full Take-Out Menu
“Best Burgers In Town”
Steak Tips & Chicken Parmesan
Sandwiches back on the menu with
all of your favorite Pub Foods!
Hunters who subitted an inci
sor tooth fro the eront deer
they too in can now
chec the age of the deer on
eront Fish ildlifes web
site. F photo.
Hunters who provided the
Vermont Fish and Wildlife
Department with a tooth from
their deer can now find out
how old their deer was by
visiting the department’s
website www.vtfishandwildlife.com.
A total of 2,489 teeth were
received from successful rifle
season hunters. When added
to the 1,148 deer examined
by biologists during the youth
and rifle seasons, the department
was able to get accurate
ages for 3,637 deer.
“We are thankful to the
thousands of hunters who
supported our deer management
efforts by providing us
with a tooth from their deer,”
said Deer Project Leader
Nick Fortin. “This age information
helps us estimate deer
population size and assess the
health of deer. It is also critically
important for understanding
the effects of new
hunting regulations on the
deer population and buck age
structure.”
The oldest deer harvested
were a pair of 17-year-old
does taken in Rockingham
and Fairfax. The oldest buck
was 10 years old and was
taken in Shaftsbury.
Retail Sales, Curbside
Take-out (Food) &
Online Ordering
58 Lines for Growlers
BEERS • WINES • CIDER
160+ Choices Retail
BEERS • WINES • CIDER
Plus!
New Mary Taylor Collection
of Wines from France, Italy & Portugal
All Reasonably Priced!
Sunday-Thursday 10-7
Friday & Saturday 10-8
CALL OR
522-9018
ORDER
ONLINE
bearnakedgrowler.com
186 River St.
Montpelier
June 10, 2020 The WORLD page 11