Bat Study Continues at MFFC in 2020 with Overwhelming Findings

Over the week of August 10th through the 17th, Kerry Monahan, Wildlife Specialist with the Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife and U.S. Forest Service, conducted for the second consecutive year, bat monitoring at Merck Forest. Kerry is the dedicated bat population monitoring specialist throughout the region. As reported previously, in 2019, using a passive recorder placed overnight at Page Pond, over 500 individual bat calls were detected, representing over half the species found in Vermont, including the endangered little brown bat - a species devastated by White Nose Syndrome. This year, Kerry ramped things up, by placing additional detectors for a full week of monitoring at Page Pond as well as at the 100-acre meadow, Birch Pond, and Beebe Pond. The data, which is still being analyzed, is truly overwhelming and reveals an incredible situation at MFFC. One thing is clear: Merck Forest is a serious hotspot for bats, for both residents and those likely migrating through. Preliminary results indicate truly outstanding activity at Birch Pond, with robust activity also found at all other locations sampled. Thousands upon thousands of individual bat detections were captured. Species detected include the little brown bat (and/or possibly indiana bat), tricolored bat, big brown bat, hoary bat, and notably high likelihood of eastern small footed bat as well. Kerry reports that, out of the 80+ surveys conducted this season through the region- across state and federal lands- Merck Forest has by far the most activity found in the region. Now, let that sink in. Wow. Just wow. For all these reasons, Merck Forest has sparked the interest of regional biologists, and in 2021, the goal is to take things to the next level and begin trapping bats at MFFC to deepen our contribution to regional bat monitoring efforts and expand our understanding of bat diversity at MFFC now and into the future.

Newly Designated Pollinator Habitat Maintained Around Farm

With an eye to ways in which Merck Forest can manage its resources so as to have the largest ‘return’, especially for wildlife, this summer, several key areas of the fields maintained on the farm were intentionally left to grow instead of being mowed as default practice. The milkweeds, asters, goldenrods, silverrods, joe pye weeds, raspberries, and many other flowering species flourished. The constant buzz of bees, months-long stream of butterflies and all other manner of flying and crawling insects that thrived on these flowers evidenced the value and purpose behind the simple act of delayed mowing until the fall. With the addition of new pollinator habitats around the farm, this brings the total acreage of such prime pollinator habitat at MFFC to over 40 acres. That’s pretty good! A map displaying these areas has been published online, in this Ridgeline, and is available at the Visitor Center. Also, you can explore what thrived in these areas by checking out observations for the property on iNaturalist.

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Manchester Journal

DORSET — The Dorset Select Board got an update on the Raptor Lane Master Plan at Tuesday’s meeting and a new town office remains at the top of the wish list for the new town property.

Town Manager Rob Gaiotti and Greg Kepler of Kepler Consulting presented the highlights of the master plan filed Sept. 1, the result of about a year and a half worth of work.

“The town has spent a decent amount of resources to get a better un- things stand,” Gaiotti said.

Kepler had been brought on board to examine permits, memos, maps and other information related the previous development of the property to help the town understand what was already known about the 308-acre property.

Manchester Journal - 09/18/2020

An in-depth environmental review completed in the fall of winter 2019 was limited to the 210 or so acres located below 1,300 foot elevation because it is believed the approximated 100 acres above that was too steep and difficult to

The environmental review showed that there are two primary consideration that determines the land’s value for development — the slope of the land and environmental constraints such as bear habitat, wetlands or deer wintering areas.

3-plus acres areas up to on 46.6 acre space with only some wetlands dotted throughout the area that limits the land’s use.

Area 1, which is the first area right off of Route 30 is a 5.5 acre area that provides access to the rest of the property.

This article appeared in the Bennington Banner on 9/14 and on the front page of the Manchester Journal on 9/18.

“We looked at areas where significant environmental constraints are not present and slopes are generally less than 20 percent,” Kepler told the board.

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That analysis resulted in nine usable areas rang-

A couple of the identified areas are not conveniently located, but Kepler said they could be they could be accessed by road or trail. Five of the areas, making up the majority of the useable land, is directly accessible by the existing

A committee established in 2019 has also been busy, and one of the prime activities was conducting a survey of area residents about the potential uses of the property.

A survey was conducted that drew more than 160 participants on the town website.

Participants were asked to rank options for land use in categories of municipal, housing, recreation or conservation, energy and commercial.

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