2021 Fall Ridgeline

Fall 2021

Welcome Note

by Rob Terry, Executive Director

The early days of autumn have arrived on the mountain. The orchard is rife with plump, red apples, wood sheds are full, the hay mow is loaded, trails underneath the oaks are carpeted with acorns, and the woods are beginning to blush. In the Visitor Center, Stephanie and Marybeth are preparing for the seasonal pilgrimage of visitors who come to gaze in awe as vibrant reds, yellows, and oranges paint the landscape. On the farm, Dylan is moving the animals to their winter pastures and putting the orchards to bed. Out in the woods, Tyler is cleaning cabin stovepipes while Tim is wrapping up the forest inventory. Meanwhile, Chris and Cara are welcoming local elementary students and visiting regional schools to help folks connect with the natural world.

In this issue, you’ll get a deeper glimpse into what’s going on out on the land, and in our thoughts, as we leave the heat of summer behind and prepare for the coming cold and snow. In this time of transition, we say goodbye to a dear friend, recap a summer of exploration and educational programs, share a little bit about what’s happening on our bookshelves and in our kitchens, and provide a preview of things to come in 2022. As always, thanks for being a part of our community. I hope you enjoy this latest issue of The Ridgeline, and that it inspires you to head outdoors, whether that means simply spending a little more time on your back porch or venturing deep into the backcountry. Wherever your autumnal journey takes you, I hope it is awash in vibrant colors, cool breezes, pumpkins, apples, sweaters, cider, and everything else that makes fall so wonderful!

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Merrill Bent

Dinah Buechner-Vicher

Kat Deely, Secretary

Jim Hand

Greg Hopper, Treasurer

Mark Lourie

San Schneski, Vice President

John Stasny

Sue Van Hook, President

Brian Vargo

ADVISORS

Jill Perry Balzano

Judy Buechner

Donald Campbell

Jean Ceglowski

Austin Chinn

Jock Irons

Jon Matthewson

Bob McCafferty

STAFF

Stephanie Breed Visitor Center Coordinator

Cara Davenport

Education Manager

Tim Duclos

Conservation Manager

Dylan Durkee

Farm Manager

Chris Ferris-Hubbard

Education Director

Kathryn Lawrence

Asst. Executive Director

Marybeth Leu

Communications Coordinator

Liz Ruffa

Advancement Director

Rob Terry

Executive Director

PHOTO CREDITS:

Cara Davenport: front & back cover, p.4, 6, 7, 9; Anna Terry: p. 11, 23; Max Miley: p. 2, 4, 5; Courtesy of Dorset Field Club: p.3; Wood-Mizer: p. 7; Liz Ruffa: p. 10; Mara Hearst p.10; Manchester Journal: p.10; p. Kathryn Lawrence:14, 15; Tyler Hughes: p. 16; Sol Sun Media: p. 23

A Shift in Our World Paradigm

by Sue Van Hook, Board President

For years I have planted the seed of an idea in the minds of students that two hundred years of promulgating Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution via natural selection may be off. The idea that organisms compete for space, light, water, nutrients, food and shelter paralleled the patterns of people doing the same thing, especially in times of scarcity. Those individuals who procured necessities went on to pass their genes to their offspring, thereby increasing their fitness (not physical fitness, but their genetic contribution to the population). This made sense within the paradigm of warring populations. If nature was at war with itself, men were justified in waging wars. These wars were not only man against man, but man against trees, man against waterways, and man against the air we breathe. And so, we find ourselves in an existential crisis of ecological cycles off balance, wrecking havoc with the land, water and air and all life that relies on elements in balance.

What has been true for me is a paradigm of symbiosis rather than competition. Lynn Margulis, who is rightly recognized for new evidence for the cell endosymbiont theory she published in 1967, first opened my eyes to the ubiquity of mutual relationships among vastly different species from the commonly known pairings of algae and fungi to make lichens, oxpeckers gleaning parasitic insects from the skin of rhinos and termites cultivating their fungal gardens for the necessary enzymes to digest the wood they consume. The path forward for Margulis wasn’t forged without considerable defense of her ideas and examples of cellular organelles derived from ingested but not digested bacteria.

Another such struggle by a woman has recently made its way into the common vernacular. Dr. Suzanne Simard, forest ecologist, author of Finding the Mother Tree: Discovering the Wisdom of the Forest, has been credited with unraveling the mystery of the underground mycelial network in the wood wide web. Her research in the forests of British Columbia and Oregon demonstrates the complex interconnectedness between trees of different ages and species and their symbiotic mycorrhizal fungi. Collaboration has existed since the first aquatic fungi and algae partnered to move to land. What excites me is that we are ready to perceive species as not only benefitting one another, but actually caring for their own offspring and the other members of their forest communities as Simard describes. We are ready to consider all species as equals. The paradigm shift toward collaborative human communities is underway as we increasingly recognize its necessity for survival.

At MFFC we honor opportunities to explore the collaborative balance within ecosystems and with humans as we strive to maintain natural resilience in healthy forests and fields. The entire watershed just over the crest of Old Town Road is about as secluded a place as one can find. There are so many places to sit and listen to what other species have to tell us.

For more information about Simard’s new book, please read Chris Hubbard’s review of Finding the Mother Tree on page 16 in this issue.

In Memoriam

by Liz Ruffa, Advancement Director

Merck Forest learned this week that our wonderful friend and supporter Bob McCafferty passed away on September 21. Our hearts are filled with shock and sadness and our condolences extend to his wide circle of family and friends. We all were better for having known Bob.

After careers in the ski industry and commercial real estate, Bob and his beloved wife Nancy (whom he met in 4th grade) moved to Dorset in 1980, settling in Dorset Hollow. It was hard not to be captivated by Bob’s broad smile and infectious charm. His community leadership crossed from tennis and paddle courts to the boardroom, where his sharp mind and ability to read people served many area nonprofit organizations, including, luckily, ours.

Bob served on MFFC’s Board of Trustees from 20052009, and more recently was a staunch and hard working member of MFFC’s newly formed Advancement Committee. He introduced loads of new people to Merck Forest and was instrumental in helping to steward the design and construction of our Thoreau Cabin. He especially loved to summit Mount Antone, which was his local Alp.

We will miss our ambassador and advocate dearly, pictured here with Nancy. Godspeed good friend.

Motivating People to Action

by Chris Hubbard, Education Director

As an educational institution, we not only strive to educate others, we also strive to educate ourselves, often through professional development. We seek to inform and enhance our work, and we look for avenues to increase our own knowledge. This fall, Cara and I are involved in a course titled “Environmental Education for Sustainability: Motivating People to Action through Learning Experiences and Educational Materials,” presented by the Massachusetts Audubon Society and Lesley University. A long title, for sure!

This class focuses on the approaches and best practices for effectively teaching adult learners who come to us for environmentally focused education. We’ll explore the approaches, theoretical frameworks, and best practices for effectively teaching adult learners, as well as the psychological and sociological factors and influences at play in people’s lives and behaviors.

We’ll also be examining the tendency to expect that all who attend classes or workshops focused on the environment will self-identify as environmentalists and be inclined to act in environmentally responsible ways. Our mission, “to inspire curiosity, love, and responsibility,” calls upon us to motivate people to act responsibly for the betterment of natural and working lands. I’m excited to learn how we can better facilitate this work.

BioBlitz 2021 Recap

by Tim Duclos, MSc., Conservation Manager

The third annual Merck Forest BioBlitz, held over the 48 hours between July 24th and 25th went off without a hitch, proving yet another successful weekend-long effort of discovery, education and community engagement at Merck Forest.

Visitors stop to learn about the BioBlitz and use of iNaturalist.

The goal for this year’s event was to break the 1000 confirmed species mark for the property, and we blew straight past that number. As of the writing of this article, the confirmed species tally for the property, captured within the iNaturalist project known as the Merck Forest Biodiversity Project, stands at 1,167 – these from over 5,000 observations contributed by 85 participants and aided by over 700 identifiers – all this in the last 3 years since the project launch.

This year’s event featured ten expert guides from agencies and organizations such as the Vermont Dept. of Forest, Parks and Recreation, Vermont Dept. of Fish and Wildlife, The Orianne Society, Audubon, Vermont Center for Ecostudies and others. Guides led a continuous series of workshops from dawn until dusk both days focused on many groups of species including birds, insects, flowering plants, trees, mushrooms, lichens and moss, reptiles and amphibians, bats, butterflies, and moths. A hearty thank-you to all of our guides!

Max Miley, our Student Conservation Association Summer Conservation Intern, co-hosted the event and was on-site for its entirety. Shterna Gordon, Burr and Burton Academy student, also participated in the event as part of a 100-hour ecology-focused internship at Merck Forest supported by a Stratton Community Foundation Brown Grant Scholarship. We could not have seen this success without the aid of Max, Shterna and all of the volunteer guides who offered up their precious time and knowledge.

The first observation of the event, of a daylily leafminer (Ophiomyia kwansonis) taken at the visitor center by Max Miley was also the first documented occurrence of the species in the state of Vermont. This goes to show that there is much to be discovered around us and that iNaturalist is a powerful scientific tool to capture such findings.

Success by the numbers:

• Observer contributions to eBird: 23 species of birds

• Observer contributions to e-Butterfly: 28 species of butterfly

• Observer contributions to iNaturalist:

• 262 Insect Species

• 163 Plant Species

• 69 Fungi Species

• 23 Arachnid Species

• 10 Amphibian Species

• 8 Bird Species

• 4 Protozoan Species

• 2 Reptile Species

The most observed species on iNaturalist were:

1. Herpetogramma moths (12)

2. Common Idia Moth (Idia aemula) (12)

3. Asian Lady Beetle (Harmonia axyridis) (10)

4. Monarch (Danaus plexippus) (9)

5. Two-spotted Bumble Bee (Bombus bimaculatus) (8)

6. Banded Hairstreak (Satyrium calanus) (8)

And so far, over 170 different iNaturalist users have contributed to the identification of 555 species from over 1300 individual findings posted during the weekend. In addition to the over 80 people we engaged with during the course of the event, there have been over 200 people involved with the effort

The exploration never stops; using tools like eBird (eBird.org), eButterfly (e-Butterfly.org), and iNaturalist (iNaturalist.org), you can contribute to science every day, wherever you are.

For more information on iNaturalist and to explore, contribute, and/or identify species found on Merck Forest property, including during the BioBlitz, check out the following ongoing iNaturalist projects by typing these URLs into your browser:

www.inaturalist.org/projects/merck-forest-biodiversity-project

www.inaturalist.org/projects/merck-farmland-biodiversity-project

www.inaturalist.org/projects/merck-forest-farmland-center-pollinator-project

For more information on eBird, and to explore and contribute your Merck Forest bird findings to science and the community at large, check out our eBird hotspot at: ebird.org/hotspot/L280833

For more information on e-Butterfly, and to explore and contribute your Merck Forest butterfly sightings, check e-butterfly.org at: tinyurl.com/7w7f35k6

A participant documents a waved sphinx moth (Ceratomia undulosa) during a moth light session.

Summer Camp 2021

by Cara Davenport, Education Manager

It was a full summer (8 weeks, to be exact) of hiking, exploring, and playing in the nooks and crannies of Merck Forest’s woods, fields, ponds, and streams. Not only did we welcome over 60 campers to MFFC for a summer camp experience, we also had the support of two new camp counselors, Bella and Ali, who were a fantastic addition to our summer camp team. Who came to camp? Where were we? What did we do and see? Here are some of the highlights from this summer:

Farm-focused camps (Barnyard & Beyond Camp, Ag Camp): Our younger and older cohorts each spent their week learning about chickens, horses, sheep, and all the other animals that have their homes on or near the farm. Our boots carried us from the edges of the pond, to the chicken coop, to the blueberry patch, and to the fields where the sheep munched away on fresh grass. We explored the fringes of the farm and the nearby ecosystems, checked out soil, captured and observed insects in Merck’s pollinator habitat, and learned about seeds in the fields and the forest. In our “Camp Census” of all the living organisms we saw during the week, we recorded 38 plants and animals.

Water-focused camps (Dragonflies & Cattails Camp, Aqua Camp): Exploring the ponds, streams, and watersheds of Merck Forest was how we spent our time during these two camps. We observed the water cycle in action in the woods, discovered a red-winged blackbird nest perched in the willows on the bank of a pond, caught slippery salamanders, googly-eyed water scorpions, and colorful frogs, peered into puddles, and explored the two different routes to the Atlantic Ocean that a raindrop falling onto Merck Forest might take.

Forest-focused camps (Woods & Wildlife Camp, Wilderness Camp): Younger and older cohorts alike spent the week down at our Yurt on the Discovery Trail, exploring the abundant mushroom varieties scattered throughout the woods as well as plenty of other interesting wildlife. We constructed forts and elf houses, played Camouflage and other forest games, hiked the trails, and learned outdoor skills and strategies for staying safe in the woods. At our “Stump Seat Circle” behind the Yurt, where we ate lunch each day, we were kept company by daddy long legs, caterpillars and chipmunks; they also joined us at our Thursday campfire and s’mores-making session!

Trail Crew camps:

Our 7th and 8th grade trail crews spent their time doing team-building games, learning outdoor skills, and working on various land management projects. We removed invasive species like Bush Honeysuckle and Garlic Mustard, cleared trails, learned about managing forests and created brush piles for wildlife, and worked alongside two Vermont Youth Conservation Corps leaders to build a new access trail to the Burke trail loop. For two weeks kids in yellow hard hats hiked around Merck Forest learning, laughing, and improving the trails and land as they went. Check out the new Burke connector trail and follow it to the Burke Loop Trail the next time you visit and are looking for an interesting and short (under an hour) hike!

We are grateful to all the people who made these camps possible this summer – all the parents and campers, our counselors Bella and Ali, the Vermont Youth Conservation Corps leaders, and the staff at Merck Forest who supported camp behind the scenes in so many ways. We’re looking forward to the next season of camp in 2022!

Congratulations Dylan Durkee for winning 2nd Place in The My Wood-Mizer Project Contest (Exterior Projects)!

“Merck Forest has 3,200 acres of forest. The organization wanted me to build this small structure for an entrance to lead into the property. The goal was to have a structure that would draw attention to the organic beauty of Merck Forest. Prior to starting the project, I prayed that the Lord would give me a vision and bring the right timbers across my path so that I could build a unique structure that would represent the beauty of Merck Forest. Seeing the standing trees turn into a structure, on the same property, is very unique and satisfying. The ability to do that with my Wood-Mizer mill is incredible, I am always taken away by how cool that is.” – Dylan Durkee

Looking Ahead: An Eye on Our Future

by Rob Terry, Executive Director

In a recent workshop, I had the pleasure of exploring habitat features and landscape level conservation with a dozen enthusiastic high school students. Reflecting back on a fantastic day of exploration and discovery, there is a particular moment that stands out. At the outset of our conversation I asked students to indicate, by show of hands, how many had learned about the Amazon in grade school—12 hands shot up. I asked again about the African Savannah, and again 12 hands stretched towards the sky. I then inquired about the Northern Appalachian-Acadian Bioregion (our home ecosystem and a habitat of global significance). There wasn’t even a twitch.

I was reminded of a similar moment that I experienced early in my career. At the time I was teaching with an experiential outdoor education program embedded in a private high school in the District of Columbia. It was late fall, and I was out on a pre-season run with our varsity climbing team, many of whom had recently returned from a two-week sea kayaking trip in the Florida Everglades. We were being led by our team captains, who had gotten themselves turned around and were confused about how to get back to campus. I suggested they use the navigational strategies that we learned on trip—starting with finding north and identifying landmarks. I’ll never forget the response, “we’re in the city, there’s no north here.”

I don’t remember what I said, but I know we made it home. Although these two conversations were separated by nearly 25-years of teaching in the outdoors, they are reflective of a pattern that I’ve noticed. Too often, nature is presented as a mythical other world, something separate; in this construct we must leave home to go out into wilderness to experience the natural world. At Merck Forest & Farmland Center we work hard to dissolve this misperception. Through summer camps, workshops, hiking trails, cabins, demonstration farm and forestry work, our Mettawee satellite campus, and a host of other programs and projects, we strive to help visitors and community members understand that we are all an integral part of the natural world, inexorably tied to its systems and processes. This is as true on our back porches and in our driveways as it is deep in the aforementioned Amazon.

This subtle shift in understanding has never been more important than it is today. The feedback loop is tight. Global temperature increases and a widespread pandemic are here, yet there remains hope. Although stressed, the foundational natural processes that make our planet habitable for us and the species with whom we share this epoch are intact. However, to ensure that they remain so will require global behavior change on an unprecedented scale. It is our firm belief that Merck Forest & Farmland Center, along with countless organizations like it around the world, are positioned to help facilitate the shift in perspective that will be required to make that change. To do that, however, will require us to rethink our work and the way we engage our constituents. Historically, organizations like Merck Forest have often focused on providing a connection to the natural world that serves as something of a respite from the hustle and bustle of modern life—a salve relieving the symptoms of chronic traffic, crowded sidewalks, blaring sirens, etc. In that framework, visitors pop in for a half-day to a weekend, unplug, let the splendor of the natural world replenish their souls, and return ready to take on their daily commute. Now that the splendor of the natural world is facing an imminent threat, it is critical that we reimagine our work, lest we risk becoming something akin to the band that played on while the Titanic slipped beneath the icy waters of the North Atlantic. In reality, we would be something worse. The band that played while the Titanic sank was in no position to help the ship stay afloat, and instead used music to help calm passengers and maintain order. Here and now, however, conditions are different. Our vessel is not yet lost, and we must all work together to keep it on the surface. Merck Forest, and similar organizations, must therefore stand on the front line of that effort and help visitors understand that the natural processes on which we depend are so much more than window dressing for the soul.

It is with this objective in mind that we have crafted a renewed strategic plan, centered on a set of core objectives that include: invigorating the working landscape, bolstering protection of the landscape’s natural systems, deepening connections with MFFC visitors and surrounding communities, and championing individual and institutional climate smart action. With these objectives as the starting point, we have set out to develop a ten-year master plan that will define what happens at Merck Forest in four core areas: forest management, farming, educational programs, and fleet & facilities. Through this work, our intention is to continue to improve access to our farming and forestry work, enhance visitor experience, and inspire deeper thought and action about our place in the natural world and how our actions can help secure a more sustainable future.

As we dig deeper into this effort, we’ll need your help! Through surveys, seminars, and community meetings, our intention is to provide a variety of opportunities for our visitors, members, partners and neighbors to share thoughts and ideas while providing feedback on our plans. Thanks, in advance, for all of your help in this effort. Together we can!

“The Earth is a fine place and worth fighting for.”

—Ernest Hemingway, Author

Northshire Grown: Direct Update

by Liz Ruffa, Advancement Director

Merck Forest has continued to support the local food economy through the management of Northshire Gown: Direct, the direct-toconsumer food platform that was launched in Dorset in April, 2020, as a Covid-19 response pilot to help farmers and producers recoup business due to shuttered farmers markets and sales outlets during the Pandemic. NG:D established a single point of contact supply and demand system that allowed for safe food delivery during Coviod, allowing for ease of use and comfort. This initiative provided producers with a new sales channel for their food that has continued throughout 2021, thanks to interest on both supply and demand sides.

NG:D moved from the Dorset Playhouse to the Marble House Project in June and we have loved working out of their amazing Event Barn. We have produced 6 markets there to date, with two more to go! These markets have offered delicious and nutritious food to almost two thousand customers – those sheltering in place during Covid, local individuals and families, people who moved to the area during the Pandemic, summer residents. We initiated a Neighbors in Need program which, through customer philanthropy, has delivered hundreds of boxes loaded with local fare to area families in need of extra food support. Farmers and customers alike all appreciate how Merck Forest has stepped up and provided the administration necessary to make these markets happen.

What really made NG:D so successful? The amazing team of volunteers, led initially by Mara Hearst and then by Heidi Lynn and Maria Reade, who have worked tirelessly, efficiently and enthusiastically to make each market run seamlessly and do such good for so many. Stalwart volunteers include Marilyn Brockway, Karin Karol, Marsha Key, Susan Romano and Jennifer Taylor, among others. Merck Forest is grateful beyond measure for the time, energy and dedication that this dream team has graciously gifted to NG:D’s success.

As a mission-driven nonprofit corporation, Merck Forest and Farmland Center relies on your financial support to connect people to the land in rich and meaningful ways. With the arrival of the fall season, so too comes our Annual Fund campaign. The Annual Fund, our largest fundraising effort each year, provides us with the financial resources necessary to do our work. In the following pages, you will find a preview of this year’s letter (including some details about some of what what we’ve accomplished in 2021 and have planned for 2022).

Keep your eye on your mailbox in October for the traditional appeal letter. In the meantime, please don’t hesitate to send any questions to Liz Ruffa, MFFC’s Director of Advancement at liz@merckforest.org.

October 2021

Dear Friends,

On a recent visit to the Mettawee Community School, a third-grader confided in me that the first thing he does upon arriving in his classroom is to closely examine his teacher’s footwear. His favorite days, he shared, are those when “her shoes aren’t fancy.” When I asked him why, he explained that boots mean they’ll be headed outside.

At the time, I smirked and told him I hoped she’d have her boots on that day. Later, as I headed back up the mountain to the Visitor Center, the full weight of his statement hit me. Here, in the midst of a still-raging pandemic, with the climate crisis feedback loop tightening, this young fellow is starting his days with hope—hope that he would experience the simple joy of heading out into the woods.

It is because of your involvement with Merck Forest & Farmland Center that this student and his classmates have the opportunity to spend countless hours building forts, hiking, investigating nature, and developing their own personal land ethic on our 148-acre satellite campus adjacent to his school. Through your support, hundreds of children from around the region are able to explore our hill-top farm and working forest on field trips, at workshops and in summer camps. Your generosity and commitment to our mission – to inspire curiosity, love and responsibility for natural and working lands – ensures that over 15,000 visitors a year are able to meet the animals, hike trails, experience the splendor of a setting sun, spend a night under the stars, pick berries, watch birds, explore the pond, wade in the creek, and more.

These experiences matter. It is clearer than ever that it is time to for us to collectively re-engage with the natural world. We can no longer take the systems and processes that shape this blue and green orb that is our collective home for granted. We must share our love of its azure skies and rugged hills, and from that place of love, champion its protection.

On behalf of the staff and trustees here at Merck Forest & Farmland Center, thank you for helping us do this critical work. The Annual Fund provides our team with the resources necessary to steward these hills, fields, and forests so that all who come can experience the contentment and hope afforded by time spent in the natural world.

Your support of our Annual Fund, at whatever level you are able, keeps our gates perpetually open to all, strengthening visitors’ connections to natural and working lands. Your contribution helps ensure that we are able to work towards providing a healthy future for all species both here on our hilltop home and beyond. For that, we are deeply grateful.

See you up on the mountain!

Sincerely,

Rob Terry Executive Director

MFFC 2021-22 Trustees: Merrill Bent, Dinah Buechner-Vischer, Kat Deely (Secretary), Jim Hand, Greg Hopper (Treasurer), Mark Lourie, Sam Schneski (V.P.), John Stasny, Sue Van Hook (President), Brian Vargo

Merck Forest & Farmland Center Inc. 3270 Route 315, PO Box 86 Rupert, Vermont 05768

MFFC staff and trustees work from a dynamic Strategic Plan that focuses on five core objectives intended to position the institution as a leading regional resource for nature exploration, outdoor learning, and environmentally sound forest and farmland management. MFFC’s current strategic goals are to:

• Invigorate the working landscape

• Bolster protection of the landscape’s natural systems

• Deepen connections with MFFC visitors and surrounding communities

• Champion individual and institutional climate smart action, and

• Accelerate organizational development

To meet these objectives in 2021, MFFC:

• engaged two Americorps volunteers through the Student Conservation Association, a 2021 UVM Forestry/ Geospatial Technologies graduate, a current Vassar College student and two Burr and Burton Academy students (1,221 hours) to assist with conservation projects, cabin & trail maintenance and educational initiatives

• expanded Connected Taconics, a High Meadows Fund supported initiative championing 42,000 acres of un-fragmented forest in the Taconic Mountain range (in which MFFC sits at the northern tip) through mapping, analysis and outreach to 350 regional landowners

• more than tripled summer camp attendance and continued to serve the area’s food shed through Northshire Grown: Direct markets

• installed a 15-kilowatt solar array on our Saphouse roof and established new partnerships to identify strategies to efficiently sequester and store above and below-ground carbon on property

• launched the drafting of a comprehensive 10-year master plan that will enhance on-property recreation, facilities and educational offerings

To continue this work in 2022, MFFC will:

• begin to redesign the farm campus to better demonstrate regenerative agriculture and sustainable forestry

• complete new 10-year farm and forest management plans that focus on increased potential for agricultural and forest products, ecosystem services and sound habitat stewardship

ECTINGPEOPLE TO TH E LANDFOROVER

• draft, design and produce signage and self-guided resources to help visitors better understand what is happening on property… and why

• begin electrification of fleet and quantify on-site carbon both above and below ground

• undertake a condition assessment of cabin and trail network to initiate renovation and replacement planning

MFFC Partnerships in 2021

We thank these organizations for their collaboration.

• Audubon Vermont

• Bennington College

• Bennington County Conservation District

• Bennington Rutland Supervisory Union

• Burr and Burton Academy

• Castleton University

• College of Medicine at UVM (Medical students)

• Dorset Players

• Dorset Playhouse

• Dorset United Church

• Grateful Hearts

• Historic Salem Courthouse Community Center (Lunch, Learn, and Play)

• Hudson Carbon

• Intervale Center

• MEVO: Mahwah Environmental Volunteers Org.

• Manchester Community Library

• Marble House Project

• Mettawee Community School

• Middletown Springs Elementary School

• New England Forestry Foundation

• Northeast Woodland Training

• Orvis Company

• Red Fox School

• Regenerative Food Network

2021 Staff Accomplishments

• appreciation from parents, teachers and the interns/seasonal staff for their rich experiences at MFFC this summer

• completion of a comprehensive financial audit of 2020

• continual improvements to our yurt, base camp and surrounding trails, which staff and campers and student volunteers all helped to make happen!

• completion of “Foresters for the Birds” baseline assessment on 750 acres, gathering bird population data for future research and our next forest management plan

• continued work on the new Welcome Kiosk and renovation of the entrance area

• deft handling of a public space during Covid pandemic including building the skills and confidence to welcome visitors and offer camps and events once Vermont’s Executive Orders were lifted

• eight weeks of safe and fun summer camp, the busiest camp season that I’ve been a part of so far at Merck Forest

• full forest timber inventory of 750 acres for the next forest management plan

• full updated inventory of the American Chestnut plantation

• improved facility with MFFC online and computer systems

• multi-channel promotion of maple sugaring season and BioBlitz

• our most successful BioBlitz to date by the number of participants and the number of species documented for the property (we broke past 1000 mark!)

• Rupert Food Pantry

• Smokey House Center

• SOLO Wilderness First Aid

• Student Conservation Association

• Sunderland Elementary School

• University of Vermont

• VT Center for Ecostudies

• VT Department of Forest, Parks, and Recreation

• VT Land Trust

• VT Woodlands Association

• VT Youth Conservation Corps

• Williams College

• providing professional development to teachers at Mettawee Community School to help them facilitate outdoor experiences with their students and creating the Ecology Cache with lessons and materials for teachers for use with their students

• redesign of the road near the Visitor Center to improve access for snowplowing, turning around in tractors and trucks, and visibility and safety for visitors

• repair of water diversion structures

• repair of structures like water bars and culverts that help move water off the trail and therefore improve the health and longevity of the trail network

• second year of forest/spring ephemeral pollinator research, bat monitoring, forest bird monitoring, and vernal pool monitoring

• series of 5 digital workshops compiled and launched in a new format

• solid season of maple sugaring

• spearheaded community projects that introduced Merck Forest to new people and organizations

• successful internships and seasonal hires to help with land management and conservation projects

• successful second year of grassland bird monitoring

• timber harvests on 25+ acres

2022 Staff Aspirations

As we work towards finalizing the 2022 goals that will help Merck Forest & Farmland Center continue to progress towards accomplishing the objectives laid out in the Strategic Plan, staff members are excited about the prospect of:

• Completing MFFC’s new forest management plan

• Crafting a new 10-year Farm Management Plan focused on optimizing livestock, perennial horticulture, permaculture and agroforestry operations to demonstrate climate smart food production.

• Developing and installing interpretive assets (signs, waypoints, digital & analog guides, etc.) focusing on the landscape within ½ mile of the Visitor Center to enhance day-visitors’ experience by deepening their connection with our mission and land management operations.

• Launching the effort to refresh and rehabilitate our trail system by conducting a network-wide conditions assessment, enhancing existing trails that meet contemporary standards for sustainability while closing, renaturalizing and/or rerouting those that do not.

• Quantifying above and below ground stored carbon at MFFC, enhancing farm and forest operations to optimize sequestration while exploring the prospect of market-based carbon projects, ranging from certifying and holding carbon in a self-managed portfolio to piloting the sale of carbon offsets to members or institutions.

• Installing the infrastructure necessary to transition eligible vehicles and equipment in the fleet to electric alternatives, and begin the acquisition process as eligible vehicles are cycled out of the fleet.

• Finalizing our property wide facility conditions report and scheduling critical repairs and replacement of cabins, farm and forest, and visitor services infrastructure.

• Deepening our commitment to ecologically sound farm and forest management, by continuing to collaborate with researchers and partners to ensure that our practices promote habitat for all species from pollinators to apex predators while ensuring watershed health as well as carbon sequestration and storage.

• Accelerating the ongoing expansion of our youth and family-focused educational programs by adding additional summer camp opportunities, expanding our ecology-based field trip program to include more working farm and forest exploration, and developing a sustainable funding model for this work that ensures equitable access by formalizing and raising dedicated funds for a scholarship program.

• Ensuring that MFFC is healthy “behind the scenes” by promoting our work and programs on a further reaching scale, enhancing our website, expanding staff access to professional development opportunities, extending our benefits program for full-time staff, and continuing the expansion of our engagement and training of early-career volunteers, interns, and seasonal staff members.

• Soliciting feedback from our members are visitors through on-site and on-line use surveys to better understand how MFFC is used in order to incorporate that feedback into the institution’s 10-year Master Plan focused on farm, forest, educational program, and fleet & facilities enhancements over the upcoming decade.

Finding the Mother Tree

A Book Review by Chris Hubbard, Education Director

Richard Powers’ Pulitzer Prize winning book, The Overstory, hit bookstores in 2018, with its web of interconnecting tales of people whose lives have been influenced by specific trees. While the book revolves around a cast of nine characters, one central character stands out, that of Patricia Westerford. In creating Westerford’s character, Powers was inspired by the life of Suzanne Simard, a Professor of Forest Ecology at the University of British Columbia. Suzanne Simard has recently published her first book, Finding the Mother Tree: Discovering the Wisdom of the Forest, with the book appearing in bookstores earlier this year. Hailing from western Canada, Simard is from a family that has long made its living cutting trees. Her interest in forests and what mysteries they held peaked following an incident in which her dog fell into an outhouse and had to be dug out, which in turn revealed a tangled web of roots and rhizomes. What she observed as shovels cut through the forest floor intrigued her, and as she entered the field of forestry. Confronted with forestry management practices much different than what she had grown up with, practices that stripped the land of trees and soil, set her on her quest to find out what went wrong and why the forest tends to mend itself when left to its own devices. This drive led her to becoming a pioneer in the field of plant communication and intelligence. Her early career experiences in forestry soon had her examining why young seedlings were not growing as intended, leading her to conduct experiments that are now changing the way we look at how trees interact in forests: that forests are not just trees, but rather complex systems of hubs and networks, with mycorrhiza providing connections for cooperation between individual trees and various tree species, as they trade carbon, various other nutrients, water, and information.

Simard’s book explains, in layman’s terms, her methodology and results of her studies and experiments, and the challenges she has faced in conducting her research and presenting her unorthodox ideas, while weaving in the tale of her life growing up and living in western Canada. She has conducted and published the results of hundreds of experiments in the forest, with some of her experimental plantations now over 30 years old. Simard has found compelling evidence that trees communicate and cooperate with each other through a massive belowground communications network of mycorrhiza. Simard explains, “Forests aren’t just a bunch of trees competing with each other, they’re super-cooperators.” She presents a paradigm shift in how we view forests, and how we, as humans, think about the world around us. As she states, “A forest is much more than what you see…”

My Time at Merck Forest

by Tyler Hughes, Technical Recreation Coordinator

This summer at Merck Forest was a huge learning experience for me, and I feel that I have grown in many ways. First and foremost, I learned many technical skills that will translate well to a resume as well as help me further in my career. Some of these technical skills include, but are not limited to, driving and using an excavator, baling hay, and most importantly, timber cruising experience. Timber cruising is the practice of measuring trees in an area of land in order to learn about the composition of the forest. Some of the information that is gathered includes species height, diameter. Other metrics included the machinability of the tree as well as the understory regeneration. This work and experience is critical to any aspiring forester because these measurements and corresponding calculations form the backbone of the work they do in land management. This summer I also learned a lot about myself as a person. One of the most important things that I learned is that I work very well independently. I also learned how to best manage my time and how to evaluate which projects were most important.

Reduced/Boiled Apple Cider—Maple Syrup’s Autumn Cousin

by Cara Davenport, Education Manager and Kathryn Lawrence, Asst. ED

I love apple cider season – cold with a lunch, warm on a chilly afternoon. I can almost never finish an entire half-gallon before it starts to turn, though, and inevitably the sides of the cider container in my fridge start to bulge ominously. My solution, rather than buying less apple cider or smaller containers of it, is to turn the leftover or barely-fermented cider into a baking treasure that takes up much less room in the fridge and keeps indefinitely: boiled cider. To make it, boil apple cider long and slow to evaporate off more of the water and concentrate it into a thick, syrupy liquid that can be a flavorful addition to frosting, glazes, baked goods, sauces, marinades, drinks, and basically anything you would use maple syrup in or on.

However much cider you use will reduce down to about a sixth of whatever you start with; a half gallon will reduce to about 1 cup, a quart to half cup, etc. Set a heavy-bottomed pan or dutch oven of cider on the stove and bring to a boil, then reduce to medium heat. Stir occasionally until the color darkens to a deep amber, and the consistency is similar to maple syrup (about 1-3 hours depending on how much cider you started with).

Upside Down Skillet Pear (or Apple) Tart From Maple Syrup Cookbook

Ingredients:

¼ Store Bought Pie Crust or Flaky Butter Crust (recipe below)

2 tbsp butter

¼ cup pure maple syrup

3 tablespoons boiled cider

6 large pears or apples, halved, cored and peeled

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

by Ken Haedrich

2. Melt the butter in a medium cast-iron skillet. Stir in the maple syrup and boiled cider and bring to a low boil, stirring. Boil for 1 ½ minutes, then remove from heat.

3. Arrange the fruit in the skillet, rounded side down and points toward the center. Put two halves in the center, pointed in opposite directions. Any remaining halves can be sliced and interspersed on top of the others. Try to keep the top level of the fruit even.

4. Trim the pastry into a 12-inch circle. Lay it on top of the fruit and tuck the edge down between the fruit and the side of the skillet. Make two or three wide slashes in the crust so steam can escape. Bake for 45 minutes.

5. Remove the tart from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes.

6. Place a plate directly on top of the crust. Quickly invert the tart, tilting it slightly away from you to avoid hot syrup. Let it cool for at least 15 minutes before cutting. It will probably be a little juicy – – that’s fine. Any juice can be spooned over the fruit to glaze.

If you want to make your own crust, this is MFFC approved!

Flaky Butter Crust

Ingredients:

2 ½ cups unbleached or all

purpose flour

½ tsp salt

¾ cups cold butter, cut into

¼ inch pieces

¼ cup vegetable shortening

1 tbsp sugar

1 egg, cold

2 tbsp ice water

1 tbsp lemon juice or vinegar

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

2. Melt the butter in a medium cast-iron skillet. Stir in the maple syrup and boiled cider and bring to a low boil, stirring. Boil for 1 ½ minutes, then remove from heat.

3. Arrange the fruit in the skillet, rounded side down and points toward the center. Put two halves in the center, pointed in opposite directions. Any remaining halves can be sliced and interspersed on top of the others. Try to keep the top level of the fruit even.

4. Trim the pastry into a 12-inch circle. Lay it on top of the fruit and tuck the edge down between the fruit and the side of the skillet. Make two or three wide slashes in the crust so steam can escape. Bake for 45 minutes.

5. Remove the tart from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes.

6. Place a plate directly on top of the crust. Quickly invert the tart, tilting it slightly away from you to avoid hot syrup. Let it cool for at least 15 minutes before cutting. It will probably be a little juicy – – that’s fine. Any juice can be spooned over the fruit to glaze.

Image: The Doughty Doughnut

Below are some pictures of things that you can find at Merck Forest this time of year. Can you identify what is in each of the pictures? Look for the answer key at the bottom of the page.

Answer Key:

A. Aspen Leaf

B. Wild Grape Vine

C. Sunflower D. Turkeytail mushrooms

E. Yellow Garden Spider

F. Lichen G. Moth cocoon H. Monarch butterfly

UPCOMING EVENTS AT MERCK FOREST

Pre-registration for any activity is required, and we are not able to accommodate last-minute registrations or walkins. Due to the low cost of the programs, no refunds will be made unless the event is cancelled by MFFC.

SUNDAY MEET AND FEED

Sunday September 26, or October 3, from 3pm to 4:30

Join Merck staff on Sunday afternoons as they go about afternoon chores feeding the animals. Get to know our sheep, horses and chickens during our daily routine. Fee: $5pp; children must be accompanied by at least one parent/guardian. Register at www.merckforest.org/product/family-programs/

PROJECT LEARNING TREE WORKSHOP

Saturday, October 2 from 9am to 3pm

Project Learning Tree, an award-winning environmental education program, uses trees and forests in activities and resources to engage children in learning about the environment. The workshop is designed for teachers and other educators, parents, and community leaders working with youth from preschool through grade 12, and is offered at no charge to participants. Register at www.merckforest.org/product/adult-programming/

SECOND SATURDAY HIKES

October 9, 2pm to 4 • November 13, 4pm – 5:30 • December 11, 4pm – 5:30

Enjoy a guided hike with a MFFC staff member who will discuss the ecology, history, farming culture and forestry of the area. Wear proper hiking footgear for our rugged trails, and bring water and snacks. For the November and December hikes, bring a headlamp or flashlight; if there’s snow cover, bring along your snowshoes and dress for the cold! Please arrive 15 minutes before the hike begins. Fee: $5 per person, pre-registration is required. Events will only be cancelled in case of extreme weather. Register at www.merckforest.org/product/hikes-volunteer/

CONNECTED TACONICS BLOCK GATHERING

Thursday, October 14, 6pm to 8

Do you live in the Northern Taconic mountains of Vermont between Rupert, Dorset, Manchester, Sunderland, Arlington, and Sandgate? What do you feel when you think of your lands and those around you? What is your vision for the future; what challenges do you see and what resources are needed to help achieve your vision? These questions and more reflect your land ethic and collectively set the stage for the future of the lands and waters that will define our natural and human community.

We invite you to join with your neighbors for an evening of facilitated reflection and exploration of our connection to the lands and waters that surround us, with staff from Merck Forest & Farmland Center, Audubon Vermont, and Vermont Woodlands Association. This is a free event with only 18 spaces available on a first-come-first-served basis. Register at www.merckforest.org/product/adult-programming/

VOLUNTEER WORK PARTY

October 30, 10am – 3pm

From mulching raspberries to maintaining trails, volunteers work side-by-side MFFC staff in stewarding the land. Come give a hand, and learn while you work! . Register at www.merckforest.org/product/hikes-volunteer/

WREATH-MAKING WORKSHOPS

Morning Session: December 4, 10am to noon • Afternoon Session: December 4, 1pm to 3

One of our favorite holiday events! Join Merck Forest elves in creating a holiday wreath from greens sourced at Merck Forest. Ribbons for bows and natural materials for decorating are provided. Bring along your own decorations to embellish your wreath. Register for either the morning session or the afternoon session. Register at www.merckforest.org/product/adult-programming/

Nearby Nature Video Series

We’ve all had to cope with some pretty unusual circumstances due to the COVID19 pandemic and the need for social distancing this past 18 months. At Merck Forest, we decided to share our love of nature digitally, and created some short videos to share with virtual visitors.

Here are the links to our Nearby Nature videos for you to enjoy again: type the following URLs into your browser to see what we found outside, or go to our website at https://www.merckforest.org/learn/

Episode 1: Making a Nature Journal

Episode 2: Vernal Pools

Episode 3: Nature Journal Drawing Techniques

Episode 4: Phenology

Episode 5: Moss

https://youtu.be/X5KRMPiY2PQ

https://youtu.be/tSrhMHc2TzU

https://youtu.be/uu0cAW9M0DM

https://youtu.be/qNFru97Rt3A

https://youtu.be/nK6nsoj-Pzg

Our YouTube Video Channel has even more short videos documenting the Merck Forest experience: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCN97B-4qwQiH_A3Bb0cQ1pA

Advancement Notes

Thank you for reading this fall issue of the Ridgeline. It is full of hope - brought on by the work that we all do and bolstered by your generosity. I noticed recently, while sending out some special $70 membership packets, that I was addressing envelopes to Pennsylvania, Washington state, New Jersey, Massachusetts and Idaho. Our membership program continues to grow and diversify, for which we are grateful.

Remember what a thoughtful holiday gift a Merck membership makes and be in touch! Share your enthusiasm for the institution with others–we will be happy to ship and personalize your gift. Membership matters in so many ways at Merck Forest. Contact liz@merckforest.org or head to our website for more information: www.merckforest.org/get-involved/memberships

Save the date! Sunday October 17 at 11am, MFFC’s Education and Advancement teams will join W-EQX for a Sunday Brunch interview. 102.7 or weqx.com

Come up for a visit soon! the leaves are just starting to turn and the farm and forest will be at its loveliest during this time of year.

Stay safe and keep in touch, Best,

Liz Ruffa, Advancement Director

News from the Visitor Center

by Stephanie Breed

Come check out our new layout and new merchandise!

Membership Matters!

Renew your own membership; gift one to a friend or family member and encourage others to join.

Regular annual membership is $50; Special membership is $70 and includes this Storey Publishing title. Members receive discounts on cabin rentals, items in the Visitor Center and special events.

Visit www.merckforest.org/get-involved/memberships for more information.

Favorite comfort-food cookbooks are back in stock as well as puzzles, nature guides and practical gifts. Our children’s department has activity books for all ages, learning games and of course, wonderful books on the natural world.

Although our frozen lamb is limited, we have a freezer filled with pork – steaks, sausages and bacon. Don’t forget the pancake mix when you purchase our organic maple syrup. A perfect combination for visiting guests. It’s never too early to stock up on gifts for the winter holidays! We sell ornaments, advent calendars, whimsical winter cards, and Merck-made display pieces.

If you are looking for Merck Forest memorabilia: we carry hats, short and long sleeved t-shirts, mugs, pottery, stickers and magnets. Our snack area offers locally sourced snacks – perfect after a walk on our beautiful trails.

Swing by to shop and say hello, you’ll be glad you did! Open everyday 9-4.

—Native American Proverb

“We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.”

802-394-7836

3270 Rte. 315, P.O. Box 86 Rupert, VT 05768

Merck Forest & Farmland Center is on a mission to inspire curiosity, love and responsibility for natural and working lands