VOREC Community Science Final Report
DECEMBER 2025
426 Danby Mountain Road - Danby, Vermont 05739 www.smokeyhouse.org 802-293-2300
Table of Contents 1.Overview Summary Current State of Recreation at Smokey House Center What is Community Science? Benefits of Community Science Goals of Community Science at Smokey House Center 2.Stakeholder Engagement Findings Current Recreational Use, Perceptions, and Future Interests Future Community Science Program Interest and Focus Areas Participant Demographics 3.Community Science at Smokey House Center Pathway #1: Group Event Initiatives Pathway #2: Passive Recreation Initiatives Pathway #3: Targeted/Trained Volunteer Initiative 4.Program Function and Structure Seasonal Programming /flow Data Integration and Storytelling Participant Recruitment Trail Use and Initiative Locations Smokey House Center and Trail Map 5.Conclusion
1. Overview Summary
Smokey House Center is at a pivotal moment in its evolution. The organization’s 5,000-acre landscape—once the foundation of robust youth programs and hands-on land stewardship—now holds an opportunity to reconnect community members with an extraordinary natural resource while helping shape the future of the Living Lab. As demonstrated through recent survey responses and discussions with partners and residents, there is both a deep appreciation for Smokey House’s trail system and a clear recognition that the current recreational infrastructure no longer meets community needs. Many trails are degraded, signage is outdated or absent, and the system is underutilized despite its proximity to Danby and access to the Green Mountain National Forest. The Community Science Program is designed to respond directly to these conditions. It will revitalize Smokey House’s trail network while creating new opportunities for communitydriven ecological research. By integrating recreation, education, and science, the program aims to strengthen Smokey House’s role as a community resource and a research platform—one in which community members collaborate in shaping the direction of land stewardship, climate resilience, and ecological monitoring.
Current State of Recreation at Smokey House Center
Community survey results show that while many local residents value Smokey House’s setting for its quiet, remote beauty and opportunities for solitude, most do not use the trail system regularly due to barriers such as unclear access points, lack of maintained paths, and limited public information. Respondents repeatedly noted that trails feel difficult to navigate and, in some cases, difficult to find at all. At the same time, the majority of respondents highlighted the desire for more accessible walking routes, clearer trail maps, better signage, and more consistent maintenance—changes that would allow Smokey House to serve as a central recreation hub for Danby, especially given the town’s lack of a designated public forest or park. Revitalizing the system is therefore both a practical necessity and a significant opportunity. A rebuilt Dorset Peak Trail and Northern Loop Trail will form the backbone of a renewed trail network—an accessible, inviting gateway to outdoor recreation and place-based science.
What is Community Science? Community science is a form of research in which community members contribute directly to scientific inquiry. It shifts traditional boundaries between researchers and the public, creating meaningful opportunities for people to participate in data collection, monitoring, and ecological observation. At Smokey House, community science will serve as an accessible entry point to the organization's research efforts, allowing volunteers, students, and visitors to participate in monitoring phenology, forest health, wildlife activity, soil and water conditions, and other place-based ecological processes. This approach aligns closely with Smokey House’s interest in community-based participatory research—the belief that residents, land stewards, scientists, and educators should collaborate in designing, implementing, and learning from research that shapes shared landscapes.
Benefits of Community Science A trail-based community science program offers multiple benefits: For community members, it provides opportunities for recreation that are enriched by purpose, education, and connection to place. For youth, it supports hands-on learning in land-based science, responding to requests from educators for more authentic, fieldbased opportunities. For Smokey House, it expands research capacity and builds long-term ecological datasets essential to understanding forest dynamics, climate impacts, and wildlife patterns. For regional partners, it strengthens crossinstitutional collaboration and contributes high-quality data to statewide and global monitoring networks. In these ways, community science becomes both a recreational asset and a research tool— supporting individual well-being, community engagement, and ecological understanding.
Goals of Community Science at Smokey House Center Make research accessible to the public The program will lower barriers between community members and scientific research by designing intuitive, well-marked community science stations and simple, meaningful data collection opportunities integrated into everyday trail use. Create youth opportunities to engage in natural sciences Local schools, youth groups, Smokey House apprentices and interns, and workforce programs will gain new platforms for experiential learning, project-based science, and skill-building aligned with land stewardship and recreation careers. Increase stewardship of the landscape and trail system By engaging community members in ecological monitoring, Smokey House will cultivate shared responsibility for the landscape. Participants will help track trail conditions, document wildlife and plant communities, and contribute to forest and habitat assessments. Collect long-term data and contribute to regional and global initiatives The program will generate research-grade datasets compatible with statewide and national efforts such as Vermont Atlas of Life, VCE monitoring programs, phenology networks, and acoustic biodiversity mapping. Inform the future direction of Smokey House research and land stewardship Community-generated data and feedback will help identify research themes, stewardship priorities, and ecological patterns that guide the Living Lab’s future programming and management decisions.
Smokey House Center’s Community Science Program represents a new approach to outdoor recreation— one in which trails become pathways to learning, participation, and shared stewardship. By revitalizing the trail network and designing a research program rooted in community needs and interests, Smokey House will strengthen its role as a central resource for Danby and a platform for collaborative, land-based research. This work will help build a more informed, connected, and engaged community while generating the long-term ecological datasets essential for shaping the land’s future.
2. Stakeholder Engagement Findings
Smokey House Center’s stakeholder engagement efforts for this project were grounded in steady, conversational outreach to community members, partner organizations, and recreation and environmental professionals. Staff gathered input through multiple avenues including a community listening session, two open house events with public feedback mechanisms, informal conversations with neighbors and visitors, and a community survey that asked residents about their current use of the trails, barriers to access, and interest in future recreation and community science opportunities. Additional guidance came from ongoing discussions with partners such as Sinuosity, the Vermont Center for Ecostudies, and UVM Extension, whose expertise helped shape both the recreation and research components of the project. Together, these engagement efforts provided a clear picture of how people experience the landscape today and what they value most for its future, ensuring that the project reflects community needs as well as Smokey House’s broader stewardship goals.
Current Recreational Use, Perceptions, and Future Interests Do you currently use the existing trails and forest roads at Smokey House Center?
Survey responses show that the public is nearly evenly split between those who currently use Smokey House trails and those who do not (about 49% yes and 51% no). Among those who do visit, walking, hiking, dog walking, and running are the most common activities, with walking being the clear leader. Users tend to visit weekly or annually rather than daily, suggesting that Smokey House is valued as an occasional nature destination rather than a daily-use recreation site. The second-most frequent activities follow a similar pattern, demonstrating a diverse but low-intensity use of the trails. Across open-ended responses, visitors consistently describe Smokey House as peaceful, beautiful, quiet, remote, and full of wildlife, with many emphasizing its serenity, scenery, and connection to nature. When asked what they would like to see changed, many respondents request improved signage, clearer trail maps, and better trail maintenance, though a notable number want “nothing changed,” expressing strong appreciation for the minimally developed, wilderness-like feel. Regarding future trail use, walking, hiking, running, skiing, and snowshoeing rank highest, while motorized access was explicitly discouraged by several respondents. These sentiments were further expressed at all of our public feedback sessions.
No 48.8%
Yes 51.2%
If yes, what is your MOST frequent activity on them? XC Skiing 4.3%
Hunting 8.7% Walking 34.8% Dog Walking 8.7%
Biking 10.9%
Other 13%
Hiking 15.2%
How frequently do you engage in this activity on Smokey House lands? Weekly 20.8%
Monthly 39.6%
Annually 39.6%
Future Community Science Program Interest and Focus Areas Survey participants expressed strong interest in trail experiences that connect them to nature, provide escape, support exercise, and offer solitude. Nature-connection and the feeling of “getting away” were the most frequently selected elements to incorporate into future trail network improvements. When presented with community science topics, respondents showed broad interest across ecological subjects, but placed the highest priority on learning about forest health, wildlife ecology, climate impacts, and ecological forest management. When asked about data-collection interests specifically, many respondents selected birds, amphibians, spring flowers, tree phenology, and forest regeneration as their top choices. A majority of participants (54%) indicated they might be interested in working with partnering scientists to collect data, while nearly a quarter said yes outright. This suggests a strong potential volunteer base, contingent on clear opportunities and supportive infrastructure, such as training and well-marked trails.These sentiments were further expressed at all of our public feedback sessions.
Are you interested in working with partnering scientists to collect data on trails at Smokey House Center? No 21%
Maybe 54.3%
Yes 24.7%
Which of these topics would you like to learn more about through trail- based recreational opportunities at Smokey House Center?
Sustainable Agriculture 7.6%
River, streams, ponds and aquatic species 19%
Forests 7.6%
Birding 8.9%
Land use history 15.2%
Mushroom ID 8.9%
Which topic areas are you most interesting in helping to collect data during your trail-based recreation at Smokey House Center?
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Sustainable forestry Climate change impacts on forests 13.9% 11.4%
Participant Demographics
Most participants live in Danby or southern Vermont towns, with Danby representing the largest group. Survey takers skew older, with the largest age group being 30–45 (38%), followed by those over 60 (21.5%) and 46–59 (19%). Gender identity among respondents is roughly balanced between male and female. Racially, participants are overwhelmingly White, with very small representation from Black, Latinx, Native American, and other identities. Educational backgrounds vary, though a majority of respondents have a Bachelor’s degree or higher. Nearly all participants (87%) reported no disability affecting their environmental access, though a small number identified mobility, sensory, or autoimmune limitations. These findings suggest that in order to meet Smokey House Center’s vision of being an ecotone, the organization will have to get creative in its approach to attracting a diverse suite of participants into the Community Science Program.
Our Ecotone An ecotone is a region of transition between two habitats - for example the place where a forest and a field meet - that is more diverse and abundant than either single habitat. Smokey House Center is dedicated to building a community that mirrors the beauty and productivity of an ecotone, where people of all races, ethnic and economic backgrounds, gender identities, sexual orientations, religions, ages, political viewpoints, lived experiences and abilities are encouraged to participate in and impact the organization's work and decision making. In order to make this possible, Smokey House Center recognizes that it will need to allocate its resources thoughtfully so that everyone involved is able to participate fully and equally in our shared work and enjoy equal access to desirable outcomes.
3. Community Science Initiatives at Smokey House Center: Smokey House Center identified community science initiatives for the program through a combination of community feedback, partner expertise, and an assessment of the property’s ecological assets. The process began with gathering input from residents, visitors, and stakeholders about what kinds of activities would feel engaging, accessible, and meaningful on the Smokey House landscape. Survey responses and listening sessions highlighted strong interest in topics such as forest health, wildlife monitoring, bird ecology, and seasonal changes, which helped shape the thematic direction of the program. At the same time, Smokey House consulted with partner organizations— including the Vermont Center for Ecostudies, UVM Extension, and other regional scientists—to understand which existing statewide or national community science efforts would align well with Smokey House’s research goals and habitat types. Staff also reviewed the property’s ecological diversity—from vernal pools to open fields to highelevation forests—to determine which monitoring efforts would generate valuable long-term datasets. Through this combined approach, Smokey House selected a suite of initiatives that are scientifically robust, relevant to the landscape, and well-suited to community participation at varying skill levels. These various initiatives can be best organized into three primary pathway categories outlined below.
Pathway #1: Group Event Initiatives Designed for high-energy, public-facing engagement—great for families, visitors, and youth groups. These events build excitement, recruit new participants, and generate high-quality data. These events can be best integrated into our existing Explore Smokey House series as collaborations with regional experts.
1. Mission Monarch What it is: A nationwide monarch butterfly monitoring program focused on milkweed surveys and monarch counts. How to integrate: Host annual monarch counting events at the pond area during July– August. Participate in the VT Monarch Blitz to connect Smokey House to statewide efforts. Use the event as a gateway to introduce iNaturalist and pollinator ecology. 2. Red Oak Acorn Collection What it is: A fall acorn collection effort supporting oak regeneration and cultural/ecological uses. Could feed into Smokey House’s future native plant nursery and plant sale. How to integrate: Run a community volunteer day or youth education outing in Smokey House oak stands. Link to forest ecology education, seed collection, and climate adaptive forest management efforts. 3. BioBlitz What it is: A high-energy biodiversity documentation event using iNaturalist. How to integrate: Host seasonal BioBlitzes on all trails, encouraging new and seasoned naturalists. Pair with workshops on nature photography, species ID, or iNaturalist use. Engage older students and families in friendly competition. 4. Wild Bee Survey What it is: An open-participation bee survey program supported by VCE/VAL. How to integrate: Combine with the BioBlitz or hold a stand-alone bee day during summer. Teach participants about wild pollinator diversity and identification. Helps build baseline pollinator data for Smokey House trails.
Pathway #1: Group Event Initiatives (continued) 5. Black Ash Hunt/Ash Seed Collection What it is: A search for black ash trees in riparian areas to support cultural and conservation mapping or more broad seed collection from female ash trees for seed preservation. How to integrate: Host group outings along floodplains and riparian corridors or in stands with high presence of ash. Strong potential for partnerships with regional Indigenous or craft communities. Can be paired with EAB monitoring events.
6. EAB (Emerald Ash Borer) Monitoring What it is: Monitoring ash stands for signs of EAB, using community observers. How to integrate: Recruit youth/volunteers for periodic surveys. Host a spring or summer forest health workshop. Integrates well with broader forest pest education and ash work.
7. BBD/BLD Monitoring (Beech Bark Disease / Beech Leaf Disease) What it is: Monitoring for signs of beech diseases or resistance. How to integrate: Pair with EAB monitoring or as part of a forest health field day. Great for youth stewardship and long-term monitoring plots.
Pathway #2: Passive Recreation Initiatives These initiatives can be engaged with by anyone hiking, walking, or exploring Smokey House on their own time. They build a “background layer” of year-round community science participation and rely on accessible phone apps like iNaturalist and Merlin. Signage along trails will also help direct recreators to engage in various initiatives.
8. PIP Project (Pollinator Interactions on Plants) – iNaturalist Based What it is: An initiative where participants take pictures of pollinators on plants to help Vermont Center for Ecostudies scientists assess flower preferences across the Northeast. How to integrate: Encourage all trail users to submit wildlife observations. Add signage at trailheads explaining how to participate. Provides valuable pollinator preference data.
9. Chronolog Sites What it is: Fixed photo stations where visitors take photos to track landscape change and long-term climate impacts. How to integrate: Establish four stations (Facing Dorset Peak shot, Summit of Dorset Peak shot, meadow shot, canopy shot) with signage. Use time-lapse outputs in community presentations, social media, and reports. Supports long-term environmental datasets and storytelling.
10. Vermont Atlas of Life (VAL) Observations What it is: A statewide biodiversity documentation effort via iNaturalist. How to integrate: Encourage all visitors to submit observations under the VAL umbrella. Hosts workshops that teach ID and iNat use. Helps Smokey House contribute to Vermont’s biggest natural history database.
15. Vernal Pool Monitoring (VCE) What it is: Standardized monitoring of vernal pools (egg masses, hydroperiod, acoustics). How to integrate: Identify two volunteers to conduct three spring visits and one fall visit. Work with VCE for training and approval. Could serve as Smokey House’s flagship amphibian program.
16. Vernal Pool Phenology Project (EREN) What it is: A more intensive vernal pool dataset focused on timing of life stages.
Pathway #3: Targeted/Trained Volunteer Initiatives These programs support more advanced, recurring ecological research. They build a reliable corps of skilled community scientists and long-term datasets.
11. American Kestrel Research Project (VINS) What it is: Monitoring kestrel nest boxes with trained volunteers. How to integrate: Build a kestrel box in the pasture on main campus. Host an annual “install and monitoring” event. Recruit volunteers who apply through VINS.
12. Cornell NestWatch What it is: A community science program for monitoring bird nests. How to integrate: Launch an “Adopt-a-Nest-Box” program where certified volunteers monitor boxes. Install additional bird boxes on campus for broader participation. Great potential high school summer project.
13. Butterfly Atlas (VCE/VAL) What it is: A statewide project mapping butterfly populations. How to integrate: Recruit volunteers to monitor assigned sites monthly. Integrate butterfly events with Mission Monarch and BioBlitz activities.
14. Caterpillars Count! What it is: A program quantifying caterpillar abundance on trees to study food webs and climate change. How to integrate: Train 3–5 dedicated volunteers using the official webinar. Set up standard survey branches on the main campus. Run counts weekly during spring–summer.
How to integrate: Offer as a workshop or seasonal training event. Potentially pair with the basic vernal pool monitoring program. Great for college interns or advanced volunteers.
17. Phenology Trail (National Phenological Network) What it is: A trail where volunteers document seasonal changes in plants. How to integrate: Mark a simple loop focused on spring ephemerals and forest trees. Recruit a small team of recurring volunteers to submit observations. Could be paired with school groups learning about climate change.
18. CoCoRaHS (Weather Monitoring) What it is: A volunteer rainfall and weather reporting network. How to integrate: Install a gauge at the main campus. Use as an ongoing role for a committed weather enthusiast. Low investment—but may not be a priority.
19. Adopt-a-Puc Bird Monitoring Program (Birdweather PUCs) What it is: A year-round acoustic bird monitoring program using Birdweather’s AI-powered PUC units. These small, solar-supported devices record and classify bird vocalizations, generating continuous datasets on species richness, migration timing, habitat use, and daily acoustic patterns. How to integrate: Install 3–5 PUC units in key habitats (meadow edges, riparian corridors, forest edges, campus zone). Launch an “Adopt-a-PUC” volunteer program, where individuals or families take responsibility for checking on a unit, reviewing data, and reporting interesting findings. Pair the program with HaikuBox, NestWatch, and Kestrel monitoring to form a comprehensive bird monitoring suite.
4. Program Function and Structure A Three-Tier Engagement Structure: Smokey House Center’s Community Science Program will operate through a clear three-tier system designed to engage participants at all levels of interest and experience.
Pathway #1: Group Event Initiatives Group Events will offer dynamic, community-centered programs—including BioBlitzes, Mission Monarch counts, Wild Bee Days, Red Oak Acorn Collection events, Black Ash Hunts, and forest health workshops. These events will introduce participants to tools and concepts used across the program, and they will serve as an entry point for visitors who later choose to take on more specialized roles.
Pathway #2: Passive Recreation Initiatives: A suite of casual participation initiatives will invite anyone on the landscape to contribute to ongoing monitoring projects. Initiatives such as Chronolog, iNaturalist (VAL), Merling, and the PIP Project, will all provide simple, accessible ways for visitors to participate.
Pathway #3: Targeted/Trained Volunteer Initiatives: Skilled volunteer research will support long-term ecological monitoring conducted by trained volunteers. Programs such as vernal pool monitoring, Caterpillars Count!, the Butterfly Atlas, NestWatch, the American Kestrel Research Project, and the Adopt-a-PUC Program will anchor Smokey House’s scientific contributions.
Seasonal Programming Flow Smokey House will implement its community science initiatives within a strong seasonal framework that keeps the program active and engaging throughout the year. In spring, vernal pool monitoring, phenology observations, Caterpillars Count!, NestWatch, and early-season bird acoustic data will establish momentum as the biological year begins. In summer, BioBlitz events, Wild Bee Surveys, Butterfly Atlas outings, Kestrel research, continued NestWatch monitoring, and heightened PUC acoustic activity will support peak community engagement and biodiversity documentation. In fall, Red Oak Acorn Collection, forest health monitoring, late-season butterfly or bee surveys, and riparian programs such as the Black Ash Hunt will maintain volunteer activity while PUC data captures migration and seasonal transitions. Throughout the winter months, year-round programs like Chronolog, iNaturalist/VAL observations, HaikuBox, the Adopt-a-Puc stations, and CoCoRaHS will ensure that the flow of ecological data continues even in the quieter season.
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Vernal pool monitoring Phenology observations Caterpillars Count! NestWatch BioBlitz events Wild Bee Surveys Butterfly Atlas Kestrel research Red Oak Acorn Collection Forest health monitoring Riparian programs PUC acoustic activity Bird acoustic Chronolog iNaturalist/VAL observations HaikuBox Adopt-a-Puc stations CoCoRaHS
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Data Integration and Storytelling Smokey House Center will integrate data from all community science initiatives into a unified, publicly accessible narrative about the landscape. A shared iNaturalist project hub will organize biodiversity records, while Chronolog time-lapses will visually communicate landscape change over time. Acoustic datasets from HaikuBox and the Birdweather PUC stations will be used to illustrate seasonal bird activity, migration timing, and habitat differences through spectrograms and species timelines. Results from across the program will be highlighted in community presentations, newsletters, social media, annual reports, and educational materials. A dedicated Community Science Web Portal will track ongoing progress and provide a central home for data visualization and volunteer resources. Volunteer contributions— including PUC adopters, vernal pool monitors, nest box stewards, and standout iNaturalist participants—will be recognized regularly, reinforcing a culture of shared stewardship and scientific curiosity. Through this integrated storytelling approach, Smokey House will transform raw ecological data into compelling, accessible insights that strengthen community engagement and demonstrate the value of longterm monitoring.
Program Readiness: A number of the more passive community science initiatives listed above are ready to be implemented in 2026 with little to no additional funding or infrastructure while some of the other initiatives will not be implemented until additional funds are acquired to pay for infrastructure and staffing needs. Summary Table
Category
Ready for Launch
Needs Infrastructure
Needs Additional Staff Time
Needs Additional Staff Time & Infrastructure
Initiatives iNaturalist/VAL, PIP Project, Mission Monarch, BioBlitz, seasonal observation challenges, existing HaikuBox data engagement, snake transect surveys, EAB/BLD/BBD monitoring, Black Ash Hunt/Ash seed collection, Red oak acorn collection
Chronolog, CoCoRaHS
Caterpillars Count!, Wild Bee Survey, Adopt-a-PUC (Birdweather) Vernal Pools (VCE & EREN), NestWatch, American Kestrel Project, Phenology Trail, Butterfly Atlas
Participant Recruitment Passive community science initiatives will be available to anyone choosing to recreate at Smokey House Center. Participants will be able to learn about seasonal initiatives, as well as how to directly participate through two primary avenues: a) signage found at Smokey House Centers future Visitor Center and b) the Community Science Initiatives tab on Smokey House Center’s website. Group oriented initiatives will be conducted through two main avenues: a) school group visits in the spring and fall with the roughly 20 area K-12 schools Smokey House currently has existing relationships with and b) community science volunteer events open to the public and advertised by Smokey House Center and existing partners.
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Volunteers that need specific training for certain initiatives will be recruited through two specific avenues: a) local high schoolers in search of independent project or internship work and b) passionate local community members interested in taking ownership in an initiative.
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Community Science Tracking: Recreational activity on our two main trail systems will be tracked using TRAFx Trail Counters. Participation in different community science initiatives will be tracked through a combination of passport tracking, counting digital observations made, and workshop participation.
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Incentivizing Participation: We will incentivize participation in the Community Science Program by offering a Community Science Passport to participants that they can fill as they contribute to various initiatives. The participants with the most passport stamps will be entered into a raffle each year that will offer nsect S Tra ur e exciting prizes from our community partners.
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Ecotone and Accessibility: An ecotone is a region of transition between two habitats - for example the place where a forest and a field meet - that is more diverse and abundant than either single habitat. Smokey House Center is dedicated to building a community that mirrors the beauty and productivity of an ecotone, where people of all races, ethnic and economic backgrounds, gender identities, sexual orientations, religions, ages, political viewpoints, lived experiences and abilities are encouraged to participate in and impact the organization's work and decision making. In order to make this possible, Smokey House Center recognizes that it will need to allocate its resources thoughtfully so that everyone involved is able to participate fully and equally in our shared work and enjoy equal access to desirable outcomes. The Community Science Program will be a primary organization force for accomplishing our vision of an ecotone at Smokey House Center. We will aim to welcome diverse communities and provide accessible recreational and community science activities. See the attached report titled “DEIB Initiatives for Trail Revitalization and Community Science” co-developed with project partners at Strength Perspectives for more detail.
Trail Use and Initiative Locations The majority of the passive community science initiatives will be located around the three primary trails proposed for revitalization and continued maintenance: 1.Dorset Peak Trail 2.Northern Loop Trail 3.Pond Trail The Dorset Peak Trail is a challenging 6.5 mile out and back traverse up and across the north face of Dorset Mountain, climbing more than 2,300 feet in elevation. The route passes through a rich sequence of forest communities, beginning in northern hardwood forest dominated by large sugar maples, transitioning through yellow birch–red spruce forest, and culminating in highelevation spruce–fir forest across the mountain’s spine. Passive Community Science Opportunities: Vermont Atlas of Life Phenology Trail Merlin Ebird Chronolog Sites The Northern Loop Trail is an easily accessible, well maintained, and relatively flat trail that starts from Smokey House Center’s visitor center and cuts through a diversity of habitats including managed agricultural fields, open meadows, our remarkable old growth sugar maple stand, diverse northern hardwood forest, a mature pine stand, and a meandering floodplain forest. Passive Community Science Opportunities: Vermont Atlas of Life Merling Ebird Wild Bee Survey PIP Project Chronolog Sites The Pond Loop is Smokey House’s most accessible trail and can be reached directly from the Visitor Center. This ADA-accessible path offers an easy walk along the water’s edge, where you can listen to an orchestra of calling amphibians, watch swallows and kingfishers hunting above the pond, and enjoy a diversity of pollinators feeding on nectar from our native riparian buffer planting. Community Science Opportunities: Vermont Atlas of Life Merlin Ebird Cornell's HaikuBox Wild Bee Survey PIP Project Some initiatives, such as some of the specific group initiatives like black ash monitoring or ash seed collection, will take place in different sections of Smokey House’s 5,000 acre landscape. See attached map for specific future locations to various community science initiatives.
Merlin Recording Stations
Smokey House Center Public Trails Map
Trailhead Kiosks Chronolog Photo Stations Dorset Peak Trail Green Mountain Trail Northern Loop Pond Loop Smokey House Center Boundary
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Welcome to Smokey House Center! We hope you enjoy your time recreating throughout this beautiful little valley. Go to our website or look out for our Community Science Program signage to learn about how you can get involved in our work directly. Please email us at info@smokeyhouse.org to report any trail issues.
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Conclusion
This planning effort marks an important step toward revitalizing Smokey House Center’s trail system and building a Community Science Program that reflects the needs, interests, and aspirations of the people who are in relationship with and care deeply for this remarkable landscape. The insights gathered through community engagement, partner conversations, and ecological assessment have provided a clear and grounded foundation for the program’s next phase of implementation. Smokey House Center extends its sincere gratitude to the VOREC Community Grant Program for making this work possible, and to our project partners—including Sinuosity, the Vermont Center for Ecostudies, UVM Extension, Strength Perspectives, and the many community members who contributed their time and perspective. Their expertise, commitment, and collaboration have been essential in shaping a vision that integrates recreation, research, and stewardship in meaningful and lasting ways. We look forward to carrying this work forward together as we build a resilient, community-centered future for Smokey House Center.
SMOKEY HOUSE CENTER 426 Danby Mountain Road - Danby, Vermont 05739 www.smokeyhouse.org 802-293-2300