High Pond Preserve
12.27.2020
High Pond Preserve is a Nature Conservancy property in the Taconic mountain range near Castleton, VT, about 40 minutes south of Middlebury. The trail rises, falls and winds through diverse areas in various stages of succession. An agricultural field with new tree growth was our first surprise. It was utterly delightful to see the area beginning its long return to a richer, more diverse ecology.
An abandoned farm implement in an old farming field that is now protected from the ecological impacts of agriculture. High Preserve Pond, Vermont. 12-27-2020
Sony A7RII, Sony 12-24 f4.0, Gitzo Travel tripod
Another area is a forest comprised largely of paper birches, some of which are old, large and wonderfully marked and scarred. Birches are one of the early arrivers to landscapes freed from the devastating impacts of human activities such as agriculture, mining, and quarrying. The old birches here suggest that significant human activity ceased decades ago. The trees in this area are deciduous and leafless this time of year and the terrain is open and light-filled and joyful. Other hardwood trees will eventually replace these pioneering but relatively short-lived birches. We savored this wonderful setting of these gorgeous trees.
A section of Gray Birch trees at High Pond Preserve, Vermont. 12-27-2020.
Sony A7RII, Sony 12-24 f4.0, Gitzo Travel tripod
A declining large Eastern Hemlock as evidenced by tree fungus. 12-27-2020
Sony A7RII, Sony 12-24 f4.0, Gitzo Travel tripod
One of the natural areas in the preserve is a conifer forest, primarily Eastern Hemlocks, with many inspiring mature trees, including live, snags and downed trees. The many hillocks and tangles point to a long period free from human interference. But the most striking feature to me of this landscape was the cacophony of calls from the large number and variety of birds living in this section of forest. The large number here are a testament to the maturity and complexity of this area of forest. It’s terribly exciting to be in a forest like this, and it gives me hope that some of the forests that we’ve lost can, over time and with protections, be restored to balance and will support a diverse, richness of wildlife.
An old, wizened—and dead—Hemlock snag is still standing and will continue to service the wider ecosystem at High Pond Preserve for many decades, Vermont, 12-27-2020.
Sony A7RII, Sony 12-24 f4.0 & Gitzo Travel tripod
The contrast of the richness of this forested landscape with most of the ones we see along trails in the Green Mountain forests his striking. There, the trees are part of a managed landscape open to clearcut logging, where the forests consist of uniformly sized and spaced trees with far less of the undergrowth and tree falls that offer wildlife the kind of niches they need. This beautiful Eastern Hemlock forest is a striking testament to what is gained by leaving nature undisturbed for a long period of time.
A messy and rich section of the forest at High Pond Preserve, Vermont. 12-27-2020
Sony A7RII, Sony 12-24 f4.0, Gitzo Travel tripod
Geomorphology operates continuously and here the stream bed is undermining the soil around this tree. High Pond Preserve, Vermont. 12-27-2020
Sony A7RII, Sony 12-24 f4.0, Gitzo Travel tripod
We reached the pristine, tree lined High Pond, which, while frozen, was not yet safe enough to walk on. I want to return later this winter to explore the shoreline when the pond ice is fully frozen.
On the return leg, we stopped occasionally to inspect some of the many animal tracks clearly evident on the light snow cover—I’ve never seen so many tracks in a Vermont forest! Next time we will return with our animal tracks guide next to identify what species are here. The variety and quality of the areas in the preserve was just so delectable that we continued to slow-walk our exit from this magical place and timed our finish to coincide with sunset. Perfect. Thank you Nature Conservancy—$ from us coming your way!
