Vermont’s Ecology and Environment

VERMONT’S ECOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENT

Agency of Natural Resources

An introduction to town planning for natural resources

Vermont is 75% Forested

Some estimates are 20%

1750

1800

1850

1900

1950

2000

(Bountied in 1779)(Bountied in 1779)

CaribouElkWolverineBison

Mountain LionWolfMarten

LynxWhite-tailed DeerBeaverFisherMooseTurkeyCoyoteVirginia Opossum

Black Bear

(concern of too many)

(Population numbers drop precipitously)

Wildlife History

Forest Cover Across the State

Forest (71%)Non-Forest (21%)Water (8%)

Losing Habitat Vermont designated one

of “America’s most endangered places.”

Rate of development is 2.5 times rate of population growth.

1997 - 2007, 75 square miles were developed in VT (7X the area of Burlington). Vermonters for a Sustainable Population

Land-based Culture?

Fewer jobs tied to the land Land based economy has

shifted to tourism and recreation

Compact town design in Bellows Falls

“Photo from Above and Beyond.“ Campoli, J., Humstone, E., & MacLean, A. 2002.

Changing Growth PatternsSt. Albans Vermont, 2002

Development Patterns

dispersed, auto-dependent

development outside of

compact urban and village

centers, along highways, and

in rural countryside.

(SmartGrowth Vermont)

Sprawl

“Photos from Above and Beyond." Campoli, J., Humstone, E., & MacLean, A. 2002.

Pattern Matters

More intense fragmented forest in a rural community

Less fragmented forest in a rural community

Forest Fragmentation

Parcelization

"Above and Beyond: " 2002. Campoli, J., Humstone, E., & MacLean, A. Planners Press. Chicago, Illinois.

1950s 1960s 1970s

1980s 1990s

81% of Land in Vermont is Privately Owned

Privately Held Land in Vermont

Private

Public

Auto Dependent Employment

□625,741 people in VT

□67.9% or 424,899 Vermonters are in the workforce

□Of the working Vermonters 75% or 318,600 drive alone

□Most drive 10 – 25 miles each way

How People Get to Work:

Drive Alone 74.9% 74.3%

Car Pool 9.5% 9.9%Public Transportation

1.3% 1.4%

Work at Home 7.4% 6.2%

Population and Housing Trends

By 2030, Vermont’s population is expected to increase by 14% with and additional 86,000 residents.

U.S. Census, 2010. Vermont Housing Finance Agency, 2009. Transition Vermont, 2009

Since 2000, there have been approximately 1,400 new households annually.

Development Outpaces Population

Economic Contributions

Outdoor recreation supports 35,000 jobs $4.1 million from hunting, fishing and wildlife

watching $187 million annually in state tax revenue $2.5 billion annually in retail sales and

services

Biological Diversity in Vermont

□ There are between 24,000 – 43,000 species in Vermont.

□ Most species we know little about

Vermont Biodiversity Project

Loss of Wetlands

Fragmentation hurts ecological function

Invasive Species on the Rise 2/3 of VT’s trees are at risk to 3 invasive tree

pests Non-native plants are outcompeting native ones,

reducing biodiversity Water quality and recreation are impacted by aquatic

invasives

Pollution

Phosphorus Concentrations in Lake Champlain affects water quality, recreation, transportation and aesthetics

Map: Progress Report of the Interagency Climate Change Adaptation Task Force: Recommended Actions in Support of a National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy, October 5, 2010.

Changes in Precipitation

Climate Change Forecasts

From Union of Concerned Scientists – Confronting Climate Change in the Northeast (NECIA 2007)

Current: Temperatures have increased 1.8°F since 1970, with winter rising faster.

Projected: Average temperatures are projected to rise 9°F to 13° F in winter by late-century.

Current: Precipitation has increased 15-20% over the past 50 years with 67% of this falling in heavy precipitation events.

Projected: Winter precipitation will increase on the order of 20-30% with less snow - more rain.

Projected: Short-term summer droughts are projected to occur 2x as often

Changing Climate Trends

More frequent hot (over 90), humid days Longer growing seasons Worsening of air quality in areas where problems

already exist Increased heavy downpours More frequent winter thaws and earlier springs Less winter precipitation falling as snow and more

as rain Earlier spring snowmelt resulting in earlier peak

river flows More frequent short-term droughts in late summer

and fall

Ecosystem resiliency

Connect areas of physical

landscape diversity for

climate change adaptation

A Resilient Landscape has space for dynamic natural processes

Watersheds

Habitat Blocks

Areas of natural cover

surrounded by

roads, development and

agriculture□Interior forest habitat and intact

ecological processes

RaccoonHareCoyoteSmall rodentPorcupineBobcatCottontailBeaverBlack bearSquirrelWeaselMinkFisherWoodchuckDeerMuskratMooseRed foxSongbirdsSharp-shinned hawkBald eagleSkunkCooper’s hawkHarrierBroad-winged hawkGoshawkKestrelRed-tailed hawkHorned owlRavenBarred owlOspreyTurkey vultureTurkeyReptilesGarter snakeRing-neck snakeAmphibiansWood frog

Wildlife present in Forest Patches

RaccoonHare Small rodentPorcupine

CottontailBeaver

SquirrelWeaselMink

WoodchuckDeerMuskratMooseRed foxSongbirdsSharp-shinned hawkBald eagleSkunkCooper’s hawkHarrierBroad-winged hawkGoshawkKestrelRed-tailed hawkHorned owlRavenBarred owlOspreyTurkey vultureTurkeyReptilesGarter snakeRing-neck snakeAmphibiansWood frog

RaccoonHare

Small rodentPorcupine

CottontailBeaver

SquirrelWeaselMink

WoodchuckDeerMuskrat

Red foxSongbirdsSharp-shinned hawk

SkunkCooper’s hawkHarrierBroad-winged hawk

Kestrel

Horned owl

Barred owlOspreyTurkey vultureTurkeyReptilesGarter snakeRing-neck snakeMost AmphibiansWood frog

RaccoonHare

Small rodentPorcupine

CottontailBeaver

SquirrelWeasel

Woodchuck

Muskrat

Red foxSongbirds

Skunk

Most ReptilesGarter snakeRing-neck snakeMost Amphibians

Raccoon

Small rodent

Cottontail

Squirrel

Muskrat

Red foxSongbirds

Skunk

Most Reptiles Most Amphibians

Tier 1Undeveloped

Tier 2500-2500

acre blocks

Tier 3100-500 acre

blocks

Tier 420-100 acre

blocks

Tier 51-20 acre

blocks

From Above and Beyond." Campoli, J., Humstone, E., & MacLean, A. 2002.

(DeGraaf & Rudis 1986)

Moose 1,280 - 12,800 acBlack Bear19,200 ac

(SGCN)

Bobcat5,760 ac(SGCN)

Fisher 4,747 - 9,600 acRiver Otter15-30 linear miles(SGCN)

Area Dependent Mammal Species

Vermont Biodiversity Project

Does conservation in your town adequately address? • Elevation zones• Bedrock & Surficial

geology zones• Diversity in the

physical landscape

Conserved Land by Elevation