Site Visit: March 23rd

Almost anyone who has traveled to the Green Mountain State can agree on at least one thing: beauty abounds here. Yet if one were to ask what makes these six million acres of land so beautiful, however, answers would surely vary. 

For me, Vermont is so beautiful because no matter where I find myself within its borders, I can always find myself surrounded in a special scene. Whether I'm taking a trip solely to lose myself within a forest or running errands down the road, I never find myself too far from some beautiful landscapes. Our site for this project is no exception...

A view to the north, 0.5 miles east of Bolton Valley Access Road, Bolton, VT

Looking south from the same location in Bolton, VT

This landscape is undoubtedly one that demands a second glance, if not numerous more. But more than just our admiration, it sustains some of Vermont's most unbroken wildlife habitat as well. These photographs show the north and south perspective of the Green Mountains, and (to the south) the valley through which the Long Trail is marked. It is a place of many uses, to wildlife and human populations alike, but to understand the full context of the landscape, one must broaden the lens: 

From the same location, looking southeast

Interstate 89 simply cannot be forgotten. It is a part of the landscape, and its presence is felt with great weight when one stands observing the scene. Cars rush by at 65 miles per hour or more, a dubious fence stands crookedly, and the gray pavement sits out of place among the colorful early budding hardwoods. 

But the road is going nowhere anytime soon, we can be sure of that. It doesn't hurt to admit that this highway is a vital mode of transit in Vermont and to try and reroute all four (six if one counts Route 2) lanes of it is not a quick and simple solution. So what can one hope to change? What can we work on in order to (if not return this beautiful place to a more natural state completely) promote safe travel of humans and wildlife together? 

To the west, 0.5 miles east of Bolton Valley Access

To the north, 2.6 miles east of Bolton Valley Access

Fences.

The highway to the south and even the mountain ranges to the north are blocked off by fences. One can assume these six foot high chain-linked structures are put in place for a few reasons, quite possibly solely to avoid wildlife crossings and the subsequent accidents on the road. The fences are too flimsy to stop any determined human, and serve as a secondary defense (after the thick highway railings) for cars that have found their way off the road. So let us assume that the fences are there to serve as a wildlife barrier. Then a whole new problem arises. Sure, they may keep animals from crossing, reducing collisions and roadkill, but what about when the fences begin to isolate populations? What happens when two extensive habitats to the north and south are cut off by not just the road (See post: What Harm Could A Road Do?: Animal Behavior) but by a fence as well? 

Problems with conservation of populations and habitat arise. Problems with the public and transportation arise. Several problems arise. 

But what we discovered a few miles down the road (at the end of our site range) adds a new (and obvious) component to the problem: 

Looking west, 2.6 miles east of Bolton Valley Access Road, Bolton, VT

There can't always be fences everywhere, and there aren't. In several locations along our site, even when the land to the north and south is flat enough for animals to move across the landscape without difficulty, low surmountable barricades stand in lieu of fences. 

So we are left to wonder for our own solutions, but the situation is not hopeless. Although it would take much more planning, specific GIS analysis, and cooperation across several organizations, we took the time to frame a few of our own ideas to give ourselves a start on where to look in our future research. 

Observing a few specific spots along our site, we wondered (albeit with great hope and caution of further study), of the possibility of an underpass that would cross below the busy highway. Along several sections of the interstate, we found that the road was raised nearly 7'-8' above the sides where we were standing. It would take time, money, and careful construction, but it could perhaps serve as a start to a connection - especially with smaller mammals and undoubtedly amphibians. 

A raised section of Interstate 89, 0.5 miles east of Bolton Valley Access Road, Bolton, VT. Could this site serve as the beginning of connectivity projects?

A location about one mile west of the beginning of our site. While this cannot be found in the range of our study area, we wondered if construction such as this could be applied to our site.

 Secondly, and much more hopeful, we wondered at the possibility of a wildlife bridge - a structure becoming more and more common in the west concerning larger fauna such as grizzly, elk, and mountain lion populations. Continually, we observed large rocky structures between the lanes of the interstate and on either side of the highway as well. These "cliffs" were once likely the rock that was dynamited to make way for the road. Could they not serve as abutments for "natural" bridges (topped with soil and allowed to grow as a forest) that cross over the interstate? 

An outcropping of bedrock between the four lanes of Interstate 89

Another outcropping not in the range of our site, but a few miles west of our range

Cliffs to the north of the interstate. Spanning a bridge across the roads would greatly increase population movements and decrease road moralities

As for now, it remains speculation, but within the next few days, our project will make the effort to apply real analysis and supply full context in order to discover the viability of our dreams. 

Until then, there is always hope.