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Natural History of the North Woods with Jonathan Shapiro
May 1, 2022 @ 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM
$60Natural History of the North Woods – A Field Workshop with Jonathan Shapiro
Sunday May 1 | 9 am – 3 pm | $60
12 participants
Register Here
We live at the meeting point of two forest biomes: the boreal forest stretches north to the tundra, and the temperate deciduous forest extends south to the gulf of Mexico. Where these two great forests overlap is called the North Woods, a unique and diverse area with its own distinct and fascinating character. This overlap zone has a strong influence on the tree, bird, and mammal species here in Central Vermont. By applying the North Woods lens to our landscape, we can better understand patterns of plant distribution and animal behavior.
Join Jonathan Shapiro of Fox Paw School for a day of North Woods natural history. We’ll explore what the North Woods is, how to define it on a broad and specific scale, and spend field time talking about and observing indicator species for this special and diverse region we call home.
We’ll start our morning at NBNC in the classroom, and then head into the field to talk about the temperate forest’s influence on the Nature Center’s property. After lunch, we’ll visit a boreal site within 30 minutes of the Nature Center to observe and interpret the region’s boreal forest influence. Since forest composition provides the baseline for the North Woods, we’ll take some time to hone our tree ID skills, as well look and listen for signs of mammals and birds that will help us form a picture of the North Woods community.
Expect to leave with a birds-eye view of the region’s natural history, as well as an in-depth look at the tree, bird, and mammal species that make up the North Woods.
Physical Expectations: This class will have involve walking over uneven footing up to two miles over the course of the day on mild to moderate slopes, with a few steep climbs, and sometimes off-trail.
