During an early morning farm breakfast of pancakes and bacon at the Couture Maple Shop and Bed & Breakfast, Jacques Couture chatted with us about his dairy farm and maple syrup operation. Perhaps the most interesting aspect of his discussion was his resistance to organic dairy farming which is clearly more profitable than conventional farming. His reasoning was that some of the regulations of organic dairy farming were arbitrary and unnecessary.

Our first stop of the day was Island Pond Woodworkers, a local employee owned furniture producer that specializes in using Forest Steward Council (FSC) certified wood, primarily Vermont birch and maple. During our visit we observed production of computer desks for St. Joseph’s College. Their products are currently being used by Middlebury and Dartmouth. Later that day we further discussed certified wood production in Vermont with Mark Lorenzo.

Later that morning, a group of NR students was observed exiting a boreal forest near Moose Bog. At the front of their ranks was John “Doc” Donnelly, emeritus professor at the Rubenstein School. He graciously took time to point out various trees, herbaceous plants and ecological characteristics typical of boreal forests in the Northeast Kingdom. This forest, located on a sandy glacial outwash soil, is dominated by balsam fir and spruce trees. The forest floor is covered with a thick layer of organic material that is present because of the relatively low number of decomposing organisms in this cool, acidic environment. Doc stated that the combination of heavy frost and acid rain in the region has lead to the decline of red spruce.

Doc then took us to Moose Bog, where we were shown many of the plants that grow there, including insectivorous plants such as sundew and pitcher plant. A major point of discussion included a bog’s role in the ecosystem. Scientists remain unsure as to the role of the bog in an ecological context. However, they agree that this class of ecosystems is sensitive to disturbance because of how slowly change occurs within it.

After our trip to Moose Bog, we were off to the former Champion lands in East Haven. Here we met with Conrad Motyka, former Commissioner of Forest, Parks, and Recreation for Vermont, who facilitated the controversial purchase and easements placed on former Champion International lands. This area, once owned by paper companies, was first bought by the Conservation Fund. Ownership was then transferred to a mosaic of state, federal and private owners required to abide by strict principles of sustainable forestry.

While at the former Champion lands, we also met with Matt Rubin, a private developer involved in renewable energy, who discussed his plan to place a series of wind turbines atop the windy montane ridges. Although the turbines provide clean energy, the process of installing them on the ridge tops involves some disturbance and the natural aesthetics of the area could be compromised.

Should the landscape be preserved or should the promise of a cleaner energy source offset the visual effects of these man-made structures on the landscape?

Our last stop for the day was at the National Wildlife Federation office in Montpelier, where we spoke with Mark Lorenzo. He discussed the Forest Stewardship Council, whose certification, among other things, ensures that the landowner is using responsible forestry management practices that minimize erosion, provide for wildlife habitat, and help maintain water quality. Consumers can look for the certification label to ensure that they are buying wood products that were produced in an environmentally responsible manner. The National Wildlife Federation is also striving to create links between local timber sources and the Vermont woodworking industry.