Hogback Mountain Conservation Association
Route 9, Marlboro, Vermont
Preserving a Mountain Treasure
Would you like to bring your group to Hogback for an outdoor event? You may need a permit. Get more information by clicking this button --->
HOGBACK EVENTS
All events are free and open to the public. Registration for events is required, due to limited space, unless otherwise indicated.
To register or for questions, contact hmca@hogbackvt.org unless otherwise noted.
VERNAL POOL EXPLORATION.
Saturday May 10, 1:30 pm.
We will walk up the Tower Trail to a large vernal pool at an old ski tow terminal. We will count amphibian egg masses, differentiating wood frog from salamander egg masses, and learn how we use the Survey123 app to report pool conditions. Good boots are recommended for the 15- to 20-minute hike. Registration required.
SPRING BIRD MIGRATION WALK.
Sunday May 11, 7:30-9:30 am.
This annual tribute to the spirit of Marlboro College biologist Bob Engel will now always fall on Mother’s Day. Naturalist Cherrie Corey will guide us in attuning our eyes and ears to the plumage and songs of visiting songbirds and give careful attention to their preferred habitat and location in the canopy. Along the way, we’ll stop at the bird banding station to see how the day’s tally is coming and watch Eric Slayton and his team in action. Registration required.
SPRING WILDFLOWER WALK.
Sunday May 18, 1:30 – 3:30 pm.
This should be a perfect time to examine the diversity of early spring ephemerals and other wildflowers and their habitats. Join Cherrie Corey and be amazed at the number of plants you will find along the trails. Registration required.
BIRD-BANDING PROJECT
Various non-rainy days in May and early June, mornings. See dates and times below.
***You must email Eric and sign up***
Eric Slayton will be conducting his sixth annual bird-banding project in the conservation area; volunteers interested in helping with the study should contact him directly at Eric.Slayton@me.com for details.
Sunday May 4th at 9:00 am EST Set up Station
Bird banding on the following dates:
Wednesday May 7th at 6:00 am EST
Friday May 9th at 6:00 an EST
Sunday May 11th at 6:00 am EST
Tuesday May 13th at 6:00 am EST
Thursday May 15th at 6:00 am EST
Saturday May 17th at 6:00 am EST
Monday May 19th at 6:00 am EST
Wednesday May 21st at 6:00 am EST
Friday May 23rd at 6:00 am EST
Tuesday May 27th at 6:00 am EST
Thursday May 29th at 6:00 am EST
**All dates are subject to the weather **
FOREST MANAGEMENT: WHAT IS THE FOREST TRYING TO TELL YOU?
Saturday, July 12, 10:00-11:30 am.
Vermont Land Trust Forester Pieter van Loon will help us look at a forest that
hasn’t been actively managed for decades to see what the forest needs to be healthy and long-lived, and to meet your goals if you are considering managing your woods. The program is sponsored by the Windham Regional Woodlands Association and open to all; no registration is required for this event. Meet in the big parking lot on the north side of the highway across from the Hogback overlook on Route 9 near the Marlboro/Wilmington line. Questions? Contact Diana Todd at diana.r.todd@gmail.com.
MEDICINAL PLANT WALK
Saturday August 2, 10 am-12:00 pm.
Allison Turner (PhD, Pharmacognosy) will be leading a plant walk identifying the lower-growing plants at the edges of forest and in nearby fields. We will see native and non-native plants, invasives and possibly rare specimens. Allison will explain the medicinal uses for several local plants, both according to folklore and modern science. This will be an easy walk, as we will be stopping every few feet to look at a new plant. Registration required.
AUTUMN PHOTO FORAY
Sunday September 28, 8:30 AM
Join local naturalist and photographer, Cherrie Corey, for an autumn morning photo foray along the trails of Hogback Mountain Conservation Area. Cherrie will focus on Hogback’s unique historical artifacts, vistas, and wilder details, using cameras to tune in more closely to the marvels of autumn life, light, and color on the mountain. We’ll also learn some tips about lighting, composition, and perspective that help to highlight the unique visual features of the landscape. Dress warmly and wear sturdy footwear. Bring your favorite camera (digital or analog). Registration required.
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Check out the Hogback website for more information about the Hogback Mountain Conservation Association and updates on events: www.hogbackvt.org
MANAGEMENT PLAN UPDATE FOR THE CONSERVATION AREA NOW UNDERWAY
It’s been fourteen years since the conservation area was created and the first plan for managing the use of the nearly 600 acres was drafted. In that time, people of all ages and with a wide variety of different interests have enjoyed the trails and slopes. Wildlife seems to be thriving, and the forest is healthy. The existing approach to managing the land seems to be working. Why the update? One reason is that just before covid, we had a year-long study done by naturalist Charley Eiseman, who produced a Biodiversity Inventory covering both flora and fauna. This report gives us new insight into questions such as “Are there any special plants or animals in the conservation area that deserve special protection?” Another reason is the development of new technologies, such as drones and e-bikes, that hadn’t been considered when the first plan was written. The Hogback Management Plan Update Committee (HMPUC) is currently working on collecting questions, concepts and ideas to consider during the update. Public input will be formally sought later this year via surveys and public presentations, but in the meantime, members of the public are welcome at all HMPUC meetings, which are held in hybrid Zoom/in-person format, meeting at the Marlboro Town Office on the 2ndand 4th Wednesday of the month, at 7:30 pm. Agendas and Minutes can be found on the town website on the Hogback Preservation Commission page. The Zoom link is in the Agenda.
The Town of Marlboro has a permit process for groups that wish to hold events on Hogback. Download the permit application, which is formally known as a Facility Use Agreement, here. There is no permit filing fee. Submit the completed application to the Town Clerk, either in person, by mail (Marlboro Town Clerk, PO Box 518, Marlboro, VT 05344), or by scanning and emailing the completed application to townclerk@marlborovt.us.
Once your application has been submitted, a Town-appointed Hogback Preservation Commission member will review your plans and may contact you to discuss the details. The permit process allows the Town to interact with event organizers to be sure users know what activities are and are not allowed, and to consider whether to grant a variance to the rules in special circumstances.