Here's just a small sampling of the natural treasures we've helped preserve over the years.
One of two sections of boardwalk on our newly completed Whipple Hollow Trail in West Rutland. Below, a Northern Waterthrush singing alongside the trail.
whipple hollow trail
The creation of the Whipple Hollow Trail began in 2019 when Rutland County Audubon Society and the town of West Rutland received a grant to construct Phase 2 of a three-part trail. The project was designed to allow Audubon members to monitor marsh birds without traveling on the busy Whipple Hollow Road. However, construction was delayed due to Covid-19 and was not completed until June 2021. The Vermont Youth Conservation Corps was hired to construct the two-part boardwalk through a cedar and hemlock swamp, while the town of West Rutland put in a parking lot and Stafford Technical School's construction class built a kiosk that will provide information about the trail. Rutland County Audubon continues to add improvements to either end of the trail, including trail markers and a rope railing for the boardwalk.
A Northern Waterthrush singing next to the Whipple Hollow Trail. Photo by David S. Jenne
The Whipple Hollow Trail meanders on two boardwalks through a Northern White Cedar swamp, which is a very rare feature in Vermont. There, you can also find Balsam Fir, Eastern White Pine, Eastern Hemlock, and Black Ash on dry hummocks, and many species of moss on fallen logs. Between the two boardwalks, at Hemlock Island, you can transport yourself back in time and feel the breeze, smell the towering evergreens, and hear birds like Winter Wren, Ruffed Grouse, and Red-breasted Nuthatch. The second boardwalk ends at the edge of a partially wet meadow, filled with swaying grasses, young aspens, wildflowers, and shrubs. You may be able to spot Eastern Bluebirds, Tree Swallows, Cedar Waxwings, American Goldfinches, and even Sedge Wrens.
The trail was constructed by the Vermont Youth Conservation Corps with help from volunteers and Merrell Boots, and was paid for through a grant obtained by Rutland County Audubon and the Town of West Rutland. It was designed by Ralph Nimtz, an architect and board member of Rutland County Audubon, and laid out by Jenn Krebs of the VYCC. The property is owned by the town of West Rutland and protected by a conservation easement.
The Whipple Hollow Trail is a unique and quiet spot in the West Rutland Marsh, and now, walkers can bypass a dangerous stretch of road and get closer to a variety of habitats. So, if you want to explore this beautiful and peaceful marsh, pull all the way off when parking along Whipple Hollow Road, and enjoy the trail.
You can read more about the project in this story published in Rutland Magazine.
west rutland marsh boardwalk
The Boardwalk in West Rutland Marsh in West Rutland, was created to provide a safe passage through the marsh for visitors, bird watchers, and nature enthusiasts.
The structure reaches into the wetland and allows visitors to experience the flora and fauna of the marsh up close and personal. It also provides a vantage point for birdwatchers to observe a variety of bird species that call the marsh home.
The Rutland County Audubon Society played a significant role in this project by raising funds and collaborating with other organizations and volunteers to make the Boardwalk a reality. We have also organized educational programs and tours to promote the importance of West Rutland Marsh as a significant wetland and bird habitat.
The Boardwalk has become a popular attraction in West Rutland, attracting visitors from all walks of life to enjoy the beauty of the marsh. It remains a testament to our efforts of the in preserving the wildlife and habitats of Rutland County, Vermont and beyond.
We recently replaced the lumber on this critical access point in the West Rutland March. You can read more about it here.
New swift tower under construction at Giorgetti Park in Rutland.
chimney swift tower
In the spring of 2021 Rutland County Audubon, funded by a grant, and with the help of the Stafford Technical Center of Rutland High School and the Rutland Recreation and Parks Department, constructed a Chimney Swift tower at the Giorgetti Athletic Complex adjacent to Pine Hill Park. Hopefully this will help swifts who lose their nesting options. Read here about the amazing Chimney Swift.
You can read more about the project here and here.
Bird Surveys - Volunteers Needed
Rutland County Audubon periodically undertakes monitoring at locations in Rutland County. If you are interested in participating, please contact us at birding@rutlandcountyaudubon.org.
West Rutland Marsh Bird Monitoring. An ongoing monthly survey of the bird life in West Rutland Marsh. To date over 1,175 participants have tallied 137 species from American bittern to northern shrike. Check Events for the next outing. Click here for more information, including a complete bird list.
we need you!
Bird enthusiasts of all ages are welcome to help us monitor bird populations in Rutland County.
The Pomainville Wildlife Management Area. In April 2009 RCAS undertook monitoring of the 356 acres of upland and wetland habitats along the Otter Creek in Pittsford. The monitoring will conclude in March. To date 94 species have been tallied. For more information on the area, including a complete bird list, click here.
Aitken State Forest. In 2008-2009 RCAS monitored the 918-acre state forest in Mendon. Seventy-three species were tallied over a twelve-month period. For more information, including a complete bird list, click here.