Hogback Mountain Conservation Association
Route 9, Marlboro, Vermont
Preserving a Mountain Treasure
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What is the Future of Hogback? A walk in the woods with the planning committee
10:00-11:30 am, Saturday, Oct 12, 2024
The town-owned Hogback Mountain Conservation Area in Marlboro is now well over a decade old. The Management Plan that was written when the conservation area was new has served us well over the years, but it’s time for an update. Join us for a walk through the woods to hear about some of the proposed refinements that the update committee will be recommending. The walk will focus on proposals for active forest management and on guidance for recreation trails.
The committee will be seeking feedback from the public on the ideas that are being proposed. If you’d like to read the entire 28-page document, you can find the draft online on the town’s website, http://marlborovt.us. Click the Boards & Minutes tab, and select Hogback Preservation Commission from the dropdown menu. Scroll down the page to the section on the Hogback Management Plan Update Committee (HMPUC). You’ll find the link to the draft Plan there.
For the Saturday walk, we'll be hiking on some of the north side trails on relatively easy terrain, at a very slow pace, covering about a mile in total. We'll stop frequently to look at the forest and the trails and talk about management ideas. Meet in the northeast corner of the big parking lot on the north side of Route 9. No need to pre-register. Questions? Contact HMPUC via email at hogbackplanning@gmail.com. You can also submit written comments on the draft plan to that email address.
What is the future of Hogback? An indoor discussion with the planning committee
7:30-9:00 pm, Wednesday, Oct 23, 2024
Hybrid: In person at the Marlboro Community Center and via Zoom
The town-owned Hogback Mountain Conservation Area in Marlboro is now well over a decade old. The Management Plan that was written when the conservation area was new has served us well over the years, but it’s time for an update. Join us for a presentation of proposed changes. Forest management and trails will be discussed, as well as other more administrative changes, on topics such as when use permits should be required, what should be done with the old buildings, and how work on the mountain can be funded.
The committee will be seeking feedback from the public on the ideas that are being proposed. If you’d like to read the entire 28-page document, you can find the draft online on the town’s website, marlborovt.us http://marlborovt.us. Click the Boards & Minutes tab, and select Hogback Preservation Commission from the dropdown menu. Scroll down the page to the section on the Hogback Management Plan Update Committee (HMPUC). You’ll find the link to the draft Plan there.
There's no need to pre-register for this meeting, just join us in person at the Marlboro Community Center or connect via Zoom. To join the meeting by Zoom, use the following information.
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82119973527
Meeting ID: 821 1997 3527
To join by phone: 1-646-558-8656
no password required
Questions? Contact HMPUC via email at hogbackplanning@gmail.com You can also submit written comments on the draft plan to that email address.
BIRD MONITORING SPRING 2024
Bird Monitoring at Hogback enters its 5th Season in May 2024, thanks to the dedication of Eric Slayton and help from volunteers. During parts of May and possibly June they will be mist netting, banding birds and recording data. If you would like to find out more information or sign up, please contact Eric at eric.slayton@me.com. No experience is needed.
Cedar wax wing - Fall 2023 Bird Banding Project
Photo courtesy of Nancy Tognan
Trail Maintenance
In Progress
Photo By Bob Anderson
Tuning up the trails is in progress - cutting fallen trees blocking the trails, lopping overhanging branches, and weed whacking the weeds and new shoots on the trails. We are happy to report that the north side kiosks are once again visible, thanks to the trail crew. A side benefit to this work can be the discovery of useful or interesting information–an invasive plant that requires removal, moose scat reaffirming their presence in the conservation area, perhaps a jack-in-the pulpit.
WANT TO HELP CLEAR & TRIM TRAILS? OR HIKE AT LEISURE TO MONITOR AND REPORT CONDITION OF TRAILS? Get in touch by email at hmca@hogbackvt.org.
MANAGEMENT PLAN UPDATE FOR THE CONSERVATION AREA NOW UNDERWAY
It’s been thirteen 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.