Part of the Shutesville Wildlife Series. Sponsored by the Shutesville Hill Wildlife Corridor Partnership.
Location:Green Mountain Club Visitors Center, Route 100, Waterbury Center
Time: 7-9pm
Free & open to the public. Donations to the Waterbury Conservation Fund welcome.
The American marten (Martes Americana) requires forested landscapes and once ranged throughout New England’s Northern Forest ecosystem. Over hunting, trapping, habitat loss and competition drove this small member of the weasel family to near extinction in the region. They were thought to be long gone from Vermont despite a reintroduction effort. However, recent sightings in far northern and southern parts of the state suggest these animals are back.
Dr. James Murdoch, an Associate Professor at UVM’s Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, will share his recent research into where these marten populations came from and what they will need in order to stay. Come learn about this fascinating animal and the story of its survival in the northeast. Does Vermont have the connected forest landscape needed to allow marten populations to thrive, and can places like the Shutesville Hill Wildlife Corridor in Waterbury and Stowe play a role in their conservation?
Dr. James Murdoch’s research relates primarily to the behavior and ecology of mammalian carnivores, focusing on their management and conservation. He is a Vermont native, and his work has taken him around the world studying wildlife. This will be an exciting presentation that you won’t want to miss