UVM Expands Natural Areas Program with Joe's Pond Acquisition

Written by Hannah Fischer and Joshua Beneš, published by the University of Vermont, February 25, 2025. Original link here.

UVM has added its 11th property to the Natural Areas Program with the acquisition of Joe's Pond, a protected sanctuary in Morrisville with a rich history.

Lifelong Morristown, Vermont resident and UVM alumnus Ron Stancliff has donated his property, Joe’s Pond – Morristown, to the University of Vermont. The property is held by a conservation easement through the Stowe Land Trust and has been conserved since 2005. The easement ensures that the forest, wildlife habitat, natural communities, and native flora and fauna will be protected, the water body and adjacent wetlands will be conserved, and that the property will remain undeveloped for present and future generations. It contains a breathtaking 11.3-acre pond bordered by a 19-acre mixed hardwood and softwood forest filled with hiking trails. The natural pond acts as a home to numerous species of birds, snapping turtles, and fish, including Bull Pout, Suckers, and Grass Pickerel.

Lori Anderson, the Natural Areas Coordinator and Stewardship Specialist, acknowledges the importance of conserving this land. She says, "the UVM Natural Areas Program is thrilled to work with the Stowe Land Trust in conserving this unique property; Joe’s Pond augments a network of conservation land in the area and provides new opportunities for ecological research and education at UVM.”

History

Steeped in local history, Joe's Pond – Morristown and Molly Bog Natural Area both trace their names to early settlers, Joe and Molly, who arrived in 1790. UVM's Molly Bog, acquired over 50 years ago and named for Joe's wife, remains a protected sanctuary, dedicated only to research and monitoring due to its delicate plant communities. Following Stancliff's generous donation, both properties will now be integrated into the UVM Natural Areas system. Unlike Molly Bog, Joe's Pond – Morristown is open to the public, offering opportunities for non-motorized recreation like hiking, kayaking, skiing, and snowshoeing. The pond also presents a rich environment for research and monitoring. The property is already utilized by the State of Vermont for bat monitoring, and it holds potential for studies on recreation management, forest health, wildlife communities, and more.

The property shouldn’t be confused with Joe’s Pond in Danville, Vermont. That Joe’s Pond is well known for its annual ice-out competition, which also offers an interesting history of monitoring changes to ice melt in Vermont over time.

Catalyzing New Student Opportunities 

To honor the legacy of Dr. Hub Vogelmann, a pioneering professor of Botany and founder of UVM's Field Naturalist Program, the University of Vermont's Field Research/Instruction and Land Stewardship Core has launched the "Hub Vogelmann Student Engagement Fund." Unveiled at the 50th Anniversary Natural Areas Symposium late last year, the fund supports student research within the Natural Areas Program and associated State-owned alpine and natural areas. Emily DeAlto, the inaugural recipient and a Field Naturalist student, will focus her project on the newly acquired Joe's Pond Natural Area. Her work will enhance accessibility through signage and trail maps, establish a natural community's assessment, and identify additional research and monitoring opportunities that future students can initiate on the property.

Faculty and Staff affiliated with the Natural Areas system and UVM Water Resources Institute joined Emily and Stowe Land Trust Conservation Program Manager, Carolyn Loeb, to explore the property and discuss opportunities it presents to UVM (photo below).