Shoe Trees part three: Who or what decides?

Vernon is a working landscape. We have multiple generational dairy farms as well as backyard farms, seasonal operations such as sugaring, stone quarries, railroad, hydroelectric dam, a mulch company,  logging, a large neighboring lumber industry and the growing presence of eco tourism. With each of these industries, decisions have been made as to how best utilize our resources.

 I'm sure that over the four hundred years at Black Gum Swamps, more than a few close calls were had in the name of progress, commodity, home heating as well natural causes such as fire, disease and changing environment.

A short hike up Black Gum Swamps' red trail reveals American Chestnut rings where mature trees once graced the swamp's landscape. Did these valuable trees fall victim to the blight, age or logging? Is it possible with careful management to restore the stand?

Last Autumn I was with a group of naturalists touring the swamps when the leader requested that no participant who had been in contact with chestnuts previously, approach the rings for fear of transferring the blight. This group seemed more excited about the rings than the Black Gums Vernon is so famous for.

Though the pictures of trees I take today may seemingly lack the romance of others found in or once found in Vernon, I can't help but wonder if our maples, ash and hemlocks without purposeful intervention, will someday go the way of the American Chestnut and American Elm.  With the Asian Long- horned Beetle, Emerald Ash Borer, Woolly Adelgid, land use pressures and climate change, one thing is certain, the foresight of our community members to conserve Black Gum Swamps and our town forest was wise, but will it be enough?

Wouldn't that be a shame if in twenty years shoes hung from our Sugar Maples instead of taps? - Norma Manning

Sapline running to a collection barrel on Huckle Hill