Craftsbury Outdoor Center Biodiversity Survey

The aim of this project is to record the species present on the Craftsbury Outdoor Center’s property, the surrounding trail system, and the Hosmer Ponds. The Outdoor Center (www.craftsbury.com) is located in Vermont's Northeast Kingdom. All our welcome to participate in this survey and no prior experience is necessary. We are planning to use the information collected from this project to help create a field guide to the Center’s flora and fauna. Additionally, by recording observations on the project’s web page, other Center visitors will have an idea of where to go and look for certain species they wish to see. We hope that this project will help connect both local and visiting nature enthusiasts.

If you have a smartphone you can create an iNaturalist profile, download the iNaturalist app, and bring your phone with you on a walk, run, ski, or snowshoe. Here is the link to our trail maps: http://www.craftsbury.com/skiing/nordic-center/nordic-trail-maps/. If your signal is not strong enough, or you don’t have a smartphone, you can use a camera. Take a photo of the species you observe - note the date, time, weather, and location (ex: the trail you’re on, the number of the nearest intersection, Great or Little Hosmer Pond, etc.) - and upload your photos and observations to this website.

Please avoid adding species that did not get where they are through natural means such as landscaping plants. In addition to observations of flora and fauna, observations of scat, tracks, and nests are also welcome.

If you are unable to confidently identify something, please add your observation and click the “ID Please!” button, as someone else might be able to identify the species for you. Only add an unidentified observation if your photo is detailed and clear enough for someone to use in identifying the unknown species (include an item for scale in the photo, if possible and applicable).

Thank you for participating in the biodiversity survey and have fun observing! less ↑