Current Research

Over the past two years, local students participating in our Environmental Field Studies program have worked on research relating to weather, water, plants, butterflies, amphibians, mammals, and birds. The following are descriptions of the kind of research involved:

Weather:

National Weather Service Cooperative Monitoring Station:  Daily collection of weather data at Smokey House is transmitted to the National Weather Service to help with their local forecasts.  The data is entered into an online database for NWS use and is also available to the public to view online through the Cooperative Observer Program. Each morning the Field Studies students predict the weather for our area. The weather data is also useful for some of the work and research we do at Smokey House Center.

Water:

Stream water quality monitoring: Part of Smokey House Center’s mission is to use the natural resources on its land in a way that protects the environment.  Just as taking a person’s pulse or temperature can tell you about their overall health, taking certain physical, chemical, and biological measurements in the streams on the property will tell us more about the health of the forest and fields on the Smokey House property.

Plants:

Timber inventory: Smokey House Center is responsible for about 4,000 acres of forested land.  We believe in using the trees that grow on this land, but we want to be careful to leave plenty of good trees and good habitat for wildlife.  The land is divided into many different compartments for management purposes.  We inventory timber by sampling small plots within each compartment.  We collect information on tree diameter, species, and density.  All of this information contributes to a better overall understanding of our woods, and can help us carry out sustainable logging and firewood production programs.  We also identify and map areas for growing trees, areas that are most important to wildlife, and anthropological features such as stone walls, cellar holes, and old fields.  We make use of hand-held GPS units, compasses, and computer mapping software to help us in this work.

Amphibians:

• Population studies of various amphibians: We monitor the population of stream, terrestrial, and vernal pool breeding salamanders on the Smokey House property. Many amphibians are considered bioindicators, which means that they are very sensitive to changes in their environment and can thus be used as “canaries in the coal mine” to give early indications of environmental stress. We monitor populations for two reasons: to help Smokey House Center manage its land well and to watch for declines in populations.  Many experts believe there has been a drastic decline in many amphibian populations in the last two decades, with some species even becoming extinct.  Our research may provide valuable information about changes in amphibian populations in Vermont.
• Vermont Atlas of Amphibians and Reptiles: The Vermont Atlas was created to establish baseline data regarding the distribution of Vermont’s reptiles and amphibians on which to base conservation and management decisions.  The VT Atlas is a comprehensive guide to the different species of reptiles and amphibians in all the towns of Vermont.  The goal is to identify and record sightings of amphibians that have not been recorded in any given town.  As we discover amphibians in each town, we document their presence with a photograph or recording of a call and send these records to Jim Andrews at Middlebury College.

Mammals:

• Deer population:  Smokey House Center’s mission includes demonstrating sound natural resource management.  This study allows us to calculate a population index that can be used to compare the size of the deer population from year to year.  Information about deer wintering areas is also noted and used in planning recreational trails, logging operations, and other uses of the resources on the property.
• Wildlife Tracking Study:  This study is designed to determine which wildlife species are present on Smokey House Center’s property and which habitats they use.  This information can be used to inform decisions about forestry projects, recreational use, agricultural operations and development on the property.  The study is based on identifying and recording wildlife track and sign along five trails each winter.
• Study Skins:  Smokey House Center has a scientific collection permit which allows us to collect and preserve certain types of animals found dead along the roadside.  This collection provides samples for comparison with tracks and signs found in the field and may provide a useful reference for future naturalists.  Students assist in preparing the study skins and learn a great deal about anatomy and physiology in the process.

Birds:

• The nesting bird study collects information about nesting birds for the ornithologists at the Vermont Institute of Natural Science.  This information includes what birds are nesting where in Vermont, when they nest, how long the eggs are incubated and how long they are nesting before they fledge.  To do this we find active bird nests and check them regularly as the birds build their nests, lay and incubate the eggs, and care for the young.  The more data VINS has, the more confident they can be in determining Vermont bird characteristics.
• eBird is a project developed by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the National Audubon Society, which provides a simple way to keep track of the birds seen anywhere in North America.  The cumulative eBird database is used by birdwatchers, scientists, and conservationists who want to know more about the distributions and movement patterns of birds across the continent.  We use eBird to record birds observed on Smokey House Center property and other areas of Vermont where we conduct field studies research.  We would like to know what birds live on our property, whether they are full or part-year residents or just migrants on their way through.  This information can be helpful in our land management plans.

Farm:

• Alternative Greenhouse Heating: The Field Studies program is an invaluable aid to the resource managers at Smokey House Center: students often participate in multiple or single season studies to provide them with data to make informed decisions.  This past year the Field Studies students monitored the success of a test program to heat our greenhouse with hot water condensed from the wood-fired arch we use for sugaring.  We recorded daily the maximum and minimum temperature in the greenhouse, the temperature of the water holding tank in the greenhouse, the soil temperature of the germinating plants, and the frequency at which we boiled sap.  All this information led to discoveries on how to make the system more efficient, but also proved its effectiveness in almost entirely eliminating our need to use propane to heat the greenhouse in the spring!
• Healthy Beef Production:  The students of Smokey House Center worked closely with our farm managers to determine the energy inputs required to raise and transport our Angus steers for our customers.  The students learned about the system of grass fed-beef, hay production and carbon budgeting and then used a peer-reviewed scientific study to make a comparison of our carbon emissions with the average feedlot on a basis of pound for pound beef produced.  In the end they found that the feedlot generates 6 times more carbon.  The students then designed and wrote the content for a display to inform our customers of their findings.