Two Decades of Patience Reap Rewards

Canoeing on the quiet waters of Flagg Pond

A paddler enjoys the quiet waters and wildlife of Flagg Pond
© Bob Klein/TNC

In a quiet corner of the Northeast Kingdom is Flagg Pond, a remote and wild place that The Nature Conservancy was finally successful in protecting after several attempts over the past two decades. Standard and Wheelock Mountains encircle the pond which is located just to the west of the 10,000 acre state-owned Steam Mill Brook Wildlife Management Area.

Visitors to Flagg Pond are immediately struck by the shoreline, which is undeveloped except for a short stretch of road skirting the pond’s eastern edge that allows for a rustic Fish & Wildlife boat access. The pond is very shallow, its maximum depth is only 6 feet, and the shore is either mats of grassy wetland or dense forest, the most important of which is the distinctive dark band of a Northern White Cedar Swamp.

In 2008 the Conservancy purchased 100 acres here, including 70 acres of the cedar swamp, which serves as the pond’s natural filtration system. Vermont’s cedar swamps are among the best examples of this natural community type in the northeastern United States and Flagg Pond is among the finest in Vermont due to its large size and good condition. In 1998, the Vermont Nongame and Natural Heritage Program noted the ecological importance of Flagg Pond and ranked it as a priority for conservation efforts.

There’s a distinct and magical atmosphere within Northern White Cedar Swamps, with their shaggy cedar trees, moist understory, sparse herbaceous plant layer and an array of luxuriant mosses and liverworts. Though signs of a timber harvest a half century ago are evident, the well rotted stumps and trees and general stand condition contribute to the swamp’s ecological significance. Some of these giants are at least 150 years old.

Five state-rare plant species such as the Ram’s head lady’s slipper and Hidden-fruited bladderwort, and an abundance of wildlife thrive at Flagg Pond. It is not uncommon to see osprey fishing the warm-water fishery, great blue heron patrolling the shoreline, beavers building their winter lodges or even black bears and their cubs foraging in the swamp.

Robin Cappuccino, who visited Flagg Pond annually during the summers of his youth, now runs the adjacent Wheelock Mountain Farm, a peace and justice retreat center. From his constant perspective Flagg Pond hasn’t changed much at all. “It’s wonderful that as so much around us is developed, this little corner has remained untouched except for the occasional paddler and fisherman.” Since conservation easements protect most of the remaining shoreline, the Conservancy’s purchase insures that Flagg Pond will remain protected and continue to be the rare place that it is for future generations to enjoy.

Directions to Flagg Pond from St. Johnsbury

Follow Route 2 west. Bear right onto Route 15 north, in West Danville before Joe's Pond. Turn right onto Route 16 north towards East Hardwick. Turn right onto Gonyaw Road in East Greensboro and make your second right onto Flagg Pond Road. There is a VT Fish and Wildlife boat access approximately 0.2 mile on your left.

The Vermont chapter is actively raising funds to cover the final cost of protecting Flagg Pond. To contribute contact Emily Boedecker at 802-229-4425 ext 112.