Nature Conservancy Protects Quarry Hill Parcel in Pownal

Quarry Hill Ranks High Among Botanical Hotspots in New England

Pownal, Vermont—The Nature Conservancy announced today the acquisition and conservation of a 28-acre parcel in the town of Pownal, including an old limestone quarry on the southern flank of Quarry Hill.

The hills of North Pownal support an incredible diversity of plant life and are considered to be one of the best locations in New England, more than 30 plants listed as rare in Vermont and New England have been found here. Many of these plants are also categorized as being threatened or endangered by the Non-game and Natural Heritage Program in Vermont, categories that imply an immediate danger or a high possibility of all known examples disappearing from the state.

For over a century naturalists have converged on the town of Pownal in Vermont’s southwestern corner in search of these botanical treasures. Set amidst an extensive wooded landscape Quarry, Schoolhouse and Peckham hills were formed from nutrient rich crystalline marble that once lay beneath the ocean. Both plants and humans are attracted to this rich bedrock, for the nutrients that can support diverse plant communities and for agricultural lime that was in great demand as a fertilizer. Despite intense human activity many of the rare species first documented at the turn of the last century can still be found here today.

Bill Brumback, conservation director of the New England Wildflower society commented, “The quarry encapsulates the natural and human history of New England and I find it amazing that the plant communities have survived man’s activities so well. Each time I visit this site and the surrounding hills I am rewarded with new discoveries."

Plant life thrives on the area’s nutrient-rich bedrock. The soft rock weathers quickly creating cracks that fill up with soil, catch seeds and pool water, and the south-facing cliffs absorb the warmth of the sun fueling plant growth.

Many of the rare plants found at the quarry are at the northern tip and eastern edge of their range. Giant Solomon’s seal, upland boneset and rue anemone are all native herbs in a precarious position in Vermont, they have been found at less than five sites statewide. Gardeners familiar with ornamental penstemon varietals will appreciate a native in the same family, the Eastern beardtongue. This wildflower, normally found in balmier regions from Louisiana to Massachusetts, is a new discovery in Vermont. The benefits of the plant community extend to wildlife and birds as well. The berries of the red mulberry, a state threatened shrub, are appreciated by a wide variety of birds including the colorful indigo bunting and the Eastern towhee.

In 2002 The Nature Conservancy acquired its first parcel in Pownal, 50.7 acres on Quarry Hill in partnership with other conservation organizations that worked with the town to conserve the 755 acre West Woodland property. With this recent addition the Conservancy now owns a total of 88.7 acres in the North Pownal Hills.

Ruth Botzow, a resident of Pownal, expressed her appreciation for the new acquisition. “Quarry Hill is a special place and I’ve enjoyed being the Nature Conservancy’s volunteer preserve steward there the last few years. I’m looking forward to the Conservancy’s increased protection of rare plant communities in Pownal.”

The Conservancy worked with the California-based family that owned the parcel to avoid a tax sale. As the new owner the Conservancy will pay property taxes to the town and is raising funds for a stewardship endowment to ensure the land is responsibly managed and still attracting botanists well into the next century. Management activities may include controlling invasive plants, inventorying the plant species found here, and providing public access for compatible recreation activities. The Conservancy is also considering how to address the problem of trash dumping on the site which has irked local residents.

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The Nature Conservancy is a leading international, nonprofit organization that preserves plants, animals and natural communities representing the diversity of life on Earth by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive. To date, The Nature Conservancy and its approximately one million members have been responsible for the protection of more than 14 million acres in the United States and have helped preserve more than 83 million acres in Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific. The Vermont Chapter, chartered in 1960, has helped conserve over 170,000 acres of significant natural areas throughout the state, and maintains 43 nature preserves. Visit us on the Web at www.nature.org/vermont.