There: fire for wildlife

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It is Thursday, June 13. Here's what's on deck:

• A report card for Lake Champlain
• A pink and yellow hairy butterfly
• Hot Air Balloon Festival

But first,

Burn intentionally

For decades, U.S. Forest Service personnel have trekked into the Vermont woods each spring, wearing fireproof boots and carrying bags filled with water on their backs. Their objective is to set fire in a confined area. To prepare the site, crews use leaf blowers and hand tools to remove anything that could easily burn around the perimeter. Then they light a thin line of fire, called a black liner, which acts as a barrier to keep the fire on one side and not the other. Crews walk the edge of the area, lighting a fire and monitoring the line with water. Here's why they're making all this effort:

Fires are primarily intended to provide habitat for wildlife by creating areas where the sun can hit the ground for pollinators, grassland birds and basking reptiles. Prescribed burns are often carried out in landscapes that have already been modified by humans, such as old farms or former timber harvest sites.

Vermont's woods are generally not prone to fires, like Quebec's boreal forests, which burn every summer and had a record fire season last year. Still, some fire managers believe these prescribed burns could help prevent unwanted wildfires in the long term, especially in the face of increasing drought.

There are a few pockets of fire and drought-adapted forests in Vermont – pines and oaks that have evolved to live with fire. Biologists say these areas are shrinking and it is important to preserve them by maintaining fire on the landscape. The Forest Service is still mapping these forests in the state and may target more of these areas for prescribed burns in the future.

In other news

Water quality is rather “fair” in Lake Champlain: This is according to a report released last week by the Lake Champlain Basin Program. Water quality has largely recovered since last year's floods, but phosphorus levels are still high in much of the lake. This feeds the proliferation of cyanobacteria, responsible for closing beaches in summer, as well as warm, calm waters.

Fewer chemicals in makeup, diapers, menstrual products and kitchen utensils: Starting in 2026, manufacturers will no longer be allowed to sell a range of products if they contain PFAS, also known as forever chemicals. A new law targets manufacturers, not retailers, and could force them to disclose the ingredients of their products.

The other tick-borne disease on the rise, this one with new treatments: It's called babesioisis (“buh-BEE-zee-oh-sis”) and The CDC reported a recent increase in cases in Vermont, from two to several dozen between 2011 and 2019. The disease targets red blood cells and can cause febrile symptoms and sometimes severe illness. A small case study showed that using an antimalarial drug, along with a combination of other medications, can decrease the infection in the blood and ease symptoms. A clinical trial will take place this summer.

Less reimbursement for rooftop solar: Starting in August, electric customers with solar panels installed through the state's net metering program won't receive as much credit from utility companies for the electricity they provide. This has been a big draw in getting more people to opt for small-scale solar. But state regulators say the program is too costly and the move will save $1 million a year in electricity costs.

In your garden

Get out there

Swimming season: There is a handy map maintained by the Connecticut River Conservancy that lists a number of popular swimming spots in southern Vermont, with directions and whether the water quality is good enough for swimming and boating. pleasure. E.coli account. Data has not yet been collected this year at many sites, but historical information is available.

Hot Air Balloon Festival in Quechee: Every summer for more than 40 years, giant rainbow-colored balloons fill the sky along the Ottauquechee River. There are early morning and evening hot air balloon rides all weekend, depending on the weather, as well as food trucks, magicians, belly dancers, fire artists and lots of music. From Friday evening June 14 to Sunday evening June 16. The weekend pass costs $20 for adults.

A story in granite, marble and slate: A new exhibit at the Bennington Museum looks at the state's mining and quarrying industry, from asbestos to talc to iron. The museum will also display an orange grossular garnet from a quarry in the NEK. The exhibition opens on June 20. Admission is $15 for adults.

Thanks for the reading! Do not hesitate to contact us, we would be delighted to hear from you. Just send us an email.

Credits: This week's edition was produced by Lexi Krupp and Samantha Watson with editing by Brittany Patterson and lots of help from the Vermont Public team, including graphics from Laura Nakasaka and digital support from Sophie Stephens .