No. 28 June 2006
TOWN CLERK SUMMER HOURS
Monday 6-8pm
Tuesday - Thursday 8:30-3:30 or by appointment.
(Closed
Fridays).
Welcome back to another summer!
Please
stop by the beach and enjoy the park, one of our community treasures.
Lifeguards will be on duty from 10-5pm weekends and 12-5 weekdays. We are open
everyday in summer from 10am-8pm. Admission fees are $2.00/adults and
$1/children; seniors and under age 2 are free. Season passes are available for
purchase at
Thank you everyone who turned out for the Community Work Day!! Our next event
is the Non-Resident Swim Lesson Sign-up which takes place at the beach from
10-12pm on Opening Day, Saturday, June 17. Non-residents must purchase a season
pass to be eligible for swim lessons plus a $15 lesson fee. Residents who
missed the sign-up dates in May can sign up on the day, or anytime after at the
beach. Lessons fill on a first-come, first-serve basis. Sorry, we cannot accept
telephone registrations.
Weekly Children's Events:
Arts
and Crafts - 10-12pm Tuesdays
Field
Sports - Fridays, 12:30
For more information, call us at 333-9731.
Submitted
by Ann and Scott O'Hearn
CONSERVATION COMMISSION
Puddles, pools and pollywogs
For as long as I can remember, a large puddle has persisted through the summer on
Poor Farm Road, where the class 4 section passes through a wet hollow.
Four-wheelers and ATVs find entertainment in driving through it and I had
assumed it was a dead body of water. However, one spring a few years back, I
happened to peer into this puddle and was astonished to see that it contained
numerous jelly-like clusters of eggs. As summer progressed the water was full
of tadpoles, pond skaters and even a water beetle larva or two. Far from being
dead, this puddle was acting like an ecosystem known as a vernal pool.
So what exactly is a vernal pool?
'Vernal,' from the Latin for spring, indicates a pool that holds water in the
spring, but dries up later in the year. This would seem a most unfavorable
nursery for tadpoles, but remarkably, several species of amphibians,
crustaceans and mollusks have evolved to depend on temporary pools. Because
they dry periodically, these pools are free of fish, which are very significant
predators of tadpoles. By avoiding fish, amphibians that breed in these pools increase
the survival of their offspring. Not every large puddle is a vernal pool, even
though amphibians may be fooled into laying eggs in them. The pool has to
retain water long enough for tadpoles to undergo metamorphosis into adults that
live on land. A minimum of three months of standing water are needed and some
amphibians need longer. Vernal pools also must be free of pollutants, be lined
with leaf litter and remain cool, 40 degrees is ideal. Lacking green aquatic
plants to make oxygen by photosynthesis, life in vernal pools depends solely on
oxygen absorbed from the air, and cold water takes up oxygen more readily.
Pools must also be surrounded by the habitat of the adult amphibian’s moist,
shady forest.
What animals use vernal pools?
These small bodies of water are hotspots of biological diversity and harbor a
food chain composed of an amazing variety of species, starting with small or
even microscopic creatures that feed on submerged leaf litter. The different
species in a single pool outnumber those in the surrounding 5 acres of forest.
These pools are highly productive; one pool can shelter thousands of tadpoles
that eat the smaller life forms. The amphibians that emerge are a food source
for more familiar creatures such as shrews, songbirds, hawks and snakes.
Some of our more spectacular amphibians, the so-called 'mole' salamanders
depend on vernal pools to breed. Their tadpoles are major predators of mosquito
larvae. Most common in
Wood frogs and tree frogs also depend on vernal pools for breeding. In fact
breeding is the only reason that these leaf-litter dwellers enter water.
Other examples include the fairy shrimp, a small crustacean that hatches when
the pool is filled with water, breeds, and survives the dry spells as an egg.
The fingernail clam is a tiny mollusk about half as wide as a pencil eraser. It
is apparently dispersed on the toes of salamanders. Many other animals also
make use of vernal pools, but do not absolutely require them. These include
aquatic insects, turtles, newts, other frog species, wood duck and the rare ribbon
snake and four-toed salamander.
How common are vernal pools?
Having spent time in the woods searching for them I get the impression that
they are none too common.
Historically, it is estimated that 85 percent of vernal pools have been
eliminated since the settlers arrived. Until about 20 years ago vernal pools
were ignored due to their temporary nature and were not given the protection
granted to permanent wetlands. Over the years many lowland pools have been
filled to make way for farming or development. In wooded uplands, vernal pools
can be rendered worthless by logging operations. Denuding the site of shade
trees results in overly warm water, premature drying up, and removes the moist,
cool environment that enables adult frogs and salamanders to live on land. And
the deep ruts left by heavy equipment are insurmountable barriers to crawling
salamanders.
Landowners who wish to protect a vernal pool should also conserve surrounding
forest. The most critical area is a 100 foot wide zone around the pool that
ideally should not be disturbed (very light thinning may be performed) however
protection does not end there. The terrestrial habitat of a salamander extends
as far as 600 ft from the pool. It is recommended that tree harvesting be
limited in this zone to maintain at least 70 percent of the overhead tree
canopy. Heavy equipment may be used only when the ground is frozen to avoid
creating ruts or exposing bare soil that allows silt to run off and fill in
pools. It is also critically important to minimize compaction of the leaf
litter layer, where salamanders burrow and to leave branches and tree limbs on
the forest floor to provide additional cover for forest amphibians.
This is the time of year when temporary pools contain eggs and tadpoles of wood
frogs and salamanders. Salamander egg clusters look like irregularly rounded,
translucent or whitish masses that appear to be enclosed in a membrane. The
developing eggs often have a pale underside and a black upper surface. Frog
eggs look like individual globes of jelly in huge clusters.
Unlike wetlands, almost nothing is known about the frequency of vernal pools in
Submitted by Li Shen
Thetford Conservation Commission.
FOOTBALL AND CHEERLEADING BAZAAR
Thetford Jaguars Football and Cheerleading will be holding a Bazaar on Saturday, June 17 from 1pm-3pm on the Thetford Hill Green.
A rummage sale, food sale, auction, raffle and more will be taking place as well as face painting for the kids!!
Donations of saleable items for the rummage sale and New items for the auction are very much appreciated.
Please call Diana at 785-4404, if you need to have something picked up or for more information. Otherwise all donations may be dropped off the morning of the event.
Thank
you and hope to see you there!!
Submitted by Diana Kimball-Anderson
LATHAM
LIBRARY ANNUAL APPEAL
It's time once again to ask for your financial support for Latham Library.
Latham Library currently receives support funds from the town but not enough to cover our full budget. Community members' contributions are crucial for us to operate.
Please
consider contributing to Latham Library. Our address is
Submitted by Maureen Morse
2nd Annual Thetford
Town Artists Exhibit
3 Months
21 Artists
One amazing community art exhibit!
Join us at the Opening Reception
Friday, June 2, 2006 5-7 p.m.
Gallery Hours:
Monday 2:00 - 8:30
Tuesday 2:00 - 5:00
Wednesday 10:00 – 5:00
Thursday 2:00 - 5:00
Friday 10:00 – 5:00
Saturday 10:00 – 1:00
Submitted by Marla Ianello
ANNUAL KIDS FISHING DERBY for kids 15 years and younger!
June 4th, 9:00am -Noon
Rain
or shine at the Upper Valley Fish & Game Club Pond on
Submitted by Doug Stone
TA NOTES
TA
Alumni Day is Saturday, June 10 and lots of exciting things are in the works.
Contact Frank Hoffman, TA Development Director, at 785-2600 for details.
Saturday, June 3, the TA Chorus and Select Choir will present their spring
program under the direction of Peter Estes at 7pm in Anderson Hall. This
wonderful performance is not to be missed!
Challenge Exhibitions, the annual show of independent work done by TA students
in the self-directed study program, will be presented on Tuesday, June 6. Works
will be displayed in the Shark Tank Theater, starting at 7pm.
Tuesday, June 13, the TA Stage Band, under the direction of Dan Williams, will
perform on the Thetford Hill Green from 6-7:30pm.
Please join trustees at the next gathering of "Talk with TA" on
Thursday, June 22. The question and information session will start at 6pm in
the TA library, to be followed by the Board of Trustees quarterly meeting. All
are invited to attend.
Submitted by Wendy Cole
THETFORD HILL SUMMER CONCERT AND
PERFORMING ARTS SERIES RETURNS!
The kick off concert will be the TA Stage Band, June 13 at 6 p.m. on the Thetford Hill Green. Last year many people brought their dinners and enjoyed the beautiful setting, music and people.
This
year's Stage Band roster includes:
Jordan Bach-Lombardo – piano,
Samuel Chapin - vocals, guitar,
Laura Conrad - vocals, tenor saxophone,
Catherine Craig - vocals, piano, guitar
Anna Gerber-Williams - piano, cello
David Gernhard - trumpet
Daniel Jordan - drums
Matthew Longwell - bass
Ian McDaniels - guitar
Rebecca Sandall - vocals, alto saxophone
Bryan Shay - vocals, guitar, drums
William Wickham - tenor saxophone, guitar, vocals
Hazel Wood - alto saxophone
Submitted by Mary Dan Pomeroy
TA
SEEKS TRUSTEES
Each June a group of trustees' terms at the Academy come to an end. At our June
meeting, we elect replacements for any vacancies. We would like to extend an
invitation to anyone who has an interest in contributing to the welfare of
Thank you for your interest.
Submitted by Penny Sirjane
SUMMER
ART CLASSES
Have fun
doing art!
Explore a variety of art materials while drawing, painting, creating and having
fun.
Art for Kids grades 2-6
Thetford Academy Art Room
July 24-28 9:30-12:30
Art for Teens grades 7-11
Thetford Academy Art Room
July 31-August 4 9:30-12:30
Small class size - $100/week includes materials
Scholarships available
To
register call Barbara Mason at 333-9315.
RICE'S MILLS
POTLUCK
& PROGRAM
On
June 18th, Tii Mclane of
Please bring an African Dish and be ready to sock shop!
As a
Peace Corps volunteer in Benin Africa, Tii has made lifetime friendships with
community members from the village she worked in. Her slides show the beautiful
spirit of the people and the landscape. Tii is presently helping them raise
money for their new village school by selling beautiful multi-colored socks
created by the Sock Lady in Strafford.
Bring
friends and family to share in this educational and fun evening!!
And
remember to bring your own utensils, drinks, plates and cups.
Submitted by Gina Sonne
CENTRAL
The Central Vermont Community Land Trust (CVCLT), formed in 1987, is an affordable housing organization.
Our mission is to create and preserve safe, decent and affordable housing and build strong and diverse communities. Our programs include housing development (building new units and rehabilitating existing units), property management, and homeownership programs (including homebuyer education, down payment and closing cost assistance, and affordable rehabilitation loans).
The
NeighborWorks®
CVCLT staff will work closely with interested parties to determine eligibility and with borrowers to determine a scope of work, obtain bids and monitor rehabilitation-related construction, while also providing affordable loan capital to pay for the work.
In
If you or someone you know have questions about this program, or would like to receive more information about it, please contact Garrath Gorton at 476-4493 extension 215.
Submitted by Susan Gillam
Community Outreach Coordinator
802-476-4493 ext. 213
www.CVCLT.org
The deadline for submissions is the 20th of each month. Send news including contact name and telephone number to Cathee Clement at 785-2668 or turtlepond@netzero.net.
Please list Thetford Town Newsletter in the subject line.