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Lucy Zendzian, Hardwick Conservation Committee member, inspects a caterpillar larva which will become a Dagger Moth.
HARDWICK – On August 26, ecology consultant Matt Peters led a “Summer Walk with Woods and Water” on lands along Cooper Brook and the lower flank of Buffalo Mountain.
The walk, sponsored by the Hardwick Conservation Commission, gave participants a glimpse into the past: evidence of the glacier that once covered the land and, later, deposits of sand from lakes formed in its retreat.
Peters helped enthusiastic walkers find flora with exotic names: Chicken Lips (a little fungus) and Goblin’s Gold (a luminous moss). Folks identified black ash, a tree important to indigenous Abenaki culture, and mountain maple, a tree well-adapted to this moist environment. Many more species of plants and insects filled the list for a day spent exploring this world at the edge of Hardwick village.
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Matt Peters discusses the glacial history of sand deposits under foot along the base of Buffalo Mountain.
Peters will lead another nature walk in the fall. He is also currently conducting a Natural Resources Inventory for the town of Hardwick. His report will be completed and presented to the community in early spring 2024.
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Matt Peters talks about polypody ferns growing on rocks along the path.
