Summer Walk Gives Glimpse into Past

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.

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.