On Friday evening, August 7, 2015, Windham County Forester Bill Guenther led a tour of the famous black gum swamps located in the J. Maynard Miller Memorial Town Forest in Vernon. The unique forest ecology there supports an extensive system of swamps that include black gum (Nyssa sylvatica). While the species is not rare 400 miles south, in Vermont it is a survivor from the past when the climate was warmer, and the trees contribute to a primeval quality in the forest. There are some trees there that are believed to be over 400 years old. Below, Forester Bill Guenther, in blue, looks on as Roger Haydock, in the hat with his hands in the air at left, discusses the special geology of the area.
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