--,,state ,,of ,,vermont--              
,burton ,island ,state ,park            
,guide to the ,interpretive ,nature     
,trail and ,hiking ,trail               
written and illustrated by ,stephen     
,antil                                  
,park ,naturalist        ,illustration3 
,burton ,island      nature center      
marina    office    nature walk         
hiking trail    interpretive trail      
,island ,road    ,landfill ,dump        
,this ,trail guide is for the hiking    
trail and interpretive trail which      
start past the white cabins and behind  
the nature center    ,the interpretive  
nature trail will take #cj minutes to   
walk4 ,the numbers  in this pamphlet    
correspond to the numbered sign posts on
 the trail4 ,it  is advisable that you  
wear shoes when walking the trails4 ,the
 scenic  hiking trail can be hiked in   
one to one and a half hours and will    
take  you to the southeast tip of the   
island and back4    ,you can help the   
naturalist maintain good hiking         

conditions on these  trails by carrying 
out what you carry in4    ,many of      
,vermont's wildflowers are protected4   
,therefore1 it is suggested  that all   
wild flowers be left in their natural   
environment for the next  person to     
enjoy4    ,the land surrounding ,burton 
,island and the area of ,northern ,lake 
,champlain was once the hunting grounds 
of the ,iroquois and ,algonquin         
,indians4 ,it was here that these people
 hunted and fished for their  survival4 
,hunting and trapping for wolves1 deer1 
mink and elk1 and  fishing for salmon1  
trout and bass1 the ,iroquois and       
,algonquin found an  abundance of game4 
,illustration3 7,indian agriculture7    
,as white men increased1 agriculture    
began to dominate this area4 ,in the    
late #agjj's1 ,burton ,island was       
cleared and tilled by ,jesse ,weldon1 a 
settler and agent for the ,allen        
family--,ethan1 ,ira and ,levi4    ,in  
#ahdj1 ,c4,c4 ,burton owned the island  
and hired a family to live here  and    

manage his farm4    ,ida ,lashaway      
acquired the land in #aibh4 ,during this
 time1 the ,lashaway  family continued  
to till the land and raise livestock4   
,in #aidd1 farming operations were      
discontinued4 ,from that time until the 
present1 we have had the opportunity to 
see what role mother nature can  play in
 returning the land to a natural state4 
,the signs of farming are  still here1  
but for the last three decades natural  
forces have been left  relatively       
unchallenged4      #a    ,today we can  
see the stories of the past and present 
etched across the  face of ,burton      
,island4 ,an old farm in horse-drawn    
buggy days was left to  the mercy of    
warm summer rains and icy winter storms4
 ,we can see the  land1 once a pasture1 
now swelling into overgrown fields and  
forests  where wild plants and animals  
compete to live in a continually        
changing  habitat4      #b    ,before   
you lies what was formerly pasture-land4
 ,fields exist when they  are mowed or  

grazed4 ,as a field is left untended1   
goldenrod1 milkweed1  morning glories   
and raspberry bushes appear and compete 
for sunlight4  ,this is the first stage 
of a succession of various plants and   
animals  passing from an old farm field 
into what will someday be a forest4 ,two
  common field birds found here are the 
meadowlark and the bobolink4            
,illustration3 7meadowlark7      #c     
,on the dead goldenrod stalks are round 
and oval-shaped outgrowths known  as    
galls4 ,a gall is an abnormal growth of 
a plant resulting from an  insect or    
bacterial irritation4 ,the round1       
one-inch galls are caused by  the       
,eurosta ,fly4 ,the long1 oval growths  
contain eggs and larvae from  the       
goldenrod gall moth4 ,eggs were laid    
within the stem causing an  irritation  
which stimulated plant cell production4 
,a cozy home formed  for the larvae4    
,before they developed into the flies1  
they ate their way  out--look for the   
small holes in the old galls4           

,illustration3 cross-section of ,gall   
#d    ,the farm equipment here was used 
on the farm of ,c4,c4 ,burton4 ,the plow
  and rake were both horsedrawn4 ,the   
plow broke the soil for planting1 and   
the rake gathered hay for stacking4     
,these implements are reminders of  our 
heritage4    ,farm life in ,america was 
hard1 the tools were basic4 ,from the   
simplicity  of an agricultural existence
 close to the land1 ,america has grown  
into a  complex1 technological country4 
,but1 our dependence on the earth is    
still as vital4      #e    ,this is the 
foundation and remains of the barn owned
 by ,mr4 ,burton in  the #ahjj's and the
 ,lashaway family in the early #aijj's4 
,during the #ahjj's1 the barn held #ae  
milk cows4 ,the family that worked  the 
farm raised #ejj turkeys1 #bjj sheep1   
pigs1 horses and chickens4 ,the  farm   
was relatively self-sufficient4 ,the    
work was done with teams of  horses or  
by hand4 ,ice was cut from ,lake        
,champlain each winter and was  stored  

in an icehouse4 ,cow stanchions mark    
where cows were once milked4  ,butter   
was churned here4 ,many sheep were      
probably shorn of their coats  right    
where you stand4    ,all farm produce   
was taken to a ,st4 ,albans market      
either across the reef  or drawn across 
the ice in the winter4                  
,illustration3 7cow stanchion7          
,traces of the farm are quickly         
vanishing beneath the flourish of       
thickets and sumac4      #f    ,the     
family managing the farm lived in the   
house above the foundations4  ,the      
children went to school in ,st4 ,albans 
and travelled by boat or over  ice      
almost every day4 ,in the spring1 when  
the ice was too thin to walk  on but too
 thick for boats1 it was necessary for  
children to board with  friends on the  
mainland4    ,in #aibh1 ,ida ,lashaway  
and her family continued to work the    
farm4 ,through  their efforts1 some of  
the finest hay in the state was         
cultivated here4    ,mr4 and ,mrs4      

,randall ,dimon purchased the farm in   
#aidd4 ,farming  operations were        
discontinued4 ,however1 the ,dimons     
continued to maintain  some fields and  
raised yellow-eyed beans and hay4       
,several local  residents of ,st4       
,albans pastured heifers as well as     
other livestock on  the island4         
,illustration3 7raking hay7    ,in      
#aifa1 the ,state of ,vermont purchased 
the island1 and the ,department  of     
,forests and ,parks began operating it  
as a ,state ,park4      #g    ,this     
maple tree was blown down by high winds 
last summer4 ,heavy storms  come quickly
 here1 and trees and plants living near 
the shore must be  especially hardy to  
withstand the effects of wind1 water and
 ice4 ,the  erosive actions of these    
forces cause the shore to be battered   
and worn  like a seacoast4    ,the      
downed maple will continue living as    
long as part of its root  structure can 
supply the tree with water and nutrients
 and as long as  its leaves can embrace 

the rays of the sun4 ,in years to come1 
the  branches may eventually become     
trunks themselves1 growing upward and   
thickening into individual trees with   
one massive base4      #h    ,in fields1
 grasses and small brush soon yield to  
shrubs and small trees  such as sumac   
and hawthorne4 ,these plants are the    
start of the forest  and begin to limit 
the light striking the earth4 ,plants   
such as  goldenrod and raspberry depend 
on light for their survival4 ,unable to 
obtain it1 they are suppressed4         
,illustration3 7sumac and hawthorne7    
,hawthorne were rare trees in the virgin
 forests of ,america1 but with the      
clearing of forests1 they became common4
 ,today they are found in fields1  along
 fence rows and in small clusters1 for  
they are fond of the sun4  ,the dense1  
thorny branches create a crown which is 
almost impregnable4  ,the trees provide 
excellent nesting sites for many kinds  
of songbirds  due to the excellent      
protection the trees give their         

occupants4        ,illustration3        
,blackburnian ,warbler      orange head 
#i    ,this dead1 old hawthorne has     
served as a home for many animals4 ,over
 a  period of years1 the tree has rotted
 and has been occupied by fungi1        
carpenter ants and beetles4 ,this drew  
hungry woodpeckers which have  tapped   
holes in the tree in search of food4    
,gradually1 the tree has been  hollowed 
out4 ,birds and chipmunks probably have 
used the tree for hiding  or nesting4   
,illustration3 white-breasted nuthatch  
#aj    ,when we stepped out of the shady
 cluster of shrubby trees into this     
clearing1 did you notice the drastic    
change in the kind of vegetation8       
,raspberry brambles crowd each other for
 sunlight4 ,where there is no  canopy to
 limit sunlight1 a brushy habitat       
abounds4 ,you may see some  special     
wildlife here--bird1 rabbit and fox4    
,illustration3 cottontail      #aa      
,we are now standing under a canopy of  
white cedar and poplar4 ,the young      

saplings growing on this forest floor   
are maples and hickories4 ,these  young 
hardwoods enjoy living in the shade4    
,their need for sunlight is  not great4 
,eventually1 these saplings will outgrow
 the aspen and cedars4  ,when that day  
comes1 a forest of maples and hickories 
will restrict  sunlight from            
penetration4 ,the cedars and aspen will 
die4      #ab    ,these beautiful sugar 
maples have large crowns which shade an 
extensive  area4 ,plants needing        
sunlight cannot grow beneath the large  
trees4 ,the  skeletons of dead cedars   
demonstrate that species' inability to  
get  sunlight and compete with the      
maples4 ,in this habitat1 raccoons1     
nuthatches1 squirrels and bluejays are  
commonly found4        ,illustration3   
7bluejay7      #ac    ,this maple tree  
was tapped for its sap many years ago4  
,can you see the  tap holes8 ,these     
holes have been partially grown over and
 have healed4        ,illustration3     
7tapping maple tree for sap7      #ad   

,this ancient shagbark hickory has      
actually grown around the rusted  barbed
 wire left from the old farm4 ,cows from
 ,mr4 ,burton's farm probably  lingered 
beneath the tree to find relief from the
 hot sun4 ,this tree is  over #aej years
 old4    ,hickory wood is particularly  
strong1 heavy and flexible and was used 
for  manufacturing agricultural         
tools--most commonly axe handles1 and   
spokes  and rims for wagon wheels4      
,illustration3 ,shagbark ,hickory       
#ae    ,at this point1 you have the     
opportunity of continuing either upon   
the  remainder of the interpretive      
nature trail or upon the scenic hiking  
trail4 ,the shorter interpretive loop   
turns to the right and contains         
stations #af through #ai which may be   
followed on the next several pages4     
,should you decide upon the scenic      
hiking trail1 follow the trail markers  
to your left4 ,this trail runs to the   
end of the island and along some        
beautiful vistas of ,lake ,champlain4   

,turning to page #ad1 you will find a   
brief guide which we hope will bring to 
your attention many of the  interesting 
features along this path4      #af      
,this is one of the highest points on   
the island4 ,look around you4 ,we  have 
seen the changes from field to bramble  
patches1 from shrubby  clusters to large
 trees making up a forest habitat4 ,this
 is natural  succession1 the change from
 field to forest4 ,with this change of  
plants  comes the change of animals1 for
 animals and plants depend on each other
  and form a natural community4    ,the 
serenade of piping birds1 the rhythmic  
waves of ,champlain1 the  whispering    
trees--these sounds cannot help but     
deepen our appreciation  and enjoyment  
of the forest4 ,close your eyes and     
listen peacefully4        ,illustration3
 7succession of fauna7                  
#a--;annuals1 perennials    #b--shrubs1 
trees    #c--;climax forest      #ag    
,the area before you is moist and       
marshy4 ,as you can see1 plants growing 

here differ a great deal from those in  
dryer1 hillier regions of the  island4  
,sweet ,flag 7leaves like ,cattails7 is 
a dominant plant here4      #ah    ,this
 pathlike gully was once a drainage     
ditch leading to the marshy  meadow4    
,foxes have been using them as          
passageways when navigating  through the
 brush in search of food4    ,red fox   
prefer to live on the edges of fields or
 in open country4 ,meadow  mice are     
probably the number one food item of the
 fox4 ,young foxes  consume large       
numbers of beetles1 grasshoppers and    
crickets4 ,they eat  all types of       
berries1 melons and corn4               
,illustration3 7red fox7      #ai    ,a 
shrub or small tree from #e to #bj feet1
 the staghorn sumac is a  prevalent and 
important plant on ,burton ,island4     
,the sumac provides a source of shelter 
and food for many animals here4  ,the   
staghorn sumac's umbrella-like canopy   
furnishes shade to birds in  the hot    
days of summer4 ,it serves as a refuge  

during rain storms4 ,birds  can easily  
disappear in the maze of leaves and     
branches in time of  danger4 ,the pink  
berry-like clusters of blossoms offer   
food for birds4  ,later1 the fruits     
become dry and they may persist for a   
year or so  providing an emergency food 
for squirrels and birds4 ,the deer and  
cottontail rabbit find the twigs and    
bark a most acceptable meal during  the 
winter4 ,in former years1 the sumac was 
often used for tanning fine  leathers   
and as a dye because of high content of 
tannic acid4        ,illustration3      
,staghorn ,sumac                        
,hiking ,trail      ,unlike the shorter 
interpretive trail1 this scenic hiking  
trail has been  left relatively         
undisturbed by human influence4 ,most of
 us have so few  opportunities to behold
 nature without the contrivances of a   
busy  civilization that here we have    
attempted to minimize signs1 rails and  
other artificial hiking aides4          
,therefore1 the following pages are     

included as a brief guide for this      
trail4    ,walking through this field1  
you may see a yellow canary-like bird   
called  the yellow warbler4 ,the male   
warbler is brilliantly marked 444 its   
yellow body with striped red breast is  
like a flash of sunlight as the  bird   
darts in and out of the greenery4       
,illustration3 yellow warbler    ,there 
are over one hundred different kinds of 
warblers in the ,united  ,states and    
they are all four to six inches long4   
,because of their great  variety and the
 brilliance of their coloring1 they have
 been called the  8butterflies of the   
bird world40    ,by now1 you have       
probably seen the red-winged blackbirds4
 ,these birds  are found commonly on    
,burton ,island4 ,red-wings love marshes
 and wet  fields4 ,they make their nest 
close to the ground where it is hidden  
by  reeds1 grasses and shrubs4 ,the     
birds will sit on branches of small     
trees  and watch intently as you walk   
by4 ,the red-wings call out many        

interesting sounds1 from a raspy        
8oka-fleek1 oka-fleek0 to a warning     
8chuk1 chuk40 ,the black birds1 with    
their fiery shoulders1 let us know  that
 we are trespassing on their territory4 
,illustration3 7red-winged blackbird7   
,as you enter the forest of young elms1 
you will notice how the  atmosphere     
changes4 ,light is dim4 ,the importance 
of sunlight is obvious1  for no plants  
are to be found growing on the forest   
floor4    ,sixty yards beyond the       
entrance to the elm forest1 a circular  
growth of  young plants reach for       
sunlight4 ,an opening in the forest     
canopy allows  these plants to live4    
,the area of direct sunlight is shown by
 the size  and shape of the growing     
vegetation4 ,these openings provide food
 for  browsing animals such as deer4    
,illustration3 7deer7    ,look upon the 
shady1 almost plantless floor1 you may  
see mushrooms and  indian pipes popping 
up through the dead leaves4 ,unlike     
green plants  which need sunlight to    

manufacture their own food1 these       
saprophytes  obtain food from the dead  
plants they grow on4 ,some mushrooms    
grow upon  fallen logs and branches4    
,some grow in the soil using the dead   
plant  matter there for food4 ,indian   
pipes are one of the few flowering      
plants  that are saprophytes4           
,illustration3 ,indian ,pipes and       
mushrooms    ,as you continue along the 
trail1 keep your eyes open for vines    
which  have wrapped themselves around   
tall trees to reach the sun4 ,this      
adaptation allows a green plant to be   
rooted in the darkness of the  forest1  
but to grow in the sunny upper reaches  
of the forest canopy4  ,this vine is    
called bittersweet 7nightshade74        
,illustration3 ,bittersweet             
7,nightshade7    ,a stone fence runs    
across the trail4 ,this old fence once  
restricted the  range of sheep on the   
island4 ,blood1 sweat1 tears and long   
hours must  have gone into piling these 
stones1 for the fence runs across the   

entire  island4        ,illustration3   
7building a stone fence7    ,an old1    
dead tree stands by the wall4 ,this tree
 is important for it  offers shelter to 
thousands of insects and provides a     
source of food for  hungry birds4       
,the shelf fungi growing on the tree    
extract nutrients from the decaying     
wood4    ,as you walk along the         
lakeshore1 look at some of the larger   
trees  growing there4 ,two common trees 
you will see are basswood and red oak4  
,illustration3 ,basswood                
,illustration3 ,red ,oak    ,the        
,american ,basswood grows #gj-hj feet in
 height and #b-c feet in  diameter4 ,in 
addition to the valuable timber which it
 produces1 the  basswood is highly      
prized in certain localities for its    
honey4 ,the  ,iroquois ,indians made    
rope from the bark by soaking it in     
water for  several weeks or months to   
allow the nonfibrous portions to rot4   
,then it  was twisted into desired      
cords4    ,the northern red oak is one  

of the largest oaks1 occasionally #abe  
feet  high4 ,its close-grained1         
reddish-brown wood is regarded as one of
 the  most important of the red oak     
family4      ,as you hike you will see  
blown down trees4 ,these rotting trees  
show us  that nature wastes nothing4    
,fungi1 bacteria1 insects and weather   
are  helping to decay these blowdowns4  
,the resulting humus is a natural soil  
fertilizer readily available to growing 
plants4    ,during the last ice age1 a  
huge body of water called ,lake ,vermont
 spread  from the ,green ,mountains to  
the ,adirondacks and from ,canada to    
,rutland1  ,vermont4 ,mud and stones    
from the lake have been compressed for  
thousands  of years since1 forming great
 rock beds4 ,along the shoreline of     
,burton  ,island1 sheets of rock and    
flat stones are numerous4 ,once the     
shore and  bottom of ,lake ,vermont1    
these huge beds of shale and sandstone  
are now  eroding4    ,on the southern   
tip of ,burton ,island1 old and gnarled 

cedar trees reach  out4 ,the roots of   
these trees hold firm against the       
erosive action of  wind1 rain and ice4  
,illustration3 ,landscape    ,looking   
out toward the horizon1 the expansive   
views bring the ocean to  mind4 ,ball   
,island stands out in front of the      
jagged peaks of the  ,adirondacks and   
the flats of ,sandbar4 ,do you know the 
islands around  you8                    
,illustration3 ,,key ,,map    ,we at    
,burton ,island ,state ,park hope you   
have enjoyed this short hike4 ,to       
return to the start1 you can follow the 
park road or follow the hiking  trail   
back4                                99 
99 99 99 99 99 99 99    ,this trail is  
part of the ,vermont ,state ,parks'     
,nature ,interpretation  ,program4 ,the 
program is intended to spark awareness1 
concern and an  appreciation for the    
works of nature4 ,all life is unified   
through the  cycles and                 
interrelationships of nature4 ,people   
have the responsibility  to act in a    

life-supporting manner toward their     
environment4 ,hopefully1  through       
understanding1 people will strive to    
respect and protect the  delicate       
balances which make the earth our       
healthy home4                           
99 99 99 99 99 99 99                    
,,state ,,of ,,vermont                  
,agency of ,environmental ,conservation 
,department of ,forests and ,parks      
,july #aige                             
-,,notes-          ,illustration3 7view 
across the lake7                        
,transcriber's ,notes      --,silently  
corrected a few typos4    --,retained   
publication information from the printed
 edition3 this e,book    is             
public-domain in the country of         
publication4    --,in the text versions 
only1 text in italics is delimited by   
underscores4