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Welcome To The Nulhegan Region! |
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The Nulhegan Region includes lands of Essex, Orleans and Caledonia Counties in Vermont as well as Coos County in New Hampshire. This beautiful and unspoiled land is divided into private, State and Federal properties as described below.
Former Champion International Paper Company Lands
These lands are of special interest in Essex County. In 1997, a partnership between the State of Vermont, the federal government, and several conservation groups conserved 132,000 acres of forest land previously owned by Champion International Paper Company. This acreage is located in the Nulhegan River and Paul Stream basins. The Vermont Agency of Natural Resources acquired 22,000 acres to form the West Mountain Wildlife Management Area. The purchase of 26,000 acres by the US Fish and Wildlife Service in 1999 marked the establishment of the Nulhegan Basin Division of the Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge.
Photo by Jayson Benoit The remaining 84,000 acres were purchased by Essex Timber Company. Easements were placed on this land surrounding the federal and state properties to protect it from subdivision and development, but allow continued timber management and production. The combination of ownerships and easements will provide long-term conservation of important wetland and upland wildlife habitats and allow traditional uses of the land to continue. The following organizations have been approved as corridor managers for the corridor-based uses: Kingdom Trails Association (bicycle corridors), Vermont Horse Council (equestrian corridors), Green Mountain Club (hiking corridors). The US Fish and Wildlife Service established the Nulhegan Refuge to conserve, protect, and enhance the natural diversity and abundance of plant, fish, and wildlife species and their habitat. Management programs will be designated to benefit rare species, rare and exemplary natural communities, wetlands, migratory birds, other native fish and wildlife, and wintering habitat for deer and other species. Refuge lands also will provide opportunities for scientific research and serve as a demonstration area to highlight successful wildlife management programs. Although there are no trails, facilities, or programs currently established, opportunities still exist for compatible, wildlife-dependent recreation. With little intrusion by human development and an abundance of fish and game, extensive areas of the Refuge offer high quality hunting, fishing and trapping opportunities (special use permit required). Visitors also can view and photograph all species of plants and wildlife while driving on the 40 miles of gravel roads, walking along the 17 miles of wooded pathways, following stream courses, or while hiking in the deep woods. Activities that are not allowed in the refuge include: plant collecting (except fruits and mushrooms for personal consumption), bicycling (negotiation under way), ATV's, horseback riding, camping, firewood cutting/collecting, overnight parking and dumping or littering.
Wildlife Management Areas Hunting, fishing and trapping are allowed. For other allowed uses, refer to the Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Bald Hill WMA, Newark, Westmore Bill Sladyk WMA, Holland, Norton, Warner’s Grant and Warren’s Gore Calendar Brook WMA, Sutton Victory Bog WMA, Victory Wenlock WMA, Ferdinand West Mountain WMA, Ferdinand, Maidstone, and Brunswick
Marl Pond and Swamp Natural Area, 30 acres, Willoughby State Forest, Town of Sutton Spectacle Pond Natural Area, 15 acres, Brighton State Park, Town of Brighton Willoughby Cliffs Natural Area, 950 acres (includes cliffs and forested buffer zone), Willoughby State Forest, Town of Westmore
State Forests are generally undeveloped areas consisting mainly of forested vegetation, which are managed for a multitude of uses. Some of the state forests support developed recreational facilities within their boundaries. State Forest in the Nulhegan Region include: Black Turn Brook SF - 593 acres, Town of Norton
Brighton, Maidstone, Lyman Falls and Sentinal Rock State Parks are managed primarily for recreation. Although these lands are open to hunting, the use or display of a firearm in state parks is prohibited from May 1 to October 15, and no firearm shall be discharged within 500 feet on an occupied dwelling, lean-to, picnic shelter, or other structure. Many trails are located within developed state parks. Trail users wishing access to parking areas, showers, toilets, beaches or other park facilities must pay the day use park fee when those areas are open for the season. Lyman Falls State Park is only a primitive campground for paddlers of the Connecticut River. Please note that Sentinal Rock State Park does not provide any facilities. Recreation Trails on State Lands
Private Land In 1998, the Vermont Legislature enacted a new set of laws that limit the liability of landowners who make their undeveloped land and water courses available to the public for recreational purposes. 12 V.S.A. § 5791, et seq. For outdoor enthusiasts, the upside of passing such a law is clear: more landowners will likely allow the use of their open and undeveloped land, including paths and trails, for activities such as hunting, fishing, trapping, camping, biking, hiking, skiing, water sports, and similar activities. In addition, the law requires that the land be made available for use by the public free of charge. Thus, the Vermont Legislature clearly intended to pass a law, which would allow for far greater access to the Vermont outdoors. The new law maintains that the owner of the land is not liable for property damage or personal injuries sustained by a person who goes upon the owner's land for recreational purposes, unless the injury is the result of the "willful or wanton" misconduct of the owner. In Vermont, to show that a landowner acted with willful or wanton misconduct, one would have to show that the act was done "intentionally, designedly, knowingly, or purposely, without justification or excuse." State v. Parenteau, 153 Vt. 123 (1989). Willful or wanton misconduct requires actual or implied intent to injure. Hardingham v. United Counseling Service of Bennington County, Inc., 164 Vt. 478 (1995). In essence, the new laws suggest that the duty an owner of undeveloped land owes to the recreational user of land is identical with the duty the owner owes to a trespasser on his land. Baisley v. Missisquoi Cemetery Ass., 167 Vt. 473 (1998). Thus, should an outdoor enthusiast become injured on someone else's undeveloped land, the likelihood of placing blame on the landowner would be extremely difficult. The new legislation not only refers to undeveloped land, but includes streams, rivers, and other water courses; bridges and walkways used to enter and go upon land; and fences. Therefore, recreational users must be prepared to use caution even when simply gaining access to undeveloped land. The law expressly provides that the fact that an owner has made land available, free of charge, for recreational users, does not mean that the owner provides any assurance that the land is safe; nor does it create any duty on an owner to inspect the land to discover dangerous conditions. It would make sense for guides, prior to bringing any groups to previously untraveled areas of land, to first inspect all bridges and walkways to test their safety. Finally, although a landowner has made land available for recreational purposes, he is still entitled to enter into agreements for the recreational use of land, which vary or supplement the duties and limitations created by the new law. Thus, should an organization become fond of a certain area of land, they are free to negotiate a fee with the landowner for use of his land. The owner's liability, then, would likely be governed by the terms of the agreement. We ask users to apply the "leave no trace" concept and respect private property by closing fences that have been open, carrying trash out, not cutting firewood, limiting erosion and maintaining a high level of sanitation. Take only pictures, leave only footsteps!
Private land with Conservation and Public Access Easements The Conservation Easement requires that these lands be managed for ecologically sustainable timber production consistent with a set of specified timber management standards. These include the requirement that after an initial 40-year period of forest recovery, the landowner must harvest at least half of the net annual growth of trees on the property. Certain ecologically sensitive areas that are identified in the Conservation Easement as "Special Treatment Areas," (such as deer wintering areas, small patches of "old growth" forest, and certain water bodies and wetlands) are given special protection and/or management. Dispersed pedestrian uses (walking, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, hunting, fishing, trapping, boating, swimming and wildlife observation) are guaranteed under the public access easement. Intensive and concentrated uses, including motorized, mechanized and equestrian activities, may occur only on approved recreational corridors. The landowner retains the right to temporarily exclude the public from areas where active forestry operations are underway. |
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Natural red pine forests, especially of large individual trees, are uncommon in Vermont, particularly in the Northeast Kingdom. Ravens have nested here. 