Berlin Pond needs your help.

The Berlin Pond Watershed Association works to protect and restore the ecological communities and natural resources of Berlin Pond and its watershed.

Help Conserve the Berlin Pond
Crandall Property

The 33-acre Crandall Property, located at the southern end of Berlin Pond along Mirror Lake Road, offers a shaded respite for walkers and bikers circling the pond in the summer and the opportunity year-round to catch a glimpse of the many birds that make their home in this area. Once a significant part of the historic Crandall Farm, the property currently hosts both wetland and upland natural communities and their associated plants and animals.

This property was subdivided into four residential lots and was on the market to be sold for development when three conservation buyers were able to purchase and control the land until funding can be acquired to transfer the land into protected, public ownership.

The Case for Conservation

The Crandall Property is an important contributor to the health of Berlin Pond. Its location adjoining the Pond Brook wetland complex, the primary inflow stream for Berlin Pond, is critical for water purification and water temperature regulation. Berlin Pond’s roles, both as public water source and as a low-impact recreational area offering fishing and wildlife viewing, depends on the buffering and ecological services provided by protected shorelines such as the Crandall Property.

The Crandall property is within an Audubon designated Important Bird Area which provides habitat for both nesting and migratory birds. Over 200 bird species have been recorded on eBird for the Berlin Pond area, and Vermont’s records have documented three rare or uncommon birds on the Crandall property and its adjoining wetlands.

David Mears, Executive Director of Audubon Vermont and Vice President of the National Audubon Society, wrote:

The property that your association seeks to conserve is adjacent or proximate to a mix of Alder and Cedar swamps and open marsh that are already protected and which provide excellent breeding habitat for birds. Adding conservation protection for the Crandall land will provide an important buffer for these critical resources and will also provide connectivity to the Berlin Town Forest and the many bird species that need both large areas of contiguous, un-fragmented forests and access to wetlands and natural water bodies as part of their life cycle.

The Crandall Property has been identified by the state of Vermont as a highest-priority area for conservation. It is located within a state-significant 9,113-acre forest block, critical for protecting native species and the integrity of natural systems. In addition to providing habitat for rare and uncommon species, the Crandall Property is home to an uncommon Northern White Cedar Sloping Seepage Forest. It is a state-important riparian and terrestrial corridor, allowing animals to safely move from one location to another.

The conservation of the Crandall Property will preserve the scenic character of Berlin Pond that residents and visitors alike have valued and enjoyed through the years, a beloved destination in central Vermont for birdwatching, walking, and fishing.

Highlights

Maintain the scenic character of Berlin Pond for Berlin’s residents and visitors
Continue to provide opportunities for wildlife observation at the southern end of Berlin Pond
Protect the public water supply for Montpelier and sections of Berlin
Protect rare and uncommon species and natural communities
Maintain state-level important riparian and terrestrial corridors for wildlife
Reduce fragmentation of a statewide highest priority, 9113-acre forest block