North Springfield Bog
Springfield, Vermont
On May 12th, Tracy and I were able to visit North Springfield Bog.
North Springfield Bog (NSB) is on the outskirts of the old industrial town of Springfield, Vermont. Small at 0.4 acres, NSB is a kettle bog believed to have formed when glaciers retreated at the end of the last ice age. It displays atypical vegetation and may be in the process of transitioning to a poor fen environment. NSB is maintained by the Ascutney Mountain Audubon Society.
FIrst, find a rock somewhere in North America inscribed with the word 'BOG'!!! There can't be too many of those and though we had directions, it proved slightly more difficult to locate than expected.
Posted on a pole at the entrance to the bog was a copy of an old newspaper article. The bog has almost been lost on more than one occasion and has certainly been damaged by apparently being used as a dump. Prior to the boardwalk being installed the bog was cleared of rubbish that included an old car!
Looking into the bog with the boardwalk running down the middle.
As may be seen, the bog is largely filled with scrub-like growth which is unusual and one indicator that it may be in a period of transition. Around the boardwalk the growth is regularly cut back and this is where some very large Sarracenia purpurea ssp. purpurea are to be seen. Without regular trimming I believe the Sarracenia would soon be lost.
Yours truly... slowly sinking on the floating pontoon boardwalk.
The only sign of new growth were flower buds beginning to rise.
Lastly, in an area of clear water, Tracy spotted an Eastern Newt - Notophthalmus viridescens.
For further information about North Springfield Bog, see this interesting Masters Thesis -
The North Springfield Bog, Springfield, VT: Is it really 'bogged' down?