Special Events
Upcoming Special Programs & Events
Taylor Series Speaker Event, Friday March 29th in Middlebury
Herpetologist Jim Andrews will be guest speaker at Bread Loaf Section's James P. Taylor Outdoor Adventure Program beginning at 7:00pm.
"Selected Reptiles and Amphibians of the Central Green Mountain National Forest."
Jim Andrews will discuss the identification, natural history, distribution, and conservation of the salamanders, frogs, snakes, and turtles that we are most likely to encounter in the Green Mountains of Central Vermont.
Free and open to the public.
7pm at Champlain Valley Unitarian Universalist Society,
2 Duane Court, Middlebury, VT.
Doors open at 6:30pm
Above: Pickerel frog (L. palustris) Photo credit: Kate Kelly.
Spring Salamander (G. porphyriticus) Photo credit: Rich Kern.
About our Taylor Series Speaker: James S. Andrews graduated from UVM with a BS in Environmental Studies and later received his master’s degree in Biology from Middlebury College. He has been working full time as a herpetologist/wildlife biologist in Vermont since 1990. He has worked closely with state, federal, and private agencies; and individuals on herptile conservation throughout Vermont.
He currently serves as chair of the Reptile and Amphibian Scientific Advisory Group to the Vermont Endangered Species Committee. He also coordinates the Vermont Reptile and Amphibian Atlas and serves as a research and teaching associate with Vermont Family Forests in Bristol, Vt. In addition, he teaches courses on Vermont reptiles, amphibians, trees, and birds, at a variety of institutions. He also runs herpetological research and education projects and provides independent consulting and herpetological survey.
Jim is a founding member of the Salisbury Conservation Commission and has been compiler and organizer of the Middlebury Christmas Bird Count since its inception. In addition, Jim has been working with the Vermont Agency of Transportation to help minimize the impacts of transportation infrastructure and traffic on wildlife. Conservation of Vermont's wildlife and wildlife habitat through education, field experience, and science is a common theme running through all his activities.
RECENT 2024 EVENTS
Our 49th Section Annual Meeting was held Tuesday Feb. 6, 2024 in Middlebury.
PAST EVENTS
Special Fall Program:
"Living with Bears"
"Living with Bears"
On Tuesday, October 24, Green Mountain Club’s Bread Loaf Section and the Middlebury College Environmental Studies program offered a fall program “Living with Bears,” presented by Vermont Fish and Wildlife Bear Technician Molly Byrne, who will help us better understand our ursine neighbors. Read: GMC's what to know about Vermont's wildlife.
Our Fall Speaker Program "Living with Bears" was held in Middlebury. Event photos. (R Penfield)
Long Trail Day 2023
Our Section led three hikes on Sat. Aug. 19th & hosted Trail Magic on Sunday August 20th.
Long Trail Day is GMC's biggest annual fundraiser is Long Trail Day.
The Bread Loaf Loafers led three hikes on the original LT Day (two on the LT) on Aug 19th and will plan more hikes between now and October 7th, the culmination of this year's fundraising by GMC. Learn more.
On Aug 20th, a beautiful weather day, some sweet Trail Magic was offered at the Long Trail crossing at Appalachian Gap. Volunteers and longtime GMC Bread Loaf members Deb Steines and Bob Rogers provided hikers with water refills, brownies, watermelon and other unexpected (magic) refreshments from 10AM-3PM. Many hikers and many Gap cyclists, even several bikers stopped by to say "hi."
Trail Magic 2023 at Appalachian Gap (photos: D. Steines & B. Rogers)
GMC 's 113th Annual Meeting was held June 17, 2023 in Craftsbury at the Craftsbury Outdoor Center. Details on GMC's website.
Did you see us at MNFC's 2023 Green Up Festival May 6th?
Thanks to Mike Greenwood for setting up our "Meet and Greet" information table at the Middlebury Natural Foods Coop on May 6th. Thanks, MNFC, for hosting the best spring event for learning about our area's environmentally minded organizations and businesses.
Taylor Outdoor Adventure Speaker was held in person March 23, 2023
Our featured speaker was Drew Clymer, the Department of Public Safety Search and Rescue Coordinator for the State of Vermont.
Over 40 guests were in attendance as Clymer explained the framework of search and rescue in Vermont, told stories from the field. (Event photos).
More events: GMC events and workshops.
(Above) Bread Loaf's Taylor Series speaker Drew Clymer. (Photo courtesy of Stowe Mountain Rescue)
2022 Events
Kingsland Bay State Outings&Picnic, August 7th (no photos taken).
(Above) Lynn Luginbuhl and Morris Earle by the Mediterranean Sea in Antalya, Turkey. Photo credit: A Canadian tourist.
On Oct 26th at our Fall Speaker Program, Morris Earle delivered a fascinating presentation and photos to an audience of almost 50 describing his hiking adventure: “The Lycian Way: A month crossing the Taurus mountains and ancient ruins of Turkey. Morris and Lynn's trek was a 300-mile hike through ancient ruins and old goat paths above the Mediterranean.
Past Annual Meetings
2023 ANNUAL MEETING
Our 48th Annual Section Meeting was held in-person in 2023 for the first time since 2019!
2023 Annual Meeting speaker, Jason Hill with Vermont Center for Ecostudies presented "The State of Mountain Birds"
Learn about climate change and its impact on birds: Audubon's Climate Survival by Degrees.
2022 Bread Loaf Section 47th Annual Meeting,
was held Wednesday, January 26th
was held Wednesday, January 26th
Read all 2021 Annual Reports
(PDF, 7 pages)
Including 2021 Meeting minutes and report from the Treasurer, President, Director, Trails & Shelters, Outings, Membership, Newsletter/Publicity
(above) Keegan Tierney, GMC's Director of Trail Programs, reported on the 2021 Field Season on the Long Trail.
Bread Loaf Section 46th Annual Meeting was held on Jan. 21, 2021 on Zoom.
Did you miss the meeting? Play the meeting recording on GMC's YouTube Channel.
including a presentation by guest speaker Leath Tonino.
Bread Loaf Section 45th Annual Meeting was on Zoom on Thursday, March 26th, 2020 from 7:00-8:00PM
GMC’s Director of Field Programs Keegan Tierney presented trail updates from headquarters. The Harrington and McIntosh families of Ripton presented “Short Legs, Long Trail: Four Summers on the LT”, one of our most inspiring and entertaining programs!