In Natural Resources:
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News and Announcements
Beavers on the Allen Brook Nature Trail - December 11, 2025 Beavers are back on the Allen Brook Nature Trail! The beaver lodge at the stream confluence north of Creek's Edge neighborhood was re-occupied in fall 2025, and the dam repaired. The restored beaver pond has flooded some of the footbridges that cross the wetland, making it impassible. Beavers are agile creatures in the water but clumsy on land. To harvest food and live in safety, they build dams, ponds, and lodges. In the process, beavers create create homes for a host of other wildlife and benefit our environment. By trapping water, dams build up sediment which helps to reverse channelization of the Allen Brook and improve water quality downstream. Once the beavers move on, on the dam decays and the pond becomes a meadow teeming with new growth and wildlife. Eventually, the beavers return to start the cycle over again! Beavers last occupied this site in 2023, at which time the footbridge was raised 6 inches to accommodate minor flooding. The pond is currently frozen, so the situation will need to be assessed and monitored in the coming spring to determine the best path forward to restoring trail access. In the meantime, did you know that these beavers are famous?! The Beavers of Allen Brook were the subject of "New Neighbors", a 2025 documentary by local filmmaker Jim Heltz. Thanks to Jim and local videographer Arnold Wetherhead for the first two images below from the pond site.
MUD POND CONSERVATION AREA CIRCUMFERENTIAL TRAIL BOARDWALK CLOSURE - NOVEMBER 3, 2025 It has come to our attention that the Mud Pond Conservation Area circumferential boardwalk has deteriorated to the point that it poses a safety concern for hikers. The Town has made the decision to close the boardwalk effective immediately until such time as it can be repaired. This unfortunately means that the circumferential trail will be temporarily closed to through traffic until the boardwalk can be repaired, or an alternate path can be found. The closed boardwalk is over 800 feet in length, and repairing it may require permitting, grant acquisition, fundraising, and alternatives analysis - there is unlikely to be a quick fix. In addition, the deterioration has occurred primarily through natural wear and tear which means that most if not all of the structure requires complete replacement. The Town is in the early stages of assessment and planning for a repair, and we hope to find an alternate pathway to re-open the circumferential trail soon. Catamount Outdoor Family Center Annual Membership Sale - October 2025 Annual memberships for the Catamount Outdoor Family Center (COFC) 2026 season are now on sale at the COFC website. The COFC is the 501(c)(3) nonprofit located at the Catamount Community Forest, and the Town of Williston's close partner in managing and stewarding this 400 acre town forest. COFC manages and maintains over 25 miles of trail, provides mountain bike, cross-country ski, and binocular rentals, and creates high-quality recreational and educational programs for the community. COFC is an independent organization and not a subsidiary of Williston Recreation and Parks; they draw all of their funding from memberships, program fees, donations, and sponsorships, with much of that funding going straight back into maintaining the trails and programs for the community, including free pedestrian access for all. Check out their 2025/2026 season membership newsletter for more information about membership types and fun incentives and consider supporting COFC this season.
Read more about the 2018 conservation of the Catamount Community Forest on our town webpage here.
ALLEN BROOK NATURE TRAIL BRIDGE REPAIR UPDATE - September 2025 The bridge that connects Village Park to the Allen Brook Nature Trail has been out of service since December 2023 after a combination of severe flooding and beaver activity undermined bridge supports and caused a section of bridge to begin to cave in. Although the broken section of bridge has been temporarily propped up, it is dangerous to use and the Town requests your assistance in observing the bridge closure for safety reasons.
Williston has approved initial funding for a repair and engaged the firm Engineering Ventures to design a robust repair solution that will be more resistant to future flooding. In August 2025, the Town received preliminary approval to move forward with state and federal wetlands and river alterations permits. Repair work is expected to commence in late spring or early summer 2026 given the need to receive final permit approval, recruit an additional contractor, approve additional funding, and observe state regulations restricting in-stream work between October and the end of May. The damaged portion of the bridge will be removed this fall (2025) to prioritize safety and prepare for the repair work to begin at the earliest window in 2026.
Below is a brief timeline of project milestones. Please check back later in the fall for more updates.
MUD SEASON - April/May 2025
It is mud season in Vermont, meaning that trails will be especially vulnerable to damage. Please report any waterlogged or damaged sections of trail to town staff by emailing dmoroney@willistonvt.org, and please avoid walking or biking on muddy trails whenever possible. With the exception of Catamount Community Forest and Mud Pond Country Park, most trails across Williston remain open during mud season, so we rely on good judgement and helpful communication from our recreation community to avoid significant trail damage each spring.
The trails at Catamount Community Forest close each spring during Mud Season and gradually re-open as they dry out and become stable. These trails are closely monitored, managed, and maintained by our partners at the Catamount Outdoor Family Center, who are responsible for opening and closing trails as needed on the Town's behalf. Visit their Trail Maps & Conditions page for weekly updates and an interactive map showing current trail conditions, and please check in at the Hub for up-to-date information whenever you visit.
The trails at Mud Pond Country Park are likewise managed by our partners at Fellowship of the Wheel, and also close for Mud Season. Please visit their website and select "Mud Pond" for trail conditions.
Thank you for helping to protect Williston's trails!
ALLEN BROOK NATURE TRAIL BOARDWALK CLOSURE The Allen Brook Nature Trail boardwalk has been closed. Following the flooding event on December 18th, 2023 and ongoing beaver activity, a new channel in the Allen Brook near the viewing platform has deepened and widened. This has resulted in two of the posts that support the structure being dislodged and a pool of water forming adjacent to the boardwalk. Staff at the Town are assessing what repairs or alterations are necessary to make the structure usable again. The nature of the changing conditions in this area may necessitate a different approach than simply repairing the structure. While that process is happening the boardwalks is closed and we ask for the public's co-operation in not using it. |
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