Abazimenahanik (AHH-baah-Zee; Men; ahh; han; eek)

Sustainable Williston have been working with the Conservation Commission on the early stages of a new forest park to be known as Abazimenahanik (Tree Island) on the land between Allen Brook School and the Fire Station. They have been working in partnership with the school and Intervale Center to plant trees and educate the local school and community members about the biodiversity value of this area and the importance of protecting our environment. Local volunteers have played a key role in the success of this project to date.

The knoll between Allen Brook School and the Williston Fire Station was inhabited seasonally by Native Americans 10,500 years ago.  Thousands of primitive (pre-arrow, pre-pottery) artifacts were found when UVM conducted an archaeological dig in advance of the planned Circ Highway construction.

The area was cleared for agriculture in the 1800’s.  Aerial photos from 1937 show an orchard on part of it and a few ancient apple and pear trees still inhabit the slope north of Allen Brook.  By the 1980’s it was abandoned as pasture and is now in the early stages of succession from pasture to forest.

This plan is about returning the area primarily to Northern Hardwood Forest but also including existing passive recreation uses from stump circle classrooms to paths to sliding hills, thus the term “forest park.” The plan attached here shows the location of Abazimenahanik.

UVM Field Naturalist Program 2022

During the spring of 2022, the University of Vermont Field Naturalist Program partnered with the Williston Conservation Commission on several projects of interest. The students individually explored and analyzed a range of conservation issues. Their work is presented here in this collection of Story Maps. Click on the "Get Started" button to view all the Story Maps, or scroll down and click on titles to view individual Story Maps of interest.