Vermont Bear Habitat

Babysitter Swamp Protected, December 2004

Just outside of Burlington, Vermont are large blocks of forest land and wildlife habitat that host bobcat, bear, moose, fisher and other mammals. The Chittenden County Uplands Conservation Project, a collaborative conservation initiative, was created to preserve this critical ecological resource.

Babysitter Swamp is a property located in the heart of the Chittenden Country Uplands Conservation Project area in Jericho and Richmond. The property contains old-growth trees, wetlands and forest and is connected to other conserved lands. On this remarkable property, tracker Susan Morse discovered that mother bears use the old-growth trees for a safe haven for their cubs while they feed in the wetlands. These sows, with their infant cubs, return to the same old-growth trees every other year and have been doing so for decades.

"It is like having a supermarket--the wetlands--next to a secure and comfortable daycare center--the old-growth trees," said Susan. "It is perfect for them."  These old-growth trees are called babysitter trees.

The mother bears feed in the wetland area for four to five weeks, from late April to late May. Babysitter Swamp is the only place known in the Chittenden County Uplands area where bears consistently bring their cubs for safety and spring feeding.

Northeast Wilderness Trust purcahased a conservation easement on Babysitter Swamp and this property shall now remain forever-wild for the bears and wildlife to flourish.