THE REFORESTATION OF SAND PLAINS IN VERMONT 
A STUDY IN SUCCESSION 
CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE HULL BOTANICAL LABORATORY 135 
CLIFTON DURANT HOWE 
(WITH MAP AND FIFTEEN FIGURES) 
Geology 
The region of this study is known as the Burlington-Colchester- 
Essex sand plains, which are situated at the mouth of the Winooski 
River, that flows into Lake Champlain from the Vermont side. 
The history of the plains is intimately connected with that of Lake 
Champlain. Previous to the Glacial period the present valley of the 
lake was occupied by a river’ flowing northward. With the melting 
of the ice sheet a large lake was formed in the former river valley. 
After the Glacial period the sea invaded the region from the north, 
constituting what the older geologists called the Champlain epoch. 
At this time extensive beds of clay were laid down. The marine 
nature of these clays is demonstrated by the frequent occurrence 
of salt-water shells and by a skeleton of a whale found imbedded 
in them in the township of Charlotte. The Champlain epoch closed 
with an elevation of land which raised the marine deposits to their 
present location, the highest elevation being about 1oo™ above the 
present lake. With the withdrawal of the sea the valley was again: 
occupied by a body of fresh water, the present Lake Champlain. -£ 
At some time during the glacial and post-glacial history of Lake 
Champlain outlined above, bodies of water occupied three well- 
marked levels. During each of these stages a delta was formed by the 
erosion deposits brought down by the Winooski River. From the 
townships in which they are located, these deltas are designated on the 
accompanying map, from oldest to youngest, as the Essex delta, the 
Colchester delta, and the Burlington delta. The broken lines on the 
east side of each delta represent the beach lines of the lake (or sea) 
during the successive elevations. The doubling of the broken lines 
t BALDWIn, S. P., Am. Geol. 13:170-184. 
Botanical Gazette, vol. 49] [126 
