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<DIV STYLE="text-align:Left;font-size:12pt"><DIV><DIV><P STYLE="margin:0 0 0 0;"><SPAN>Hardwood or mixed-wood forest that has a significant amount of mature, nut-producing beech, oak, or other mast trees with evidence of current or historic bear feeding. Mast areas are an important resource for bear and other wildlife species. In 2001, across the state, Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife mapped known mast areas using anecdotal information from wardens, foresters, and wildlife biologists. In 2020, Native Geographic visited a selection of the mast areas and deleted prior records that now longer support significant mast production. Also in 2020, Native Geographic surveyed additional areas for mast production and bear feeding. This is not a systematic study of bear habitat but does represent the best available data.</SPAN></P></DIV></DIV></DIV> |