
- courtesy of VINS
Wonder what it's like to be a bird fluttering from tree to tree? This October, the Vermont Institute of Natural Science (VINS) provides a window into that world when it opens its Forest Canopy Walk, which supports the science center's mission to provide place-based education by actively immersing visitors in nature. Following the natural slope of the land, the wheelchair- and stroller-accessible path gradually ascends into the forest canopy, to a height of 65 feet. Along the way, interpretive panels highlight the local ecosystem, animals and flora. Kids can scramble into a netted Giant Spider Web, 20 feet in diameter, or climb into the Eagle's Nest, a spur off the main trail featuring a two-level structure with an oversized "nest" on top. For those looking to climb even higher into the trees, a helical staircase ascends into the Tree House, which rises 100 feet into the air and provides sweeping views of the countryside and Ottauquechee River.
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