The Northeast Regional Gathering of the Dragonfly Society of the Americas will coincide with the Vermont BioBlitz at the new site of the Vermont Institute of Natural Science in Hartford (the village of Quechee). A BioBlitz is a 24-hour race against time to identify every living thing at a park or conserved property. We'll obviously have Odonata covered.

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| Directions | Camping & Lodging | Schedule | Ode Lists | The BioBlitz | Contact Us |

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Directions To Our Meeting Spot on Thursday, June 24

Our tentative plan is to convene on Thursday at 5 pm at the Vermont Institute of Natural Science (VINS) preserve in Quechee. To reach the spot from Interstate 89, take Exit 1 (Woodstock-Quechee) and just ahead you'll come to U.S. Route 4. If you exited from I-89 southbound, drive west on Route 4 toward (Quechee and Woodstock) for 3.1 miles to the entrance on the right (north) for the VINS. If you exited from I-89 northbound, it's 3.7 miles to site. The entrance is marked with a conspicuous sign and is 0.25 miles after crossing the bridge over Quechee Gorge. This meeting time and location may change; so stay tuned.

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Camping and Lodging

Tent camping is free to DSA meeting participants at Quechee State Park, but you'll probably share a site with two or three tents. We've already reserved the sites for DSA members, so there's no need to call the park. Just check in and tell them you're with the "VINS BioBlitz and DSA meeting." To reach the campground from Interstate 89 take Exit 1 to Route 4 west. If you exited southbound on I-89, it's 2.2 miles to the state park (on your left). If you exited northbound it's 2.9 miles to the state park (on your left).

We've also made arrangements with hotels and motels for discounted rates. (Lodging prices are steep in this region of Vermont.) When you reserve a room, tell the inkeeper you're attending the "VINS BioBlitz." These hotels are all within 10 miles of the DSA site:

Super 8 - White River Junction ($59 plus tax)
422 North Hartland Road
Rte. 5 South
White River Junction, VT 05001
(802) 295-7577

Hampton Inn ($81 plus 9% tax)
104 Ballardvale Drive
White River Junction, VT 05001
(802) 296-2800
www.hamptoninn.com

Best Western ($89.95 plus 9% tax)
306 North Hartland Road
White River Junction, VT 05001
(800) 370-4656
(802) 295-3015
www.bestwesternjunction.com

Quality Inn at Quechee Gorge ($87.20 to $119.20 plus 9% tax)
US Route 4 (Closest to the BioBlitz site.)
Quechee, VT 05059
(800) 732-4376
www.qualityinnquechee.com

Finally, here's a link to the Hartford Chamber of Commerce.
Its web site has additional lodging information and other good stuff.

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Meeting Schedule

This is a tentative agenda for the DSA meeting. It'll probably change owing to weather or the desires of the participants.

Thursday (24June)
We'll meet at 5 pm at the Vermont Institute of Natural Science (VINS) site in Quechee, which is the BioBlitz headquarters. From Interstate 89 take Exit 1 (Woodstock-Quechee) and just ahead you'll come to U.S. Route 4. If you exited from I-89 southbound, drive west on Route 4 toward (Quechee and Woodstock) for 3.1 miles to VINS entrance on the right (north). If you exited from I-89 northbound, it is 3.7 miles to site. The entrance is marked with a conspicuous sign and is about 0.25 miles after crossing the bridge over Quechee Gorge. That evening we'll decide on options -- perhaps a trip to the Connecticut River or to a fen full of Showy Ladyslippers.

Friday (25June)
We will meet for breakfast at 8:30 am at the P&H Truck Stop at Exit 17 off Interstate 91 in Wells River, Vermont (about a 45-minute drive north of the BioBlitz site). From the exit ramp, travel west on Route 302 (toward Groton and South Ryegate) to find the truck stop just ahead on your right. From there it's a 20-minute drive to Groton State Forest -- 25,000 acres with ponds, brooks, and bogs. Note to folks arriving late on Friday morning: We'll leave the restaurant at 9:30 am. So this gives you an additional hour to meet up with us. I might be able to arrange another rendezvous spot later in the morning. Or we can come up with alternative dragonflying sites for latecomers on their own on Friday. You can also meet up at BioBlitz Central for the kickoff to the BioBlitz at 3 pm on Friday.

On Friday evening we'll have a presentation from Dr. Mark McPeek, who will cover thousands of years of Enallagma evolution in a few hours.

Saturday (26June)
We will spend much of the day dragonflying for the BioBlitz. (See the site map.) The BioBlitz survey period ends at 3 p.m. on Saturday. Then we'll join the big countdown cookout supper starting at 4 pm or so.

Sunday (27June)
We will visit ponds, brooks, wetlands and reservoirs near the BioBlitz site and White River Junction. We'll be literally minutes away from Interstates 89 and 91, which will allow folks to get in some morning field time before heading for home.

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Odonata Lists and Links

Here's an Unofficial State Ode List based largely on Nick Donnelly's dot-map project.

Here's a List of What's Been Flying so far this spring in Vermont.

The Boghaunter - An occasional newsletter on the dragonflies and damselflies of Vermont

Odonata of Vermont - Vermont's premier ode web site.

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DSA Northeast Contacts

Bryan Pfeiffer <bpfeiffer@vinsweb.org> - (802) 454-1874

Mike Blust <blustm@greenmtn.edu> - (802) 287-8387

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