Peter A. Krusch Nature Preserve

How this preserve came to be

For six decades, the 51-acre parcel was stewarded by Peter Krusch, a local artist and blacksmith, and his wife Sally Laughlin. The couple long dreamed of sharing its beauty through a town-owned nature preserve.

Following Peter’s death in 2018, Sally worked with local volunteers to make that dream a reality. She generously donated most of the value of the land.

We worked with the Cambridge Conservation Committee and the Krusch Preserve Steering Committee raised the remaining money needed to buy and conserve the land. Support came from the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board and many community members.

Bringing forests back to life

This part of Cambridge, Vermont was once covered by a glacier. That icy history still informs the land. The glacier’s immense weight eroded rocks into sand over thousands of years. That sand makes up the base of the soil in the preserve. You’ll also see large boulders dotting the landscape that were left behind by the retreating glacier.

For thousands of years before European immigrants colonized Vermont, Abenaki tribes lived on and with the land. The Abenaki were displaced by the colonists, whose farms largely relied on cutting down trees for pastures.

Before Peter and Sally owned the land, it had been farmed and deforested for several hundred years. Over the next sixty years, Peter managed the land to regrow forests and recreate natural habitats.

Thanks to community efforts, VLT and the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board now hold conservation easements on the land. This will ensure that the land and important habitats it offers are protected for generations to come.

Look, listen, and learn along the nature trail

The one-mile-long nature trail extends from the parking lot on North Cambridge Road, along Dragon Brook, and to the edge of the Cambridge Pines State Forest.

As it traverses the property, be sure to read the educational signs installed by the Preserve Steering Committee. The signs share information on the history of the property, the plants and animals that call it home, and the different types of landscapes found within the preserve.

If you can’t visit in person, or you just want a sneak-peak, you can explore the property virtually via the 360 Tour created by the committee.

Walk alongside living history at Cambridge Pines

Cambridge Pines State Forest is one of few old forests left in Vermont. The creation of the Krusch Nature Preserved opened new access for visitors. The nature trail carries visitors along the edge of the state forest to an overlook.

While a formal trail through Cambridge Pines doesn’t yet exist, you are welcome to meander through the old forest. The largest hemlock is estimated to be over 300 years old.

As you pass amongst these old giants, you’ll note large earthen mounds where trees fell and were left undisturbed to be reclaimed by the forest floor.