Peter A Krusch Nature Preserve, 51 acres, borders the Cambridge Pines Natural Area and State Forest. The land was owned and stewarded for 60 years by Peter A. Krusch, who had envisioned the land preserved, conserved, and open to the public. A three-year cooperative effort between the Town of Cambridge, the Cambridge Conservation Commission, the Vermont Land Trust, and Sally Laughlin (Peter’s widow) has resulted in the donation of the land and the establishment of the Preserve.

The parking lot is off North Cambridge Road. A nature trail runs through the preserve, up the hill from the trailhead on North Cambridge Road, across a seasonal stream, through the varied forested land, past a waterfall and gorge, along Dragon Brook, and then across Dragon Brook to the border of the ancient pines and hemlocks of the Cambridge Pines State Forest.

The land is a compelling mix of forestland, open meadows, streams, wetlands, ravines, and waterfalls, a surprising diversity of habitats in such a small geographical area. The land is part of a larger forest block mapped by the state of Vermont as a “Priority Connectivity Block,” providing critical ecological connectivity on a statewide level.