ELIZABETH THOMPSON, an ecologist for The Nature Conservancy and an instructor at the University of Vermont, has roamed Vermont's woods for nearly 20 years, studying native plants and their ecology. She has published numerous magazine articles and reports on natural history, community ecology, and conservation. ERIC SORENSON, an ecologist for the Vermont Nongame and Natural Heritage Program, has enjoyed studying the wetlands of northern New England since moving to the region in 1983. He has published several reports and articles on wetland community ecology and wetland protection.