The Mountain Times By Emma Cotton/VTDigger At the turn of the 21st Century, no bald eagles nested in Vermont. In 2020, the state recorded 41 pairs. Biologists have been working to reintroduce the iconic birds in the state for around a decade — and have succeeded. The result: Bald eagles are likely to be removed from Vermont’s endangered species list, said Jim Shallow, director of strategic conservation initiatives at The Nature Conservancy. The bald eagle has been the national emblem of the United States since 1782 and long before that was a spiritual symbol for Indigenous people. Shallow is also on the Endangered Species Committee in Vermont’s Fish & Wildlife Dept., which voted unanimously in December to lift the designation. The Vermont Legislature is expected to make the move official this summer.