For the past two years, from late fall to early spring, a livestream on the Finch Research Network’s (FiRN) YouTube page transported viewers to a snow-dusted yard in northern Maine.…
Articles
Rescuing Iced-In Loons
Loon biologists have traditionally worked three field seasons: spring, when common loons return to northeastern lakes, as if by magic, within a day or two of ice-out; summer, when nesting and…
From the Center
The first time I met most of the CNWE board of directors was at a summer board retreat at Seyon Lodge in Groton, Vermont. Arriving late at night, I ignored the printed directions in favor of…
Loon Rescues on Ice
In the Winter 2024 issue of Northern Woodlands, writer Brett Amy Thelen describes heroic efforts to rescue stranded loons from iced-in lakes throughout the Northeast. With heavy bones built…
Carving Spoons with Anton Prikazchizov
For the Winter 2024 issue of Northern Woodlands, outgoing Executive Director Elise Tillinghast and her husband, photographer Tig Tillinghast, put together a brief feature article focused on…
Subway Dreams
Years ago, my three siblings and I discovered that we shared a recurring nightmare: We are running for our lives down our childhood street in Brooklyn, being chased by a subway train broken…
Art Review: Linda Mirabile
On the road to wisdom, behave like a raven and observe everything carefully! – Mehmet Murat Ildan The raven (Corvus corax) is an intelligent, gregarious bird that exhibits a noteworthy…
Tips & Tricks for Your Hydraulic Wood Splitter
In the last column we discussed tips and tricks for hand splitting gnarly firewood. Hand splitting is cheaper than a gym membership but may not be practical based on the type or amount of wood…
Working with Foresters
I just bought a parcel of forestland and I don’t know where to start. Do I need a forester? Even for people who have owned a parcel of forestland for a long time, caring for a forest can…
Winter Crane Flies
On days when I drop off my wife at her dance class, I explore Red Rocks Park in South Burlington, Vermont. I meet dog walkers and a few hardy birders but as far as I know, I’m the only…
Groundnut: A Year-Round Wild Food Source
(If You Know How and Where to Look) Groundnut (Apios americana), an herbaceous, perennial member of the pea family (Fabaceae), is native to most of the eastern United States and adjacent areas…
1,000 Words
“I love that Vermont’s woods offer glimpses of the past,” said Joshua Blouin, who spotted this old Chevy on a farm in Warren, Vermont. The farmer told Blouin he started…
Behind the Pages
Approximately 50 people contribute to the words and images in each issue of the magazine, and still more provide support for the publication process. Here are some of our Winter 2024…
Paths
The path I made in the snow three days ago had been used. A neighbor? I mused. Several of them, it turns out. Toe-tipped deer, their hooves leaving unmistakable marks. My path on the tote road…
Tips & Tricks for Splitting Gnarly Firewood
Tucked behind all too many woodsheds are unsplit rounds that stand as evidence of defeat. Many of these blocks have been tossed in frustration after dozens of hits, each one eliciting…
Softening Edges
I’ve heard foresters and wildlife biologists talking about “softening edges.” What is an edge, and what does it mean to “soften” one? Why is it important? And how…
Deer Drag
Dad and I drag the white-tailed doe to the abandoned logging road as the moon crests the mountain. By the light of our headlamps, we use our knives to carve and empty the deer, our breath…
Behind the Pages
Approximately 50 people contribute to the words and images in each issue of the magazine. Here are some of our Autumn 2024 contributors. {image2} Noah Davis (“Deer Drag,” page 10)…
Wildlife Rehabilitation: Returning Raccoons to the Woods
The calls come in day and night, from homeowners, people working in the woods, and passersby on dirt roads and busy highways. They’ve found an injured fox or an orphaned squirrel or a…
Help in a Hard Time
In September 2023 – after nearly 10 years of planning, clearing, and construction – Darin Schwartz, his wife Dawn Elliott, and their two children moved into the family’s…