Blog and News

Bill Novacek’s first job out of high school was at a sawmill in the Berkshires. In 1981, he moved north to Coos County in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, where his connection to…

Jen Plowden grew up in the open spaces of western Maine, along its border with New Hampshire. She helped her father log with horses, explored the fields and forests with her siblings, and…

Michael Wojtech remembers being enthralled by the natural world from a young age. But it wasn’t until well into adulthood that he became fascinated, in particular, by trees. A decade…

In 2018, Lindsay Ware decided to combine two of her interests – conservation biology and dog training – to found Science Dogs of New England. What started as an interest in helping…

Al Robertson’s love of forests began in Germany, where he lived for several years after college. He purchased 60 acres of land in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom in 1979 and has spent…

Megan Woods is the coordinator for the New Hampshire Becoming an Outdoors Woman program, helping to introduce women to various outdoor pursuits – from hiking to hunting – and hone…

Lynn Levine grew up in Brooklyn, New York, where she attended Midwood High School, then Brooklyn College. At the latter, she earned a degree in childhood education, because, she said, there…

Northern Woodlands Poet-in-Residence, Percy deMutt, recently surveyed our readers for inspiration for a series of short poems. Behold, his fine works: Inspired by: Oliver, age 12 Oliver, age…

Tom Ryan has been a forester with the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) since 2003. He recently shifted from service forestry – working with private…

When Jackie Robidoux retired recently from a career in nursing, she turned her attention from taking care of people to taking care of animals. She’s long enjoyed photographing wildlife…

When Elsa Goebel-Bain was 11 years old, her family moved from Springfield, Illinois, to Winthrop, Maine. That move opened a world of outdoor recreation opportunities. Inspired by her…

Mike Cherim has loved hiking for as long as he can remember. He started early, ascending mountains in a pack on his father’s back until he was big enough to hike on his own. After a…

Brett Butler pursued a career in forestry because he loves being in the woods, but during a research trip in college, he started to realize that forestry is as much about people as it is about…

A self-proclaimed “tree geek,” Joanne Garton is the technical assistance coordinator for Vermont Urban & Community Forestry, a role that has her traveling the state to…

Siblings Jim Robbins, Alden Robbins, and Catherine Robbins-Halsted are the fifth generation of their family to run Robbins Lumber in Searsmont, Maine. The Robbins kids grew up around the…

For Nancy Baker, tending to the region’s woodlands is “all about caring well for the forest.” She manages land that has been in her family since 1861, and over the years has…

As the director of trails for the Appalachian Mountain Club, Alexander DeLucia oversees the professional and volunteer crews responsible for maintaining some 1,800 miles of trails from…

When she graduated from high school, Mariah Choiniere wasn’t sure what type of career she wanted to pursue. Rather than diving right into college, she took some time to determine her…

In his work as a timber frame builder, David Bowman seeks out trees specifically suited to the structures he’s creating. He harvests from his own woodlot in western Massachusetts and…

As deputy director of the Forest Stewards Guild, Amanda Mahaffey supports programs including Women Owning Woodlands, Foresters for the Birds, and the North Atlantic Fire Science Exchange.…