Back in 1997, the state forester reviewing a habitat improvement grant application for a property on the northwestern edge of Worcester, Massachusetts, remarked that the proposal was “a little…

Fans of Northern Woodland’s monthly Reader Photo Gallery may recognize the name Charlie Schwarz, a regular contributor to the gallery. A retired forester and lifelong naturalist, Charlie lives…

Harper, a great blue heron (Ardea herodias), could win a prize for endurance. This fall, after leaving her post-breeding area in Pointe-à-la-Croix, Quebec, Harper flew 68 hours nonstop (61…

Community engagement in nature and art takes many forms. A two-decade effort to restore a healthy meadow to an urban forest in Worcester, Massachusetts, also brought a college campus and a…

“I am a passionate painter focused on representing both seen and unseen elements of the environment.” — Bunny Harvey Bunny Harvey knows her environment intimately; she knows the…

The sky islands of Appalachia – that phrase from a place miles away captured my imagination as I read Sonia DeYoung’s story on page 52. Her research with the University of Vermont aspires…

After this issue of the magazine goes to print, I’m looking forward to some quiet time outdoors. I suspect many people feel as I do right now – weary of news of any kind, and eager to step…

A hundred years ago the black cherry tree in the gully behind our house on Cliff Street sprouted in a hillside pasture. It hasn’t moved, but the village has crept up the hill and the…

At some point Great Blue Herons learn to fly. It must be interesting to see them jump off a 50’ perch for the first time. There are no pilot instructors or safety nets below. You just wing it,…

Rat-a-tat-tat. Showers of acorns hit the ground and tapped our heads as my husband and I hiked the Appalachian Trail. Thousands of acorns strewn across the path atop multi-colored leaves made for…

This Week in the Woods, we found the spiky seed balls of bur-reed in a beaver meadow. The plants (several species) grow in shallow water and wet soil; we often find them at the edge of marshes.…

As the Chittenden County Forester, Ethan Tapper works with landowners in Vermont’s most populous county. For Tapper, this work is as much about engaging the community as it is about managing the…

We found a bush covered in these fluff balls at the edge of a field. What plant is this?

I can’t seem to pass a hollow tree without stopping to snoop. If there is a cavity within reach, an investigation is in order. Wear and tear around a hole, evidence of food items on the ground,…

This Week in the Woods, we’ve noticed red osier dogwood along wetland edges. This shrub often grows in multi-stemmed stands, and its bright red, speckled stems are eye-catching in the late…

In your second gallery, AM Dannis captured spooky images of a Halloween “Hunter’s Moon,” Vin Lawrence withstood a bluebird invasion, and Kelly Stettner admired bright red winter…

Bent down in an apple field searching for a lost earring, I found a different treasure: a stout mouse-like animal, with a short tail and stubby ears. It gave me one quick look, then disappeared…

Rumbles of thunder have grown distant, and the pea-size raindrops that were slamming my face a short time ago have dwindled to a mist. With the rain easing, I notice trickles of water running down the…

This Week in the Woods, the evenings are cold, the morning meadows are frosted with ice. It’s time to get out the winter coats. In bogs, purple pitcher plants are even more eye-catching than…

Celebrate nature every day of the year with the Northern Woodlands perpetual Northeast calendar. It measures 5”/5”, spiral-bound at the top, it can stand like a pup tent on a windowsill or…