This week in the woods, we admired some of our numerous lichen species, as well as resident and early-migratory birds, green groundcover plants, and some lingering signs of seasons past. This…

You’re probably familiar with the basic amphibian life plan: start as a wriggly water-breathing tadpole, transform into an adult that breathes air. This is the pattern followed by all our frogs…

These shiny red growths were found on a fallen, mossy hemlock tree. What is this?

This week in the woods, male red-winged blackbirds continue to establish territories while they wait for their female counterparts to return from southern wintering grounds. The males arrive as many…

Sydney Lea is a novelist, naturalist, editor, poet, and former professor. He was Vermont’s Poet Laureate from 2011 to 2015 and a finalist for the 2001 Pulitzer Prize in Poetry. Among other…

Celebrate the beauty of native species with this stunning sticker, illustrated by Joy Grannis. This vibrant, high-quality vinyl sticker features the delicate wavy-lined emerald moth (Synchlora…

Congratulations to Joy Grannis, our 2025 Featured Artist of the Year! Nature and art are deeply connected—both invite us to slow down, observe, and appreciate the intricate details of the world…

In early spring, a reddish haze appears in the woodlands. With most deciduous trees still dormant, the red maples are living up to their name. Their awakening buds lend color to a gray landscape and…

This week in the woods, snow melted beneath a dense cover of eastern hemlocks to expose three-leaved goldthread in West Fairlee, Vermont. While it will have star-like white blossoms later this spring,…

As steam rises from sugarhouse cupolas and early morning coffee pots, sugarmakers are working overtime to turn maple sap into golden syrup. But as it turns out, they aren’t alone: other living…

A reader from the Finger Lakes shared this photo of red markings in the snow. Though it may look concerning at first, no one was injured. What is this from?

This month’s gallery captures the delicate transition from winter to spring, blending the season’s frosty beauty with its earliest signs of renewal. Carol Weatherbee spotted bluebirds…

We had a fantastic evening with Dr. Alexandra Kosiba, exploring the forest carbon cycle, northeastern forests’ role in mitigating climate change, and how we can support climate-resilient…

Ryan Trapani is the director of the Catskill Forest Association (CFA), a nonprofit which provides forest services and education to 1,100 members. He has worked in forestry and forest recreation for…

This week in the woods, we had good initial sugaring days, with some daytime temperatures reaching the 50s, and even saw swelling buds on a red elderberry in Fairlee, Vermont. This forest shrub…

While many are still basking in the afterglow of the total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024, a lunar eclipse is about to have its day in the sun. In the early hours of March 14, 2025, a total lunar…

This week in the woods, we encountered a cup lichen in the genus Cladonia, which includes reindeer moss and British soldiers as well as difficult-to-determine species like this one, with common names…

The new year ushered in an arctic blast that has only recently let up. This extreme plunge in temperature is referred to as a polar vortex. While it may seem that this is a new term, it has been in…

This issue features: Maine Master Naturalists Forest Monitoring Helping Turtles The J Team and much more! Order a copy of this issue or visit Subscription Services to subscribe to our quarterly…

For environmental historian Brian Donahue and his wife Faith Rand, building a home from wood harvested on their Massachusetts farm represented a small step in mending the broken relationship between…