For hundreds of years, people believed that, come autumn, barn swallows would dive under the surface of ponds and lakes, swim to the bottom, and bury themselves in the mud for the winter. We now know…

This week in the woods, we shared a moment with a boreal chickadee, the more reclusive, higher-elevation cousin of our familiar feeder bird, the black-capped chickadee. Through the winter, the boreal…

Jessica Pierce is a service forester at Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources in the Bureau of Forestry. She has been with the Department for 14 years and has worked across…

This pile of scat was found in an early-successional stand of hardwoods in Kingfield, Maine. Who produced it?

Delicate ice art, bold snow tracks, and brilliant birds were among the subjects of December’s photo submissions. Dawn Brooks discovered bear tracks in Monterey, Massachusetts; Ken Dickerman…

On an early winter walk with my three-year-old in a local town forest, we heard our steps crunch on the frozen ground. The dirt of the trail had been pushed up on delicate columns of ice that looked…

This week in the woods, the familiar cigar shapes of cattails’ pollinated female flowers waved over a beaver pond in West Fairlee, Vermont. These cylinders are densely packed with hundreds of…

Last autumn, I was canoeing in a quiet saltwater cove on the Maine coast when I realized I had a tiny stowaway onboard. A masked shrew (Sorex cinereus, also called the cinereus or common shrew) was…

This week in the woods, we’re watching the bouncy, undulating flight of the American goldfinch, which has earned comparison to a rollercoaster, a stone skipped across a lake, and a sine/cosine…

On a fine gray afternoon in late October, I came across an impressive cone midden beneath a towering red spruce. While it was surely the work of an industrious squirrel – perhaps a family, given…

Few plants evoke winter holidays in the north more dependably than the Christmas holly (Ilex aquifolium). The plant’s handsome evergreen leaves and red berries have enjoyed a sacred place in…

Forest Magic for Kids: How to Find Fairies, Make a Secret Fort, and Cook Up an Elfin Picnic is an enchanting guide to 50+ imaginative, hands-on activities that invite children to explore the wonder of…

This pendant features two delicate, tiny mushrooms thoughtfully positioned in front of graceful fern fronds. Each Woodland Pendant is a one-of-a-kind treasure, crafted with real natural specimens…

This pendant features an elegant pairing of cup lichen and British soldier lichen on a soft bed of moss. Each Woodland Pendant is a one-of-a-kind treasure, crafted with real natural specimens gathered…

This woodland pendant features a small but mighty mushroom rising from a mossy bed, with delicate ferns against a soft blue background. Each Woodland Pendant is a one-of-a-kind treasure, crafted with…

One bold mushroom takes center stage in this pendant, nestled in a feathery cushion of moss. Each Woodland Pendant is a one-of-a-kind treasure, crafted with real natural specimens gathered near the…

November brought a quiet abundance of color and beauty, captured in photos of landscapes, plants, and wildlife. In Kennebunkport, Maine, Karen Suhrhoff spotted an especially sweet albino porcupette.…

Michael Crawford is the northern New Hampshire land manager and burn boss for The Nature Conservancy. He manages properties from the Fourth Connecticut Lake Preserve in Pittsburg, near the Canadian…

This pendant captures three tiny maple leaves in resin, celebrating the cycle of growth and the idea that small beginnings can lead to great strength. Each Woodland Pendant is a one-of-a-kind…

This glacial concretion necklace features a rounded stone whose swirling patterns evoke a vast, universe-like presence shaped by deep time. Each Glacial Concretion Necklace features a naturally formed…