In much of the eastern United States, oaks are declining, while generalist species such as red maple (Acer rubrum) are on the rise in historically oak-dominated forests. This shift is in part…
The Crack in the Limb
Outside my window sits a grand old maple that I have grown to favor, not because it’s mine, but rather, I belong to it—despite our separate homes in nature. I see how it bears …
1,000 Words
“I have spent many seasons observing several great blue heron nests at this beaver pond in Amherst, New Hampshire. I look forward to these prehistoric-looking birds’ return yearly and…
Painted Turtles Basking
Painted turtles (like all reptiles) are ectothermic, or cold-blooded, and basking in the sun helps them warm up. Also, leeches and algae that attach to them as they swim dry up and fall off, leaving…
Caring for “The Farm” and its Woods in Connecticut
Ruth Cutler’s property in Ashford, Connecticut, has been in the family for nearly 100 years. Her grandfather purchased the original 127 acres in 1927, and the family has called it “The…
Mountain Birdwatch: Tracking the Northeast’s Montane Species
In late June, the route to the 3,839-foot summit of Plateau Mountain remained closed following a late spring storm that dumped heavy snow and ice, leaving a trail of downed trees that devastated many…
Conservation Easements: Connecting Land, People, and Ideas Through Time
A topiary garden. A dairy farm. A meandering river flanked by floodplain wetlands. Hundreds of thousands of acres of managed forest stitching together Maine’s North Woods. An iconic sledding…
The Cottongrasses
Botanically curious people often ask me, “How do you tell a sedge from a grass?” Many have heard that “sedges have edges,” but distinguishing grasses from sedges is often more…
Largemouth in Coal Country
By mid-June, green covers the mountainside, paints it a thousand verdant shades, leaf upon leaf upon leaf. Mountain laurel blossoms. Blackcap raspberries ripen. Hidden in the dense woods, a…
May: Week Four
This week in the woods, the starflower is the star. One of the most common spring bloomers in northeastern woodlands and tolerant of shade, the wildflower is blossoming all over the floors of our…
Against the Flow: Spring Alewife Run
One of the most exciting rites of spring is the alewife run, an annual event where throngs of fish race upstream from the ocean to inland water bodies on a reproductive journey. These “river…
May: Week Three
This week in the woods, a black-throated green warbler, a bird more often high up in the forest canopy, deigned to visit us in the understory for a moment and sing its fitting song: I’m so…
Nature’s Bubblegum?
This week in the woods we came across these globs of bright pink spattered across moss on a decaying log. What is this?
The Past, Present, and Future of Northeastern Forests with Shersingh Joseph Tumber-Dávila
When: May 20th 2025 5:00 - 6:00 PM
Where: at Lyme Congregational Church, 1 Dorchester Road, Lyme, New Hampshire
Join us for a discussion with Dartmouth College Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies Shersingh Joseph Tumber-Dávila, who will share perspectives on New England’s woodlands, with a…
Issue 125: Summer 2025 $12.00
This issue features: Tree-Based Tech Montane Birds Butterfly Eggs Land Conservation and much more! Order a copy of this issue or visit Subscription Services to subscribe to our quarterly magazine.…
A Lifetime of Alpine Stewardship: Laura Waterman
Laura Waterman is a rock climber, an advocate for wild places, and a writer. She founded The Waterman Fund, after losing her husband, writer and mountaineer Guy Waterman, to continue their mission of…
Mosquitoes in the Rain
If you’re a mosquito and it’s a warm spring afternoon, you’re out cruising the air currents on your tiny wings. But as you buzz around, the sun warming your exoskeleton, the clouds…
May: Week Two
This week in the woods, we have our eyes and binoculars out for warblers – those remarkable little creatures that have migrated hundreds or thousands of miles over the course of several nights,…
How Growth Rings Chronicle the Seasons
The longer, warmer days of spring spark phenological changes in trees, from root to tip. As the limbs of trees stretch and twist toward the sky in search of sun, their trunks grow wider to support the…
Backyard Birds of Spring with Jocelyn Duffy
When: May 10th 2025 11 - 12:30 PM
Where: at Northern Woodlands Headquarters
16 On the Common, Lyme, New Hampshire
Join us for a family-friendly exploration of Northern Woodland’s backyard bird life. This guided gathering will immerse you in the sights and sounds of New England birds as the season awakens,…