With much of the forest’s output subject to commodity pricing, survival for mechanized loggers depends on the efficiency and economics of big machines. Justin Lathrop is the machine guy…

Burlwood is sought after by wood connoisseurs for its potent colors, swirls, and textures. It is rare to find and impossible to propagate. I often quip that if anyone finds a burl they should…

When gold was discovered in 1849 at Sutter’s Mill in California, the famous gold rush of 1849 ensued with profound consequences for the West and its native population. Sixteen years…

Those of us who have lived in the Northeast long enough remember a time when ticks rarely crossed our paths – or our minds. Especially in the northern parts of New England and New York,…

Larry "Tweeter" Felion is the old school. His family couldn't afford high school tuition, so he went to work logging with his father after the eighth grade. He's now 81 and…

HOW ONE OF NEW ENGLAND’S LARGEST SNAKES IS MANAGING TO SURVIVE Most of us have experienced an unexpected encounter with a snake while doing yard work or taking a walk in a local forest…

If you live near water, then beginning in late spring, you likely will have some fascinating insects flocking to your porch. Caddisflies might pass for gray, brown, or black moths, but they…

On a recent sunny day, Jeff Tarling, city arborist with Portland, Maine’s Department of Parks, Recreation, and Facilities, pulled his truck to a stop at Pine Grove Park, a 12-acre green…

After climbing a steep, winding road through a gap in Vermont’s Green Mountains, my car descended into Addison County, rolling past fields bright with purple aster and goldenrod. A black…

Loving the woods, loving working in the woods – it’s difficult to do either without an appreciation of history; after all, the forest we see today reflects the actions of those who…