Follow the Trail with Bill Reid,
The Last Green Valley's Chief Ranger
Dedicate yourself to making a difference in nature
“You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.” Jane Goodall Jane Goodhall has been one of my heroes…
Painted turtle has interesting way of surviving winter
Winter arrived Friday and Monday is Christmas Eve. While we’ll be snug in our beds, anxiously waiting for Santa to arrive, the season of ice and snow can be quite different for wild animals, especially our region’s reptiles and amphibians. I had not really thought…
Healthy, fresh food still found at winter farmers markets
In the past 10 years, The Last Green Valley National Heritage Corridor has seen a dramatic increase in the number of farmers markets, as well as a greater number of vendors and variety of products available. From any town within the National Heritage Corridor, a…
Majestic white pine green all winter
Winter is the time of the pine here in The Last Green Valley National Heritage Corridor. Pines and other conifers make up only 12 percent of the tree species in the region and for most of the year, deciduous oak, hickory, maple and birch trees…
December is no reason to stay inside
The morning of Nov. 16 we awoke to several inches of snow on the ground. By Thanksgiving week, green grass was visible again with the storm’s remainder slowly melting in piles at roadside edges and parking lots. Accumulated snow in November is a rare occurrence,…
A night with saw-whet owl an enlightening experience
I snapped on my headlamp as we approached a small grove of pine and hemlock trees. We had parked our cars along the edge of a hillside field and trudged about 100 yards toward the dark woods. A sliver of moon sat on the horizon,…
Remember our region’s veterans and their sacrifices
On the 11th hour, of the 11th day, of the 11th month 100 years ago, the hostilities of World War I ended. Originally called Armistice Day, today is Veterans Day, our national holiday to honor U.S. veterans and casualties of all wars. Veterans Day is always…
Can’t Miss the Signs of November
A couple of weeks ago I did the one act signifying I am finally resigned to the change of seasons. I did the unthinkable for mid-October and turned on the heat in the house. Any self-respecting Yankee knows Nov. 1 is the start of heating…
Pine Cone-Hoarding Red Squirrel Keeps Its Eyes On You
“There is something very human in this apparent mirth and mockery of the squirrels. It seems to be a sort of ironical laughter and implies self-conscious pride and exultation in the laughter.” From “Squirrels and Other Fur-Bearers” by John Burroughs It was one of those glorious…
Invading House Sparrow Threatens Bluebird
For the past few years I have used this column to focus on several invasive plant and insect species that are having a negative impact on our forests and fields. These invaders thrive here, in part because they inhabit an environment free of natural predators…
More Bears Seen in Our Backyards
Perfect Habitat for Forest-dwelling Bears Hardly a week goes by that I don’t hear of a black bear sighting somewhere nearby. I have seen them dart across woodsy roads and once came upon black bear scat too close to my house for comfort. During the…
Walktober Offers Something For Everyone This Fall
To be a true New Englander is to enjoy and live gladly within the essence of the four seasons. To me, no month defines New England and our seasons like October. Autumn may astronomically begin in September, but October entrances the senses. The sudden chill…