Follow the Trail with Bill Reid,
The Last Green Valley's Chief Ranger
Buckthorn Can Overtake A Forest
Invasive plants are attempting to take over our forests and fields. From winged euonymus (burning bush) and Japanese barberry to oriental bittersweet, multiflora rose and autumn olive, our region is becoming overgrown with harmful invasive plants. I have written about these problematic plants and the…
For a Touch of Sweetness, Visit Your Local Beekeeper
“The only reason for making a buzzing-noise that I know of is because you’re a bee…The only reason for being a bee that I know of is making honey….and the only reason for making honey is so I can eat it.” Winnie the Pooh in…
Meet the Oriole, Summer’s Songster
“To hear an oriole sing May be a common thing — Or only a divine.” Emily Dickinson from “The Oriole’s Secret” Last month, I heard an unfamiliar sound in our backyard. I strained my ears to try to identify the vocalist performing so melodiously from…
Countless Activities in Region This Summer
Welcome to July. Summer might have officially started June 21, but for me this month is when the summer season finally settles in for its all-too-brief three-month turn on the calendar. To help you get in the July mood, here is a short list of…
Doctor From Region is Father of Anesthesia
On a picturesque country road in Charlton, Mass., stands a large, antique Georgian house. It is two stories, with imposing chimneys and a long ell attached to one side. The house speaks to an era when wood fires heated homes and provided hearth-cooked meals. The…
Summer Solstice Ushers in Farmers Market Season
The longest day of the year, the Summer Solstice will begin at 6:07 a.m. Thursday (probably before most of us rise from our beds) and mark the official astrological beginning of summer for the Northern Hemisphere. I looked up the definition of the Summer Solstice…
June a Busy Month for Nature and TLGV Rangers
“The big surge of green is past. Now there will be several weeks of urgent growth before the Midsummer lull when that growth will be completed, and energies will go into seed maturing. Trees are more uniform green. Meadows are lush. Farmers begin to cut…
Nathan Hale was an Original American Patriot
Memorial Day is a day of remembrance for those who gave their life for our country while serving in the armed forces. Many towns will hold parades, invite dignitaries to make speeches and lay a ceremonial wreath at a war memorial. New flags are placed…
Get Out and Paddle Along Our Rivers This Spring
Rivers are the lifeblood of The Last Green Valley National Heritage Corridor. They define our region’s history, from transportation and sources of food for the original inhabitants of our beautiful valley to powering the age of industry. Today, our rivers provide exceptional recreational paddling opportunities…
Spring promises a variety of song and eggs
In my office I have a photograph of two bald eagles in a nest with two young hatchlings. The eagles built it about 10 years ago in a tall sycamore tree adjacent to the Quinebaug River. The nest is at least six feet in diameter…
Nature’s Transformation Has Begun With Winter Finally Behind Us
We are gratefully sliding from April into May. Frankly, I am happy to see April headed toward the rear-view mirror. It, along with March, was unseasonably cold and snowy. I have been joking with friends that 2018 saw the creation of a “fifth season” non-affectionately…
Red Fox is The Ghost of The Forest
This winter, I spent several days skiing in Vermont. Several large snow storms created a canvas of fresh snow on the mountainside, and every morning a new scene played out in the fresh tracks that were revealed. The chairlift to the summit was the perfect…