Follow the Trail with Bill Reid,
The Last Green Valley's Chief Ranger
Christmas Colors Found in the Winter Woods
This Thursday, at exactly 11:27 a.m., marks the winter solstice in the Northern Hemisphere. It will be the first day of winter and the shortest day of the year in terms of sunlight. The winter solstice is when the Earth’s axial tilt is farthest away…
Stock Up on Seed To Help Birds Weather the Winter
My interest in wild birds was a gift from my parents. I grew up in a woodsy Boston suburb with lots of trees and wildlife in and around our neighborhood. We always had a bird feeder, and one of my chores was to check it…
Fenton River a Beautiful and Essential Resource
“A river comes from somewhere, flows past my wondering eyes, and goes on to some other place. It has movement, change, and there is a sense of both time and eternity in it. The river tells me that so long as there are heights and…
Northern Red Oak is Mighty and Reliable
“The mightiest oak in the forest is just a little nut that held its ground.” Anonymous – fortune cookie There is a giant in our forests. Not only is it rooted deep here in The Last Green Valley and New England, but it can be…
Bobcats Alive and Well in The Last Green Valley
I saw a bobcat for the first time as a 10-year-old, visiting family friends in Sudbury, Mass. They had an old farm, and the bobcat was walking on a stone wall separating a hay field from a corn field. My dad spotted it, pointed it…
Veterans’ Life Stories Important to Remember
Saturday is Veterans Day, our national holiday to honor veterans of all wars. Originally called Armistice Day, the day marks the end of hostilities in World War I, which occurred on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. Veterans Day is…
Get Outdoors, Get Involved
As October winds down, and we slide into November, it is time to thank the hundreds of volunteers who helped make The Last Green Valley’s Walktober such a success. Walktober wouldn’t happen without the dedication of volunteers from the many organizations that host Walktober walks,…
Exploring The Last Green Valley: Invaders in our Backyards and Woods
Over the past few years, I have used this column to highlight concerns with invasive plant species having a severe, negative impact on the natural resources of our region. It seems wherever I go in The Last Green Valley, I am confronted with one or…
Canterbury Has Unique History, Resources
Soon after moving to northeast Connecticut in 1981, I drove Route 169 south from Woodstock through Pomfret and Brooklyn and into Canterbury, enjoying picturesque small towns, quintessential New England architecture, farms, orchards and vistas of soft rolling hills. That day was my first time traveing…
Walks Highlight Land Trust Gems
One of the reasons our national heritage corridor has an abundance of open and conserved land is due to the land trusts actively working within the 35 towns of The Last Green Valley. Walktober offers the perfect opportunity to visit a land trust property and…
Exploring The Last Green Valley: Farms offer fun during Walktober
Some of the many family-fun activities during The Last Green Valley’s Walktober are the events, tours and walks organized by our region’s farms during the glorious month of October. The farms, orchards, and vineyards of The Last Green Valley are important partners in keeping our…
The Root Beer Tree: Sassafras in The Last Green Valley
In the woods near my childhood home grew a cluster of small trees. I only noticed them after my older brother pointed them out to me. He showed me that some of the leaves were shaped like mittens, but when he mentioned root beer, I…