Follow the Trail with Bill Reid,
The Last Green Valley's Chief Ranger

Exploring The Last Green Valley: Take precaution against ticks

March 20, 2017

On Feb. 25, I went for a hike on one of our region’s land trust properties. It was a beautiful winter day. The February thaw was in full force and, with just traces of snow in the woods, the trail was easily passable with only…

Exploring The Last Green Valley: Optics pioneer one of region’s most remarkable women

March 13, 2017

Exploring The Last Green Valley: Optics pioneer one of region’s most remarkable women It was just last month while researching my Bulletin column on the American Optical Company and the Optical Heritage Museum that I first learned about Dr. Estelle Glancy. In celebration of Women’s…

Exploring The Last Green Valley: Little bufflehead duck makes brief annual visit

March 6, 2017

Exploring The Last Green Valley: Little bufflehead duck makes brief annual visit For several years I lived near Witches Woods Lake in Woodstock. We could see the lake from our kitchen window and I frequently took advantage of a nice walking trail that went along…

Exploring The Last Green Valley: Sprague Land Preserve an extraordinary place

February 27, 2017

Exploring The Last Green Valley: Sprague Land Preserve an extraordinary place With the recent warm temperatures and snow melt, my thoughts are turning to springtime forest rambles. This spring, I have my sights on a very special place located in Sprague and Franklin. The first…

Exploring The Last Green Valley: Old New England barns stand test of time

February 20, 2017

Exploring The Last Green Valley: Old New England barns stand test of time I have been fascinated with barns since I was very young. The old barn at my grandparents’ farm in New Hampshire was always my first stop during our visits. While it had…

Exploring The Last Green Valley: Curious springtails are the snow fleas of winter

February 13, 2017

Exploring The Last Green Valley: Curious springtails are the snow fleas of winter I was about 10 years old the first time I discovered snow fleas, or what are really called springtails. The large pile of wet snow underneath the old oak tree in our…

Exploring The Last Green Valley: Reading the forested landscape

February 6, 2017

Exploring The Last Green Valley: Reading the forested landscape The Last Green Valley National Heritage Corridor is more than 1,000 square miles with 707,000 acres of land. Our region is 77 percent undeveloped land with 67.1 percent forested land including 12.3 percent coniferous forest (pine…

Exploring the Last Green Valley: Optical Heritage Museum keeps history of American Optical alive

January 31, 2017

Exploring the Last Green Valley: Optical Heritage Museum keeps history of American Optical alive The Last Green Valley National Heritage Corridor was and is home to many innovative and important companies. Beginning in the 19th century, with advances in waterpower technology and the birth of…

Exploring The Last Green Valley: ‘Wandering Through Winter’ with Teale

January 23, 2017

Exploring The Last Green Valley: ‘Wandering Through Winter’ with Teale Winter seems like the perfect time to re-tell the story of one of The Last Green Valley’s most gifted writers. If you enjoy natural history, travel, the fascinating turn of the seasons and the lyrical…

Exploring The Last Green Valley: Wood duck conservation at work in Sprague, Connecticut

January 16, 2017

Exploring The Last Green Valley: Wood duck conservation at work in Sprague, Connecticut From time to time, readers of this column will send me emails remarking about a recent column or providing me with information about our region’s natural and cultural resources. One reader that…

Exploring The Last Green Valley: How to catch a snowflake

January 9, 2017

Silently, like thoughts that come and go, the snowflakes fall, each one a gem.” – William Hamilton Gibson Wintertime tends to bring out the kid in me, or rather brings back so many snowy winter memories from long ago that remind me of when I…

Exploring The Last Green Valley: Ranger Bill shares bucket list for 2017

January 3, 2017

There is so much to see and do here in The Last Green Valley National Heritage Corridor. In my job, I get to explore many of the natural and cultural wonders of our region, and every year I try to visit and experience each of…