On a recent episode of the On Being podcast, journalist Amanda Ripley was quoted as saying: “real life is not a bumper sticker.” I was struck by how true this is for forests and for forest management. As much as we would like to believe that taking care of forests is simple, in truth it…
Author: Ethan Tapper
Cryptic Function Loss
Each of our native species occupies an ecological niche, influencing the ecosystem around it in different ways. The more we learn about forests, the more we discover how critical each species is to their health and function: from towering trees to tiny invertebrates, from the bats that regulate populations of defoliating insects to the rodents…
Animal Personality
Each of Vermont’s tens of thousands of native species fills an ecological niche, influencing its environment and the species around it in different ways. While an important component of managing for healthy, biologically diverse forests includes managing for species diversity (different species of wildlife, trees, and plants), there are also differences in behavior between individuals…
The land ethic
Whether you are a forest manager, landowner or enjoyer of the outdoors, it can be intimidating to know your role in the management of our forests.
Wolf Trees: From the past and for the future
If you’ve ever walked in Vermont’s
woods, chances are that you’ve stumbled upon a “wolf tree.”
The Hinesburg Town Forest: Inclusion, Demonstration and Diversity
The 864-acre Hinesburg Town Forest is many things. It is a historically important property, one of
Vermont’s early town forests, listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Into The Woods: Forest Soils
Some would argue that as a forester, it’s my job to manage trees. However, I think that the forest, the whole system, is a forester’s true responsibility.
Into the Woods: Mast Years
If you’ve been walking through the woods this late summer, you’ve probably noticed acorns — in treetops, hanging from low branches, littering the ground.
Fall Trail Closures in Hinesburg’s town forests to facilitate deer herd management
I think that anyone who has lived in Hinesburg or Chittenden County for more than a couple of years can agree that things are changing.
Into The Woods: Sugar Maple v. Red Maple
It is difficult for many people to distinguish between sugar maple (Acer saccharum) and red maple (Acer rubrum).