How did I learn all these skills? #forest #forestry #forester #woods #work #nature #outdoor #outdoors #maple #sugaring #logging #logger #author #life #lesson #love #vermont

New entry into the Bad Bird Names Chronicles — red-bellied woodpecker! #bird #birds #birb #birbs #birding #birder #birders #birdwatch #birdwatching #birdwatcher #wildlife #animal #animals #forest #forester #nature

What’s a “nurse log?” #forest #tree #trees #woods #nature #science #wildlife #habitat #stem #ecology #plant #plants #death #life

On Friday, we welcomed Ethan Tapper to campus as their featured guest for the Science Colloquium series at VTSU Castleton. Ethan is well-known in Vermont and beyond as a best-selling author, consulting forester, and popular social media figure.

What does it mean for a tree to be “alive?” I’m sharing this #repost from 2024 because I think this is SUCH an important concept for us to understand! #tree #trees #forest #forests #ecology #woods #nature #death #outdoor #outdoors #forestry #biology #science #wildlife #habitat #stem #life

What can fall foliage tell us about a forest’s history?? #forest #forests #tree #trees #plant #plants #science #ecology #nature #ecosystem #forestry #outdoor #outdoors #stem #love

Can a native species become “invasive?” There are numerous cases where a native species, when reacting to a novel condition, can become problematic for ecosystems and biodiversity. The example given here is hay-scented fern (Dennstaedtia punctilobula). #forest #nature #ecology #plants #tree #fern

Drought stress affects trees in numerous ways, but one of the most interesting is how it limits trees’ ability to photosynthesize. Here’s a simplification of that one part of how drought affects trees! #trees #tree #plant #plants #nature #science #woods #forest #forests #drought #ecology #water

How do predators influence prey behavior?? We all know that predators lower populations of their prey species, but they also have a variety of “non-consumptive effects” on prey species. This is how! #predator #prey #nature #forest #ecology #wolf #wolves #science #hunt #deer #hunter #stem #love

What does it mean when there are lots of different types of stones in a stone wall? It could be an indicator that the soils you’re standing on are built on material left by glaciers! #forest #history #nature #ecology #forester #outdoor #outdoors #woods #soil #wild #ecosystem #history #stem

Just some thoughts on working hands… #forester #work #hands #land #nature #forest #earth #management #story #love

At this time of year you can find oak trees from miles away! Here’s basically how it goes: #forest #forests #tree #trees #plant #plants #nature #outdoor #outdoors #forester #deer #deerhunting #deerhunter #whitetail #whitetaildeer #love

The Exploding Plant Chronicles, Volume II: Witch Hazel (Hamamelis virginiana)! #plant #plants #nature #wild #outdoor #outdoors #woods #forest #forests #botany #ecology #forester #vermont

The genocide of the Indigenous peoples of the Americas is one of the great tragedies in the history of this planet — and may have been a cause of the Little Ice Age! #history #climatechange #colonization #genocide #indigenous #naturalhistory #iceage #forests #forest #earth #colonialism #nature

Bad Bird Names, Volume 2: Magnolia Warbler. Plus stay tuned to the end for a BONUS BAD BIRD NAME!!! #bird #birds #birb #birbs #birding #birder #birdwatch #birdwatching #birdwatcher #nature #animal #animals #wildlife #outdoor #outdoors #wild #woods #forest #forester #stem

It’s tussock moth caterpillar season again! And in its honor I’m reposting this video from 2024 about “the chunks” aka the horrible rash that they cause. Lol trust me, you don’t want the chunks! #forest #nature #outdoor #outdoors #wild #forester #animal #animals #wildlife #insect #insects #woods

Have you heard this one? We’re busting the red pine needle myth this afternoon… #tree #trees #plant #plants #forest #forests #nature #outdoor #outdoors #woods #wild #forester

The mystery of black cherry decline has puzzled scientists for decades — but now the consensus is that a big part of it is the loss of the nitrogen from acid rain. #tree #trees #plant #plants #ecology #ecosystem #forest #forests #woods #nature #outdoor #outdoors #forester #forestry #stem #cherry

Everything that I know about butternut trees (aka “white walnut”) in 90 seconds. (For this one I do have to admit that I do know a few more things but this is all I could fit) #tree #trees #plant #plants #nature #wild #woods #forest #outdoor #outdoors #ecology #ecosystem #forester #love

In honor of acorn season, I’m reposting this video from 2024 about the incredible resilience of oak seedlings — enjoy!! #tree #trees #plant #plants #nature #woods #forest #forests #forester #wild #outdoors #outdoor #ecology #ecosystem #resilience #persistence #love

Sunchokes — a native, perennial, food crop! #plant #plants #plantnative #food #crop #foraging #forage #wild #wildfood #permaculture #foodforest #forest #ecology #naturalhistory #nature #forester

The birding x ear hair connection — the greatest quandary of our time #bird #birds #birding #birder #birdwatch #birdwatching #birdwatcher #birdwatchers #nature #forest #forester #animal #animals #wildlife

5 birds that completely dependent on humans! #bird #birds #birding #birder #birb #birbs #birdwatch #birdwatching #birdwatcher #wildlife #animal #animals #ecology #naturalhistory #science #stem #nature #forester

What do birds eat?! #bird #birds #birding #birder #birdwatch #birdwatching #birdwatcher #bug #bugs #animal #animals #wildlife #ecology #ecosystem #environment #forester #stem #love

You can learn to identify coniferous trees just by their shape! Here’s how. #tree #trees #plant #plants #forest #woods #nature #ecology #naturalhistory #outdoor #outdoors #forester #author #stem #love

Natal dispersal is an important strategy for species to maintain genetic diversity and avoid overwhelming their own habitat. My favorite example of this is what ruffed grouse do: the “crazy flight” #bird #birds #wildlife #animal #animals #nature #birdwatch #birdwatchers #birdwatcher #birdwatching

WE WON THE NEW ENGLAND BOOK AWARD!!! AND ON HOW TO LOVE A FOREST’S FIRST BIRTHDAY!! What a dream come true this all is! I’m so happy and so dang proud. #author #book #books #forester #forest #nature #outdoor #outdoors #award #awards #birthday #love

Why do I cut trees? #forest #forestry #forester #tree #trees #nature #woods #wood #management #work #love

It’s another acorn year, and the acorns are staring to fall, so I’m reposting this video about acorn caps! A lesson learned from my years making lots and lots of acorn flour. #tree #trees #plant #plants #forest #nature #outdoor #outdoors #acorn #oak #forester #woods #stem #love

Why does the forest totally change at old fence lines?! #forest #forests #tree #trees #nature #ecology #woods #history #naturalhistory #ecosystem #environment #forester #outdoor #outdoors #stem #love

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For those of you wondering why the trees’ leaves are turning brown — here’s a quick PSA! More on drought ecology and physiology later #forest #tree #trees #nature #drought #outdoor #outdoors #ecology #woods #environment #climatechange #plant #plants #forester #stem

You’ve heard about bird songs — well, what about bird “calls?!” #bird #birds #birding #birding #birdwatch #birdwatching #birdwatcher #wildlife #animal #animals #nature #ecology #ecosystem #environment #outdoor #outdoors #forester #vermont

It’s late summer — AKA jewelweed capsule poppin time! Anyone else grow up doing this?! #plant #plants #flower #flowers #wildflower #wildflowers #nature #forest #woods #ecology #outdoor #outdoors #forester #stem #life

Everything I know about eastern hop hornbeam (AKA Ostrya virginiana AKA ironwood AKA hardhack AKA leverwood) in 90 seconds! #tree #trees #plant #plants #nature #forest #forests #woods #ecology #outdoor #outdoors #stem #botany #dendrology #treeidentification

I am so pleased to announce that I am the 2025 recipient of the W.G Hagenstein Communicator Award from the Society of American Foresters (SAF)! What an honor!!

What’s the difference between a big tree and old tree? #tree #trees #nature #forest #woods #outdoor #outdoors #ecology #ecosystem #environment #forester #forestry #stem #love

How old is that stump?? #forest #forests #woods #tree #trees #stump #stumps #history #ecology #outdoor #outdoors #forester #stem #vermont

Old trees are cool! It is basically impossible to enumerate all of the amazing qualities of old trees — but here are are few of them. #tree #trees #nature #plant #plants #forest #forests #woods #outdoors #outdoor #habitat #wildlife #forester #stem #love

How to make our meadows better habitat with less work? #plant #plants #nature #wildlife #habitat #ecology #ecosystem #environment #outdoor #outdoors #meadow #field #fields #forester #stem #vermont

What’s an “old-growth tree?” #tree #trees #forest #forests #nature #oldgrowth #outdoor #outdoors #woods #ecology #ecosystem #environment #ancient #old #plant #plants #forester #forestry #stem #love

“What’s that plant good for?” 🙄 #plants #plant #nature #outdoor #outdoors #ecology #ecosystem #environment #herb #herbalism #herbalist #forage #forager #foraging #life #love #forester

What an honor it is to get to dedicate my life to caring for ecosystems. Today I just want to acknowledge how honored and grateful I am for the part of this that I’ve gotten to play over the past year #forest #nature #outdoor #outdoors #forester #author #tree #trees #love #life #birthday #boy

Forest myth busting time! Ever looked at stumps and wondered what species of trees they’re from? Welll this is NOT the way to find out! #tree #trees #forest #nature #woods #outdoor #outdoors #history #naturalhistory #forester #stem #vermont

How to Love a Forest a finalist for the New England Book Award! What a joy and an honor and a surreal experience it continues to be to see this book travel so far, and mean so much to so many. #book #books #author #authors #forester #forest #love

The bark of each tree species expresses itself across a spectrum from “tight bark” to “loose bark.” By learning to read bark (and a lot of practice) you can tell the general age of trees based on bark! #tree #trees #plant #plants #nature #forest #forests #woods #outdoors #ecology #love

The way that forests are growing can tell us a lot about the birds that might be there — but the more I learn about birds, the more they tell me about our forests! #bird #birds #birding #birder #birdwatching #forest #nature #wildlife #animal #animals #woods #forester #outdoors #ecology #stem #love

Since colonization, nearly every forest in New England was cleared for agriculture. However, there were also some forests that were cut but never entirely cleared — this is how you tell if you are in a forest like that! #forest #trees #tree #history #ecology #nature #outdoor #outdoors #forester

I am so excited to share with you this strategy for dealing with biting insects that does not work. Enjoy! #bug #bugs #outdoor #outdoors #nature #forest #forests #forester #forestry #fly #flies

I had a chance to spend some time at Bear Island with Sandy Smith from Penn State Extension and he made this lovely 5-minute video—check it out! #forest #nature #forestry #forester #woods #love extension.psu.edu/hope-for-our...