Two Biologists and Every Loon in Vermont: the Power of Community Science
Loon surveying for VCE’s Loon Conservation Project is a time-consuming task, between all of the paddling and what seems like an hour-long drive minimum to get anywhere on Vermont back roads. All of that monitoring is managed by just two loon biologists…and hundreds of volunteers.
Frightening Fungi of New England’s Autumn
Fall is everyone’s favorite mushroom season as the cool, moist weather brings mushrooms springing up left and right on the forest floor. In celebration of the spooky season, check out these frightening fungi that you can find in your backyard this fall.
Ask a Conservation Biologist: What Native, Near-Native, and Local Plants Should I Cultivate in the Yard?
A Vermonter asks: Should I stick to only plants that I can collect seeds from in the wild, or is it okay to supplement with purchased seeds that are not native genetics? What about near-native Black Locust saplings that have sprung up?
The Unique Impact of Solar Farms on Grassland Birds
Clear-eyed conversations about where solar development occurs, how impacts are mitigated, and what success looks like for wildlife are essential if we hope to meet our energy goals without losing species that are already in decline.
Identifying the Wild Bees That Pollinate Vermont’s Crops
Large bees such as bumble bees are relatively easy to identify to species in the field, but smaller bees like mason bees, mining bees, sweat bees, cuckoo bees, scissor bees or cellophane bees need a closer look.
Executive Director Susan Hindinger Announces Her Departure
With a mix of excitement and sadness, we write to report that Executive Director Susan Hindinger has decided to retire from VCE at the end of this year to tend to her family obligations.
Field Guide to September 2026
Keep your eyes sharp this month! You might see a migrating dragonfly or a vagrant hummingbird. At the very least, it pays to keep your wits about you in case you encounter a certain pollinator and beneficial insect. That’s right, we’re talking about yellow jackets.
Loon Versus Eagle: A Conservation Success Story
Keeping a relatively neutral perspective around wildlife interactions can be one of the most challenging parts of being a wildlife biologist. It can be difficult to not anthropomorphize animals, or assign them human emotions and qualities such as disappointment, satisfaction, cruelty, or generosity.
Go Touch Grass. Let Us Know What You See.
Here at Vermont Center for Ecostudies we have a dozen different volunteer opportunities that will get you outside, calm your nervous system, and help you get to know the local flora and fauna, while also contributing to conservation science.
Vermont Bids Farewell to the Pesticide Paraquat
Concern has mounted for decades about paraquat’s impact on human health. However, the pesticide isn’t exclusively a human problem.
Field Guide to August 2026
Little things with wings are catching our interest this month. We’re affixing tiny trackers to migrating Monarch butterflies. We’re waxing on about the wonderful world of wasps, which are not the villains, but the heroes of the garden! And we’re keeping an eye out for delightful Primrose Moths, which alight on the very tall, yellow, native flowers that just love to take over recently disturbed space.
Field Report: New Birds Are Showing Up on Mount Mansfield’s Peak
Change is afoot on Mansfield. This summer, birds that usually breed at lower elevations like Black-throated Green Warblers and Magnolia Warblers have firmly staked their place at the peak itself.
