Why We Don’t Hoard Data
In the past, many scientists viewed the data that they collected as something belonging to them, sometimes guarding it zealously out of fear that they would be scooped by another scientist or with a sense that the data reflected too much hard work to simply give away.
Why Bicknell’s Thrush?
How one elusive bird inspired generations of biologists—and helped create Vermont Center for Ecostudies.
More Than Weeds: Herbicide Dicamba’s Return Could Impact Wildlife, Too
Dicamba is a controversial herbicide that has caused issues for both ecosystems and people. However, the EPA announced in July its intention to authorize its sale to farmers—again.
Field Guide to October 2025
Nature is putting on its final, colorful autumn show. Leaves are turning and falling, bees are buzzing around the asters, and mushrooms are putting out their final fruit. Don’t blink or you’ll miss it!
Field Report: The Secret Lives of Catbirds: Uncovering Nesting Behavior with Tracking Technology
We’re studying how we can track the behavior of these skulky, secretive birds. With luck and persistence, we may be able to piece together how the reproductive burden affects females season-to-season and year-to-year.
Field Guide to September 2025
As the weather begins to shift, we turn our attention to southward migration. From Green Darner Dragonflies to Bicknell’s Thrush, VCE scientists are uncovering the mysteries of migrating species and using this knowledge to help conservation efforts.
Field Report: What Is Loud and Clear in the Quiet of the Deep Forest
As I walk between survey points, I think about how loud the bird chorus must have been when the points were first established in 1989, and then how quiet the chorus might become in the coming decades.
Field Report: How the Birds Are Doing on Mount Mansfield This Summer
Our Slate-Colored Junco capture numbers are half of what they were last year, although all of our other target species are visiting our nets at roughly the same or higher rates as 2024.
Four Federal (Yes, Federal!) Bills for Bird Conservation
We can’t deny the bad environmental news, but people across the U.S. are still working to protect wild birds with several positive, bird-related bills currently before Congress.
Legal Lead Fishing Gear Is Still Killing Loons
I watched Mark Pokras, a seasoned veterinarian from Tufts University, pull a jig out of the loon’s gizzard. “If you can scrape the top layer, it’s probably lead,” he explained.
Teaching the Teachers About Community Science
Science educator and naturalist Ron Smith partnered with VCE to facilitate our fourth Community Science Teacher Education Workshop this July. Here he shares all the invertebrate investigations the teachers engaged in on just one day of the four-day workshop.
The Ripple Effect: Wakeboats Pose Risks to Loon Nests
For many, current rules on wakeboats, which create ocean sized waves for wakeboarding, may not go far enough to ease concerns about safe recreation and impacts on aquatic environments. Loons and their nests may especially be at risk.
