There is one last group of algae that you may encounter in Vermont waters, the Rhodophyta or red algae. Red algae are most abundant in marine environments and are common seaweed along shorelines. The estimates I found noted that only 3 – 5% of all red algae species live in …
It’s spring and love is in the air! If you are a frog or salamander, that means you’ll be heading for the nearest water to find your special someone. Every frog and salamander has the same idea once the temperatures begin to warm. On warm nights in spring, especially rainy …
It’s that time of year again. The time when I walk in urban areas peering into gardens and under shrubbery, looking for the first signs of snowdrops and crocus. When I pull out all the seed catalogs and circle, circle, circle all the plants I would like to fit into …
I recently signed up to become a plant survey volunteer for the Native Plant Trust. I am a botanist by training and identifying wildflowers was my first botanical obsession, way back when in high school and my early college years. Then the algae caught my attention and I left the …
Dinoflagellates are a group of microscopic mostly unicellular algae that are found in freshwater and marine environments worldwide. While we don’t hear much about them in freshwater, dinoflagellates are well known in coastal areas as ‘red tide’ and ‘brown tide’. These are blooms of dinoflagellates that can covers miles of …
The dark days of winter are finally lengthening, but there are still plenty of long winter nights ahead. Why not learn a little about the natural world through an online presentation? There are quite a few online webinar types opportunities from Vermont Conservation organizations. Many of the naturalists making these …
The North American Lake Management Society is a lake-focused group composed of lake scientists, policy makers, volunteers, residents, and visitors. Their mission is to ‘forge partnerships among citizens, scientists, and professionals to foster management’ of lakes and reservoirs. Though NALMS is a membership-based organization, there are several good lake resources …
Today’s post was inspired by a compendium of one of my favorite cartoon strips – Calvin and Hobbes. It’s called “There’s Treasure Everywhere” and this wonderful pair is truly great at find treasure in the most unlikely places! So, bring out your inner Calvin (or maybe Hobbes), and search for …
Late summer is the time when people really visit lakes. The chilly waters of early summer have warmed to the perfect temperature for diving in on a hot humid day. Swimming in the cool waters of a lake is one of the great pleasures of August in Vermont. Late summer …
When I mentioned that I was going on vacation to our cottage on Lake Michigan, someone asked how I could call it vacation since I’ve been retired since November. It’s an interesting question, but there is no doubt in my mind that I am enjoying a vacation. Here on the …