An invitation to appreciate nature's tenacity. Winter can seem like a time to put things on hold, for both the natural world and those of us who study and enjoy it. But knowing where and how to look will reveal an abundance of life making the most of the season. After all, even during the […]

Families are complicated—Orchidaceae most of all. A bracing winter night's walk, illuminated by March's full moon, transports us to the Orchid Range, and from there: Panama? Nepal? Ghana? The incredible diversity of color and form in this global flower family is ours to explore, and their hidden evolutionary stories ours to read—if we know how. […]

Pining to spruce up your evergreen knowledge? This is the class fir yew! When the bare branches of winter start to get you down, turn to the conifers for a breath of fresh, pine-scented air. More ancient and more steadfast than the deciduous divas of autumn, our native coniferous trees like eastern red cedar and […]

With the return of spring comes a nightly chorus of chirps and peeps, but those aren’t birds you’re hearing! Join us as we seek out the frogs responsible in their unique, ephemeral habitat: the vernal pool. One of spring’s most fascinating—and fleeting—features, vernal pools appear and disappear with the changing of seasons. And this time […]