We were really excited to start our carbon plot, even in the sticky heat of an early summer day. Usually, during summer break, kids slept until noon, but not us. Seventeen students arrived early before 8:00, applied bug spray, then with anticipation of what would happen, walked down the trail. At first, we thought it was just going to be finding how much carbon was in each tree, and that is what we were doing, but it was also so much more. It taught us learning skills that wi

Things that soar - turkey vultures, eagles, monarch butterflies - always make me think of freedom. They look so calm and effortless riding the wind currents in the sky. This year, I was able to lead more than 70 people in monarch tagging programs. We only caught and tagged a few, but just being out there chasing monarchs with nets with families brings me joy. People are laughing and smiling as they try to outrun these amazing flyers. Many times they are starting to care for t

Vesselina Alteva, the Environmental Science teacher at Stevens High School, brought 18 students out to Marshall Pond last month to collect dragonfly nymphs with Dartmouth faculty, Dr. Kate Buckman, who studies toxic metals through the Superfund Research Program. Kate has been studying the mercury levels in dragonflies for over 10 years and leads high school students in the Upper Valley in this citizen science project. Citizen science involves public participation in scientifi