Protect Our Piping Plovers

Better Yet: Help Protect All CT Seabirds and Shorebirds HB 6813 By Robert LaFrance Policy Director Audubon Connecticut Piping Plovers have begun hatching chicks along our coast, which we refer to as “tiny cotton balls on sticks.” Because these tiny chicks begin foraging along the beach almost immediately, they are some of our most vulnerable […]

Stratford Coastal Community Resilience Plan

By David Chess Stratford Forward Which areas are most vulnerable?  And how vulnerable are they. A large part of our town as well as critical utilities such as the Water Pollution Control Facility, electrical utilities and Hazardous waste are high risk for failure now.   VULNERABILITY AND RISK – this is detailed but highlights who […]

Birds, Bees and Plants

Get to Know These 20 Common Types of  Native  Plants Whether you’re looking to increase your awareness outdoors or attract more birds to your home, let this primer be your guide. By Carlyn Kranking, Reporter Audubon Magazine Plants are absolutely crucial to avian life. Trees, flowers, shrubs, and grasses can serve as shelter, nesting material, […]

Slipper Shells Invade Long Beach!

Sources: Wikipedia, Library of Congress, Bill Lucey, Long Island Soundkeeper; Jeffrey Levinton’s Marine Ecology Laboratory, http://Stonybrook.edu ; Sandra E. Shumway, Ph.D., D.Sc., Department of Marine Sciences, UCONN; Tessa Getchis, Connecticut Sea Grant/UConn Extension, University of Connecticut; Susan Dunne, Hartford Courant; By Barbara Heimlich Editor She sells sea-shells on the sea-shore. The shells she sells are […]

Attack Garden Pests

Spring is Here…Time to take to the ground!!!! Clean-up Your Yard and Garden By: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service U.S. Department of Agriculture When it comes to preventing the spread of invasive pests, every one of us can play a big role. By doing the right things we can all help stop this threat […]

Citizen Scientists

Citizen Science and Community Engagement By Barbara Heimlich Editor What Is Citizen Science? Citizen science, also known as community science, refers to the involvement of the general public in scientific research, often as volunteers collecting data or participating in research projects. Citizen science is an incredibly beneficial way to engage the public in scientific inquiry. […]

Citizen Scientists Needed

Lanternfly Detection U.S. Department of Agriculture The U.S. Department of Agriculture is asking Connecticut residents for their help detecting the invasive spotted lanternfly. The lanternfly feeds on and destroys local crops, plants and trees, according to the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, which is calling on residents to keep an eye out for […]

Roadside Pollinator Pathways

Cover Photo Route 6 between Willimantic and Coventry Sources: Ed Stannard, Hartford Courant; Anna Zarra Aldrich, Office of the Vice President for Research, UCONN; Professor Julia Kuzovkina, Plant Science, University of Connecticut By Barbara Heimlich Editor   Professor Julia Kuzovkina, a professor of Plant Science,of the University of Connecticut, knows many people would like to see milkweed, foxglove […]

Tree Cutting in Connecticut Generating Blow Back from Citizens

20th Century Highwaymen? Sources:  Ken Dixon, Hearst Communications; Connecticut League of Conservation Voters; Connecticut Department of Transportation; https://greenblue.com/na/trees-as-sound-barriers/ : Washington Post, A Good Wall, Even if It’s Made of Plants, Can Reduce Highway Noise, Joel M. Lerner In February an act to reel in what many think is indiscriminate cutting of trees along our highways […]

“Sunk:” Connecticut’s Growing Flood Risk

Guest Editorial By Tricia Ennis Connecticut Investigator February 19, 2023 Ten years ago, Super Storm Sandy slammed into the East Coast, damaging homes, flooding neighborhoods, and knocking out critical infrastructure across New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. Ten-foot storm surges pushed coastal waters onto the shores of Long Island Sound, even though the storm hit at low […]