Photovoltage

On May 17, 2008, Northwoods officially joined the solar power community. Twenty-five students from across the United States and Canada participated in a six day, hands-on workshop lead by E.H.Roy of NexGen Energy Systems and David Palumbo of Independent Power. The course culminated with the installation of a 1,440 kW grid-tied solar array at the Center. This array, funded in part by a grant from the Canaday Family Charitable Trust, will offset up to 15% of our total energy demand (with efficiency measures reducing our demand by an additional 30%). During the summer, the panels are raised to a 45 degree angle, while during the winter they will be oriented vertically (to shed our frequent snow and gain the reflection of sunlight from the snow). Power from the array is available first to our facility, with excess electricity going back to the grid and being credited to our monthly power bill. Already, we've seen the power meter running backwards on a few sunny days - though even more surprising is the power produced under full cloud cover. The future is definitely a little bit brighter with solar power as part of the solution....

Congressman Welch representative and Federal Manager visit Northwoods

On Tuesday, May 6, Walter advised the Northwoods staff to put on our Sunday best. We were welcoming VIP visitors: Patricia Coates, State Director for Congressman Peter Welch, and Mark Maghini, the Refuge Manager at the Silvio O Conte National Wildlife Refuge - Nulhegan Basin Division. A one-hour meeting was the most that we could schedule in Patricia’s busy schedule [visiting four sites today]. Mark informed Patricia about the Refuge and noted that the Center is a community resource, not just a place to visit. Ross, Luke, and Melissa also added a few words about their work at NorthWoods. Thank you Patricia and Mark for your visit!

East Charleston Weather Station at NorthWoods

I was told that the temperature in Cochabamba, Bolivia, is always perfect (close to 70 degrees Fahrenheit year round.) I went there and it was a nice place to visit, but I prefer the unpredictable Vermont weather: one minute it’s perfect and the next it’s miserable. To help Vermonters prepare for the “Vermont weather,” Charles Woods, Paul Monette, and Joe Page raised the funds to buy NorthWoods a weather station. Many thanks to the donors and Matthias—It is now up and running! The station is linked to weatherunderground.com and weatherforyou.com (via city zip code) for everyone to access . No more unanswered questions about the weather in East Charleston. Whether you need to know today’s, yesterdays, last month’s or even last year’s weather conditions, just check the website listed above.

X-Country Ski Trails are Open!

Winter is finally here and NorthWoods is ready to take full advantage of the falling snow. Our staff and volunteers have been busy preparing our trails for the winter ski season – removing brush and blowdowns, repairing bridges, adding new signs and markers and updating our map.

NorthWoods’ trail system officially opened for the 2008 season on January 5. The Ski Center will be staffed Monday- Friday from 8am-4:30pm and Saturday-Sunday from 10am- 4pm. Our trail system will feature groomed loops on the Echo Lake, Leadership and Olympic/Lower Clyde Trails and ‘backcountry’ skiing (less frequently groomed) on several other trails. Snowshoers will enjoy trekking on the Gardner Path and Lang Brook Trails- paths that offer a slower, quieter setting.

Our Ski Center offers ski and snowshoe rentals for $5/day, updated grooming information, complimentary maps, our ‘Trail of the Day’ recommendations, and a warm fire and hot drinks to comfort you when you come inside. Trail use is FREE at NorthWoods, however a $5/day suggested donation is always appreciated and helps us maintain our trails for you.

Enjoy the Snow!!

NorthWoods and LSC partner on Salamander Study

On a recent snowy afternoon, fifteen students from Alan Giese’s Wildlife Biology and Management class at Lyndon State College arrived at the NorthWoodsStewardship Center in East Charleston, Vermont. After quickly setting up their posters along one wall of the Center’s main hall, they began presenting the results of their projects to NorthWoods’ staff, board members, and guests. The afternoon session represented the culmination of a semester-long, one-of-a-kind partnership, in which the NorthWoods Stewardship Center and Lyndon State College partnered to use a study of forest salamanders to teach students about scientific research.

As Alan Giese noted, there are at least three main beneficiaries of this educational partnership. First, NorthWoods benefits from the help students provide with the cover board surveys and analyses of the data. Second, Lyndon State College students benefit through the participate in actual, on-the-ground scientific research projects and by using data to develop and answer their own scientific questions. And third, the broader biology community of teachers and students benefits from the development of a new model of science education. Both NorthWoods and Lyndon State look forward to identifying and developing additional opportunities to institute this model of teaching and learning about the natural sciences and the forests in which we live.

Going-away Festivities

At our recent annual board meeting, NorthWoods staff and board celebrated the amazing contributions of four long-time board members whose terms of service are ending. Collectively these retiring board members- Lydia Spitzer, Nancy Tessier, Peter Engels, and Don Wilson, have contributed over 30 years of their time as board members and officers. Their behind-the-scenes work as board members was critical to keeping NorthWoods operating, and in turn benefited local communities through our five major program areas: Education, Outdoor Recreation, Conservation Science, and Land Management.

After the board meeting, the group mingled for some going-away festivities, including small gifts to each of the members and a chance to mix with several new members. Peter and Nancy expressed their appreciation for the great experiences and friendships they had gained over the years, and Don and Lydia (who couldn’t attend the celebration), shared similar sentiments via correspondences. Thank you all for your incredible generosity and your many contributions – and welcome to new board members Nancy Engels and Susan Taylor!

Picture depicted from left to right: NWSC Executive Director Walter Medwid, Nancy Tessier, and Peter Engels.

Digital Cameras reach young students

Earlier this summer, through a grant from the Francis R. Dewing Foundation, NorthWoods received funding for fifteen digital cameras and support to develop a new "Focus on Nature" educational curriculum. With the grant, 7.1 megapixel Canon PowerShot A550 cameras were purchased, along with several portable "All-in-One" photo printers. Wasting no time, Peacham and Orleans Elementary Schools signed up for the program- and what a hit it has been! Eighteen 3rd graders from Orleans are now on the second week of their training and are learning about the camera components and the basics of taking pictures. The six week course will teach students about proper exposure, composition, macro and zoom features, and action photography, and in the process will introduce them to a new way of looking at the natural world. One benefit of photography is that it helps one to notice new and interesting living things. A benefit of digital cameras is the power of instant editing.

Since Peacham Elementary School students are a little older (5th through 6th grades), they are using the camera to create an educational pamphlet of trees that grow in their town. The four week project will not only encourage students to learn about digital photography, but also about creative writing and the trees around them. Developing a sense of place one pixel at a time....