Nature Notes

Each school forest functions as both an outdoor classroom and the learning material for each lesson; all Forest Day topics can be explored through the physical space of the forest.

On most weekdays around noon, Ridges staff make their way to the center table in the back offices to eat lunch. While this routine might feel repetitive, the conversations from these gatherings are anything but. Around this table, I have learned so much from my coworkers through their fascinations and questions about the natural world.

Birds’ annual cycles are better defined as breeding, non-breeding, and migration rather than by calendar seasons.

Nature Notes: Lake Level Changes: The Impact of Unpredictability in a Warmer Winter By Anna Foster, published February 4th, 2024 As we delight in above-average temperatures this January, it’s easy […]

Nature Notes: The Most Wonderful Time of the Year By Dan Scheiman, published on December 23, 2023 On Saturday, December 16, I participated in the Ephraim Christmas Bird Count. As […]

The Volunteer Magic Behind Natural Christmas By Anna Foster, Director of Programming This November, while the rest of the peninsula is winding down, The Ridges is preparing for one of […]

The Humble Leopold Bench: A History of Conservation and Giving Back By Jeanne Farrell, published on November 13, 2023 “At 3:30 a.m., with such dignity as I can muster of […]

Land Management Volunteers: Making an Impact By Sam Hoffman, Land Manager As the heart of fall approaches and our field season winds down, it’s the perfect time to highlight Ridges […]

Nature Notes: A Buzzing Sanctuary By Libby Humphries, published September 25, 2023 During the warmer months at The Ridges, a symphony of insects can be heard from the front garden […]