Category: Flora

As the days grow longer and the sun feels a little warmer, it’s tempting to believe spring has finally arrived—until winter reminds us otherwise. Even so, the snow is melting quickly, the ground is beginning to thaw, and daytime temperatures are staying above freezing. Signs of the season are already here: water flowing beneath Hidden Brook, frogs calling on warm afternoons, and sandhill cranes returning overhead. Spring is on its way—winter just insists on one last dramatic goodbye.

As the days grow longer and the sun feels a little warmer, it’s tempting to believe spring has finally arrived—until winter reminds us otherwise. Even so, the snow is melting quickly, the ground is beginning to thaw, and daytime temperatures are staying above freezing. Signs of the season are already here: water flowing beneath Hidden Brook, frogs calling on warm afternoons, and sandhill cranes returning overhead. Spring is on its way—winter just insists on one last dramatic goodbye.

The forest teaches us many things; we just need to know where to look and how to listen. The winter season brings the lesson of life and allows us to see movement of animals in a way that no other season can. While most animals are elusive and not always seen while hiking, the ground cover of snow allows us to understand activities of active, resident animals in our area through deer beds, middens, scat, and tracks.

Now that the snow is flying, so too are Snowy Owls. This highly mobile species breeds and winters further north than any other owl. Most people encounter them only when the birds have dispersed far south of their arctic breeding range. Indeed, the causes and patterns of their movements are not understood with certainty, though decades of banding, telemetry, and satellite tracking efforts, in conjunction with environmental data, are shedding new light.

We all have a process and routine for how to go about the transition from fall to the winter season. Animals and plants also go through a process - it just looks a little different. Learn about seasonal preparations we see in some of the animals and plants that we find here at The Ridges, and maybe in your own backyard too!  

Learning through stewardship and storytelling, our summer interns explored nurse logs, plant connections, and the human stories that bring The Ridges to life.

As our planet warms and ecosystems shift, we must not go gentle into this climate crisis. Species like the endangered Hine’s emerald dragonfly face mounting threats, while invasive species spread into disrupted habitats. The Boreal and Temperate Mesic Forest Survivability Project shows how science and action can push back. Reforestation, research, and resilience matter. Climate change demands urgency—not resignation. Even uncertain efforts are better than none. Doing nothing is surrender. But together, we can still make a difference.

Collaborative research at The Ridges deepens our understanding of biodiversity, ecosystems, and climate—advancing science while protecting this unique natural sanctuary for future generations.

Summer brings back memories of barefoot adventures, backyard games, and family time in nature. Discover how outdoor experiences can strengthen family bonds and create lasting memories.

Discover how The Ridges Sanctuary is using science-based restoration to protect native orchids and the threatened dwarf lake iris from environmental change.