Earth Matters

Every two weeks, the Hitchcock Center publishes a column, “Earth Matters: Notes on the Nature of the Valley,” in The Daily Hampshire Gazette. Writers include Hitchcock staff and board members, former board members, presenters in our Community Programs series, and friends of the Center.

Earth Matters has been a project of the Hitchcock Center for the Environment for 13 years. Look for the column at the end of Section C of the weekend Gazette or on their website. We will keep a complete list on this site, so if you miss seeing a column in the newspaper, or want to see it again, come here at any time.

Salmon story, part 2: Squeezed out by dams

By John Sinton

Meskouamegou, the Atlantic salmon, hatched high in the Kwinitekw (Connecticut) River watershed in 1600, had come from a genetic strain that had evolved for more than 10,000 years, specifically adapted to the ecosystem of the Kwinitekw and its tributaries.  Connecticut River salmon had to have extraordinary endurance to migrate 3,000 and more miles, and had to time their spring migration early to avoid warm water and predators.

Published on August 2, 2021.

A salmon’s journey, Part 1: The year 1600

By John Sinton

In the year 1600, high in the watershed of the Kwinitekw (Connecticut) River near what is now the village of Beecher Falls, Vermont, Meskouamegou (Abenaki for salmon) emerged from one of 7,000 salmon eggs laid by her mother in the gravel of a swift-running Kwinitekw tributary now named Hall’s Stream. She would become one of a handful of Atlantic salmon to survive five years of life to return and lay eggs for the next generation.

Published on July 26, 2021.

Whose nature is it? Opening the door to the outdoors

By Cory Elowe

One of the ways we can all help folks to experience the natural world around them is to share knowledge widely and without agenda.

The stereotypical — and sometimes accurate — picture of the American nature lover is white, wealthy and wielding the most suitable gear. Although some are working to diversify this image, many are irked by or even downright unfriendly to users who do not necessarily fit their own demographic.

Published on July 10, 2021.

Bats back from the brink — for now

By Joshua Rose

Humanity’s attitude toward bats has vastly improved. For most of our history, various cultures associated bats with evil, mischief, witchcraft, disease, death or (of course) vampires. More recently, our attention has shifted toward bats’ beneficial aspects. We also have become aware of factors endangering some bat species, and and have become motivated to conserve their populations.

Published on July 5, 2021.

Conte wildlife refuge is a 30×30 example for the nation

By Kari Blood

The song “America the Beautiful” is often considered an unofficial national anthem. This tribute to the land, its people and its aspirations was originally published as a poem on July 4, 1895 by Massachusetts-born feminist and poet Katherine Lee Bates. She spoke reverently of the beauty of our landscapes, “for spacious skies, for amber waves of grain, for purple mountain majesties” and called on us to seek “brotherhood from sea to shining sea.”

Published on June 15, 2021.

Hummingbirds part of intricate web of relationships

By David Spector

Many of the 349 glistening species of hummingbirds have gemological labels, with amethyst, emerald, garnet, jewel, gem, ruby, sapphire and topaz mounted in their English names. These gems are alive, the names reflecting their iridescent colors, and they provide illustration of biological principles.

Published on May 28, 2021.

What tree should I plant amid climate change?

By Lawrence J. Winship

In many ways, planting a tree is an act of faith and hope. As we firm the soil around the tree’s roots, we may imagine a future in which generations to come will picnic in its shade. They may gather its fruit or colorful leaves, and think kindly of us. So, of course, we want to choose the right kind of tree.

Published on May 14, 2021.

An Earth Day roadside walk reveals our trashy side

By Michael Dover

I’ve been living in Leverett for nine years. There’s lots to like here: a beautiful pond, an excellent elementary school, a fine old Town Hall, and miles of country road with light traffic — great for biking. I love to tell people about the T-shirt that the Friends of Leverett Library used to sell with all the road names of Leverett beautifully written on the front. That’s how small Leverett is.

Published on May 3, 2021.

Tree’s death a part of life

By Tom Litwin

It sits on the edge of the woods in what was once a hedgerow along the road. The woods have taken back the once-adjacent field, joining it with the hedgerow. Succession and time have run their course — pioneering poplar, birch and cherry giving way to the maples, oaks and beech of a mature forest. It’s not much to look at, this big, old dead maple. As unflattering as the technical term for dead trees is — snag — they play a central role in the nutrient cycling of a forest ecosystem.

Published on April 16, 2021.

Green burial in a conservation cemetery

By Judith Lorei and Kari Blood

Imagine your favorite walking path through a quiet forest or a scenic meadow, the songbirds flitting among tall grasses, at rest in the morning dew. Your natural pathway winds past native wildflowers buzzing with pollinators, and rocky ridges reminding you of the passage of geologic time. This landscape is familiar to you because you visit this site to honor someone who has died and is buried on this land.

Published on April 2, 2021.
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