Wildlife Research, Monitoring & Mentoring
One of the aspects that makes wildlife conservation efforts on Martha’s Vineyard so engaging is the abundance of migratory birds that use the Island’s beaches for staging or breeding. BiodiversityWorks staff work from spring through summer protecting the habitat these...
It's life's little mysteries that keep our sense of wonder alive. Categorizing and naming things is built into our human DNA, and for some, the drive to give names to things is stronger than others. I would guess it is that drive that sends people down the career path...
A lot can happen in a month or so, especially in plant-time. If you have been following along, you know I have been spending time each weekend studying a small plot out in the back of my property. I have been reporting on this regularly. As summer got busy, I took...
As life gets busy in the summer, it’s hard to fit all one’s activities in, especially during the confines of a weekend. I always try my best not to be too rigid about things. Imagine watching reeds in a high wind: they bend but they do not break. Now imagine trees...
About a month ago, I was on a Natural Neighbors visit walking a property with a landowner and talking about things that can be done to increase the diversity of native species. The property owner said she was having trouble bonding with her land and this started the...
Conventional pools use an alarming amount of energy and chemicals to operate, whereas natural pools utilize regeneration sections with native plants to naturally filter water and add aesthetic beauty. This summer, we visited with Geraldine Brooks, a fellow Natural...
In an earlier blog post, we discussed the detrimental impacts of manicured lawns and the value of re-evaluating how much lawn space you actually need. One Natural Neighbor decided to act on this suggestion and began the quest of converting unused lawn space into a...
According to the Northeast Regional Invasive Species and Climate Change network, nearly 100 southern invasive plants are at risk of becoming range-shifting species, expanding North as average temperatures warm. Invasive species threaten native plants and animals with...
Water is a vital and attractive resource for a variety of wildlife and thus a powerful element to include in backyard habitat. This is especially apparent when water is scarce during periods of drought - such as the Vineyard has experienced in several recent summers,...
The BiodiversityWorks shorebird management team is wrapping up its 11th season of monitoring beach-nesting birds at select sites across the island. The Vineyard's beaches represent critical habitat for these birds and their well-camouflaged eggs and chicks. Our staff...
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