Ecology & Wildlife
I Miss Dendroica…
After Nature Bum Kirk Gentalen’s favorite genus of warbler becomes absorbed by another genus, he begins to ponder the idea of change and how “we” (the royal “we”) adapt to it.
Favorite Tree – The Trail, The Blood, and The Fisher
A story about Kirk’s new favorite tree and the lessons it taught him.
A Calendar of My Own
If you live in Maine (or New England for that matter) you’ve probably experienced the turbulent transition from winter to spring. MCHT steward Kirk Gentalen has a solution and it involves using a calendar of his own creation.
What’s Your Favorite (Porcu)sign?
Tracking wildlife isn’t always about finding wildlife. More often than not, it’s about what you can learn from the clues that have been left behind. But sometimes, you might just be pleasantly surprised!
Friendly Neighborhood Thissells
“Neighborhood.” When you think about your neighborhood, you might be thinking about the people that live down the street or across the road. For Nature Bum, Kirk Gentalen, the word “neighborhood” extends beyond people. But, every once in a while, Kirk finds himself enjoying time with his human-neighbors. And even considers them friends!
“There’s more to this than just fisheries restoration”
“There’s more to this than just fisheries restoration. That’s the tip of the iceberg. It’s a social gain, an economic gain, ecologically, educational … I can’t do it alone, you can’t do it alone, MCHT can’t, but if we can get more people and more groups, that’s a bigger voice and it’s amazing what we…
You Had Me at Snow Fleas…
A story about love… Kirk’s love for tracking and snow fleas specifically.
Ice Is My Happy Place
Most ice skaters don’t quite understand why Kirk Gentalen spends so much time on the ice and so little in ice skates. But to Kirk, the magic of a frozen marsh goes beyond ice skating. The magic lies in the stories a frozen world can tell and the wildlife that lives in it!
Go with the Flow
A celebration of the first snow and the story of how Kirky (yep, he called himself Kirky) got his groove back.
Why Rivers Matter in a Changing Climate
Protecting connected habitats is key to making the coast more resilient to climate change, and healthy, free-flowing rivers are among the most important types of connected habitats.
Large-scale Conservation Effort Makes Maine More Resilient
In September of this year, The Nature Conservancy acquired a 13,500-acre property west of Cherryfield to add to their Spring River Preserve, which now totals 23,500 acres. This is one in a string of conserved properties linking the Downeast coast to the northern forest.
Here Comes the Fall
Ever seen a cup mushroom forcibly remove spores? Want to? Check out this column all about mushrooms, written by MCHT land steward Kirk Gentalen.
Long in the Tooth
The summer of 2021 was all about mushrooms, of all varieties. MCHT land steward Kirk Gentalen focuses in on the extraordinary Hydnaceae mushrooms, also known as “toothed” mushrooms. Yeah, you’ll want to read more.
On the Hunt for Crowberry Blue
While working for Maine Coast Heritage Trust in conserved bog lands in Washington County in the summer of 2021, graduate student Laura Hatmaker finds, to her astonishment, a rare butterfly that hadn’t been seen in that location since the 1990s.
So That’s What Happens When It Rains in July
Lots of rain in July meant lots of mushrooms in the summer of 2021. And of course MCHT lands steward Kirk Gentalen couldn’t be happier about it.
June Backyard Birds—from Nestlings to Fledglings
MCHT land steward reflects on what he calls “baby bird time.” In late June, bird migration has waned somewhat but there’s still plenty to see in the backyard.