Join us for a vibrant celebration of our planet at our annual Earth Day Extravaganza on Saturday, April 20th! From 12 PM to 3 PM, we invite you to participate in a day filled with eco-conscious activities, delicious food, lively music, and opportunities to connect with local nonprofits and eco-friendly vendors. Continue reading
Monthly Archives: March 2024
Vernal Pool & Wood Frog Video by Phil LeMontagne
Deep in the forest, hidden in the confines of a thick Laurel grove near the Bear Hill Loop Trail in the Maromas section of Middletown, a silent vernal pool waits for the oncoming spring. Sometimes spring comes late, sometimes early. This year it was especially early. When the weather is right, after a warm rainy 50 degree night, Wood Frogs will leave their shelters to congregate at vernal pools where they raucously compete for mates. Wood Frogs are “vernal pool obligates”, which means that a vernal pool is the only place where they can reproduce. The following video gives a peek into a short, but very busy period of time in the life cycle of a Wood Frog.
(Click on the image below to play.)
The Solar Eclipse on April 8
The moon’s shadow will pass over northern Vermont at a speed of 2600 mph. The total eclipse in Burlington will last approximately 3 minutes and 15 seconds, starting at 3:26 p.m. That doesn’t sound like much time, but those who have witnessed previous total eclipse say it is not to be missed.
The Vermont State Park website lists a number of parks that will be open for eclipse viewing. Driving time from Middletown to northern Vermont is approximately 4 hours, but make allowances for possibly heavy traffic. A detailed map showing the path of the eclipse can be viewed here.
Near darkness will come quickly, accompanied by changes in the sounds made by birds and crickets (if one is in an otherwise quiet place) and the dramatic light effects of the corona. Viewers need to wear ISO 12312-2 rated sunglasses (which can be purchased online) until the eclipse is total.
Public Workshops on Route 9 Traffic Signal Removal
By John Hall
The article below was posted before the Feb. 21 & 22 workshop sessions. Since then, we have learned that there will be a follow-up workshop and presentation at Wesleyan University on April 30. The exact time and campus location of that event have not been announced, but we will add those details to this post when they become available. Continue reading
2024 Legislative Update
Below is a list of bills before the Connecticut General Assembly known to be of interest to individuals within the Jonah Center and Ecoin network. All of these bills are supported by the Connecticut League of Conservation Voters.
We encourage you to contact your State Senator or Representative on any of these bills. Continue reading