Ethan Tapper

How can the stones in the stone walls you find on the woods tell you what the fields around it were used for?? If you haven’t already, please pre-order The Forest Year from an indie bookstore today! See some options at EthanTapper.com/forestyear #forest #nature #history #ecology #science #stem

What are the most important laws protecting wildlife in the US?? #wildlife #animal #animals #biology #ecology #nature #science #stem

Birds cheat on each other (a lot)! If you like birds you’ll love my new book — The Forest Year: Finding Hope in a World Worth Saving — which is available for preorder! Plz preorder from your local indie bookseller or at EthanTapper.com/forestyear #bird #birds #wildlife #nature #science #stem

This is a crazy one! Behold: the incredible journey of the eastern newt! #wildlife #animal #animals #critter #biology #science #stem #newt #salamander #amphibians #nature

“A Bird of Courage” — the (true) story of Benjamin Franklin, the wild turkey, and the bald eagle! #bird #birds #wildlife #animal #animals #turkey #eagle #nature #history #science #stem #america

How are acorns baby oak trees’ “lunchboxes”??? Pre-order The Forest Year at your local independent bookstore or at EthanTapper.com/forestyear #tree #trees #oak #forest #forests #nature #plant #plants #science #stem

Have you heard of the chimney swift?! This bird is somehow both an old-growth animal and now a human-dependent animal — here’s how: #bird #birds #animal #animals #wildlife #nature #oldgrowth #tree #trees #habitat #science #stem

A short reading from The Forest Year— about resilience and what it means to be a “steward” Pre-order The Forest Year today from your local indie bookseller or EthanTapper.com/forestyear #book #books #author #authors #forest #nature #stewardship #resilience #love

What’s the best way to support authors?? Pre-order their book!! Ok ok ok so one of the authors that you can support by pre-ordering is me! Pre-order The Forest Year from your local independent bookseller or EthanTapper.com/forestyear today! #author #authors #book #books #forest #nature

The amazing story of the tule elk, and how it was saved from extinction! #animal #animals #wildlife #elk #deer #history #naturalhistory #nature #restoration #science #stem

Here’s a birding tip I wish someone had told me when I started birding! #bird #birds #birding #birder #birdwatch #birdwatching #birdwatcher #wildlife #nature #animal #animals

Forest forensics time! How can we tell what happened in this forest??? #forest #tree #trees #forester #naturw #ecology #history #naturalhistory #science #stem

How can we learn to identify individual birds??! Birding is a big focus of my new book — The Forest Year: Finding Hope in a World Worth Saving — which is now available for preorder at the link in my bio! #bird #birds #wildlife #nature #birding #animal #animals #spring

Have you heard about the eastern elk? And the efforts to restore it?? #animal #animals #wildlife #nature #elk #restoration #science #stem

Springtime is a joy — and also a responsibility! #birds #flowers #plants #wildlife #seasons #phenology #nature #life Preorder The Forest Year: Finding Hope in a World Worth Saving today at your local indie bookseller or at EthanTapper.com/forestyear

Time to witness the wonder of spring migration! #bird #birds #birding #birder #animal #animals #nature #science #stem

What are spring “ephemeral wildlflowers”??? And why are they “ephemeral”? And why are they every naturalist’s favorite flowers? #plant #plants #flower #flowers #nature #botany #spring #forest #science

Exciting news! My new book — The Forest Year: Finding Hope in a World Worth Saving — is now available for preorder!! Here’s some more about it. Learn more and pre-order at: ethantapper.com/forestyear #book #author #forest

More details here 👇👇👇 Here are 5 North American wildlife species that were named wrong! #wildlife #animals #animal #nature #science #stem

How can the way a tree branches reveal its history — when the branches aren’t there anymore?? #tree #trees #forest #history #naturalhistory #ecology #science #stem

Why is bird migration timed with when trees leaf-out?? With spring coming earlier and earlier, there is a body of research, looking at how climate change can disrupt these ancient relationships, co-emergences, and synchronies, especially between migratory birds and insects. #birds #trees #bugs

Have you heard about the introduced, problematic, Asian mini-elk — the sika deer? #deer #elk #wildlife #animal #animals #nature #science #stem

Why don’t tree flowers look like flower? And why are they flowering right now?! #tree #trees #plant #plants #flower #flowers #nature #forest #phenology #science #stem

Are horses native to North America?? Yes! And also, no! #horse #horses #wildlife #nature #animal #animals #history #naturalhistory

This is one of the creepiest stories that I’ve come across in a long time… Here’s the story of the New England Highland Fox! #fox #wildlife #animal #ai #hallucination #nature #biology #science #stem

How to Love a Forest is now out on paperback!! So excited to be able to give you this (New England Book Award-winning) book in a way that’s even easier to love. Pick it up from your local indie bookstore today! And you can still get signed hardcovers from EthanTapper.com !! #book #author #love

What’s the most harmful introduced species on earth? Many would say that’s it’s the domestic cat! And one simple thing we can do to help protect our birds is to keep cats inside. #cats #cat #bird #birds #nature #ecology #ecosystem #wildlife

Have moose ever been domesticated?? #wildlife #animal #animals #moose #nature #history #naturalhistory #science #stem

At the same time that white-tailed deer were nearly extinct in the east, there were overpopulated at the Pisgah National Forest. Here’s the story of the “Fawn Farm” of Pisgah — and how it helped restore deer to the east! #wildlife #animal #animals #nature #restoration #deer #science #stem #history

What’s a better way to cut firewood? #forest #forestry #forester #wildlife #habitat #restoration #tree #trees #nature

Ever seen a timberdoodle dance? “Timberdoodle” is another name for the American woodcock (Scolopax minor) — other names for this bird include the bog chicken, bogsucker, and mudbat. It is such a weird animal. Meep! #wildlife #bird #birds #nature #science #wildlife #woodcock

How is the way that we think about ecosystems “delusional”?? #forest #ecosystem #ecology #restoration #science #stem

Is tapping trees for maple sugaring harmful to the trees?? #tree #trees #forest #forest #forestry #forester #maple #maplesyrup #vermont #science #stem

How do I decide which trees to cut?? Here’s a conceptual primer on some of the nuances that go into leveraging tree mortality for forest restoration! #restoration #forestry #ecology #forester #ecologist #forest #ecosystem #science #stem

A very prickly tale of convergent evolution in our spiniest of critters! #wildlife #animal #animals #evolution #ecology #adaptation #porcupine #hedgehog #critter #science #stem

See description for details 👇👇👇 Here’s a few moments from this winter’s restoration work at Bear Island (without trending audio lol). #forest #forestry #restoration #nature #forester #work #management

No shade to the sugarhouse I made that’s right behind me this whole time lol #forester #snowshoe #craft #crafts #snowshoes

Do coyotes kill deer? And if they do, does it impact deer populations?? Anyone who tells you that this is a yes or no question doesn’t really get it — it’s nuanced and context-dependent and scale dependent and weird. Check it out! #wildlife #ecology #nature #deer #coyote #ecosystem #science #stem

What’s your vote — predators or plants? (trick question — it has to be both!) #ecology #wildlife #restoration #habitat #biodiversity #ecosystem #science

When you make 150 videos a year about really complex topics — you’re gonna screw some stuff up. My issues come when I’m moving too fast, trying to make videos too short (and so I leave stuff out) or trying to oversimplify stuff. I do my best! #forest #ecology #nature #science #creator #wildlife

The armadillos are coming! Here’s some more on the range expansion of the nine-banded armadillo/AKA Mexican long-nosed armadillo #wildlife #animal #animals #nature #ecology #science #stem #armadillo

Did you know that there’s a moth that only eats keratin from the shells of gopher tortoises?? The gopher tortoise shell moth — Ceratophaga vicinella. This world is magic. What will we do to protect it? #wildlife #animal #animals #ecology #science #stem #magic #love

Dillos After Dark: A look into the strange reproductive ecology of nine-banded armadillos. There’s so much more to say but I don’t have enough characters! But here’s a funny and (I think) interesting video? #wildlife #animal #animals #ecology #nature #science #armadillo #life

What’s the subnivean zone? Here’s a little bit about this mysterious world beneath the snow. #forest #nature #wildlife #animals #snow #winter #science #stem #ecology

If you know what to look for, you can learn a ton about forests just by looking at maps! Here’s an example of my “forest detective computer magic” (lol) #forest #forestry #tree #trees #ecology #ecosystem #nature #science #stem

What’s the weirdest animal in the world? Here are 5 mind-blowing facts about the nine-banded armadillo (aka Mexican long-nosed armadillo)! This one has historically been called Dasypus novemcinctus, now mostly called as D. mexicanus #wildlife #critter #animal #animals #nature #armadillo

It would be impossible for me to express all the things that I consider when making trees, but here are a few things that I think about! If you want to read more about this project, check out my book How to Love a Forest — with a primary goal of protecting and sustaining biodiversity. #forestry

Have you heard about turkey drives?? #wildlife #animal #animals #history #naturalhistory #farm #farming #turkey

Have you heard about California’s miniature, tree-climbing, endemic island foxes? Such much more to say about these guys but here’s a start! #wildlife #animal #animals #nature #science #stem #fox

Here’s the follow-up to my video about red wolves from yesterday! Saving America’s “other wolf” — the red wolf! #wildlife #animal #animals #nature #ecology #restoration #rewilding #science #stem #wolf #wolves

Who doesn’t love an underdog? This is the story of North America’s “other” wolf (and my favorite wolf) — the American red wolf. #wildlife #animal #animals #wolf #wolves #nature #science #stem #ecology

How do tree seeds get around? Trees have many different remarkable adaptations for dispersing their seeds across the landscape. Here are some of my faves! #tree #trees #nature #ecology #ecosystem #forester #plant #plants #science #stem

What’s a “coywolf?” The modern history of canids in North America is a mess — extirpation, hybridization, introgression — sometimes called “canid soup.” Here’s some nuance about eastern coyotes, which are one part of the story! #wildlife #animal #animals #science #stem #nature #wolf #coyote

Why I was wrong about white cedar (Thuja occidentalis)!! #tree #trees #forest #nature #science #stem #forestry #forester #deer #oldgrowth

Can you name all of America’s wolves? Our understanding of the history of our modern historic canids is a mess, and constantly evolving, but here’s a video about what we know (or what we think we know)! #wildlife #animal #animals #wolf #wolves #nature #science #stem

How are coyotes actually GOOD for birds?? In this vid I discuss the effects of “intraguild predation.” But this is really complicated and there are also cases where coyotes are problematic— sometimes because of the loss of top-down control of coyotes by wolves!. It’s a mess. #wildlife #nature

What’s a “wolf tree?” #tree #trees #forest #woods #history #naturalhistory #science #stem #forestry #forester #vermont

What do fur farms in eastern Canada have to do with foxes in California? There is more nuance here than I can express in this many characters—but it if you wanna learn more check out: “The origin of recently established red fox populations in the United States..” by Statham et al (2012) #wildlife

When is a “fox” not a fox?? The story of America’s tree climbing gray foxes! #wildlife #animal #animals #fox #nature #science #stem #biology #forester #outdoor #outdoors #ecology #ecosystem #naturalhistory #grayfox

How do foxes use “magnetoreception” to help them hunt? Studies of red foxes “mousing” show a bias toward mousing in the direction of magnetic north — and that when foxes pounce toward north, they are ~ 4 times more successful! And other stuff that I don’t have enough characters for!! #wildlife

Where does red fox (Vulpes vulpes) belong? This one takes some twists and turns so make sure that you watch until the end! #wildlife #animal #animals #nature #ecology #ecosystem #biodiversity #history #naturalhistory #fox #science #stem

What modern-day North American wildlife species was nearly hunted to extinction for its ivory tusks? The surprising answer to this question is — the American elk (wapiti)! #wildlife #animal #animals #ecology #ecosystem #history #naturalhistory #elk #wapiti

Why do deer have antlers?? And why is the answer to that question: “because they don’t have tusks or fangs or saber teeth anymore”? #deer #wildlife #animals #animal #biology #science #stem #ecosystem #ecology #forest #forester

Some more forest forensics — pastured sugarbush edition! #forest #forests #woods #tree #trees #history #naturalhistory #ecology #ecosystem

What does it mean when there are white birch trees in your forest?? After making a video about white birch (Betula papyrifera, aka paper birch) this weekend, I was inspired to re-edit this one from 2024! #tree #trees #forest #forester #nature #ecology #ecosystem #science #stem

When do white birch (Betula papyrifera) transition from their young (reddish, coppery-colored) bark, to their mature (white, exfoliating) bark? It’s nice to have answers, and also sometimes just seeing stuff, and having questions about it, is just as profound! #tree #trees #forest #ecology #nature

The strange and surprising history of New England’s porcupine bounties! And why it is (in the end) a conservation success story. #wildlife #nature #restoration #animal #animals #forest #ecology #ecosystem #environment #history #naturalhistory

The magic seeds of pin cherry (Prunus pensylvanica)!!! #tree #trees #plant #plants #nature #ecology #ecosystem #forest #woods #outdoor #outdoors #science #stem #forester

Here are 5 wildlife species that are native to North America, but first seen in Vermont in the last century — birders stay tuned to see Number 5! #nature #wildlife #animal #animals #conservation #biodiversity #climatechange #ecology #science #ecosystem #forester #vermont

What is shotgun ornithology? (Hint:it’s wack, and problematic). Follow up to my red-bellied woodpecker vid! #bird #birds #birding #birding #birdwatch #birdwatching #wildlife #animal #animals #history #naturalhistory #ornithology

Forests + deer - pig = … ferns? Please do not watch this video and say: “oh — wild pigs in the US are good.” They are not. Mostly, the point of this video is just to tell you a weird story. Anywaysssss… #forest #nature #ecology #wildlife #pigs #fern #ferns #plant #plants #tree #trees #forester

How can you tell how old that white pine tree is — and how can that reveal some mysteries about a forest’s history? NOTE: some of the southern pines, like loblolly pine, are “multinodal” — capable of producing more than one whorl of branches per year. #forest #trees #nature #science #history

Is it better to be a big tree or a little tree? #tree #trees #forest #forests #nature #ecology #ecosystem #evolution #adapt #adaptation #science #forester

What makes these lines or grids of holes in our trees? #bird #birds #birding #birder #birdwatcher #birdwatching #wildlife #animal #tree #trees #forest #ecology

I always heard about “partridge” and never “ruffed grouse.” Well, imagine my surprise when I learned that the bird that I had been calling “partridge” for my whole life is actually a ruffed grouse AND that there are birds that are actually partridges AND they’re from Europe. #bird #birds #nature

What do gray birch trees have to do with forest’s history — and beavers?? #forest #forests #tree #trees #nature #woods #outdoor #outdoors #science #stem #ecology #ecosystem #beaver #wildlife #vermont

How do deer decide which plants and trees to eat? #deer #whitetail #whitetaildeer #whitetaileddeer #wildlife #animal #animals #nature #tree #trees #plant #plants #plantsofig #plantstagram #nature #ecology #outdoor #outdoors #science #stem #forester

Why is this archaeological site in the middle of nowhere? The place we now call Vermont is a part of the ancestral homeland of the Western Abenaki people for around 12,000 years. #forest #forests #archaeology #archaeological #history #naturalhistory #nature #ecology #outdoor #outdoors #science

How can the generations of trees in a forest tell us about its history?? #forest #forests #forestry #forester #nature #history #tree #trees #naturalhistory #woods #ecology #ecosystem #outdoor #outdoors #science #stem

How can you tell that one side of this fence was forested, while the other side remained open? #tree #trees #forest #forests #nature #ecology #plant #plants #outdoor #outdoors #science #stem #ecology #history #naturalhistory

Behind the scenes on an ecological forestry project! I don’t have enough characters to give you all the details here, but check out my IG, YT or FB if you want the full story!! #forest #forestry #forester #restoration #nature #ecology #bird #birds #outdoor #outdoors #woods #science #stem #love

How did I learn all these skills? #forest #forestry #forester #woods #work #nature #outdoor #outdoors #maple #sugaring #logging #logger #author #life #lesson #love #vermont

New entry into the Bad Bird Names Chronicles — red-bellied woodpecker! #bird #birds #birb #birbs #birding #birder #birders #birdwatch #birdwatching #birdwatcher #wildlife #animal #animals #forest #forester #nature

What’s a “nurse log?” #forest #tree #trees #woods #nature #science #wildlife #habitat #stem #ecology #plant #plants #death #life

What does it mean for a tree to be “alive?” I’m sharing this #repost from 2024 because I think this is SUCH an important concept for us to understand! #tree #trees #forest #forests #ecology #woods #nature #death #outdoor #outdoors #forestry #biology #science #wildlife #habitat #stem #life

What can fall foliage tell us about a forest’s history?? #forest #forests #tree #trees #plant #plants #science #ecology #nature #ecosystem #forestry #outdoor #outdoors #stem #love

Can a native species become “invasive?” There are numerous cases where a native species, when reacting to a novel condition, can become problematic for ecosystems and biodiversity. The example given here is hay-scented fern (Dennstaedtia punctilobula). #forest #nature #ecology #plants #tree #fern

Drought stress affects trees in numerous ways, but one of the most interesting is how it limits trees’ ability to photosynthesize. Here’s a simplification of that one part of how drought affects trees! #trees #tree #plant #plants #nature #science #woods #forest #forests #drought #ecology #water

How do predators influence prey behavior?? We all know that predators lower populations of their prey species, but they also have a variety of “non-consumptive effects” on prey species. This is how! #predator #prey #nature #forest #ecology #wolf #wolves #science #hunt #deer #hunter #stem #love

What does it mean when there are lots of different types of stones in a stone wall? It could be an indicator that the soils you’re standing on are built on material left by glaciers! #forest #history #nature #ecology #forester #outdoor #outdoors #woods #soil #wild #ecosystem #history #stem

Just some thoughts on working hands… #forester #work #hands #land #nature #forest #earth #management #story #love

At this time of year you can find oak trees from miles away! Here’s basically how it goes: #forest #forests #tree #trees #plant #plants #nature #outdoor #outdoors #forester #deer #deerhunting #deerhunter #whitetail #whitetaildeer #love

The Exploding Plant Chronicles, Volume II: Witch Hazel (Hamamelis virginiana)! #plant #plants #nature #wild #outdoor #outdoors #woods #forest #forests #botany #ecology #forester #vermont

The genocide of the Indigenous peoples of the Americas is one of the great tragedies in the history of this planet — and may have been a cause of the Little Ice Age! #history #climatechange #colonization #genocide #indigenous #naturalhistory #iceage #forests #forest #earth #colonialism #nature

Bad Bird Names, Volume 2: Magnolia Warbler. Plus stay tuned to the end for a BONUS BAD BIRD NAME!!! #bird #birds #birb #birbs #birding #birder #birdwatch #birdwatching #birdwatcher #nature #animal #animals #wildlife #outdoor #outdoors #wild #woods #forest #forester #stem

It’s tussock moth caterpillar season again! And in its honor I’m reposting this video from 2024 about “the chunks” aka the horrible rash that they cause. Lol trust me, you don’t want the chunks! #forest #nature #outdoor #outdoors #wild #forester #animal #animals #wildlife #insect #insects #woods

Have you heard this one? We’re busting the red pine needle myth this afternoon… #tree #trees #plant #plants #forest #forests #nature #outdoor #outdoors #woods #wild #forester

The mystery of black cherry decline has puzzled scientists for decades — but now the consensus is that a big part of it is the loss of the nitrogen from acid rain. #tree #trees #plant #plants #ecology #ecosystem #forest #forests #woods #nature #outdoor #outdoors #forester #forestry #stem #cherry

Everything that I know about butternut trees (aka “white walnut”) in 90 seconds. (For this one I do have to admit that I do know a few more things but this is all I could fit) #tree #trees #plant #plants #nature #wild #woods #forest #outdoor #outdoors #ecology #ecosystem #forester #love

In honor of acorn season, I’m reposting this video from 2024 about the incredible resilience of oak seedlings — enjoy!! #tree #trees #plant #plants #nature #woods #forest #forests #forester #wild #outdoors #outdoor #ecology #ecosystem #resilience #persistence #love