By Katie Koerten
In a few short weeks, dandelions (Taraxacum officinale) will be blooming in earnest. There’s usually one week — the last week of April or the first week of May, depending on the year — in which dandelions (from the French dent-de-lion, or “lion’s teeth,” named for their jagged, toothlike leaves) sprout up so prolifically that many lawns appear more yellow than green. Some folks consider dandelions a pesky weed and mow them down as soon as they can. Some think they are just dandy and intentionally leave them alone for their cheeriness or their benefit to pollinators. Love ’em or hate ’em, dandelions aren’t going anywhere soon… Here are five ways I’ll be enjoying dandelions with children this spring.
By Christine Hatch
In his book “Rewilding North America,” the late conservationist Dave Forman wrote about how in North America, rewilding began with large-scale efforts to reintroduce and restore populations of apex predators such as wolves. It included provisions for the full expanse of their range, wildlife corridors that allow for natural migration patterns, and support for the entire interconnected web that depends on these keystone predators for a healthy ecosystem.
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Hitchcock Center for the Environment
at Hampshire College
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