Peter Alden Wild Life

Here’s a clip of my recent appearance on WCVB-TV’s Chronicle, once again trying to spread the word about the problem of invasive alien species.

When I say that, I know most people think of UFOs and little green men. Producer Ernie Sarro even leavened this story with some great stock footage of those kinds of aliens. But if we want our children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren to even have a chance to enjoy the natural world as we’ve known it, now is the time to act against this pervasive threat.

Please join me in spreading the word. Educate yourself about what to look for - write to me and I’ll recommend some books - and start in your own back yard as I did.

On July 3rd and 4th I’ll be leading the second Walden Biodiversity Day, a gathering of top naturalists and field biologists — many of whom participated in the first Biodiversity Day in 1998 — who will fan out to find, identify and photograph over a thousand species of mushrooms, plants and animals in a day.

Most notably, Edward O. Wilson will join us in the field and at both a luncheon and dinner in honor of his 80th birthday.

Walden Biodiversity Day is sponsored by The Walden Woods Project, a national non-profit organization founded by recording artist Don Henley with a mission to preserve the land, literature and legacy of Henry David Thoreau. For more information about the event visit WaldenBiodiversity.com.

As reported by the Wall Street Journal: a tiny blackbird has been tormenting pedestrians in the heart of San Francisco’s financial district, guarding his nest in a behavior called “mobbing.” But has this bird gone bad or is he just getting back at the bankers for fine the economic mess they’ve gotten us in? I’ll let you decide: When Birds Go Bad

Here are some excerpts from “Nature Sense with Peter Alden” produced by Ernie Sarro. Invasive alien plants are a major threat to America’s native plants and trees. Look for my regular segment on The Expert Series which airs on many community access TV stations in Boston and beyond.

I was interviewed about invasive species on the December 1st edition of Chronicles on WCVB-TV. From their program guide:

Invasive alien species arriving by air, land and sea. Their goal: total domination. And if we don’t act soon, it will be too late. If that sounds like the description of a cheesy horror movie – it’s not. Just ask the good folks of Worcester, under siege by the Asian long horned beetle, and calling on smoke jumpers for help. Or travel to the North Shore, where an underwater blob is attacking the fishery. Tonight, Chronicle reports on the battle underway to stop these and other strange invaders.”

Stay tuned…

I’m returning to my roots in January 2009 with a series of tours out of Mazatlan, Mexico before, during and after the new Mazatlan Bird Festival.

There are now hundreds of annual birds festivals, big and small, across North America and the Mazatlan Bird Festival promises to become the most important event of its kind in Latin America. Treat yourself to a birding vacation to an area of well recognized birding importance in sunny Mexico. With fabulous tours to multiple nearby locations, varied ecosystems and protected areas, conferences by important guest speakers, workshops and exquisite bird art exhibits, all hosted in Mazatlan, a city of warm hospitality.

The 1st Mazatlan Bird Festival will be held at the Hotel Playa Mazatlan a full service resort situated on the beautiful Pacific Ocean. The 1st Mazatlan Bird Festival will highlight the Tufted Jay and the efforts towards it conservation. Situated high in the beautiful pine/oak forested canyons of the Western Sierra Madre the Tufted Jay Preserve was created to protect the habitat of the highly endemic Tufted Jay and other endemic species such as the Brown-backed Solitaire, Military Macaw, Aztec Thrush, Red Warbler, Red-headed Tanager,and the Green-striped Brushfinch.

For more information contact Mazatlan Bird Festival. Also, I’ll be leading two private, invitation-only trips before and after the festival. Write to me directly if you’d like to be invited.

This October I’m leading a trip to the Galapogos for Road Scholar, with several more departures planned for next April and May.

There’s no doubt the Galapagos Islands provide one of the most thrilling wildlife experiences in the world. Without natural predators, the endemic species of the islands live fearlessly, so curious humans can observe the blue-footed boobies, iguanas, giant tortoises, penguins and the famous finches for a close-up of some of the most fascinating species in the animal kingdom. And because more than 97 percent of the islands is a protected national park — with a strictly limited number of visitors allowed — the Galapagos is as awe-inspiring now as in the days when Charles Darwin and Herman Melville waded onto its rocky shores. For more information visit the Galapogos page on Road Scholar’s website.

Here it is: I’ve written my first holiday letter since the Sox and Patriots started winning series and super bowls!

Among many highlights of the year, Manny Ramirez signed my “We Love NY but in the 21st its Boston 2, Yankees/Mets 0” sign along the duck boat victory parade. And after six years as chair of a fund, program chair, VP, and then President of the Nuttall Ornithological Club in Cambridge, I now can be introduced as the President Emeritus of the Nut Club.

For the last two winters I’ve worked as a Road Scholar lecturer on the Canadian Polar Star in Antarctica, South Georgia, the Falklands, and Argentina. Spent a recent summer sailing the North West Passage and reaching 82N during month around Ellesmere Island as lecturer on Quark’s KK icebreaker. In between the poles I lectured at 37,000’ on a private jet tour around South America. I’ll be leading a number of Galapagos cruises in late October 2008 on the Santa Cruz, also for Road Scholar. And I’ve just returned from  Pacific Mexico and will likely get involved with birding tours in Puerto Vallarta, San Blas and Tepic, my old 1960’s stomping grounds.

Those are only the highlights. Read the full letter here and have a great 2008!

I was recently interviewed by Karen Nugent of the Worcester Telegram about a topic near and dear to my heart - invasive alien plants, specifically, a state-banned non-native vine called Oriental bittersweet that is popular this time of year. Karen wrote:

“On a visit to Broad Meadow Brook Conservation Center and Wildlife Sanctuary in Worcester, naturalist Peter C. Alden shows Oriental bittersweet, a colorful nonnative vine banned by the state. The sanctuary has largely eradicated the plant; the branches were brought in for demonstration and disposed of later.

Peter C. Alden watched as the well-dressed older woman bought a wreath decorated with Oriental bittersweet, a nonnative vine that he says is rapidly killing off forests, fields and wetlands — and probably trees and shrubs in the woman’s own backyard.

Mr. Alden, a naturalist author, illustrator and lecturer, followed the woman to her car, and explained the environmental dangers of the aggressive vine with the bright orange-red berries.

“She listened, she nodded. And then she said, ‘But it looks pretty’ and got into her car and left,” he said.

>>> Story continues here in the Worcester Telegram

Democratic Candidate for U.S. Congress Niki Tsongas invited me to provide color commentary on environmental issues during her “Rolling Down the River” campaign on the Sudbury River in July. Along the way I pointed out birds, turtles, and native and invasive trees, shrubs, vines and wildflowers, particulary the invasive plant (and animal) challenges affecting us locally. I’m happy that Niki went on to win the primary and the special election. She’s now representing the Concord-Lowell in Washington, as did her late husband Senator Paul Tsongas. Click here to watch the video of our afternoon on the Sudbury River.