Peter Alden Wild Life

My final summary report on the groupings of organisms and the people who found them during Walden Biodiversity Days in 2009 and 1998 is finished and can be downloaded here (5.7 MB).
These events wouldn’t have been possible without hundreds of experts and helpers of all sorts deserve our gratitude for their time in the field [...]

Sometimes you’ve got to roll up your sleeves - or pants leg - to get the job done, as I was doing to identify leeches in the Concord woods during Walden Biodiversity Day, a 24-hour bio-blitz to inventory all species that can be seen with the naked eye in Concord, Carlisle and Lincoln Massachusetts.

The Worcester [...]

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. [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

Interest in penguins, their lives and their homes (in this era of climate change) is at an all time high. Having lectured on the sex lives of penguins and all sorts of Antarctic topics since 1986, I will be returning again this February 22 - March 16 for the final cruise of the 2007 southern [...]