B12. New England’s Nature Superstars

John Muir once wrote "When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the Universe." New England’s iconic species are our gateway to exploring the interconnectedness of nature in this course. Each week we will explore a different ‘Nature Superstar’ of Massachusetts, learning what makes each stand out while delving into their fascinating life histories to understand how they are connected to a larger ecological framework. This is your opportunity to explore issues such as conservation, climate change, and the value of natural systems. Each week will target an individual species including the horseshoe crab, bald eagle, monarch butterfly, and the sugar maple and American beaver.

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Sheryl Pereira is a birding instructor, coordinates Visitor Services, and helps to ensure that myriad education programs run smoothly at Mass Audubon’s Broad Meadow Brook Wildlife Sanctuary in Worcester. She is a longtime naturalist and keeps the sanctuary bird feeders well-stocked.