General

As the seasons change, so does the wildlife that calls the Lloyd Center’s trails home. Fall is a vibrant time to explore the trails, with rich colors, crisp air, and unique opportunities to observe a variety of animals and plants in their autumnal routines. Here’s a glimpse of what you might see as you walk…

This has been a monumental year at the Lloyd Center! Our new Welcome Center, constructed by students from the Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School and built to Living Building Challenge™ specifications, opened to the public. Even while under construction, our Education Team taught more than 10,000 students, and our research department monitored…

Between stifling heat, biting insects, and a long stretch until fall foliage emerged, the woods and other interior landscapes were an afterthought through most of summer.  Late July to early August featured migratory movements of various species that provided subtle reminders of seasonal change, but kept our eyes on the shoreline.  The north to south…

On September 22, 2024, the Lloyd Center for the Environment hosted its fourth annual Music in the Woods, a benefit for Lloyd Center members. The day offered a perfect blend of live music, nature, and community engagement, set against a backdrop of breezy fall weather. Musicians from the New Bedford Symphony Orchestra (NBSO) provided a…

As stated in the early season article, winter storms both reduced nesting habitat for breeding shorebirds where dense cobble washed up, and increased it through sand replenishment. While Piping Plover abundance is constrained on small sites with lower carrying capacity, microhabitat changes can create new nest locations for both small numbers of additional pairs and…

As the late summer movements of shorebird migration kick in, biologists are busy summarizing data for the nesting season for various species. For the Lloyd Center, this includes first and foremost, the shorebird nesting season which is on its home stretch. But first, we offer a brief summary of our osprey work, for which we…

Hey Y’all! My name is Bruce Traban and I am a lifelong Dartmouth resident. I spent my childhood exploring the local trails and going to the Lloyd Center to check out all the exhibits they had to offer. Not only did I visit, but I also volunteered and was a student of theirs. I attended…

Getting kids up close with nature is the goal of this environmental center in southeastern Massachusetts DARTMOUTH – The Lloyd Center for the Environment in Dartmouth, Massachusetts has been teaching children about nature for more than 40 years. Executive director Rachel Stronach said they’ve been around so long they’ve been written into the curriculum at local schools.…

The Lloyd Center for the Environment recently hosted a productive volunteer workday, featuring staff from Fernandes & Charest in Westport, MA. This incredible team spent hours cleaning up the grounds at the Lloyd Center, contributing to the Center’s mission of promoting environmental stewardship. Volunteer workdays are an integral part of the Lloyd Center’s operations, providing…

At the Lloyd Center for the Environment in Dartmouth, MA, a unique collaboration between Ryan Fortin, a graduate high school student, and Dartmouth High School’s Engineering and Robotics teacher, Samuel Brodsky, has resulted in the creation and installation of four walk-off mats. This initiative not only enhances the Lloyd Center’s Living Building Challenge™ (LBC™) compliant…

Our educators here at the Lloyd Center are busy, busy, busy! This time of year brings the students to us for adventures at the Center and to the very special barrier beach system. We focus on habitats and the adaptations of the plants and animals that live in those habitats. Students hike to the estuary,…

The Lloyd Center recently welcomed a Raptor Specialist, Norman Smith, for a captivating presentation about owls and his many years of work as a self-taught naturalist.  Norman Smith has worked for Mass Audubon since 1974 and recently retired as Director of the Blue Hills Trailside Museum and the Norman Smith Environmental Museum in Milton, MA. …

by Jamie Bogart, Lloyd Center Research Associate This past winter and early spring, storms and high tides ravaged our coastal region. For the highly rocky Buzzards Bay shoreline, this resulted in both gains and losses in shorebird habitat nesting. Pond channels and seaside roads filled with sand or even cobble, forcing sand to be placed…

This was the first week of training for the Next Level Rowing/Gutzy para-rowing quad. These women are training to become the first women’s adaptive rowing team to compete in the World Rowing Coastal Championships! This brave crew is overcoming significant physical challenges and breaking new ground in the sport of rowing, proving that adaptive athletes…

At the Lloyd Center, our hands-on field study programs brought the wonders of our coastal ecosystems to life for thousands of students last year. Through the simple, yet profound act of dipping nets into the estuary, students embark on a journey of discovery and place-based learning. They see fish, crabs, and other species, fostering a…

Environmental Education/Outreach Internships  Do you have a passion for environmental science? Are you experienced or interested in working with youth? The Lloyd Center is in need of Environmental Education/Outreach interns to assist educators in teaching outdoor nature/science-based programs for our summer season.  The Lloyd Center’s educational philosophy is that hands-on learning brings the study of…

Embrace the Heart of Environmental Stewardship—Become a Lloyd Center Member or Renew Today! Your membership is a vital part of our mission, supporting critical environmental education,  research, and outreach programs. By joining us, you help to sustain our 82-acre sanctuary, with its five miles of hiking trails and the habitats of our cherished animal ambassadors—including…

Your membership helps to support critical environmental education, research, and outreach programs. In addition, your contribution helps to maintain our 82-acre campus, five miles of hiking trails, and animal ambassador habitats (estuary organisms, reptiles, and amphibians). Although our exhibits are currently closed to the public, our animal ambassadors allow opportunities for students to learn about,…

By Jamie Bogart, Lloyd Center Research Associate The meteorological winter count for the Lloyd Center’s 37th Annual Winter Waterfowl survey that took place on Saturday, January 27, 2024, involved Lloyd Center staff and volunteers at sites from Sakonnet Point in Rhode Island to Padanaram Harbor in Massachusetts. Abundance of migratory waterfowl along coastlines traditionally increases…

For over three decades, the Lloyd Center has started January with a walk at one of the more ecologically unique landscapes in the region, Gooseberry Neck Island in Westport. The island offers something to satisfy the curiosity of most any naturalist in any environmental field, all in one short stroll. Wind, waves, and storms constantly…

The Bristol County Savings Bank, through its Bristol County Savings Charitable Foundation, has awarded a $5,000 grant to the Lloyd Center for the Environment, to support Environmental Science Learning Adventures for the Greater New Bedford and Fall River public elementary school students. This financial support will make a significant difference in the lives of the…