Most Vineyarders already know some basic information about invasive species and why they’re a problem. Basically, invasives are plants or animals, usually from a different part of the world, that are too aggressive. Separated from whatever factors keep them under control in their original range, the spread rapidly and crowd out more diverse and more desirable native wildlife.

If there is a more widely recognizable on the Vineyard than the American robin, we’ve yet to hear of it. The combination of a gray back and an orange breast and belly on a robin is obvious and known to all. Sheer numbers help boost our familiarity with robins: this species is a very common nesting bird on the Island, and contrary to the cliché of the first robin of spring, robins are present and often numerous throughout all but the most brutal winter weather.

Interested in a way to celebrate spring while helping conserve the Vineyard’s native plants? Consider volunteering on Saturday, April 6, from 10 a.m. to noon at The Nature Conservancy’s (TNC’s) Native Plant Nursery.

Some of the Vineyard’s wild species deal with winter by leaving – many of our nesting birds, for example, head south, as far as South America in some cases. Warm-blooded critters that stay here year-round – birds and mammals – all rely on some combination of curtailed activity (to conserve energy), exploitation of food sources, such as seeds and berries, that persist into winter, and shelter (to prevent heat loss) in order to survive the colder months. It’s easy to observe some of these species as they go about their daily business of survival.

How do birds survive the winter? It’s amazing, when you think about it, that such tiny animals can successfully survive in our region, with snow often covering up food supplies and temperatures that can dip below zero sapping the energy out of warm-blooded creatures. If it’s warm enough to rain, that might even be worse; wet feathers, as you know if you’ve ever gotten soaked while wearing down clothing, are almost useless as insulation.

For a homeowner, especially one with a fondness for gardening and landscaping, winter is the season for making plans and thinking about the possibilities of the coming year. As you contemplate your yard this winter, here’s a question to ask yourself: “How much lawn do I really need?” Modern patterns of homebuilding and landscaping tend to make sod-grass lawn the default use for any available space.