The concept of a natural burial as an environmentally friendly option in private and public cemeteries is becoming increasingly popular throughout the country, primarily for its minimal environmental impact, simplicity, and lower cost to the consumer. Historically, natural burials were the norm until modern funeral practices like embalming, caskets made from exotic wood, and non-biodegradable cement vaults evolved shortly after the Civil War in response to the desire to preserve soldiers’ remains until they were returned home to their families. Today, with more than 350 green burial cemeteries in the United States, natural burial practices are making a comeback, and municipal officials and consumers are evolving in their understanding of the benefits and management needs of natural burials.… Read More

The late Nicole Cormen, a dedicated conservationist and Lebanon City Councilor, loved Lebanon’s trails and natural areas. She and her friends liked to hike a different trail every Friday to honor the memory of Laurel Letter, who created Lebanon’s first conservation lands map by hand long before GPS and Google Maps. If you were lucky enough to get out on the trail with Nicole or Laurel, you could be guaranteed to learn a few things about the trees, wildlife, and flowers in Lebanon’s conserved lands.

It’s a bit of a challenge to choose a few favorites from the City’s 22 miles of trails on more than 1,880 acres, with more publicly accessible trails owned and maintained by others to explore.… Read More

November and December is a time of real local pride for me, especially, and perhaps strangely, pride in our local harvest. Summer’s juicy fresh fruits and veggies are fabulous and already missed, but our autumnal New Hampshire foods dominate the traditional menus for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Hannukah. The classic Hannukah potato pancakes are served with applesauce, after all, and potatoes and apples are easy to find on Lebanon farms!

The Thanksgiving story, of course, is all about New England foods. I like to add two components to my family’s big holiday meals, both of which are possible because I live here, in this rural community filled with excellent farms.… Read More

Who knew? A forested gem just a few steps away from some of Lebanon’s busiest streets, lush in spring with vernal pools and wildflowers, lies tucked between I-89, Alice Peck Day, and Young Street. Starr Hill has been known to some for a long time, though its healing beauty is always available for appreciation by new visitors.

Starr Hill’s survival as conserved land is a story of persistence by Laurel Letter and her husband, Sid. Longtime residents of the Young Street neighborhood, they knew and appreciated both the value of the hill’s peace and charm, and the fragility of its position so close to the growing city.… Read More

The Dartmouth College Office of Science and Technology Outreach website asks visitors the following questions:

“Thirsty for good conversation in a stimulating atmosphere? Do you harbor questions you would like to ask a scientist or would you prefer to sit back, relax, and learn something new about the world?”

If you have answered yes to any of these inquiries, the Dartmouth College Office of Science & Technology Outreach and Lebanon’s downtown Salt hill Pub have just the ticket for you: Science Pubs, an informal monthly presentation and discussion on a variety of topics of scientific interest.

Based on the Science Cafe model developed in Europe in the 1990s, Science Pubs at Salt hill bring scientists and the public together for informal discussions around topics ranging from fracking to happiness to local food.… Read More

Ed. Note: Jeanie McIntyre is President of Upper Valley Land Trust and was a friend of Lebanon resident Laurel Letter, who died earlier this year. This article is adapted from the original published in March at uvlt.org.

Laurel Letter was not a conservation leader. At least that’s what she would have said. She would say that she did not have expertise or confidence, she would ask for advice about next steps. She would offer to assist, to gather information. She would make it easier for others to lead – actually, she made it impossible for others not to lead. That’s how Laurel Letter made things happen.… Read More