Letter from the Publisher

Spring is a process. Late March and early April are when the season truly begins to turn in ways we can feel as much as see. Birds are on the move across the Northern Hemisphere, returning from wintering grounds and heading north. Here in the Midwest, the early parade of transient sparrows has arrived—with fox, song and other migrating sparrows on their way to the boreal forests of Canada temporarily joining the overwintering juncos under the bird feeders. Local birds start to show their summer colors, chipmunks are already running all over the yard, tree buds begin to swell and the sharp air of winter is replaced by the warm smell of thawing earth. Then one day we realize the juncos are gone, and we know that spring is here.

Watching these changes unfold year after year becomes its own way of marking the season. The migration of birds, the return of insects and the slow awakening of the landscape are all part of the same annual rhythm of the Earth. When we pay attention to that cycle, it has a way of grounding us. The season stops being an abstract date on the calendar and becomes something we can see, hear and feel for ourselves.

April is Earth Month, and this issue’s theme, Sustainable Together, reminds us that lasting change happens through community, cooperation and a shared sense of responsibility. In our main feature, “It Takes a Circle: Building Greener Lives Together,” by Hannah Tytus, we’re reminded that sustainable living is not just about what each of us does on our own, but what becomes possible when people work together. From our own homes and neighborhoods to communal gardens, composting efforts and community-led projects, Tytus shows how cooperation, creativity and a spirit of reciprocity can help us build healthier, more sustainable and resilient ways of living.

Sustainable living also means caring for our own health and personal resilience as the season changes, and several articles this month look at wellness from different angles. For many of us, spring can also mean the return of allergy symptoms. In Healing Ways, “Allergies and the Nervous System: Calming Herbs for Yearlong Resilience,” we look at a more holistic approach to allergy season, with ideas for supporting the body through stress reduction, nourishment and herbal support.

In our Conscious Eating section, writer Maya Whitman celebrates fresh spring bowls that make it easy to eat well while choosing foods that are local and in season. Illinois Farmers Market Association Executive Director Janie Maxwell shares the pleasures of artisan bread, along with practical tips for storing it at home. These are reminders of the value of seasonal eating and supporting our local community.

In Natural Chicago, Sheryl DeVore explores how local watersheds shape the quality of the water we all share, and how small actions close to home can make a difference downstream. As we head back into our yards and gardens this spring, Melinda Myers offers practical advice on choosing the right plants for Midwest landscapes so we can plan thoughtfully for a healthier, more sustainable season. 

As always, I encourage you to step outside and reconnect with the natural world around you. To help track this spring’s bird migration, consider visiting BirdCast from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, which offers free migration alerts by email, along with live tools that show nightly migration predictions based on weather patterns. The more we notice these seasonal shifts and changes as they happen, the more grounded and connected we can feel in the place where we live.