Vermont Institute of Natural Science highlights region’s native species on Earth Day [Video]

FREQUENT STORMS CONTINUE TO CREATE CHALLENGES IN THIS CRITICAL ECONOMIC SECTOR. TODAY IS EARTH DAY SO WE FIGURED, WE NEEDED TO SEND ONE OF OUR REPORTERS OUTSIDE TO GET A PULSE ON HOW PEOPLE ARE CELEBRATING. NBC5’S JOHN HAWKS HAD A FUN ASSIGNMENT. HE GOT TO CHECK IN WITH THE VERMONT INSTITUTE OF NATURAL SCIENCE- VINS ABOUT THEIR EARTH DAY FESTIVITIES. <JOHN> HERE AT VINS, THEY TREAT EVERY DAY LIKE EARTH DAY… BUT HAVE A SPECIAL LINE UP OF EVENTS TO CELEBRATE. <NAT POP BIRDS> APRIL 22ND IS SPECIAL FOR VINS… THE UPPER VALLEY INSTITUTION WAS FOUNDED MORE THAN 50 YEARS AGO IN 1970… AROUND THE TIME OF THE FIRST EARTH DAY. <ALDEN SMITH EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, VINS 1970 WAS THE FIRST EARTH DAY AND THAT IS ALSO THE TIME THAT THERE WERE SOME CITIZENS WHO WERE GATHERING TOGETHER TO CLEAN UP THE RIVER. AND ONCE THEY WERE REALLY SUCCESSFUL AT …