When the Leaves Turn: The Science Behind Vermont’s Colors Mike Stock Nature’s paintbrush is just about done sweeping across the mountains here at Merck Forest, and the hillsides are alive with fall colors. Standing among the sugar maples, oaks, and birches, it’s impossible not to marvel at the transformation - from deep greens to yellows, oranges, and reds. Have you ever wondered why and how leaves change color in the fall? Here’s how this magic happens. Most of the color is