Dear Friends and Acton Conservation Trust Members:
The Kingman Agricultural Conservation Restriction (CR) is the 1st of four that ACT is monitoring this spring. Each year we inspect the boundaries for changes and follow up on any that are not permitted by the CR. (This land is privately owned – no public access). We are grateful to the previous owner who donated the CR to ACT. The field in the background will never be developed which means the development rights have been extinguished.
The following news and events may be of interest:
Now – September 5
New Exhibit: Alive with Birds: William Brewster in Concord
Thursday to Sunday, 10 am to 4 PM, Walk ins welcome!
Concord Museum, 53 Cambridge Turnpike, Concord, MA
Visit this special exhibition to discover the beauty of birds. William Brewster (1851-1919) was Mass Audubon’s first President He dedicated over thirty years of his life to the study of birds in Concord at his property, which he called October Farm. Drawn to Concord for its natural beauty and abundant bird life, Brewster made October Farm his experimental field laboratory and documented its wildlife for scientific study and public enlightenment. In 2019, Mass Audubon received a 143 acre parcel of land which was once part of October Farm, which has been renamed Brewster’s Woods Wildlife Sanctuary. For more information visit their website.
Members free; Adults $15, Seniors $12, Children (6 to 17) $8
Friday, April 15-evening of April 23 Passover
Saturday, April 16
A Parlor Concert at the Faulkner Homestead sponsored by Iron Work Farm in Acton
6:30 PM
Faulkner Homestead, 5 High Street, Acton
Iron Work Farm is pleased to present Soprano Gretchen Harbourt in a program of music of the 18th century
Broadcast participation limited to 100
Live tickets by reservation only, live audience limited to 16. Libations and hors d’oeuvres are included
For more information and reservations go to www.ironworkfarm.org. Donations gratefully accepted.
Saturday, April 16, 2022
Full Pink Moon – The Old Farmers Almanac
For the best view find an open area and watch as the Moon rises just above the horizon, at which point it will appear its biggest and take on a golden hue!
Although we wish this name had to do with the color of the Moon, the reality is not quite as mystical or awe-inspiring. In truth, April’s full Moon often corresponded with the early springtime blooms of a certain wildflower native to eastern North America: Phlox subulata—commonly called creeping phlox or moss phlox—which also went by the name “moss pink.” Thanks to this seasonal association, this full Moon came to be called the “Pink” Moon.
Sunday, April 17 Easter
Sunday, April 17
Robbins Ride with the Acton Minutemen
5-5:30 PM
For more information and reservations go to www.ironworkfarm.org.
Sunday, April 17
The Famous Robbins Ride
5:00-5:30 PM
108 Concord Road
For more information and reservations go to https://actonminutemen.org/robbins-ride/
These are the scheduled stops the rider makes:
- 5pm at the Robbins’ Homesite – soccer fields at bottom of Concord Rd.
- 5:20 at the Isaac Davis Homestead – 39 Hayward Road
- 5:40 at the Faulkner Homestead – 5 High St. in So. Acton (corner of Rte. 27)
- 5:55 at the Liberty Tree Farm – 24 Liberty St., also in So. Acton
Monday, April 18
Patriots Day Spirit celebration
1-4 PM
Faulkner Homestead, High St. Acton
Come travel back in time with us to learn why we celebrate Patriots Day in Acton as the start of both the Revolutionary and Civil Wars. What better place to do it than at the Faulkner Homestead, the home of Col. Francis Faulkner in 1775, and Col. Winthrop E. Faulkner in 1861!
Monday, April 18
Isaac Davis Trail March
5:30 AM – Start at Isaac Davis Homestead, 39 Hayward Rd.
6:20 AM in Acton Center
The trail march will begin at the Isaac Davis homestead, 39 Hayward Rd. From there the march will head to Acton Center, arriving at the monument where Isaac Davis, Abner Hosmer, and James Hayward are buried. From there the march continues to Concord over the original route (as closely as possible), arriving at the Old North Bridge about 9 AM. Visit Actonminutemen.org. One of the most scenic parts of the route is down Strawberry Hill Road in Acton before crossing into Concord. The public is encouraged to join the minutemen on the Isaac Davis Trail March from Acton to Concord. It is an experience that you and your family will never forget.
Wednesday, April 20
Jumping Worms in Field and Forest
7-8:15 PM
Sponsored by Newton Conservators – https://newtonconservators.org/events/jumping-worms-in-field-and-forest/
Register here.
Friday April 22
Arbor Day Celebration – Town of Acton
9:30 AM
Jones Field, 54 Martin Street
9:30 AM Event opening
9:45 AM Outdoor story time (recommended 0-4 years) Bring Your picnic blanket and listen to books about trees
10 AM Tree planting For more information, please contact the DPW, 978-929-7740 or treewarden@actonma.gov. Please wear a mask and maintain a distance of 6 feet from people outside your household.
Friday, April 22
Earth Day Walk at Pratt’s Brook
10-11:30 AM
Join Acton Conservation Trust as we explore the Pratt’s Brook trails and look for signs of spring. This family friendly walk is about a mile and a half, and has several beautiful stream crossings. Your friendly, well-behaved dogs are welcome to attend as well! Stay for snacks in the park after our walk. Please RSVP by registering here. You will receive an emailed copy for your records and location information prior to the event. For more information or questions, please contact Jody Harris at jharris.actonconservationtrust@gmail.com
Saturday, April 23
Living Soil
10:30 AM-noon
In person at Codman Farm, 58 Codman Road, Lincoln, MA
We’ll be examining the vibrant ecosystem that soil supports. Did you know that a single teaspoon (1 gram) of healthy soil can hold up to one billion bacteria, several yards of fungal filaments, several thousand protozoa, and scores of nematodes? Sign up for this free program organized by Codman Community Farms, Lincoln Land Conservation Trust, and Mothers Out Front Lincoln. Sign up at https://codmancommunityfarms.org/upcoming-events/2022/2/28/uncovering-soil-online-workshop-9ep89-lg2a9
Tuesday, April 26
Wild Animals We Thought We Knew
5:30 – 7 PM
Online.
Naturalist and professional tracker Susan Morse has traveled North America photographing and studying some of our most iconic creatures, including cougars, bears, caribou, wolverines, and Canada lynx. Her studies of scent-marking and “babysitter trees” have contributed to the new body of research that shows how little we have understood these animals, potentially resulting in management assumptions and practices that are inappropriate. Sue argues that it’s time to approach conservation and management with humility. With global warming and habitat fragmentation already impacting the lives and populations of many species, there is no time to lose. This presentation will offer a fresh synthesis of new discoveries. Sue’s breathtaking wildlife photos will illustrate the talk.This event is co-hosted with Bonnyvale Environmental Education Center.This event is free and made possible by NEWT’s wonderful community of supporters. Please consider a $5-10 donation to support Northeast Wilderness Trust’s work to save wild places. Click here to make a gift…thank you!
Sunday, May 1
ACT Spring Service Day 2022
1-3 PM
Adjacent to 18 Wright Terrace. At the end of Wright Terrace, park off the road on the east side, facing garden.
Join us for this community service day of removing invasive plant growth at our beautiful Wright Hill Conservation Area. If you haven’t seen the antique corn crib in town, this is a perfect opportunity! You can register by clicking Spring Service Day 2022, or by going to our website: www.ActonConservationTrust.org.
Friday, May 6
Behind the Scenes Tour at Stonefield Farm
9-10 AM
Stonefield Farm, Acton
Join Usha Thakrar, Executive Director of the Boston Area Gleaners and Christa Collins, SVT Director of Land Protection to learn about how Acton’s Stonefield Farm was protected and what its future holds. The farm serves as BAG’s hub for storing and packing crops for hunger relief, and Usha will describe how this non-profit addresses food insecurity, on-farm food waste, and local farm sustainability through a variety of programs. Co-sponsored by the Boston Area Gleaners. Register at https://www.svtweb.org/node/10740/register
May 17, 2022
Spring Bird Walk at NARA Park, Acton, MA
7-9 am
NARA Park, Acton, MA
The birds are back in town! Grab your binoculars and join birder Al Sgroi for a few hours of bird watching and identifying at NARA Park. You can register by clicking Spring Bird Walk, or by going to our website: www.ActonConservationTrust.org.
NEWS!
CPA News from CPA Update published by Community Preservation Coalition.
DOR Announces Estimate for November 2022 CPA State Distribution.
CPA Update reported the MA Department of Revenue has been working on heir annual estimate for the upcoming CPA Trust fund distribution. On 4/11 DOR announced their projection of a 35% base match for the November 2022 first round CPA Trust Fund distribution. To calculate the dollar figure for Acton’s trust fund distribution and/or other towns whose local surcharge is less than 3% property tax surcharge, multiply your FY22 estimated local revenue by 35%. To read more about why last year’s base match was 43.8% and why the 2022 projection is lower, visit www.communitypreservation.org
Lincoln Land Conservation Trust’s Pollinator Plant Sale Returns!
This sale is offered as a benefit to 2022 members. If you haven’t renewed your membership, please join today. Membership donations help support their work to create robust pollinator habitat throughout Lincoln and beyond! All plants are by pre-order online. Pick up is on Friday June 3rd in Lincoln, MA. Pick up will be in the afternoon and evening. Specific location and times will be announced soon. Before ordering, please ensure you will be available topics up (or able to arrange for a friend to pick up). This year LLCT is featuring a perennial kit that includes 24 plants, as well as many shrubs and trees offered a la carte.
Click here to view a PDF version of the Plant List and Descriptions
VOLUNTEER!
Boston Area Gleaners (BAG) is back to grocery box packing! Join them in their greenhouse on Wednesday, 4/20 to pack more ‘Just Eats’ grocery boxes for local pantries and low-income housing facilities. Sign up to volunteer at https://www.bagetc.org/gleanlist.php
Wednesday, 4/20
9-12 PM Pack grocery boxes OR 1-4 PM Pack grocery boxes
Stonefield Farm, Martin Street, Acton, MA
Goat Hikes – Good Pickin’ Farm
5 Gould Road, Westford
Goat Hikes. $65/group up to 8 people. Informative nature hike led by an ecologist, focusing on different flora or fauna of the area that is seasonal. Have fun while the goats walk and run along with you and enjoy their silly antics! For more information call 425-306-7203 or email hello@goodpicikinfarm.com
April Through May
Join Central Mass. Goat Rental for a Walk with Goats
48 West Acres Drive, Lunenberg
Take to the trails with friendly farm animals at your side. Anywhere from 6 to 16 goats will go on the hikes. Goats have a natural instinct to follow the leader, which makes them perfect hiking companions. The hike is relatively easy, lasting about an hour. Masks and social distance are required and group size is limited due to Covid-19. Each hike costs $35 per adult, $10 per child (under the age of 15 years old), and children ages 5 years and under are free. To book a hike, visit www.centralmagoatrental.com and choose the date of your hike.
Hiking with Dogs – The Trustees Did you and your family get a pandemic puppy? Are you and your older dog a little tired of the same old walking routes? Let our dog-friendly properties give you a burst of inspiration to get some fresh air for you and your four-footed companion. These 7 places might be just the thing this spring.
Spring Ahead of Jumping Worms –Jumping worms (aka snake worms, crazy worms) are widespread and spreading aggressively throughout the Northeast. These invasive earthworms are noticeably larger than the established earthworms and thrash violently when disturbed. Damage caused by jumping worms includes devouring leaf litter that regenerates soil and over-aerating the soil, causing nutrients to each out, roots to loosen, and soil to erode. Read what Native Plant Trust is doing and a what you can do to stop their spread. What Native Plant Trust is doing to prevent the spread of jumping worms: All wood chips and compost used at Garden in the Woods are produced on site. We use new plastic pots for most of the plants we sell. We clean and sanitize any reused pots. Native Plant Trust, nativeplantrust.org for more information.
Garlic Mustard Season!
Neighborhood Pull Season:
April 11- May 31.
Venture out and pull Garlic Mustard on your own? Need some exercise this weekend? It’s the start of garlic mustard season! Plants are up and easy to spot right now. Pull the plant up by the root. Tear it apart and shake soil out of the roots. From https://concordma.gov/778/Garlic-Mustard-Alliaria-Petiolata: Remove the plant with its entire root system or new plants may sprout from root fragments. Take care not spread any plants that have gone to seed. Remove completely from the site and dispose of in garbage bags. Foliar spray is not recommended as it can be harmful to the surrounding flora and fauna.
Support Acton Conservation Trust while you make purchases on AmazonSmile! ACT will receive a small payment, and these add up! From your desktop or laptop computer, AmazonSmile is available at at smile.amazon.com on your Web browser. Bookmark it for easy use! AmazonSmile is available from your mobile phone as well. To activate AmazonSmile in the Amazon Shopping app, simply tap on “AmazonSmile” within the Programs & Features menu or Settings and follow the on-screen instructions.
Sincerely,
Susan Mitchell-Hardt
President, Acton Conservation Trust
www.ActonConservationTrust.org
P.S. Welcome to new “Events of Interest” subscribers! As a nonprofit organization, we rely upon the support of our members. Visit our ACT website, and click on “Join Us”!
Be sure to tell your friends that “Events of Interest” is also available on our new ACT website www.actonconservationtrust.org