Dear Friends and Acton Conservation Trust Members,
The following events may be of interest:
Sunday, April 7
Community Solar Forum
9 AM
Breakfast starts Congregation Beth Elohim, 133 Prospect Street, Acton
Speakers include State Senator Jamie Eldridge and more. For more information visit the Congregation Beth Elohim website, https://www.bethelohim.org/event/breakfast-solar-forum
Monday, April 8
Solar Eclipse
Shortly after 2 – about 4:30 PM EDT
The Moon will pass directly between Earth and the Sun, creating a total solar eclipse. The Moon’s shadow, about 115 miles wide, will sweep a narrow path through North America, blocking the Sun in its entirety and turning day into night. If you want to know about Safety, How to Prepare, Science, the Eclipse and NASA, visit https://science.nasa.gov/eclipses/future-eclipses/eclipse-2024/safety/
From cbsnews.com/boston/news/total-solar-eclipse-april-8-2024-best-places-to-view-massachusetts-new-hampshire-vermont-maine/ In Boston, the partial eclipse will begin at 2:16 p.m. and end at 4:39 p.m. with maximum (about 93%) occurring at 3:29 p.m.
Wednesdays, April 10-June 5
I Hiked Acton’s Trails Challenge
2:30 pm-4:00 pm
Location sent out the Sunday before each hike.
Walk (or wheelchair) trails in Acton’s conservation areas with the goal of earning a sticker and a sew-on patch! This weekly set of walks is a joint effort between Acton Conservation Department and Acton Conservation Trust. We hope to complete 9 of 22 conservation land walks and may continue the challenge next fall.
All ages are welcome!, Register for one hike or all nine! All children must be accompanied by an adult.
REGISTER HERE! For more information or questions, please contact Jody Harris at jharris.actonconservationtrust@gmail.com or Ian Bergemann at ibergemann@acton-ma.gov
Sunday, April 14
Patriots’ Day Spirit at the Faulkner Homestead
1-3:30 PM and 5-6:30 PM
Faulkner Homestead, 5 High Street
Travel back in time from 1 – 3:30 PM to learn why we celebrate Patriots’ Day in Acton as the start of both the Revolutionary and Civil Wars. At the home of Col. Francis Faulkner in 1775 and of Col. Winthrop E. Faulkner in 1861, come talk to re-enactors from both time periods. Then return at 5:00 PM for the arrival of the Acton Minutemen and the alarm rider bringing news of the British marching on Concord on April 19, 1775.
Iron Work Farm | Parking is available on nearby commuter lots
Monday, April 15, 2024
Isaac Davis March to Concord
6:00 am
Isaac Davis Homestead, 37 Hayward Road, Acton.
The Acton Minutemen will make their annual march to the North Bridge in Concord, arriving at 9:00 am, where they will lead the fight against the British regulars across the Old North Bridge. Contact: The Acton Minutemen
Monday, April 15th
Volunteer to Plant Habitat for Wood Turtles
1-4 PM
Veterans Field, 655 Main St., Acton
The Acton Conservation Division and Zoo New England are looking for 5-8 volunteers to join us to help plant natives for Wood Turtles.… Read on
Wednesday, April 17
OARS Wild & Scenic Film Festival
7-9:30 pm
Maynard Fine Arts Theaters
https://www.oars3rivers.org/event/2024/apr/16th-annual-wild-scenic%C2%AE-film-festival
Wednesday, April 17-Friday, April 26
Birding at Mt. Auburn Cemetery w Brookline Bird Club
6:30 AM
Mt. Auburn Cemetery, 536 Mt Auburn St, Cambridge, MA https://ebird.org/hotspot/L207391
Special Note for Mount Auburn Cemetery Visits: Trip leaders at MAC must be able to park. Trip participants are kindly asked to leave the first parking space in front of the medical office building free for the leader. Just west of the cemetery is free on-street parking on side streets (e.g. Francis Street) in Watertown, a short walk or ride on the bus 71 or 73 to the cemetery gate. The BBC does not endorse use of the nearby Star Market parking lot; towing is possible. Other options worth checking include Fresh Pond Lane off Brattle Street. Check daily listings for starting times. Very large groups may be split.
BBC field trips are open to all participants. Unless otherwise stated, all trips are free to attend and do not need preregistration. You do not need to be a club member to attend, though we hope you will join. See the Field Trip FAQ for answers to general questions. Contact leaders for more details about specific trips.
We follow all policies of field trip location property owners and co-sponsoring organizations. These may include ongoing public health measures. Some participants may choose to wear a face mask for health purposes. We support their right to do so.
Friday, April 19, 20, 26, 27 and 28
Silent Sky
8 PM
Theatre III, 250 Central Street, West Acton
After the eclipse, reach for the STARS this April & Celebrate STEAM (Science Technology Engineering ART & Math) with AB PIP STEM at Theatre III. Join us for AB STEAM night at the Theatre III **Sat, April 27** 8pm production of Silent Sky
Special $20/ Group Tix (quantity limited, reserve by 4/15) To reserve 4/27 group tickets, please email actonpip@yahoo.com BY 4/15 with subject ‘Silent Sky’ along with name, email, mobile and # of $20 group tickets (4/27 date) OR you can purchase Silent Sky tickets for any performance at https://www.theatreiii.org/silent-sky-2024.html
Production by Lauren Gunderson. Theatre III highlights: When Henrietta Leavitt joins the Harvard Observatory in the early 1900’s as a ‘computer’ charting the stars for an astronomer, she isn’t allowed to touch a telescope or express an original idea. A true story with local STEM connections.
Wednesday, April 24
Gardening for Climate Resilience
7-8:30pm
Acton Town Hall, Room 204, and virtually
Join Trevor Smith for this talk about how to garden and manage landscapes for resilience. How can we keep soils intact and vigorous? What plant species are most adaptable? And which species are key for maintaining the biodiversity on which our land depends? Trevor is the Design and Education Manager for Weston Nurseries, but he also has long experience in regenerative land care, from addressing urban heat islands with greening projects to designing rain gardens and managing stormwater runoff.
This event is FREE and in-person, but when registering, you can indicate whether you plan to attend in person or whether you need a zoom link. Register HERE.
Co-sponsored by EnergizeActon.org, the Acton Conservation Trust, and the Acton Garden Club Shirley Towle Fund.
Tuesday, April 30 2024
“Rodent Control: The Good, The Bad and the Ugly.” Gary Menin, presenting
7:00-8:30 PM
The Groton Center, 163 West Main St., Groton
A newly formed citizen activist group, Save Nashoba Valley Wildlife, is hosting. The purpose is to educate the public about the dangers of rat poisons (SGARS) and to provide alternatives. Please join us to learn more.
The following is a brief example:
Did you know that in 2020, 100% of every red-tailed hawk tested by Tufts Veterinary Clinic proved positive for anticoagulant rodenticides? Since 2021, there have been four documented SGARs-related eagle deaths in the Commonwealth. Additionally, 90% of dead hawks and owls at Tufts have tested positive for SGARs.
Tuesday, April 30
Acton Town Elections
RJ Grey Jr. High School Gymnasium, 16 Charter Road
Polls open 7 AM to 8 PM
Additional election information can be found on the Elections & Voting Page
Thursday, May 9
Acton: 4000 to 7000 Years Ago by local archaeologist Kimberley Connors
7-8:30 PM
Acton Memorial Library
Extending a popular talk Ms. Connors gave last year, 4000 to 7000 Years Ago focuses specifically on Acton’s archeological sites from the Middle Archaic period (4000-7000 years before present). The most well-known of these is the Pine Hawk site in South Acton, but there are several other sites along the Assabet River and its tributaries.
This program brings our local landscape alive by looking at why indigenous people were so attracted to this region. Through the artifacts and excavations of local archaeological sites, people can look beyond the glare of the modern to the contours of the land and understand more about Indigenous people and how they thrived here for millennia. Ms. Connors will lead a walk through the Trail through Time a short time later on May 18, so people can see firsthand some of the landscape and sites described in this lecture.
Register HERE to attend in person or via Zoom.
Saturday, May 18
Spring Archaeology Walk
Noon-2 PM in North Acton
Local archaeologist Kimberley Connors will lead a two-mile hike focusing on Native American features along the Trail Though Time in North Acton. Registrants will receive an email with details a few days before the walk. Limited to the first 20 people to sign up, ages 15 and up. (Rain Date, Sunday, May 19, noon-2PM).
Register HERE to walk.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
THE ACTON EXCHANGE, Acton’s new online newspaper, will have a professionally-designed website that will be hitting the Internet the second week of April. At that time, tune in at actonexchange.org for current articles of interest to all of the Town.
Call for Community Planning Process Volunteers – Paid Role
The Town of Acton is looking for up to 5 community members to join a climate resilience planning process! Volunteers will receive a stipend of $2,400 during the 9-month process. For more information, visit Official Website | Acton MA
Town of Acton Now Hiring: Conservation Agent
Are you passionate about the environment? Looking to make a difference the community? Town of Acton is seeking a Conservation Agent to join our Conservation Team. For more information and how to apply, please visit actonma.gov/jobs (From actonma.gov)
Acton Water District’s 2024 Rain Barrel Program Order Deadline: April 29th by 5:00 PM
How to Purchase Your Rain Barrel: Rain barrels are available for purchase by residents at the discounted price of $89. The first 40 barrels sold are offered at $50 (an additional $39 discount) with coupon code AWD24.
How to Order: Go to https://www.greatamericanrainbarrel.com/community/
Select ‘Massachusetts’ then ’Acton’
Pick-Up: Thursday, May 9th 2:00-6:00 pm at the Acton Water District, 693 Massachusetts Avenue, Acton
From Mass Audubon 2 weeks ago:
Strengthening Federal Protections Against Rodenticides
We’ve joined 75 other organizations in supporting stronger federal measures to reduce the environmental and public health threats posed by rodenticides. We urged the EPA to avoid impacts to endangered and threatened species, and encouraged them to take steps to reduce unintended poisonings through changes to pesticide labels. Join Climate and Nature Champions to get involved in local campaigns to reduce the use of rodenticides in your town or city!
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Sincerely,
Susan Mitchell-Hardt
President, Acton Conservation Trust
www.ActonConservationTrust.org
P.S. Welcome new “Events of Interest” subscribers! As a non-profit organization focused on conserving land in Acton, we rely upon the support of our members. Visit our ACT website, and click on “Join Us”