Events of Interest February 10, 2022

Thursday, February 10
How can I reduce my property taxes?
2nd Thursday of each month, December 9 – April 2022
6:30 – 8:30 p.m. 
Hosted by UMass MassWoods
This six-part webinar series for landowners will feature relevant professionals to provide information and help answer questions. Sign up for individual webinars or the entire series. Learn more and register.

• February 10 – How can I reduce my property taxes?
• March 10 – How can I conserve my land? 
• April 14 – What are the financial benefits of land 

Saturday, February 12 
Forest Management Walk – Native Species and Climate Resilience
10-noon 
Athol Massachusetts
Learn about an upcoming harvest to restore a more resilient native habitat.  Great for:  land managers, foresters, Mass. residents. Sponsored by Nature Groupie. Learn more and register here. Driving directions will be sent after registration.

Adjacent to Mount Grace’s headquarters and Skyfields Arboretum in Athol, is the state-owned Lawton State Forest. The Lawton Forest was the first woodland certified as a Tree Farm in Massachusetts. It was permanently protected in 1987 when Mount Grace purchased the property at the request of the Athol community and sold it to the Department of Conservation and Recreation. The Tree Farm was run primarily as a Red Pine plantation. Many of these non-native trees are now succumbing to disease and dying. DCR has a Forest Management cut designed to restore a more resilient native habitat.Please wear appropriate footwear and you can direct any questions to Stewardship Manager Tessa Dowling. 

Tuesday, February 15 
Kiss the Ground Film Screening and Expert Panel
6-8 PM
Do you want to feel hopeful and empowered about climate change and our future? Join Codman Community Farms, Mothers Out Front, and LLCT for the kick off of the Healthy Soil Series. Kiss the Ground is a fantastic inspirational look at the importance of healthy, living soils. Free. Learn more and register here.

Wednesday, February 16 
Full Moon:  The Snow Moon. 
The explanation behind February’s full Moon name is simply because that is the month in which the seasonal weather is most common.  It is also known as a ‘hunger moon’ or ’storm moon’ reflected again by the traits of the long, cold, stormy winter months.

Wednesday, February 16 
What You Thought You Knew About Your Backyard Birds Zoom Program 
7-8 PM 
Registration required.
Does it sometimes feel like sparrows are taking over the bird world?  Learn about their growing numbers and other fun facts about backyard birds with Barbara Bates from Mass Audubon.  Please register here by 5 PM on the day of the event.  Your confirmation will have the Zoom link.  Sponsored by Waltham Land Trust

Thursday, February 17 
Capturing Creatures:  Wildlife Camera and Illustration Webinar 
6-8 PM 
Zoom 
Conservation Restriction Program Manager for The Trustees, Sally Naser will share some of her wonderful images from cameras across the state.  In addition, she’ll offer advice for the aspiring wildlife camera photographer, including what to look for in a camera, siting recommendations, and more.  Pre-registration is required; Questions?  Call 413-628-4485 x 6 or email sarah@hilltownlandtrust.org. Learn more and register here. Sponsored by Hilltown Land Trust, a regional land trust in Western MA

Thursday, February 17 and 24 
7th Annual Mass Open Space Conference; Webinar 1:  The Ecological Context of Your Community
12-1:30 PM Webinars; 1:35-2:20 PM Networking 
Information and registration are available here.
This event is being collaboratively organized by the North Quabbin Regional landscape Partnership, Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust, Emerald Necklace Conservancy, and Green Cambridge.  Funding for this event is provided by the MA Working Forest Initiative,  in partnership with UMass-Amherst and MA Department of Conservation and Recreation. 

Friday, February 18 – Monday, Feb. 21
The Great Backyard Bird Count    
Birders of all experience are invited to come together to participate in the  Great Backyard Bird Count.  these efforts help scientists understand bird migratory patterns and populations.  organized by the Cornell lab of ornithology, national Audubon Society, and Birds Canada this event brings the joy of bird watching to members of their organizations and beyond.,  If you are interested in participating you can learn more at birdcount.org 

Thursday, February 24   
“Nature’s Best Hope” with Dr. Doug Tallamy, Professor of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology 
6:30-8 PM 
Online
Learn how your yard can help sustain the plants and animals that sustain us.  Cost $15, for details and registration click here.

Saturday, February 26 
Botany Story Slam 
6-8 PM Live/virtual, Fee:  $20 Members $24 Nonmembers 
Join the Native Plant Trust for the annual Native Plant Trust Botany Story Slam – an exciting evening recounting plant adventures from some of the top botanists, horticulturists, and more.  Speakers include Jonathan Drori, author of the best selling “Around the World in 80 Trees” and “Around the World in 80 Plants”; Christin Geall, author of Cultivated; William (Ned)Friedman, Director of the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University; Joann Vieira, Director of Horticulture, The Trustees; Rebecca McMackin, Director of Horticulture, Brooklyn Bridgets Park; and Michael Piantedosi, Director of Conservation, Native Plant Trust.   More information and registration here.

Monday, February 28 
Lincoln’s Woodland Vernal Pools 
7-8 PM 
Big Night is approaching and you may be asking yourself, why are there ducks quacking at night in March or April?  Join Michele Grzenda, Lincoln’s Conservation Director as she shares a virtual presentation on vernal pools.  What are they?  Why should we protect them?  These seasonal wetlands are home to… More information and registration here.

Sunday, March 13 
Preview of ACT Annual Meeting:  New Conservation Strategies for the 21st Century – presented by Claudia Thompson
6:30PM Business Meeting; 7 PM – Presentation
Acton Town Hall, 472 Main Street, Room 204,  and/or Virtual 
Fight Climate Change with a Nature Based Solution: Climate change and loss of biodiversity are the critical ecological challenges of our time.  To address these crises, conservation efforts must become much broader and more inclusive than has been the norm, so that they engage virtually all citizens throughout our communities.  The extent of our current human impact, and the fragmentation of our landscapes over the past one hundred years, clarify the need – every piece of land, large or small, public or private, deserves careful stewardship so that it becomes part of the solution instead of contributing to the problem.  Using her garden as a case study, Claudia will discuss valuable lessons learned over several decades as she transformed her small urban property into a landscape rich with habitat for birds, pollinators, and other wildlife.  Much can be achieved.  Indeed, the significant challenges before us are motivating many people to action.  The growing native plant movement, with its focus on landscapes as ecological systems, instead of gardens as adornments, is an essential component of 21st century conservation strategies.

Tuesday March 15 
Salamander Crossing Brigade Training 
7-8:30 PM 
Online 
Discover how you can help salamanders cross roads this spring!  Great for:  citizen scientists, families, kids.  Sponsored by  Nature Groupie. Learn more and register here.  

NEWS!

ACT Board Voted Unanimously to give the Carol Holley Conservation Award to Acton Resident Sue Whitcomb
President of the Acton Garden Club, Maura Sharp:  “I can think of no other person in Acton who deserves this honor more than Sue Whitcomb!  She is so passionate about the Acton Arboretum and has worked tirelessly to enrich and beautify it with her hard work and amazing knowledge.”
Join us at ACT Annual Meeting on 3/13, 6:30 PM to honor Sue Whitcomb for her shining example of community involvement in protecting the environment. 

Wildlife Tracks in the Snow Identified by Tracker, Paul Wanta at Nashoba Brook Conservation Land:   To see stunning and clearly visible tracks made by 5 different wild animals at Nashoba Brook Conservation Land last Sunday. Click here for our Instagram page. More photos are posted on ACT’s Facebook page. Click here for our Facebook page.

New Archeological Preservation Bylaw Survey.  The Acton Historical Commission, Town staff and other stakeholders, in an effort to pursue an archeological preservation bylaw, invite you to provide feedback on your understanding of Acton’s archeological resources and your interest in documenting and protecting archeologically significant resources within the Town through a formal permitting process. The survey should take no more than five minutes.  Please click here to participate in the survey:  The survey closes on Friday, February 18th.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES!

Winter Volunteering with Boston Area Gleaners: 
Wednesdays volunteers are invited to  lend a hand to support the ‘Just Eats’ grocery box program.  Choose either 9-12 PM or 1-4 PM at 91 Martin Street.

As BAG enters their second year of this collaboration with Food for Free, volunteers are helping to fill hundreds of boxes each week with veggies and dry goods for pantries, housing facilities, and other community food distribution sites in eastern Massachusetts. Register here.

BAG is also always looking for more ways to connect with more communities and new volunteers.  If you are part of a community that may be interested in working with the Gleaners, or have suggestions for volunteer outreach, please email us at outreach@bostonareagleaners.org

Covid safety:  BAG is now requiring that all volunteers be fully vaccinated against Covid-19.  Volunteers are also required to wear masks on all projects.  The staff members that you will work with are also fully vaccinated and follow the same safety protocols.  Food packs take place in the greenhouse, which is partially open to the air.  Read more about volunteer Covid precautions on the BAG website. 

TO SUBSCRIBE TO BOSTON AREA GLEANERS NEWSLETTER Visit:  https://www.bostonareagleaners.org/

Acton CAP (Climate Action Plan) Blueprint Here!  Together with the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC), the Sustainability Office presented the report to the Select Board on December 20.  The Blueprint contains a list of strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in our buildings, energy, transportation and through nature-based solutions.

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

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