Dear Friends and Acton Conservation Trust Members,
The following news and events may be of interest:
(If you prefer, you may read “Events of Interest” on our website, ActonConservationTrust.org)
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 https://concordmuseum.org/alive-with birds-
Members free; Adults $15, Seniors $12, Children (6 to 17) $8
Now to Sunday July 10, 9 PM
The Thoreau Society Annual Gathering:
Hybrid Conference (In person/Live-stream)
Wed, 7/6 at the Masonic Lodge, Concord, MA, is free and open to the public.
Use Option #2 to register). Visit https://www.thoreausociety.org/event/2022-annual-gathering-thoreau-society, for more information.
Saturday, July 16
Weed Warrior Training in Littleton
9-11 AM
Browns’s Woods, Littleton, MA
Join Dominic Portelli, SVT AmeriCorps Member, and Amy Green, Littleton Conservation Agent, at Browns’ Woods in Littleton for this Weed Warrior training. The primary focus will be learning to identify and pull Burning Bush, but you will also be introduced to other common invasives on the property and how to manage them like bittersweet, multiflora rose, and barberry. You can register at https://www.svtweb.org/calendar/weed-warrior-training-littleton
Sundays, July 17-October 16
Acton-Boxborough Farmer’s Market
Elm Street Playground, West Acton
10 AM – 1 PM
Join us for our 14th season of promoting good food and supporting sustainable agriculture. Visit http://www.abfarmersmarket.org for more information.
Tuesday, July 19,
Old Stone Walls and Other Discoveries with Richard T.T. Forman
8:30-10:30 AM
Chamberlin Woods and Newbury Field
Can we find these? Short-lived crop field? Big hickories lining pasture stonewall? Large barn foundation? Two erratic piles? Evidence of forming the Appalachians? A cattail-less marsh? Small stones still atop an original wall? A stone-breaking site? Largest pitch pine in town? Evidence of fire and wire (fence)? The best little-bluestem field? Tree with 5-ft-diameter underground stool? Building site with no cellar hole? Let’s find out, and discover much more…
Join Richard Forman, eminent landscape ecologist and professor emeritus of Harvard, for this mid-summer outing.
Limited to 20 participants. Registration required HERE.
Sunday, July 24, August 28
Breakfast at Fort Pond, Littleton
8 Kaleva Road
Directions at www.kalevalittletonma.org
Wednesday, July 27
Walking Tour of Ice House Pond
10-11 AM Ice House Pond (meet at 120 Concord Road, Acton
Join Bettina Abe, Natural Resources Assistant with the Town of Acton, as she takes participants on a walking tour of Ice House Pond. Learn more about the pond’s history as an ice harvester and enjoy the walking trails by the pond/Nashoba Brook. On this tour we will learn about the park’s history and ecology. Walks are approximately 45 – 60 min. and are a little over one mile in length. Trail surface is level, partially paved, partially grass, and partially natural forest floor with some roots to step over.Registration required. More information and registration on our online calendar, https://actonmemoriallibrary.assabetinteractive.com/calendar/2022-july/
Wednesday, July 27,
Acton Businesses “Act On” Climate: Climate Café – Sponsored by EnergizeActon.org.
10-11am
541 Massachusetts Ave, Acton (VillageWorks picnic tables)
Julie Pierce Onos, Development Director for Acton, and Sustainability Director, Andrea Becerra, will be on hand to share new sustainability incentives for Acton businesses and to recognize the folks who are working to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the business sector. Please join us for a look at this important sector of the Acton community. If possible, please bring a lawn chair.
Wednesday, July 27, 2022,
GET COOL with Heat Pumps!
Climate Café Afterhours – Sponsored by EnergizeActon.org.
4:45pm-6:00pm
VillageWorks Picnic Tables, 541 Massachusetts Ave, Acton (Please bring a lawn chair!)
This is our late day version of the Climate Café for working folks. Join Mike Simons of ABODE Energy Management to get an energetic overview of this energy source. Heat pumps are the future of clean energy, and if you heat with oil (especially if you do not have air conditioning), heat pumps can be a really economical solution for getting comfortable cooling and heating. Hear the latest on improved incentives and rebates. And don’t forget that the Town’s contract with ABODE means that you can get free consultations about clean energy solutions for your home or business. Click HERE for the consultation link. For more information contact ClimateCafe@actonclimatecoalition.org or go to EnergizeActon.org/events.
Saturday, July 30
Native New England Shrubs,
9:30-noon,
Wells Reserve at Laudholm, 342 Laudholm Farm Road, Wells, ME
What is woody, short, and typically multi-stemmed? A shrub! Shrubs are an important part of the New England landscape and lots of fun to learn about. We will take a close-up look at nine or ten native New England shrubs, plus a few non-native invasives . We will focus on key identification characteristics and also learn about the natural history and lore of our subjects. Included in our study will be a shrub whose fruits were used to make candles, a shrub whose berries Yankee sea captains brought on long sea voyages to help prevent scurvy, and a shrub whose flowers have been used as a remedy for craziness.
Presenter, Roland “Boot” Boutwell is a freelance itinerant naturalist who taught the core course in “Native New England Shrubs” and lead field trips for the New England Wild Flower Society for nearly 20 years and was a part time teacher/naturalist for the Massachusetts Audubon Society. He teaches nature programs and leads nature walks for a number of other organizations including: Arlington, MA Community Education; Wright-Locke Farm in Winchester, MA, The Winchester, MA public schools; The Friends of the Middlesex Fells (Greater Boston) and numerous other organizations. His hobbies include photography, acting in community theater, and the guitar.
RESERVATIONS required; To reserve your space, please email suzanne@wellsnerr.org or call (207) 646-1555 x116.
• Members: $10.00 • Non-Members: $13.00
Thursday, August 4
Tower Hill – Free Admission to the Garden on first Thursday of each summer month
10 am to 8 pm
New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill
Enjoy FREE ADMISSION to the Garden on the first Thursday of each summer month! Soak up the sun exploring our beautiful trails and gardens during our daytime hours, or unwind in the evening with live music and local brews from our outdoor Beer Garden. Please note we anticipate a high volume of visitors on these days. Therefore, the admission is first-come-first-serve basis. You can get tickets in person at the Garden or reserve your tickets online in advance to secure your preferred date.
Visit https://nebg.org/free-first-thursdays/ to learn about Things to Do During the Day and During the Evening
Saturday, August 13,
Snakes of New England and the World: A live animal program
11:00 am
Wolbach Farm, Sudbury
$5 for SVT members; $10 for non-members
Here is your chance to see native and exotic snakes close up. Rick Roth, local snake expert and Director of Cape Ann Vernal Pond Team, will share some of his favorite snakes and talk about their lives and habits in this live animal presentation. Details and registration at https://www.svtweb.org/node/11055/register
Wednesday, August 17
MACC’s Lunch & Learn Program Topic: New Tools for Communicating the Value of Nature’s Services
12 Noon
Information: Click HERE to learn more and to register.
Presenters:
Robb Johnson, Executive Director, Massachusetts Land Trust Coalition (MLTC)
Christa Collins, Director of Land Protection, Sudbury Valley Trustees (SVT
Registration Required: 100 seats available. First come, first served on this free program.
VOLUNTEER:
Boston Area Gleaners (BAG)
Friday, July 15, 2022
9 am – noon
We’ll be harvesting collards! Acton MA
2 of 20 volunteer spots filled.
If you have specific questions about this trip, email cbischoff@bostonareagleaners.org)
Friday, July 15, 2022
9 am – noon
We’ll be gleaning lettuce and komatsuna
Weston, MA
5 of 6 volunteer spots filled. Email Leader, Deb for questions at dhicks@bostonareagleaners.org
Friday, July 15, 2022
1 pm – 4 pm
We will be harvesting bok choi and kohlrabi.
Wayland, MA
Friday, July 15, 2022
1 pm-4 pm
We will be harvesting green beans!
Acton, MA
5 of 20 volunteer spots filled. Leader : Christopher. (If you have specific questions about this trip, email cbischoff@bostonareagleaners.org)
Saturday, July 16, 2022
9 am-12 pm
We will be harvesting collards!
Acton, MA
2 of 20 volunteer spots filled. Leader : Deb. (If you have specific questions about this trip, email dhicks@bostonareagleaners.org)
Saturday, July 16, 2022
9 am – 12 pm
We will be packing mixed produce boxes!
Acton, MA
6 of 10 volunteer spots filled. Leader : Christopher. (If you have specific questions about this trip, email cbischoff@bostonareagleaners.org)
Saturday, July 16
1 pm – 3 pm
We will be harvesting green beans!
Acton, MA
8 of 20 volunteer spots filled. Leader : Deb. (If you have specific questions about this trip, email dhicks@bostonareagleaners.org)
Saturday, July 16
1:30 PM – 3:30 PM
We will be repacking veggies from Siena Farms
Acton, MA
4 of 4 volunteer spots filled. Leader : Christopher. (If you have specific questions about this trip, email cbischoff@bostonareagleaners.org)
Sign up to volunteer at https://www.bagetc.org/gleanlist.php
For specific questions email group leader, Christopher, cbischoff@bostonareagleaners.org
Don’t forget: The most up-to-date trip information is always on the website. We may post trips after the weekly email goes out. To stay in the loop about last-minute calls for volunteers, you can join our volunteer emergency text list!
HELP WANTED:
Boston Area Gleaners (BAG)
Seasonal Apprentices – July – November; $15/hour, full-time July-November
Boston Area Gleaners (BAG) are still hiring for seasonal apprentices. To apply, please send your resume and cover letter to hiring@bostonareagleaners.org.
Please help us spread the word at your favorite local spot! Visit here to volunteer https://www.bagetc.org/gleanlist.php
East Acton Village Green Plant Care Needed – Now through Summer:
Volunteers are needed to take care of the new plants at the East Acton Village Green this spring and summer as they become established. Contact Bettina Abe: babe@ActonMA.gov for further information.
NEWS:
SVT ANNOUNCES PROSPECT HILL COMMUNITY ORCHARD (HARVARD, MA): SUCCESS
Thanks to many generous donors, SVT reached our fundraising goal by our June 30 deadline, and the beautiful Prospect Hill Community Orchard in Harvard will be protected with an agricultural preservation restriction (APR).
SVT worked with the Town of Harvard, Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources, Harvard Conservation Trust, and Community Harvest Project to raise $2.5 million to secure the APR. This project is truly a win-win for conservation, as it will
- Permanently protect 70 acres of priority farm land from development.
- Extend a corridor of previously protected land.
- Offer public trails for passive recreation.
- Provide a home to a nonprofit operation that grows produce for hunger relief.
Thank you to everyone who has supported this project!
Celebrate Plastic Free July
Plastic Free July is a global movement that helps millions of people be part of the solution to plastic pollution – so we can have cleaner streets, oceans, and beautiful communities. Will you be part of Plastic Free July by choosing to refuse single-use plastics? Join the challenge today!
Click here for small swaps you can make to start down the plastic free path.
Self-Guided Tour of Dragonflies at the Carlisle Cranberry Bog
Begin at the Cranberry Bog House on Curve Street, Carlisle, MA
Mount Auburn Cemetery grounds are open to all visitors 12-7 PM every day. All visitors are asked to respect the rules. Public Restrooms are open. For your safety as well as that of fellow visitors, please follow the social distancing protocols outlined on the new signage at the restrooms. For more information, visit https://mountauburn.org/coronavirus/
Walden Pond in Concord
7 am-7 pm
915 Walden St.walden.pond@state.ma.us; 978-369-3254hs, bridal paths,a nd farm roads.
One-way trail loop system to promote social distancing; Boat ramp Sunday – Saturday: 5 AM – 7 PM.
Parking: MA resident $8; Non-MA resident: $30 Annual and senior passes NOT sold in park
Use this link to purchase a pass: https://www.mass.gov/how-to/purchase-an-annual-parking-pass-for-massachusetts-state-parks
https://www.mass.gov/how-to/get-a-senior-parking-pass
Camp Acton is Open
Pope Road, Acton
Fee is $25 per site reserved through he Recreation Department.
Limited to 10 people per site. Visit http://trails.actonma.gov/ to learn more about Camp Acton.
Please complete the registration form 48 business hours prior to desired reservation date.
Payments are due upon reservation confirmation
Portable toilet on site.
All users must follow social distancing, regulations and posted guidelines.
Please complete and send camp Acton Permit application via email to recreation@actonma.gov or fax to 978-929-6333
Please allow up to two business days to process.
Goat Hikes – Good Pickin’ Farm
5 Gould Road, Westford
Where Growing Minds and Nature Connect Visit the farm, https://www.goodpickinfarm.com/scheduling.
Experiential fun and learning through farming, arts and recreation and pony rides!
For more information call 425 306 7203, email: hello@goodpicikinfarm.com
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 new “Events of Interest” subscribers! As a nonprofit organization focused on conserving land in Acton, we rely upon the support of our members. Visit our ACT website, and click on “Join Us”!