Dear Friends and Acton Conservation Trust Members,
Growing the ACT Board of Trustees
Are you interested in preserving open space in Acton? While Acton has the benefit of many acres of open space, some prized undeveloped parcels in Acton are not yet protected … Read more
This stone wall at Wright Hill was covered with bittersweet until volunteers removed it at ACT Service Day on 5/1/22. We expect to put this wall on our maintenance schedule.
The following news and events may be of interest:
Thursday, November 16
Opportunities and Obstacles: Costs and Benefits of Offshore Wind
4 pm
LWVMA is proud to be partnering with New England for Offshore Wind(NE4OSW)) on a three-part Zoom webinar series featuring distinguished and knowledgeable speakers who will bring us up to speed on Offshore Wind. In this webinar, you will learn about the costs and benefits of offshore wind projects in the development pipeline and how project developers plan to protect people, wildlife, and the environment; and how stakeholders are working to ensure those plans rely on best practices founded in sound science and data, respect marginalized and overburdened communities, and drive economic justice for all.
See the LWVMA webpage for registration, information, and the recording of the first webinar in the series. Click here to register for Webinar.
Thursday, November 16
Meet the Friendly Flies
7 PM
Gleason Public Library, 22 Bedford St., Carlisle (CCF, GPL, Linda Graetz)
Stay that hand before you swat one of these two-winged wonders! We humans harbor too many fears and misconceptions about our friends the flies. Sure, some of them cause trouble, but can you think of one creature on earth that doesn’t? Learn more about our friends the flies in this visual and reflective introduction with educator and insect enthusiast, Linda Graetz. Like our fellow humans, there are thousands of flies out there ready to help us thrive on this beautiful planet. And, like our fellow humans, there are flies whose fascinating lives and sheer beauty just might fill you with awe. Flies are a complex group of insects; some we call “bad” and some we call “good”. That alone leads us to reflect more deeply on our permanent and unbreakable bond to the natural world
Gleason Public Library (co-sponsored Carlisle Conservation Foundation/CCF/ Gleason Public Library GPL)
Thursday, November 16
Westford Conservation Trust Annual Meeting 2023, Speaker, Chalis Bird on ” Living with Black Bears in Massachusetts”
7:00 pm
Nabnasset Lake Country Club
Members and friends are invited to join us for our our Annual Trust Meeting. We will have a brief Trust business meeting followed by the presentation of our Recognition of Excellence Award to our past president Dave Ebitson. Our guest speaker begins at 7:30PM. Hope you can join us!
Guest Speaker – Chalis Bird, Northeast District Wildlife Biologist at Mass Wildlife. Join Chalis, Northeast District Wildlife Biologist from MassWildlife, for an engaging and educational presentation on black bears in Massachusetts. “Learn how to prevent and resolve conflicts between humans and bears as we explore black bear biology, behavior, habitat, life history and population status.” Chalis will be happy to field general questions about nature and wildlife. Refreshments will be served. All are welcome. Hope to see you there!
Saturday, November 18 – January 6th
Destination: Nature 2023 Juried Art Show Inspired by “Perspectives” revealed on protected lands in Harvard, MA
3-6 PM
Fivesparks, 7 Fairbank Street, Harvard, MA
Enjoy wine and cheese as well as works from 60+ Regional Artists!
This year’s theme for Destination: Nature — “Perspective” — offers artists the chance to explore multiple frames of reference to reveal the intricate web of life in nature. Choosing from the perspectives of wildlife, trees, water, air or other elements captures the grandeur, the subtlety, and the profound interconnectedness of the world we all call home.
Presented by The Harvard Conservation Trust and Fivesparks.
See www.destination-nature.org for gallery hours
Sunday, November 19
Acton-Boxborough Holiday Market
10 AM – 1 PM
Indoors at the West Acton Village Works, 525 Main Street, Acton
Join ABFM for our indoor Before-Thanksgiving Market of promoting good food and supporting sustainable agriculture.
Visit http://www.abfarmersmarket.org for more information
Tuesday, November 21
Fireside Chat: Dr. Gegear
7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Join Lincoln Land Conservation Trust and Dr. Robert Gegear for a fireside chat about the LLCT’s Pollinator Meadow. Dr. Gegear will share research highlights from the past three summers and answer questions that audience members have about bumblebee biodiversity. This will be a casual presentation and Q&A.
This is a free virtual program and all are welcome. Registration is required (register here).
Dr. Robert Gegear is an assistant professor of biology at UMass – Dartmouth and founder of the Beecology Project. His work focuses on the conservation of native pollination systems and bumblebee biodiversity.
Thursday, November 30
Porcupines Don’t Shoot Their Quills
6:00pm-7:30pm
J.V. Fletcher Library, 50 Main Street, Westford, MA. Meeting Room / 1st Floor. – Westford, MA
– Come join Jane Seeker (Newhouse), founder of Newhouse Wildlife Rescue, as she shares interesting facts about our local wildlife. Learn how you can help injured and orphaned wild animals in an emergency.
Newhouse Wildlife Rescue is located in Chelmsford, MA. Each year, we help numerous sick, injured and orphaned wild animals heal and grow until they can be released back into the wild. Bigger, stronger and free!
Thursday December 7 2023
Porcupines Don’t Shoot Their Quills
1-2:30
Chelmsford Senior Center 75 Groton Road, N. Chelmsford, MA
Come join Jane Newhouse, founder of Newhouse Wildlife Rescue, as she shares interesting facts about our local wildlife. She will discuss what wildlife rehabilitation is all about, share fun facts about opossums, porcupines, beavers, raccoons and foxes. Learn the do’s and don’ts of helping injured and orphaned wild animals in an emergency. Event is free and open to all ages. Bring your questions!
Newhouse Wildlife Rescue is located in Chelmsford, MA. Each year, we help numerous sick, injured and orphaned wild animals heal and grow until they can be released back into the wild. Bigger, stronger and free!
Mass Audubon Policy & Advocacy Roundup – November 2023 <action@massaudubon.org>
Protecting Horseshoe Crabs in Massachusetts
Mass Audubon has asked the Department of Fish and Game to institute stronger protections for horseshoe crabs, to restore their chronically depleted populations. Increasing the horseshoe crab population is an important biodiversity goal, as this species plays a key role in the marine ecosystem, providing food for many species like Red Knots and other shorebirds.
Growing Solar, Protecting Nature Resources
Last month we released our Growing Solar, Protecting Nature report, which shows that Massachusetts can reach our solar goals without sacrificing the benefits provided by our natural and working lands. Now you can learn more through our Executive Summary and StoryMap, or by watching the launch event recording. And stay tuned for some upcoming local events where you can learn about our vision for the future of solar and other clean energy infrastructure in our state
Resilient Mass Plan Released
The state has released its 2023 ResilientMass Plan 2023 ResilientMass Plan, which aims to ready Massachusetts to withstand and mitigate natural hazards, some of which are being transformed by climate change into once-in-a-millennium scale disasters. Mass Audubon provided input during the plan’s drafting, and we’re happy to see its emphasis on nature-based solutions, including protecting and restoring the forests and wetlands that provide resilience to floods, droughts, and heat waves.
Early December
Open Space and Recreation Plan – The next public engagement session
The event will include a presentation of draft goals, actions, and parcel prioritization for final feedback.
Please Scoop the Poop
You hate stepping in it. Fish hate swimming in it. Dogs produce a lot of waste which, if not disposed of properly, can end up in our waterways.
Here’s why: Pick up after your pet. Dispose of pet waste by flushing it down the toilet or putting it in the trash. Never throw pet waste into a storm drain or waterway. Do your “DOODY” to keep our local waters clean: Stormwater may wash pet waste into ponds, streams or coastal waters, either directly or via storm drains. Pet waste contains germs and nutrients that can be harmful to human health and to our waterways and can even cause algae to grow, making the water turn an unpleasant green color. Water with increased bacteria and algae can have serious, and sometimes fatal, consequences when ingested by your dog as well as for all aquatic life.
For more information go to www.ThinkBlueMassachusetts.org
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Acton Photo Competition
We are looking to update the Town’s Open Space and Recreation Plan (OSRP) with photos of Acton’s natural landscape, open spaces, and recreation. Do you have any favorite photos of Acton’s nature, open spaces, and recreation? The Town of Acton is actively collecting photographs to be featured in our updated Open Space and Recreation Plan
Please email your photos to photos@actonma.gov or scan the QR code on the flyer
Please include in the following in your submission:
-Your name
-Location the photo was taken
-Any other notes you would like to add
Reminder, all photographs of any individuals must be submitted with the individual’s consent. The deadline for submissions to the photo competition will be in December.
VOLUNTEERS:
Boston Area Gleaners is looking for volunteers for more apple gleans this week!
We know you love apple gleaning, but if you’re looking to switch things up, we are also looking for some hands to help us remove packaging from produce destined for the compost pile tomorrow. You can also join us to harvest kale on Thursday!
We have volunteer trips happening Wednesdays through Saturdays during the season. Be sure that you are signed up as a volunteer on our website. You will be automatically enrolled to receive weekly email updates when volunteer opportunities pop up. In the meantime, keep an eye on our volunteer opportunity list (or sign up for text message alerts – link below)!
Sign up on our and check out our FAQ to learn more! For more news and information from the Gleaners visit https://www.bostonareagleaners.org/
ne.org/team/499746
Thursday, November 16th
TBD
9:30am – 12:00pm: TBD!
Location: TBD!
Thursday, November 16th
Kale Harvest
10:00am – 1:00pm:
Location: Ipswich, MA
Thursday, November 16th
TBD!
1:00pm – 3:30pm:
Location: TBD!
Friday, November 17th
Apple Glean
9:00am – 12:00pm:
Location: Stow, MA
Friday, November 17th
Apple Glean
10:00am – 1:00pm:
Location: Groton, MA
Friday, November 17th
Apple Glean
1:00pm – 3:00pm:
Location: Stow, MA
Leave the Leaves! From MCA-CISMA Newsletter, November 2022
Autumn is when many of us think to put our gardens to bed by removing leaves and cutting back perennials. Yet to truly support living creatures year round, it’s much better to leave fallen leaves, branches, stems, and seed heads where they are rather than raking, blowing, shredding, or cutting them away. Leaves and other organic matter insulate plant roots through the cold winter months and then decompose to build up living soil critical to healthy vegetation. This organic matter also stores large amounts of carbon, which is crucial to supporting a climate-resilient planet. Read the full article here.
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Sincerely yours,
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”!