Festival celebrates local farms - 8/23

Five bands will provide entertainment during the third annual Deerfield Farm and Music Festival, set for Aug. 23.

Run in conjunction with the D2R2 Deerfield Dirt Road Randonnee, the festival is held on Mill Village Road in Deerfield at Jaap Molenaar's Pioneer Gardens, a wholesale nursery operation.  The fun-filled family event celebrates the region's diverse agriculture and farming future. It includes farming demonstrations, farm booths, a farmer's market, sheep herding, hayrides, children's games and activities, vendor booths, and food and drink tents.

Molenaar, who helped found the festival in 2006, will also lead tours of his plant nurseries. 
Music includes Spancil Hill, The Tom Ingram Band, Wild-Wood, Sweetwind and The Rising.

The event runs from 2 to 10 p.m. The gate fee is $10 for adults; free for children 16 and under. 
For more information about the festival, or the Dirt Road Randonnee, contact the Franklin Land Trust at 625-2907. Or visit www.franklinlandtrust.org.
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Free Fun for the Whole Family! An event not to be missed! Join Naturalist David St. James on a birdwalk at Project Native. Open to the public. Saturday, August 23rd beginning at 7:45am at Project Native, 342 North Plain Rd. (Rte. 41) in Housatonic.

David St. James graduated from University of Massachusetts with a degree in Wildlife Biology. He was employed by Commonwealth of Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife for 29 years. David was the President and officer of Hoffmann Bird Club and on Advisory Board of Mass. Audubon’s Berkshire Sanctuary.
Mr. St. James has lead programs for the following organizations: National Wildlife Federation, Massachusetts Audubon Society, Trustees of Reservation, Appalachian Mountain Club, Berkshire Museum and many, many more. For more information on David St. James visit www.bcn.net/~dpstj/
                       
This event is free and open to the public and has been sponsored by Jody Soules owner of Wild Bird's Country Store in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. Please leave the furry friends at home.

Thanks,
Karen Lyness LeBlanc
Project Native
342 North Plain Rd.
Housatonic, MA 01236
(413) 274-3433
(413) 274-3464 - FAX
projectnative@verizon.net
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Birding, Butterflying Buffet - 8/24

August 24, 2008 1:00 pm 

This is a fund raiser that allows lots of time for birding, butterflying, eating and visiting with members and friends of the Athol Bird and Nature Club. A summer picnic: ham, potato salad, baked beans, etc. and dessert will be provided by Susan Heinricher at 666 Old Winchester Rd. Warwick. Susan has done extensive plantings and planning for birds and butterflies so there’s always lot’s to see. Please RSVP (Susan at Educare) 978-544-6372 by Aug. 19th. A $10.00 donation to the Athol Bird and Nature Club is requested. Bring your binoculars and your appetites.

If anyone else is interested in sponsoring a B.B.B. please contact Dave Small: Dave@dhsmall.net

River Access Meetings

There will be two public meetings to discuss the possibility of installing new low-impact Housatonic River canoes and kayaks access sites.  The funding for these sites is from a grant from the Natural Resource Trustees grant which was presented to HVA and ESS. The meetings will provide an overview of the overall project and to solicit community input and discussion on the potential sites to be developed.  All meetings are scheduled for 7:00 pm.

There will be an additional meeting in Pittsfield ; location will be announced in the near future.

August 21 – Sheffield ,  Bushnell Sage Library
                        48 Main St .             

August 27 – South Lee,  HVA office
                        1383 Route 102,

For additional information, please call HVA @ 413/394-9796
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PAUL WINTER UNDER THE STARS
“CELEBRATION OF THE EARTH”
Eastover Resort and Conference Center
430 East Street, Lenox, MA
Friday, August 29, 2008

BENEFIT DINNER AND CONCERT
FOR MASS AUDUBON’S BERKSHIRE WILDLIFE SANCTUARIES AND
 THE BERKSHIRE HUMANE SOCIETY

On Friday evening, August 29, Grammy award  winning soprano saxophonist, composer  and pioneer of world music, Paul Winter, will perform his very special “Celebration of the Earth” concert under the stars at the Eastover Resort and Conference Center in Lenox to benefit Mass Audubon’s Berkshire Wildlife Sanctuaries and the Berkshire Humane Society.
Paul Winter has been motivated for the past thirty years by the vision of a musical ecological community, and has followed a steady course towards his unique ‘Earth Music’, a vital celebration of the creatures and cultures of the whole earth.  His musical realm has long embraced the traditions of the world's cultures, as well as the extraordinary voices of what he refers to as "the greater symphony of the Earth", including wolves, whales, eagles, and several dozen other species of ‘wilderness musicians’.  His concert tours and recording expeditions have taken him to thirty-seven countries and to wilderness areas on six continents, into which he has traveled on rafts, mules, dog sleds, horses, kayaks, sailboats, steamers, tug-boats and Land Rovers.
Living Music's latest release, the Paul Winter Consort's new album, CRESTONE: A Celebration of the World of Crestone, recently won a Grammy Award. The album introduces to the world the voice pow-wow drum and cedar flute of John-Carlos Perea, a young singer of Apache heritage, who sings in the Northern Plains Indian tradition. The album also features the voices of Mountain Bluebird, Red-winged Blackbird, Whooping Crane, Meadowlark, Sandhill Cranes, Coyotes, and Buffalo.
Mass Audubon works to protect the nature of Massachusetts for people and wildlife. Together with more than 100,000 members, they care for 33,000 acres of conservation land, provide educational programs for 200,000 children and adults annually, and advocate for sound environmental policies at local, state, and federal levels. Mass Audubon's mission and actions have expanded since their beginning in 1896 when their founders set out to stop the slaughter of birds for use on women's fashions. Today Mass Audubon is the largest conservation organization in New England. Their statewide network of 45 wildlife sanctuaries welcomes visitors of all ages and serves as the base for conservation, education, and advocacy work.
The Berkshire Humane Society (BHS) is a private, nonprofit, open-admission animal support organization with a twofold mission:

Natural History Weekends At Highpond Farm 8/29-31

Weekend Workshops for amateur naturalists in botany, lichenology, bryology, geology, odonatology, herpetology, entomology, ornithology, ecology, and any other ology that strikes our fancy.

All workshops are limited to 10 students. The program fee includes instruction in field and classroom, use of our microscopes, lodging, and all meals from Friday supper through Sunday lunch. See the Highpond Farm website for more information and to register.

An Introduction to the Lichens of New England
August 29-31, 2008
Scott LaGreca
This 2-day workshop will provide a comprehensive introduction to lichens, those ubiquitous, fascinating and colorful organisms that are a combination of a fungus and an alga or cyanobacteria. Through lectures and time in the lab we will cover the basic biology, ecology, taxonomy, and identification of both macrolichens and microlichens. Most of the time will be spent in the field, and a variety of field sites will be covered, with an emphasis on alpine and boreal habitats. By the end of the weekend, participants should be able to identify several dozen species in the field. The recommended text for this class is Lichens above Treeline, by Ralph Pope, which will be available for purchase at the beginning of the class.
Fee: $250

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Canoe Trip to Buckley Dunton Lake
Beavers and herons are active along the shore of this pond on October Mountain.  Explore the coves and inlets of this beautiful pond, go ashore to eat a snack and see the boreal plant communities, and watch for signs of animals such as porcupines and moose.  Open to families with children ages 10 and up.

Directions to the meeting place will be provided upon registration.  Due to possible windy conditions, previous canoe experience is required.  Children must be at least 10 years of age, accompanied by an adult, and know how to swim.

Sunday,  August 31 / 9:00am – noon
René Laubach, instructor. $15 member, $20 nonmember
Pleasant Valley Wildlife Sanctuary 413-637-0320.
Berkshire Wildlife Sanctuaries
472 West Mountain Road
Lenox, MA 01240
413-637-0320
www.massaudubon.org

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AUGUST CALENDAR
BARTHOLOMEW’S COBBLE & TRUSTEES OF RESERVATIONS
Weatogue Rd., Sheffield , MA
413-229-8600
Bartholomew’s Cobble is a family friendly National Natural Landmark with 5 miles of scenic trails, interesting rock formations, and an unusual diversity of wildflowers and ferns. The Nature Center and Trails are open daily, 9am-4pm. Volunteers always welcome. Please call for more information and to register for programs. Admission for Trustees members is free. Non-member admission is $5 for adults, $1 for children.  Directions and a full calendar of events for the Berkshires can be found at www.thetrustees.org

Sundays, August 24, 31
8:30AM – 11:30AM
Sunday Guided Canoe Trips
Paddle the Housatonic river with a guide, watching for bald eagles, herons, and kingfishers. Equipment provided. Members: Adult $24; Child (16 and under) $12. Nonmembers: Adult $30; Child (16 and under) $15. Please pre- register to 413-229-8600.

Thurdays, August 21, 28
9AM-12NOON
Eco-Volunteers at Bartholomew’s Cobble
Help ecologists remove invasive plants, and help protect the biodiversity of a very unique natural area. Bring water and work gloves. Call 413-229-8600 for information. FREE.

Thursday, August 21
12NOON – 3:00PM
Mum Bett Day Celebration
ASHLEY HOUSE, SHEFFIELD
413.298.3239 X3013
On this day in 1781, Mum Bett (Elizabeth Freeman) successfully sued for her freedom and was instrumental in ending slavery in Massachusetts . We will retrace key events and sites in her life, along the African American Heritage Trail. FREE.

FALL PREVIEW
BARTHOLOMEW’S COBBLE & TRUSTEES OF RESERVATIONS
Most programs listed below require payment as well as pre-registration to 413-229-8600. Please call for details or check www.thetrustees.org.

Monday, September 1
Labor Day Guided Canoe Trip

Thurdays, Sept 4, 11, 18, 25
Eco-Volunteers at Bartholomew’s Cobble

Sundays, September 7, 14, 21, 28
Sunday Guided Canoe Trips

Sunday, September 21
10:00AM – 11:30AM
Across the Fields, Across the Centuries
413.298.3239, EXT 3000
Wander through the fields between the Cobble and the Ashley House, discovering how this land looked in the 18th century, who was here, and their stories. FREE. Pre-register.

Saturday September 27
Hawk Migration

Saturday September 27
Afternoon (TBA)
Traces of the Trade:
ASHLEY HOUSE & SHEFFIELD HISTORICAL SOCIETY
413.298.3239, EXT 3000
View a documentary on the web of commerce linking New England towns to the slave trade. Join historians to examine documents from the Ashley House that may reveal “traces of the trade” in the local community. FREE. Pre-register.

Saturday, October 4
10AM – 12NOON
Lichen Walk
Join Scott LaGreca on a guided tour in search for some of the  most beautiful and enigmatic of the Cobble’s residents: lichens. Bring a hand lens or magnifying glass if you have one. Members: $5. Nonmembers: $8. Pre-register to 413-229-8600.

Sundays, October 5, 19, 26
Sunday Guided Canoe Trips

Saturday, October 11
Moonlight Hike

Sunday, October 12
Hawk Migration

Monday, October 13
Columbus Day Guided Canoe Trip

Saturday, November 8
Moonlight Hike

Saturday, November 15
Northwest Connecticut Waterfowl Census

Saturday, November 29
Owl Prowl

Friday, December 12
Full Moon Owl Prowl

Tammis Coffin
Education & Outreach Coordinator, Berkshires Region
The Trustees of Reservations
P.O. Box 792
Stockbridge , MA 01262-0792
413-298-3239 x 3003
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Millers River Odes - 9/6

September 6, 2008 9:00 am

Join leader Dave Small as we search for Stylurids, Rubyspots and other late season dragonflies and damselflies on the Millers River. Meet at the Millers River Environmental Center, 100 Main Street, Athol. Be prepared to wade in shallow water and have a lot of fun! Dave Small dave@dhsmall.net
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To Be Strong Again: Innovation and Policy in Massachusetts' Smaller Cities

Monday, September 8
9:30 am to 2 pm
at MIT Faculty Club
50 Memorial Drive
Cambridge, MA 02139
Please RSVP to Carlos Espinoza-Toro at cjet@mit.edu

Agenda:
9:30-10 am  Breakfast and Registration

10 am  Welcome
  Dayna Cunningham, Director
      Community Innovators Lab
  Andre Leroux, Executive Director
      MA Smart Growth Alliance
  Lieutenant Governor Tim Murray (Invited)

10:20 am  Keynote
  Tina Brooks, Undersecretary
      MA Dept of Housing and Community Development

10:40 am  Report Presentation
  To Be Strong Again:
  Renewing the Promise in Smaller Industrial Cities
  Radhika Fox, Associate Director, PolicyLink

11 am  Panel of Massachusetts Innovators
  Facilitator: Joe Kriesberg, Executive Director, MACDC
  Daniel Ross, Executive Director
       Nuestras Raices, Holyoke
  Robert Thomas, Executive Director
       MLK Jr. Business Empowerment Center, Worcester
  Bill Traynor, Executive Director
       Lawrence CommunityWorks, Lawrence
  Corinn Williams, Executive Director
       Community Econ Dev Center of SE MA, New Bedford
  Mayor Lisa Wong, City of Fitchburg

12:30 pm  Networking Lunch and Discussion

1:30 pm  Wrap-Up and Next Steps

We hope you will join us for a provocative dialogue where we will share new ideas about quality of life issues, neighborhood development, thriving families, small business development and civic engagement in Massachusetts' smaller cities.

We look forward to seeing you!
Sincerely,
Andre Leroux
Massachusetts Smart Growth Alliance

Dayna Cunningham
Community Innovators Lab at MIT

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Healthy Landscaping Workshop - 9/11

The Trustees of Reservations will host a free program about home landscaping at the Doyle Conservation Center in Leominster on September 11, from 5 – 8 p.m.  This practical workshop is being cosponsored by the Leominster Mayor’s Office, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) and the Massachusetts Watershed Coalition (MWC). 

Ann McGovern of MassDEP will present a Healthy Lawns and Landscaping slideshow, and Ed Himlan of MWC will show how to design attractive rain gardens.   Many ideas on how you can have a beautiful yard without using chemicals that may harm children, pets and the environment will be provided. 

“With a few simple changes, you can have a beautiful lawn and landscape without the use of harmful chemicals,” notes Ann McGovern, DEP’s Consumer Waste Reduction Coordinator.  “By developing healthy soil, choosing plants for your site conditions and following some basic guidelines in caring for them, you can create an exceptional yard that contributes to the health of your family, neighbors, pets, wildlife and water quality.”

Rain gardens are one way to attract birds and butterflies, and protect streams, lakes and ponds.    These gardens are planted with flowers, shrubs, and grasses that are easy to maintain and thrive without fertilizers and pesticides. Rain gardens are designed with a slight dip to retain rain for a few hours, allowing the water to seep into the ground.  This helps to recharge the groundwater that replenishes streams and ponds between rain events.  The plants and soils in rain gardens will also filter storm water and remove nutrients that could harm water quality.  

Healthy lawns and rain gardens make our homes more attractive, while improving neighborhood ecosystems.  Come and learn some simple techniques you can use in your own yard.  Working with nature, you can create conditions in which life in and beyond your yard can thrive.  YOU can be part of the solution to pollution. 

The workshop is free and refreshments will be provided.  There will also be a drawing for door prizes that include rain garden plants, a compost bin, and a rain barrel.  For more information or to register, please email the Massachusetts Watershed Coalition (mwc@commonwaters.org) or telephone (978) 534-0379. 
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The Impact of Global Warming on New England - 9/12

The Impact of Global Warming on New England - a lecture by Dr. William H. Schlesinger, President, Cary Institute of Ecosystems Studies. The lecture will be in Walker Auditorium at Hotchkiss School, Lakeville, CT, on Friday September 12 at 7:30 PM. See the flyer (pdf) about the lecture, and Hotchkiss website for directions. 

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Saturday, September 13
9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Lenox Department of Public Works

We’ll be on (gloved) hand on these two dates to take in used motor oil, oil-based paints, stains and thinner from the residents of towns belonging to the South Berkshire Household Hazardous Waste Collaborative. For a list of what can and cannot be brought to these collections, and to register, contact Amanda at 413-445-4556 ext. 17.
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A Conversation With Renowned Architect Bruce Fowle - 9/13

Please join The Housatonic River Museum and the Berkshire Branch of the U.S.
Green Building Council as we present Bruce Fowle, Senior Partner, FAIA, LEED
FXFOWLE ARCHITECTS of New York City and Dubai, to discuss these timely topics:

• The state of the planet
• The role of buildings in climate change
• High-performance/low-energy building design and planning
• Zero-carbon and the proposed Housatonic River Museum

Topics will include LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), High Performance Buildings, High Efficiency and the Housatonic River Museum. For more information about Bruce Fowle see this pdf.

Saturday, September 13 at 11:30am
Colonial Theater, 111 SOUTH ST, PITTSFIELD, MA

Presented by the Housatonic River Museum and the Berkshire Branch of the US Green Building Council.

Enjoy this exciting event in downtown Pittsfield’s architectural gem.

Free and open to the public-Bring your family and friends!

Reception provided by Brix Restaurant

Questions? info@housatonicrivermuseum.org or 413-717-2166

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Announcing Free Summer Canoe Programs

Mass Audubon and Housatonic Valley Association are announcing a series of free summer canoe programs on the Housatonic River. These trips are part of the Housatonic Environmental Literacy Program (HELP).

HELP is one of ten restoration projects within the Housatonic Watershed in Massachusetts awarded by Trustees from the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service from an initial round of projects funded by the settlement with General Electric. The funding must be used to restore the natural resources and services that were impaired as a result of the chemical waste contamination.

HELP canoe trips are approximately three hours long and include all equipment necessary. Accommodations can be made for paddlers with special needs. All participants will receive a copy of Mass Audubon’s Paddlers Guide to New England. The trip is appropriate for children ages 5 and up.

Please call 413-637-0320 to reserve as space is limited. Locations and times will be given when reservations are made. The trips are scheduled as follows:
August 23rd, 25th, and 30th.

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Citizen Coordinating Council meetings with GE, EPA, and DEP -  9/17/2008

The next Citizens Coordinating Council meeting with General Electric, the US Environmental Protection Agency, Mass. Department of Environmental Protection  will be held on Wednesday, September 17, starting at 5:30 PM.  Everyone is welcome!

The draft agenda (pdf) is available. 

The meeting starts at 5:30 PM, at Lee Middle and High School in Lee MA in the cafeteria.  The agenda includes Rest of the River, Modifications to the Consent Decree, Silver Lake, action on the West Branch particularly next to Dorothy Amos Park, the NPDES (National Pollution Discharge Elimination System) permit which expired long ago and has been in the process of being re-evaluated for a couple of years now, and an "evaluation" of how the CCC is functioning.

For more information on the issue of GE and PCBs in the Housatonic River visit BEAT's "GE & PCBs" webpages, or the Housatonic River Initiative's website, or the EPA/GE website.

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Rally 2008: The National Land Conservation Conference
September 18-21, 2008, Pittsburgh, PA
Rally 2008 is the largest land conservation training and networking event in America. Join us in Pittsburgh, as the city celebrates its 250th Anniversary. Each year, more than 2,000 people attend Rally, including land trust professionals, landowners and local conservation leaders - all dedicated to protecting farms, forests, trails, parks and natural areas in their communities.

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Fish & Wildlife Forestry Program Tours - 9/9 &10/9

MassWildlife’s Forestry Program is hosting a series of public site visits on state wildlife lands throughout the summer and fall of 2008.  Each visit will focus on wildlife habitat enhancement goals for the property, and the forest harvesting and other habitat management activities employed to achieve those goals. Foresters and biologists from MassWildlife will lead the site walks, provide information and answer questions.

For more on Forest Management Site Walks, visit the Habitat area of MassWildlife’s website.

A list of tours, dates and management practices is below.

DFW Forestry Program Public Site Visit Schedule for 2008.

*Tentative

As details on each walk are finalized, they will be posted in the Calendar and Forest Management areas of MassWildlife’s website.

It is the mission of MassWildlife’s Forestry program to provide a range of forest conditions that conserves the biological diversity of species, communities, and ecosystems on state wildlife lands. MassWildlife foresters work with the MassWildlife’s Upland Habitat Program to reclaim abandoned field habitats, the Ecological Restoration Program to restore degraded habitats important to rare species, and the agency’s Land Acquisition Program to provide technical assistance on using sustainable harvesting practices to enhance wildlife habitat.  MassWildlife Foresters have also provided technical assistance to other public and private landowners on forest harvesting practices.

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Berkshire Bring Your Own Bag Day - 11/8

Green for a Change, a local environmental action group, has declared Saturday, November 8 to be BERKSHIRE BRING YOUR OWN BAG DAY.  The purpose of this special day is to raise awareness of the many environmental issues associated with the use of plastic and paper shopping bags, and to encourage the use of sturdy, reusable bags instead.
 
Events already planned for November 8 include special drawings for shoppers who bring their own bags to participating stores and an information table on Main Street, Great Barrington. More events are still being planned, including a film at the Triplex.
 
The Berkshire Co-op Market has named Green for a Change as the recipient of its bag fee funds for the quarter beginning October 1.  The Co-op plans to participate in Bring Your Own Bag Day by featuring its reusable bags and its punch card incentive for using reusable bags.
 
For the past year, Green for a Change has focused much of its attention on the issue of reusable bags. In that time, the group has worked with Guido¹s Fresh Market to establish its monthly drawing for reusable bag users, and with Big Y to place bag reminders in its parking lot.  GFAC is also responsible for the reusable bag message in the advertising rotation at the Triplex in Great Barrington and the Little Cinema in Pittsfield.
 
Currently, a display of 1,000 plastic shopping bags and an explanation that one reusable bag can replace them all is making the rounds of South and Central Berkshire libraries. This powerful visual image is currently at the Lenox Library, where it will remain through September. After that, the bags will be on display at the Berkshire Athenaeum in Pittsfield through
November.  
 
To learn more about Green for a Change visit greenforachange.org or email
greenforachange@gmail.com

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Climate Change and Transportation:

Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions Through InnovativeFinancing and Land Use Practices
November 20, 2008

Sponsored by the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, US Environmental Protection Agency, Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston,  New England Initiative at UMass Lowell Center for Industrial Competitiveness, and the Vermont Agency of
Transportation.

At this forum experts in the field will assess the connections between development patterns and how much we drive, explore financing of smart transportation choices, and describe tangible actions to reduce this source of emissions.   A panel of state agency officials will discuss actions that New England can take to stem the growth in transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions.  The Honorable Michael Dukakis, former Governor of Massachusetts and Vice-Chairman of Amtrak's Board of Directors will give a keynote presentation on New England's transportation future.

For more information, contact
Rosemary K. Monahan, Ph.D.,
phone 617-918-1087
monahan.rosemary@epa.gov

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Third Biennial Northeast Transportation and Wildlife Conference

Featured Speaker at Monday night's dinner to our own Tom Tyning!

September 21-24, 2008
at The Inns at Mill Falls
Meredith, New Hampshire

Talks include:

• Wildlife, Roads, and Climate Change: An Applied Rational Planning Framework
  Kevin Moody, FHWA
• Predictors and Consequences of Highway Roadkill Hotspots for Freshwater Turtles
  Tom Langen, Clarkson University
• Integrating Biodiversity and Infrastructure Considerations to Prioritize Transportation Projects
  Alison Bowden, The Nature Conservancy
• Statewide Wildlife Connectivity Model for New Hampshire
  Katie Callahan, NH Fish & Game
• and lots, lots more!

Complete agenda

Jane Winn from BEAT has attended every one of these conferences and finds them inspiring even though these conferences have been aimed primarily at Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. BEAT has been bringing up wildlife impacts of roads - everything from habitat fragmentation to wildlife crossings - at transportation meetings in the Berkshires and we are pleased to report that big changes are happening in the way transportation planners are looking at habitat fragmentation in the Berkshires. Scott Jackson from UMass came to Berkshire Regional Planning Commission and gave a presentation on the Conservation Assessment and Prioritization System software that his group has been working on. Our District One of MassHighway is looking for input on how to assess road projects' impact on wiildlife habitat and rare and endangered species for their Transportation Imporvement Program project evaluation criteria form. We hope that maybe some transportation planners from the Berkshires will be able to attend this event!

This event is brought to you by:
NH Dept. of Transportation
NH Fish and Game Dept.
US Federal Highway Administration
McFarland-Johnson
The Nature Conservancy

++++++++++++++++++
Cathy Goodmen
Senior Environmental Manager
Bureau of Environment, NHDOT
603-271-6781
cgoodmen@dot.state.nh.us
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Engineered Channel or Restored River:
The Future of The Housatonic

After PCB Removal; Five Approaches To River Restoration

Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Crown Plaza Hotel, One West Street, Pittsfield, MA

Housatonic River Initiative presents 

A conference moderated by Andrew Fahlund, V.P. for Conservation, American Rivers

9:00            Sign-in, set-up, coffee, conversation
9:30            Introductory remarks, Benno Friedman, Andrew Fahlund
10:00          Marty Melchior, Interfluve
10:45          Wendi Goldsmith, The Bioengineering Group
11:30          Jim McBroom, Milone & McBroom
12:15          Lunch
1:00            Keith Bowers, Biohabitats
1:45            Geoff Goll, Princeton Hydro
2:30            Panel discussion & closing remarks
3:30            Conference adjourns

Seating is limited  -  Register early
Call or e-mail to register
Registration:  $20.00  - includes lunch

send check to
HRI
Box 321
Lenoxdale,MA 01242

For more info call or e-mail HRI
Tim Gray   413-446-2520
housriverkeeper@verizon.net

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Fourth Annual Bioneers by the Bay - 10/24-26

The Fourth Annual Bioneers by the Bay: Connecting for Change conference will be held October 24-26, 2008, in historic Downtown New Bedford, MA.

Proudly sponsored by the Marion Institute, Bioneers by the Bay: Connecting for Change is a Beaming Bioneers Satellite site of the internationally-acclaimed Bioneers conference.

This year’s program will once again feature an unforgettable weekend of live keynote presentations, afternoon workshops, an extensive Youth Initiative program, a downlink of the 19th Annual Bioneers Conference in Califonia, an exhibition hall featuring sustainable businesses and organizations, films, music, art installations, a farmers’ market and local & organic food.

Please register online or click here to download and e-mail the Bioneers by the Bay:
Connecting for Change registration form to, goliveira@marioninstitute.org

Please visit the store for audio CDs and DVDs of the 2005, 2006 and 2007 conference plenary sessions.

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Backcountry Trek at Notchview
Sunday September 28 |10AM-1PM
Notchview Reservation, Windsor, 413.532.1631 x13
Hike the rugged backcountry of Notchview on and off the trail.  Look for cellar holes and other signs of the abandoned homesteads throughout the reservation on this 4-mile strenuous hike. The Trustees of Reservations members and Windsor residents free, Nonmembers $5.
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Bryant’s Big Trees
Saturday, October 4th  |  10AM – 1PM
William Cullen Bryant Homestead, Cummington  Pre-registration required.  413.269.8219
Walk among ancient giants on the Rivulet Trail with old-growth forest expert Bob Leverett as your guide.
Members: Adult/Child $4: Family $12.
Non-Members: Adult/Child $6: Family $15.

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Forest Conservation Zoning
Wednesday, October 15th  |  7PM- 9PM  |  Free and open to all
Chesterfield Senior Center, Chesterfield 413.268.8219
A groundbreaking approach to zoning aims to protect a town’s rural character and the health of its forests. Find out how the town of Shutesbury, MA is leading the way.

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Massachusetts Wildlife Trackers Conference - 11/1
co-sponsored by BEAT

Saturday, November 1, 2008  
9:30 AM to 4:00 PM  9:00 AM registration
$25 per person
Doyle Conservation Center, Leominster, MA
Keynote speaker: Paul Rezendes

Join us at the Mass. Wildlife Trackers Conference to hear renowned tracker, author and photographer Paul Rezendes talk about his experiences learning and teaching tracking. Renew friendships and share your experiences.

Find out about how fellow trackers are using wildlife tracking in their work.

Following Paul’s presentation there will be a series of short talks by attendees on a variety of subjects, including how tracking can be used in the classroom, documenting wildlife use of wildlife underpasses, and the work of several tracking teams.

If you would like an opportunity to share information about your project on a table display, please indicate this on the REGISTRATION FORM.

Drinks and snacks will be provided. Please bring your own bag lunch. There will be a listing of places nearby where you can pick up food. There will also be a list of places in the area if you wish to join friends for dinner after the conference.

Please preregister here REGISTRATION FORM (pdf)

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In 2009, the COMMUNITYMATTERS conference will be held in Denver, Colorado, in the heart of the Rocky Mountain West, where we will bring together citizens, elected officials, educators, practitioners, innovators and tool providers to learn, share, and build connections.

COMMUNITYMATTERS09 will showcase communities from across the country that have found innovative ways to creatively involve citizens in decision-making, steer their growth, and enhance their Heart & Soul.  We will build on the interactive learning that occurred in Burlington, VT during COMMUNITYMATTERS07 and in Denver during PLACEMATTERS06.  The conference is an interactive event: be prepared for three days of interesting discussions and hands-on experiences that will help you learn about land use planning and community development in small cities and towns.

"I've been to a lot of conferences and this was right up there with the best of them."
-COMMUNITYMATTERS07 attendee

Mark your calendars today and join us in Denver from November 10-12, 2009 on the 37th and 38th floors of the Grand Hyatt.  Watch the website and your inbox for more information as we announce speakers, workshops, tours, and more details in the coming months.

Visit the conference website for more information: www.communitymatters.org

For questions, email info@communitymatters.org

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Pittsfield Harvest Farmers' Market

EVERY Thursday from June to November, the Pittsfield Harvest Farmers' Market happens on the 400 block of North Street in downtown Pittsfield, Massachusetts, between St. Joe's Church and the Senior Center, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Rain or Shine!
 
Please come out and support the farmers that maintain our county as the beautiful working landscape it is! The Harvest Market will be a jolt of vibrancy to our downtown every Thursday afternoon during the growing season. In order for it to be successful, we need Pittsfielders and those from the hinterlands to show up and buy some produce. Let's prove to these farmers that Pittsfield is ready to eat local. So, leave the following items off your grocery market list, and come to the Harvest!
 
As the summer progresses the bounty will only grow (including meats, cheeses, and all the veggies you can imagine), but for now plan on finding the following goods:
 
- Greens (many varieties), Spinach, Basil, Strawberries, Tomatoes, Mushrooms, Broccoli, Radishes, Jam, Bread, Flowers, Seedlings, Pies and Desserts, Cheeses, and more!
 
It all comes from the fields and kitchens of your fellow Berkshire citizens: Jaeschke Fruit & Flower Center, Taft Farm, Fallon Farm, Overmeade Farm, Berkshire Harmony Farm, Cricket Creek Farm, River Valley Farm, Nobles Farm, Holiday Farm, Blue Shrooms Mushrooms at Indigo Farm, Pittsfield Rye Bakery, and A. W. Confections.

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Conference objectives;

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Trustees of Reservations Ongoing Events - June - Oct

Tyringham Cobble Trail Volunteers
Second, Fourth Saturdays, June - September | 9AM - 12Noon
Tyringham Cobble, Jerusalem Rd., Tyringham 413.298.3239 X 3000
Join The Trustees of Reservations on the second and fourth Saturday morning of each month to help care for the trails on this gentle two-mile loop in Tyringham. Bring work gloves and water. FREE.

Ashintully Afternoons
Saturdays & Wednesdays, June 4 - October 11 | 12Noon - 5PM
Ashintully Gardens, Sodem Road, Tyringham 413.298.3239 x3000
Wednesday and Saturday afternoons, from mid-June until mid-October, discover the peace and tranquility of the Ashintully Gardens, a property of The Trustees of Reservations. FREE.

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CET announces schedule of wind energy tours

The Center for Ecological Technology (CET) has announced the 2008 annual schedule of tours of Green Mountain Power Corporation’s renewable energy wind facility in nearby Searsburg , Vermont and the new Zephyr wind energy turbine at Jiminy Peak Mountain Resort in Hancock , MA .

The wind energy facility located on Searsburg Mountain was the one of the first commercial-scale wind power facilities constructed in the northeast.  Since 1997, eleven 550-kilowatt wind turbines have been producing electricity.  Tours are led by the Vermont Environmental Research Associates (VERA) and volunteer tour guides.  The free guided tours cover topics ranging from selecting the site, public acceptance, how the technology works, wildlife protection, and the potential for wind power in this region. 

“This is a unique opportunity to visit a wind energy facility that produces as much as 14 million kilowatt-hours of renewable energy annually.  Seeing the turbines up close gives visitors a chance to better understand a clean and locally based method of energy production,” said Nancy Nylen, associate director of CET.  “The tours also give residents from communities that are considering wind power a chance to learn and see firsthand what’s involved.”

During the tours, participants learn about issues that may affect the energy future of the region and enjoy ample opportunity to ask questions.  The Searsburg wind facility is only open for tours on a limited basis between July and October due to protection of black bear habitat.  

Another summer tour date is scheduled for Saturday, August 23. Fall tours are planned for Wednesday, September 10; Saturday, September 20; and Wednesday, October 8.  Space is limited on each tour.  Reservations are accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis by contacting CET at 413-445-4556 ext. 25 or by emailing cynthiag@cetonline.org.  Confirmation and directions to the site will be provided.

CET is also helping to coordinate tours of the Jiminy Peak Zephyr turbine in Hancock. This 1.5-megawatt turbine provides approximately 33% of Jiminy Peak ’s annual electrical demands. When Jiminy Peak installed Zephyr they became the first mountain resort in North America to make their own wind power. Upcoming tour dates are three Saturdays in August.  More tour dates of the Zephyr turbine are scheduled into the fall. The Zephyr tours are $9 per person and involve a strenuous hike approximately 1/4 of a mile from the top of the Grand Slam chairlift and walking back down.  Reservations are required and may be made by calling (413) 738-5500 ext. 3760. For more information visit green.jiminypeak.com.

Support for the renewable energy tours comes from the Massachusetts Renewable Energy Trust. CET is an equal opportunity service provider and is funded in part by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.

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Green Drinks-Great Barrington is a regular meetup of folks interested in green issues, always on the first Tuesday of each month, and is hosted by The Orion Society. There are Green Drinks chapters in Pittsfield and Northampton, too. Email me for details.

Next meetings: 9/2, 10/7, 11/4, 12/2

And please pass this on to a friend or three! See you soon.

Erik Hoffner
Orion Grassroots Network
888-909-6568
http://www.orionsociety.org/ogn

The Orion Grassroots Network provides services and support to 1,100 grassroots organizations engaged in ecological, social, and cultural change.

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Greenfield Green Drinks

What:   GREEN DRINKS IN GREENFIELD are informal, monthly gatherings hosted by local establishments. Drop by for a few minutes or stay the full two hours. There's always a good balance of serious talk and friendly laughter.

       No agendas, fees, or RSVP's.

Why:   Having regular opportunities for good ol' fashioned face to face conversation is important to us. 

• How can each of us, our businesses, and our towns be better stewards of our resources? 
• What's already working well, what are you planning, and what questions can we help each other with?

      Invite others to come with you and join the conversation. Sceptics welcome!

When: ALWAYS ON FIRST WEDNESDAYS - 9/3, 10/1, 11/5, 12/3

Where:  Mesa Verde, 10 Fiske Ave, Greenfield, MA 01301 (next to the Greenfield Solar Store and the Energy Park). Very reasonably priced Mexican fare. If it's good weather, look for us on the patio out front. Otherwise, we'll be in the nook with windows in back.                    

Venues may rotate. Please check this site to confirm the current location.

Contacts:

Carlyn@EarthThrives.com
CWeimar@frcog.org

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Northampton Green Drinks

On the second Wednesday of the month from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Northampton Brewery. (9/10, 10/8, 11/12, 12/10)

You can expect tons of fun and some great networking with about 40 cool people from the area. 

There is a $5 cover charge that covers the cost for lots of yummy appetizers (requests welcomed!). 

Please forward this email to whoever you can - that's the easiest way to spread the word.  I am happy to add or remove anyone from this list at their request.

Looking forward to seeing you there....

Best, John

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Pittsfield "Green Drinks" Gathering Scheduled 9/16, 10/21, 11/18, 12/16

The next Pittsfield Green Drinks is Tuesday, September 16th beginning around 5:15 at the Pittsfield Brew Works at 34 Depot Street in Pittsfield. Come one, come all - casual, friendly, conversation - often green, but always fun.

Green Drinks is a fun opportunity for environmentally-minded people to mingle, network, etc. Please, tell all your family and friends - that's the easiest way to spread the word - and we'll see you there. Green Drinks is held the third Tuesday of every month beginning at 5:15 at the Pittsfield Brew Works on Depot Street. It is co- sponsored by the Center for Ecological Technology (CET) and the Berkshire Environmental Action Team (BEAT).

CET & BEAT look forward to seeing you there. There are also Green Drinks in Great Barrington on the first Tuesday of each month at 5:15 pm at the Barrington Brewery, in Northampton on the second Wednesday of each month from 5:30 - 7:30 pm at the Northampton Brewery, and in Greenfield on the first Wednesday of the month from 5 to 7 pm for June, July and August 2008 at the Mesa Verde Restaurant in Greenfield.

For more information about Pittsfield Green Drinks, contact Jamie Cahillane at CET (413-445-4556 ext. 14) or Jane Winn at BEAT (jane@thebeatnews.org or 413-230-7321).
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NEGEF Grassroots Retreat - 10/10-11

Well, it’s that time again… time to start thinking about the upcoming fall 2008 NEGEF Grassroots Retreat…so mark your calendars for October 10-11th in Amherst, MA!

We know you’re as excited as we are, and we bet you have a lot of questions about the event.  Feel free to contact us via phone or email, or check out the website for details from last year’s event, including video footage! (http://www.grassrootsfund.org/retreat2007report.html)  

We’ll be sending out regular updates about the 2008 plans, or feel free to check out the website -- we’ll keep it updated and full of the important details. (http://www.grassrootsfund.org/retreat2008.html)

And remember, even if you can’t make it that weekend, someone else in your group or on your board might be able to…

See you in October!!

Ginny, Cheryl, Bart, & Riva
New England Grassroots Environment Fund
P. O. Box 1057
Montpelier , VT 05601
802.223.4622 (phone)
802.229.1734 (fax)
www.grassrootsfund.org
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28th Annual E.F. Schumacher Lectures

Local economies purposefully restrict the region from which we source the goods we need.  Instead of relying on cheap transportation to import the skills of others--in the form of products--we are required to cultivate and nurture the necessary skills in our neighbors.  Nothing illustrates this point more poignantly than a local food system. 

The one hundred mile diet is a useful way of defining an economic region.  If no one within a hundred mile radius grows cantaloupe it is likely that we will not be eating cantaloupe this year.  However, we need not accept this absence as a perennial condition.  Chances are that one of our neighbors knows a farmer or a local gardener who would be willing to plant a few cantaloupes next year.  Local knowledge of human skills and ecological capacity enables us to recruit others to fill gaps in the local economy.

Dan Barber has taken this approach in creating menus for the Blue Hill
Restaurant, in New York City, and Blue Hill at Stone Barns, in Pocantico Hills, New York.  Both restaurants seek to use the bounty of the local landscape in their recipes.  The restaurant's menus read like a list of seasonally available products.  Blue Hill at Stone Barns links the restaurant directly with a working farm.  The menu is not just dictated by seasonal production, but by the choices made on the farm.  If this year the Tuscan Black Kale is a hit in the restaurant, next spring there will be more coming up in the garden. The connection between the farm and the consumer, in this case the restaurant, means a responsive organism that can change and adapt to new demands.

How, if we are to return to a locally based food system, would it be possible to supply the needs of the entire population?  Currently, a significant portion of our food comes from a few very productive places.  These epicenters of food production arose from our collective decision to base our diets on crops that grow only under certain conditions.  Returning to a more locally based diet, such as is offered by Dan Barber and Blue Hill Restaurant, will require shifting our preferences to those crops that traditionally sustained the inhabitants of our home places.  Yes, this means no more avocadoes on our New England table.

Sally Fallon Morell, founding president of the Weston A. Price Foundation argues that traditional diets, including pasture-fed meat and animal fat, are basis of a local food economy.  Moving forward with a more localized diet would require reevaluating our food choices to include more products that can be produced locally from available resources.  Along with food choices, a local food system also has to evaluate the source of farm inputs.  Fallon Morell's diet considers animals a valuable source of fats and proteins and the basis of fertilization for other crops.  The diet she expounds develops both the health of individuals and the ability of the community to sustain itself.

These traditional diets create the framework for what Anna Lappé, a founding principal of the Small Planet Institute, calls food democracy. With food prices spiking on the back of rising oil costs and unsustainable agricultural choices, her new book, "Grub: Ideas for an Urban Organic Kitchen," argues that we must return to a more sustainable, locally-based, and organic food system in order to feed ourselves.  It is access to the land and the means of producing healthy food people that are the basis of democracy in any society.  Reclaiming our health and our voice is ultimately tied to a regional food system. In addition to outlining the advantages of an organic food system, "Grub" is a cookbook of traditional recipes that rely on seasonal and local foods.  Scrumptious!

The E. F. Schumacher Society will be hosting Dan Barber, Sally Fallon Morell and Anna Lappé for the 28th Annual E. F. Schumacher Lectures on
Saturday, October 25, 2008 at the First Congregational Church of Stockbridge, MA. 
Tickets are 25 BerkShares/Dollars and 15 BerkShares/Dollars for members of the E. F. Schumacher Society,  seniors, and students. 
Click here for more information on the event or to pre-register or email efssociety@smallisbeautiful.org or call (413) 528-1737. 
The annual lectures are sponsored by the Gardener's Supply Company.   
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New England Housing Network Annual Conference - 12/5

Friday, December 5, 2008
Sheraton Needham Hotel
Needham, Massachusetts
9:00 a.m. - 3:45 p.m.

 
Keynote Speaker: 
Congressman Barney Frank
Chairman, U.S. House Committee on Financial Services

Plenary Session: 
Working with the New Administration and the 111th Congress
Workshop Topics:
Update on Section 8 Funding and SEVRA Legislation
State and Federal Approaches to the Foreclosure Crisis
Using Supportive Housing Programs to Address Homelessness
Integrating Green Building Techniques into Affordable Housing
Preserving the Existing Affordable Housing Stock
The Impact of the High Cost of Utilities on Affordable Housing
Production of New Affordable Housing - National Housing Trust Fund and Improvements to the Low Income Housing Tax Credit
Public Housing Funding and Revitalization Strategies
Smart Growth Coalitions and Their Role in Affordable Housing
Quality Issues in Affordable Rental Housing
Sharing Creative Approaches to State Resources and Advocacy Efforts
Communications Strategies to Generate Support for Affordable Housing
For more information contact: Cindy Rowe, New England Housing Network Director, CHAPA , 617-742-0820 or crowe@chapa.org.
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