Calendar of Events

Berkshire events - locations in red
Connecticut River Valley events - locations in green
BEAT sponsered/co-sponsered events - in navy


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Canoe Trip on the Housatonic River
Saturday, September 4 / 8:30am-12:30

Watch for frogs, fish, herons, muskrats, and signs of beavers along the meandering Housatonic River. This leisurely paddle will take us through the George Darey Wildlife Management Area, a part of the Upper Housatonic Area of Critical Environmental Concern.  Join us to learn about the natural history of the waterway that is the heart of the Berkshires.

Directions to meeting place provided upon registration. Children must be at least 10 years old, accompanied by an adult, and know how to swim. Call for information.

Open to families with children ages 10 and up.
Leader: René Laubach, Sanctuary Director
$20 Mass Audubon members; $25 nonmembers

Please call to register:
Pleasant Valley Wildlife Sanctuary
472 West Mountain Road
Lenox, MA  01240
413-637-0320
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Canoe Trip to Upper and Lower Goose Ponds
Sponsored by Berkshire Sanctuaries

Sunday, September 05, 2010 / 8:00 am - 12:00 pm
Location: Upper and Lower Goose Ponds
Instructor: Rene Laubach - Sanctuary Director, Berkshire Wildlife Sanctuaries
Adults: $20.00 Mass Audubon member; $25.00 nonmember

Explore the coves and marshes of one of the Berkshires' most beautiful lakes. Paddle across Lower Goose Pond to pristine Upper Goose Pond in search of ravens, hawks, herons, and a variety of songbirds. Eat a snack onshore and search for interesting plant and animal life along the Appalachian Trail.

Instructions and Directions: Directions to the meeting place will be provided upon registration. Due to possible windy conditions, previous canoe experience is required. Bring food, drink, insect repellent, and sunscreen.
Registration is required.

Please call:
Pleasant Valley Wildlife Sanctuary
472 West Mountain Road
Lenox, MA  01240
413-637-0320
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WRLF to hold September square dance fundraiser

The Williamstown Rural Lands Foundation’s biggest fundraising event of the year will be held on Friday September 10th beginning at 6 PM. The Harvest Hoedown will feature a barbecue, square dancing and a silent auction, and will be held at 91 Northwest Hill Road in Williamstown.

Cliff and Senta Brodeur and the Square One Band with guest Bobby Sweet will play and call the dance; Cliff has been the Club Caller for the Pittsfield Squares for over twenty five years, and a caller for more than 40 years, first as a successful solo caller, and more recently with Square One, a quintet of virtuoso instrumentalists with an impressive track record of studio recording and concert performances. Members of Square One have toured internationally, and appeared with artists such as Willie Nelson, Arlo Guthrie, Bonnie Raitt and John Denver. Senta, his wife for 40 years shares his enthusiasm and backs him up in every way possible leading and organizing the squares and dance formations at the dances.

“The Harvest Hoedown will be a chance for people to get out on the dance floor and have fun” says Leslie Reed-Evans, WRLF Executive Director.  “Eating delicious seasonal foods and dancing with friends and neighbors is the perfect way of celebrating the harvest season.  In addition to having fun, guests will be helping to support the WRLF and its land protection efforts.”

Barbecue will be provided by Williamstown’s Bee Hill Culinary Services’ Stephanie Santore.  The silent auction features something for everyone, from local foods baskets and hand crafts to weekend getaways, gourmet dinners, and wine tastings.

Harvest Hoedown is open to the public. Ticket prices are $65 each, $55 for WRLF members.  Ticket price includes dinner, drinks and dancing.  Babysitting will also be available at Sheep Hill through the Williamstown Community Preschool.  For more information or to reserve tickets, call 458-2494 or email ruraland@wrlf.org.

The Williamstown Rural Lands Foundation is a non-profit member-supported land conservation trust dedicated to preserving the New England character of Williamstown and surrounding areas.  WRLF properties, such as Sheep Hill, Pine Cobble and Fitch Woodlands are open to the public for hiking, nature study and enjoyment of nature.

Website: www.wrlf.org.

Leslie Reed-Evans
Executive Director
Williamstown Rural Lands Foundation
Sheep Hill
671 Cold Spring Road
Williamstown, MA  01267

lre@wrlf.org  www.wrlf.org
413-458-2494
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Wildlife Tracker Training at Dyken Pond Center

Grafton – The Tamakoce Wilderness Programs and the Friends of the Dyken Pond Center announce the first of two Wildlife Tracker Training Workshops to be held at the Dyken Pond Environmental Education Center. Tracker Training I will be held the weekend of August 13 through 15. Tracker Training II, a continuation of Tracker I will be held September 10 -12. Both weekends will include camping for two nights at the Center. Dan Yacobellis, instructor for the Workshops and founder of the Tamakoce Wilderness Programs states, “To be a tracker is to be a survivor. The two field intensive Tracker Training weekends will give you the skills to photograph wildlife, conduct field research, hunt, search and rescue and survive catastrophe.”  Fee for each weekend is $175 per person. Tracker Training I can be taken singly but is a pre-requisite for Tracker Training II. Pre-registration is required and can be done by contacting the Center at 518 658-2055 or dykenpond@fairpoint.net.

            Dan Yacobellis, instructor for the series is a local tracker, naturalist and director of the Tamakoce Wilderness Programs. He has lived with the Native American Lakota people in South Dakota, where he learned native traditional skills such as brain tanning hides, hunting practices, bead and porcupine quillwork and tool and weapon construction. For the past 17 years, Mr. Yacobellis has been studying the ancient art of animal tracking both in formal educational settings and on his own in the forests of Grafton, New York.
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Berkshire Residents Free Admission Day
Sponsored by Berkshire Sanctuaries

Saturday, September 11 / 10:00 am - 4:00 pm
At Pleasant Valley Wildlife Sanctuary
Fee: Adults $0, Children $0

Berkshire County residents and people who work in Berkshire County are invited to visit Pleasant Valley Wildlife Sanctuary in Lenox free of charge on Saturday, September 12. The sanctuary grounds are open dawn to dusk, and the office and gift shop will be open from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. The sanctuary offers a well-maintained and clearly marked seven-mile trail system that takes visitors around beaver ponds, through hardwood forest, and to the summit of Lenox Mountain. Pleasant Valley also offers an All Persons Trail that makes the sanctuary accessible to everyone. Special introductory half-price memberships will be available, and our gift shop (where members receive a 10 percent discount) will be open as well.

Registration not required.

Pleasant Valley Wildlife Sanctuary
472 West Mountain Road
Lenox, MA  01240
413-637-0320
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Massachusetts Raw Milk Dairy Days, September 11-12

Ten dairies in Massachusetts will hold open houses on September 11-12 to showcase the farms that provide safe, healthy raw milk to thousands of customers. Visitors to the farms will be treated to tours, milking demonstrations, and lessons on proper management of healthy dairy animals. See a full list of farms, including details and directions, at http://www.nofamass.org/programs/organicdairy/pdfs/2010rawmilkidairydays.pdf, or email winton@nofamass.org.

Participating farms include:

  • Chase Hill Farm, Warwick
  • Cricket Creek Farm, Williamstown
  • Eastleigh Farm, Framingham
  • Farmstead at Mine Brook, Charlemont
  • The Herb Hill Micro-Dairy, Andover
  • Lyons Brook Farm, Westport
  • Oake Knoll Ayrshires, Foxboro
  • Robinson Farm, Hardwick
  • Sidehill Farm, Ashfield
  • Upinngil Farm, Gill

Winton Pitcoff, Coordinator
NOFA/Massachusetts Raw Milk Network
www.marawmilk.org
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Northeastern Transportation and Wildlife Conference
Planners, public works and transportation managers, environmental and natural resource professionals and students are encouraged to attend the 4th Biennial Northeastern Transportation and Wildlife Conference to be held at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst on September 12-15, 2010. The conference theme is “Sustainability in an Uncertain Landscape.” The need to replace an aging transportation infrastructure and forecast climate changes, along with increased development pressures poses both new threats and opportunities to wildlife. This conference will raise the bar by providing new information and results of new thinking required to ensure that both wildlife and transportation needs are to be sustained into the future.

Conference details:
September 12-15, 2010
University of Massachusetts
Amherst, MA

The conference is hosted by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation-Highway Division, Massachusetts Department of Fish and Game, Federal Highway Administration, VHB/Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc., Kleinfelder/SEA, STV Incorporated, The Nature Conservancy, and Normandeau Associates, Inc.  The conference track sessions include: Planning for Wildlife, Wildlife Collisions, Road Ecology & Passage, Mapping and Modeling, and Wildlife Mitigation on Roads, Rails and Airports. 

Participants are encouraged to register before August 27 for the best rate. For more information and to register visit:
https://regstg.com/Registration/Introduction.aspx?rid=bb8b7855-ee7f-455a-9b9c-3922958924fd

BEAT Note: Jane served on the steering committee for this conference and BEAT will have a poster at the conference. BEAT has had a presence at everyone of these since they began in 2004.
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Hinsdale – Come celebrate the opening of the Old Mill Trail with the Housatonic Valley Association (HVA) on Wednesday, September 15 at 5:00pm at the trailhead on Old Dalton Road off Route 8 in Hinsdale. This ongoing HVA project was finally realized when funding was obtained from the Natural Resource Damages Trustees. The unique blend of history and nature make a walk on the Old Mill Trail a memorable adventure, inspiring appreciation and understanding of the river’s importance to the character, health, history, and economy of these riverside towns. An easy walk for all to enjoy, the trail is just 1.5 miles long and is wheelchair accessible the first half of its length. HVA thanks Crane & Company and Massachusetts Fish and Wildlife many additional local funders, and the scores of trail building volunteers for their ongoing support of the trail. For more information about the trail and the celebration, call the South Lee HVA at 413-394-9796.

Visitors will find the trailhead on Old Dalton Road in Hinsdale, just off of Rte 8. Look for the new Old Mill Trail sign. Heading north towards Dalton, the trail follows the river closely and crisscrossing the river over newly constructed footbridges. Near the beginning of the trail, a short spur trail along a breached dam leads visitors to remnants of the Plunkett Mill ruins including, stone foundations and remnants of a penstock, which diverted water from a dam downstream to the mill. Enjoy picturesque stretches of the trail including a portion that follows the edge of the river where a professional trail crew placed rocks  to create a solid stone walkway. The trail ends and turns around at the remains of a penstock of the Kittredge & Sons Mill. 

HVA protects and restores the land and waters of the Housatonic watershed from its source in the Pittsfield, Massachusetts area to Long Island Sound. HVA’s offices are in Cornwall Bridge, Connecticut; South Lee, Massachusetts and Wassaic, New York. Visit HVA’s website at www.hvatoday.org.
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Massachusetts Recreational Trails Program Grant Workshop

The Department of Conservation and Recreation will be holding a workshop to discuss the Recreational Trails Program and its upcoming grant round with applications due November 1, 2010.  The dates, times and locations are as follows:

Friday, September 17th   2-4pm            Purgatory Chasm State Park (Sutton)
Sat., September 18th        10-12pm       Great Falls Discovery Center (Turner’s Falls)

The Recreational Trails Program (RTP) provides funds to non-profit organizations, municipal, state, and federal land managers to develop and maintain recreational trails and trail-related facilities for both nonmotorized and motorized recreational trail uses.  RTP grants are 80-20 challenge grants. In other words, 80% of the project costs are reimbursed to grantees, but at least 20% of the total project value must come from other sources (local match).   There is a minimum award amount $2,000 and a maximum of $50,000.  More money may be available for multi-town, regional projects.  The Recreational Trails Program allocates 30% of its funds to motorized use, 30% to non-motorized use, and 40% to diverse use projects.

The workshop will go over the program requirements for the RTP, discuss the scoring criteria,  provide examples and presentations on successful grant projects and provide feedback and answer any questions that potential applicants may have about the program or about their specific projects and how they fall within the requirements of the program.
The workshop will be hosted by Amanda Lewis, Recreational Trails Program Coordinator.  Please call or email to register for the workshop by Friday, September 10th.

Amanda Lewis
136 Damon Road
Northampton MA 01060
Amanda.lewis@state.ma.us
413-586-8706 ext. 19

The Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR)’s Recreational Trails Grants Program recently announced its next grant round. The Program provides grants ranging from $2,000 to $50,000 on a reimbursement basis for a variety of trail protection, construction, and stewardship projects throughout the Commonwealth (click here for info on projects funded during the last round). The application deadline is November 1, 2010. E-mail amanda.lewis@state.ma.us with your current contact information to make sure you receive the grant application details once they become available.
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HCI's September Events for the Highlands Region

Kick Starting Conservation
Tuesday, September 14th | 6 – 8PM
Worthington Historical Society, Worthington, MA 413.268.8219 | Free, light dinner served
What do you do when “Land for Sale ” signs start appearing near your favorite view or hike?  Who do you call when a friend asks for advice about saving their family’s farmland for the next generation? If you care about the future of your town’s rural, undeveloped lands, HCI’s free Kick Starting Conservation seminar on Tuesday, September 14th from 6 to 8pm at the Worthington Historical Society will give you the information that you need to help. You’ll know who to call and what to do after learning basic land conservation techniques and meeting the staff of local conservation organizations. New maps of important habitat and other resources in your community will also be available. The event is part of our Neighbor Conservation Network, an easy, no commitment way for you to get involved in the protecting the rural character and quality of life in your town. A light dinner will be served. Please preregister by calling 413.268.8219 or by emailing mwamsley@ttor.org.

Your Land, Your Legacy: An Introduction to Estate Planning
Wednesday, September 15th | Shelburne, MA 413.268.8219 | Free
Please Contact Us for Time and Location
Your land is a part of your legacy—and it is likely your most valuable asset. Deciding what will happen to your land after you are gone may be the most important step you can take as a landowner. An estate plan ensures that your assets – including your land – are distributed in a way that will meet your wishes and secure the financial and personal needs of you and your family. Come explore the possibilities for your land’s future and the advantages of planning for it today at the free workshop, Your Land, Your Legacy: An Introduction to Estate Planning on Wednesday, September 15th in Shelburne , MA . The workshop will explain the basic steps of estate planning for landowners and allow you to pose questions to an experienced local attorney, as well as meet staff from an area land trust and hear about how the process unfolded for a fellow landowner. For more information about time and location, and to preregister, call 413.268.8219 or email mwamsley@ttor.org.

Conservation Options for Preserving Your Land
Monday, September 20th | 7 – 9 PM
Goshen Town Hall (Upstairs Meeting Room) Rt. 9, Goshen , MA 413.268.8219 | Free
Do you want to ensure that your farm, fields or woods remain as they are into the future, but also need to secure your retirement or provide a home for your children?  People decide to permanently conserve their land for a variety of reasons—to keep it in a natural state, to reduce their tax burden, and to make it easier to pass on their land to the next generation.  In doing so, they often reserve a building lot or two for future financial income and continue to own and manage the land as they have in the past.

Join HCI, the Goshen Open Space Committee and the Hilltown Land Trust for the free workshop, Conservation Options for Preserving Your Land on Monday, September 20th from 7 to 9pm in the upstairs meeting room of the Goshen Town Hall, to learn about some of the flexible options that land conservation provides. At this workshop you will learn about the legal tools, tax benefits, and process of land conservation from attorney Richard Evans and land trust representatives.  There will be plenty of time for questions and discussion with other local landowners. Dessert refreshments will be served.  This program is sponsored by the Highland Communities Initiative, the Goshen Open Space Committee, and the Hilltown Land Trust.  It is free and open to all.  Please RSVP at 268.8219 or by emailing mwamsley@ttor.org.

*          *          *          *

HCI & The Trustees of Reservations
A program of The Trustees of Reservations, the Highland Communities Initiative is a group of neighbors and volunteers working to enhance the quality of life and rural character of our communities.  In 2000, Highland residents worked with the Trustees of Reservations to form HCI in order to protect one of New England’s quintessential rural landscapes as it braced for the tide of unplanned development sweeping across Massachusetts . Now, HCI connects people, towns, and organizations, giving them the tools and support they need to advocate for conservation and community preservation in their own communities and across the region. To find out more, please visit us at www.highlandcommunities.org  

Founded in 1891, The Trustees of Reservations is the nation's oldest regional land trust and nonprofit conservation organization. The Trustees of Reservations welcomes the public to enjoy and experience our nine beautiful properties in the Pioneer Valley and our 100 special places across Massachusetts .  The Trustees rely on dedicated staff, volunteers, members and donors to raise community awareness around the importance of preserving exceptional scenic, historic, and ecological landscapes; to interpret the stories that emerge from our local history and define our community character; to sustain local farms and natural resources; and to offer our visitors top notch outdoor experiences.  To learn more, please visit www.thetrustees.org or call the Pioneer Valley office at 413.532.1631

Mark Wamsley
Program & Outreach Coordinator
Highland Communities Initiative
The Trustees of Reservations
(413) 268-8219
http://www.highlandcommunities.org
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"My Place is the Highlands !"
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flt new                                 header 

   Founded in 1987, the Franklin Land Trust works with landowners and communities to protect the farms, forests, and other natural resources significant to the environmental quality, economy and rural  character of our region.

 

  

Calling All Members & Donors--Celebrate!  
  Member Picnic
Annual Potluck Picnic
Friday, September 10, 4:30 - 7pm
218 Eden Trail, Bernardston
RSVP to 625-9151x108

(Caryl Dyer's beautiful farm in Bernardston, an FLT protected property. Look for signs to the farm on Rtes 5 & 10 in Bernardston.)

Bring a main/side dish or dessert to share and your own lawn chair. Great company, great food, great fun. If you're not a Member, come and sign up!

 

  

Dairy Days Tour 
  
Saturday Sept 11th, 2:30pm
Sidehill Farm, Ashfield

Franklin Land Trust and Sidehill Farm are co-sponsoring a tour of the farm in honor of  NOFA's (Northeast Organic Farming Association) Raw Milk Dairy Days.

NoFA logoVisitors will meet at the Sidehill milk fridge, take a quick walk through the fall vegetable fields, then tour the milking facilities, visit this year's calves, walk out to pasture to talk about rotational grazing, and meet the milking herd! Samples of raw milk and yogurt to follow. Wear shoes appropriate for walking and possibly encountering cow poop. Kids welcome!

For more information on Dairy Days go to the NOFA web site.
For directions to the farm , go to the Sidehill 
web site.

 

  

FLT at the Greenfield Grille

Save the Date!  
dinner plate emptySeptember 20 the Greenfield Grille, on Federal Street in Greenfield, will feature FLT on as their "Hometown Hero."  When you eat at the Grille that evening 10% of what you spend will go directly to FLT.

Take a break from cooking, enjoy a great local meal and help support land conservation! We'll also have a 50-50 raffle and other fun activities. Call us at 625-9152 for details.
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September 21st, Producing and Applying Actively Aerated Compost Tea;
Stonewall Farm, Keene, NH
Join NOFA OLC for a hands-on workshop on Producing and Applying Actively Aerated Compost Tea with Peter Schmidt of Compostwerks! LLC. This workshop is a unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience and to learn in a small group setting. Some of the topics that will be covered include how to brew compost tea, customizing tea for specific uses, assessing compost tea quality and methods of application. Co-sponsored by NOFA-NH.  Part of the NOFA OLC Advanced Workshop Series, for more information visit www.organiclandcare.net
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Bobcat, Mountain Lion, Moose, and More:

Wildlife Slide Show
with Susan Morse of
Keeping Track®

photographer, naturalist, &
habitat identification specialist
with more than 30 years
of tracking experience

See amazing photos of mammals in the wild
Hear
mammal calls and answers to your questions
Get a feel
for the daily lives of wildlife in our region
Learn
how you can discover & interpret more wildlife sign

Wednesday, September 22, 2010 ~ 6:30 to 8:30 pm
St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, 67 East St. (use entrance on Allen St.) Pittsfield, MA
$5 Donation at the door appreciated

Please sign up on-line so we know how many people to expect

Have you ever seen an animal track while walking in the woods and wondered what animal made it? Wouldn’t it be nice to know, not only what animal made it, but where they might have been going and what they might have been looking for? If you’ve had these sorts of thoughts, wouldn’t it be even better if you knew the answers to these questions would help save the land that animal needs to survive? That is just what nationally recognized naturalist and habitat identification specialist, Susan Morse of Keeping Track® can teach you to do.

Susan Morse returns with another incomparable Wildlife Slide Show with an emphasis on our cats – Bobcat and Mountain Lion – but including many of our other large mammals here in the northeast – Bear, Moose, Fisher, and many more.

Join us September 22 from 6:30 to 8:30 pm at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, 67 East St (use the Allen St. entrance), Pittsfield, MA (see google map for parking and location).

Susan Morse, a nationally recognized naturalist and habitat specialist, will dazzle you with a slide show of her spectacular wildlife photos and an interactive talk on the biology and ecology of these mammals. Morse uses humor and personal anecdotes to impress on wildlife enthusiasts of all sorts the importance of landscape-level planning to protect wildlife habitat and corridors. Sue’s research has focused on cougar, bobcat, black bear, and Canada lynx. (more information)

The Berkshire Environmental Action Team (BEAT) and Berkshire Natural Resources Council are hosting this event. A $5 donation at the door is requested.  For more information visit BEAT’s Berkshire Wildlife Trackers section of our website, or contact BEAT at team@thebeatnews.org or 413-230-7321.
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RENEWABLE ENERGY VERMONT CONFERENCE
The REV conference will be held at the Sheraton Conference Center in Burlington on Thursday, September 30 and Friday, October 1.  The first day is Tradeshow & Workshop Day; and Friday is the In-depth Industry Conference which will include a Gubernatorial Debate from  3:30 – 4:30.  The candidates for Governor will be invited to discuss Vermont’s energy future.  To see the schedule, find out more, and to register, go to: www.REVermont.org

NEW ENGLAND ENVIRONMENTAL ED. CONFERENCE
This conference will be held Thurs., Oct. 21 – Sat., Oct. 23 at the Lake Morey Inn in Fairlee.  Vermont’s State-Wide Environmental Education Programs alliance, SWEEP, is a sponsor.  Conference attendees can choose to attend any of the 40+ workshops and field trips.  Conference highlights include three inspiring keynote speakers: Bill McKibben of 350.org, Peter Forbes from the Center for Whole Communities, and Dana Hudson from the National Farm to School Network.  To find out more and to register, go to: http://www.neeea.org/conference/glance.html
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CISA invites you to

Taste the View
A Benefit for CISA

Friday, September 24, 2010
6:00-10:00pm
The Arena at the
Three County Fairgrounds
 Northampton, Massachusetts

Taste the View will feature a generous array of fresh and locally grown edibles from Local Hero Farms, restaurants, food artisans and retailers, along with a sumptuous selection of small plates prepared by The Blue Heron Restaurant and Catering. Plus you'll have the chance to bid on wild and wonderful local goods and services during a silent and live auction.

Proceeds from Taste the View will enable CISA to sustain local farms in a healthy and viable way, increase the community's understanding and advocacy of local agriculture, and ensure that healthy, fresh, and locally grown food and farm products are available to all residents in Franklin, Hampden and Hamphshire counties. 

For more information, please visit our website.

 Get your tickets today!

We invite you to select a ticket price that is meaningful to you. Tickets purchased at a higher level enable CISA to keep the event affordable for all.

  • $1,000 for a reserved table for eight (limited number of tables available).
  • $250 for special underwriters. Your support will be recognized in the evening's printed program and on event signage.
  • $100 tickets includes an individual membership in CISA.
  • $75 for individual tickets.

Tickets are limited. We've sold out in the past, so be sure to order your tickets today!

 

Prime Sponsors




Patron Sponsors







Sponsors
Bacon Wilson, PC
Cooley Dickinson Hospital
Daily Hampshire Gazette
Easthampton Savings Bank
Hadley Printing
Hampden Bank
Hot Mama's Foods
Randall's Farm and Market
Three County Fairgrounds 
Whole Foods Market 


Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture

One Sugarloaf Street
South Deerfield, Massachusetts 01373

(413) 665-7100
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C2C/The National Climate Seminar

Amidst the wreckage of climate legislation in DC, one thing is clear. This is not the fight of a day, of a year or of a decade. Even had the Senate acted, changing the future would still have required a vibrant, engaged global citizenry, pushing every day of every year, for the next 40 years, to decarbonize the planet. 

American social movements—from abolition to civil rights—crest in legislation that changes the direction of the nation, and the world. We hoped this would be the year. We were wrong.

So let’s get back to it.  C2C is launching this fall, with a mini-conference at the Williams College Center for Environmental Studies on 9/24, from 3 pm-9 pm.  Join us for a brainstorm on how we can:

1. Every year, engage educators at 1,000 colleges, universities and high schools, and
2. Every year, involve 50,000 students in direct video and conference-call dialogue with Congress, with Corporations and with Cities, on clean energy solutions to global warming.

Economist Juliet Schor, author of Plentitude, will keynote. To register for the conference, please contact jofrench@bard.edu. There is no charge to attend. 

Following the launch conference, on 9/29 at 3 PM Eastern, join us for a National C2C Webinar. We need your ideas on how we can build a permanent and growing national network, including tens of thousands of faculty, students and staff, in regular dialogue with key decision-makers on climate.

This is the fight of our lives. Thanks for the work you are doing.

Eban Goodstein
Director, Bard Center for Environmental Policy
 www.bard.edu/cep

************** 

 The National Climate Seminar, a twice-monthly discussion featuring top scientists, political leaders and policy analysts, is sponsored by The Bard Center for Environmental Policy, and made possible by a grant from The Clif Bar Family Foundation.
  
The Clif Bar Foundation is our longest-standing National Teach-in partner. Forty Percent of Car Trips are within two miles of your home: Take Clif Bar's Two-Mile Challenge and ride or walk instead!

Books & Videos For the National Teach-In
Recent books of note: Auden Schendler's Getting Green Done; Gary Braasch's Earth Under Fire; and Gary and Lynne Cherry's How We Know What We Know About Our Changing Climate: Scientists and Kids Explore Global Warming, Michael Mann and Lee Kump's Dire Predictions: Understanding Global Warming, Amy Seidl's Early Spring: An Ecologist and Her Children Wake to a Warming World,
Eban Goodstein's Fighting for Love in the Century of Extinction, and Ignition (Isham and Waage)
***
C2C is the e-bulletin of the public policy initiatives of the Bard Center for Environmental Policy.
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Community Coalition Forum for Central and Southern Berkshire County
Next Meeting
Friday, September 24, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon
First United Methodist Church
55 Fenn St., Pittsfield, MA
Announcement

        After the completion of six community forums, along with participation of
Seventy-two nonprofit organizations, Co-Act will be conducting a survey before resuming our monthly meetings in September. The meeting is open to all with emphasis on managers of human service organizations.
 
         Starting in September the new time slot will be 10:00 a.m. till 12:00 noon as a response to the many requests for a schedule change.  The meeting will be followed by lunch and networking opportunities.  We will continue to alternate our meetings between Pittsfield and Great Barrington on the last Friday of each month.
 
        Present activities of the Coalition include collaborating with the faith-based community on actions identified during our Forum meetings.  Topics we are addressing are as follows:
 
Community Gardens and “Grow an Extra Row” for donations to meal sites.

  • Open a community center in Pittsfield for homeless, unemployed, or underemployed residents, which can also serve as a peer support center.
  • Make facilities available for an emergency shelter, overflow, or cot facility that meets fire codes.
  • Increase understanding of the scope of services available within Central and Southern Berkshire County by providing a training class for the faith based community.
  • Affordable housing and the “Housing First” model.


We look forward to receiving your response from the upcoming survey.

Questions???   
Contact:
Paul Deslauriers
Executive Director, Co-Act
Email:  paul@co-act.org     
Phone:  413-232-7888
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Mossyback Men's Campout
September 25–26, 2010

With Devin Franklin.

Does your responsibility-filled life need to be balanced with some fun, friendship, and quality connection with Nature? Are you nourished by carving wood, fire-roasted food, laughing with the guys, playing games of stealth and invisibility, and sleeping to the hush of wind in pines? Do precious moments of backyard "wilderness" solitude bring you peace through your awakened senses? Join us for 24 hours of self-restoration through the enjoyments of adventure and play, rest and comfort, brotherhood and wilderness. You'll return home with your own primitive fire-making kit and with your fire burning bright!

Special offer: $100 for the weekend.
E-mail dev@flyingdeernaturecenter.org for more information.
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Project Bee
The New Marlborough Cultural Council
~~~~~~
An Evening with the Bees
                        ~~~~~~

Ross Conrad, renowned Vermont organic beekeeping writer and lecturer, will speak about the current challenges facing local beekeepers and organic ways to help the bees thrive.  Honey-centered treats will follow.

Tuesday September 28, 7:00 to 9:00pm
The Meeting House
Route 57
New Marlborough, MA

Special thanks to the Meeting House and the Old Inn on the Green

Ross Conrad learned his craft from world-renowned beekeeper and apitherapist, Charles Mraz, and Charlie's son Bill. Conrad is a former president of the Vermont Beekeepers Association, a regular contributor to Bee Culture - The Magazine of American Beekeeping, and author of Natural Beekeeping: Organic Approaches To Modern Apiculture. Ross has given bee related presentations and led organic beekeeping workshops and classes throughout North America for many years. His beekeeping business, Dancing Bee Gardens, supplies friends, neighbors, and local stores with honey and candles among other bee related products.

Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) and Organic Solutions:
The honeybee faces many affronts to its immune system in these days of Varroa mites and pesticide overload. The so-called “Colony Collapse Disorder” now facing beekeepers makes it all the more imperative that local beekeepers, farmers, and gardeners learn healthy ways to assist the honeybee. Ross will share the "how to" of numerous techniques to keep bees alive despite the mites. Topics covered include: Genetics and breeding, Trapping, Screened Bottom Boards, Essential Oils, Organic Acids, and more.

Project Bee aims to preserve honeybee arts and culture in New Malrborough, the Berkshires and Beyond.
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The next Housatonic Citizens Coordinating Council (CCC) meeting will be held on September 29, 2010 from 5:30-7:30 pm at the Berkshire Athenaeum (library), One Wendell Avenue Pittsfield, MA.

See below for an update prepared by the U.S. EPA on two activities that have occurred since the last CCC meeting: Draft Consent Decree Modification and Removal of Documents from the Berkshire Athenaeum.

A draft agenda for the September 29 meeting, which will include discussion of these activities, will be circulated shortly.  If you have suggested CCC meeting agenda items, please contact us directly.   EPA contact persons for the Draft Consent Decree Modification and Removal of Documents from the Berkshire Athenaeum are provided in EPA’s summary.

Best,

Kate and Patrick
CCC Facilitators

Kate Harvey
Consensus Building Institute
Direct Dial:  617-844-1136
Email: kharvey@cbuilding.org


                               EPA UPDATE
                           September 2, 2010

Draft Consent Decree Modification

A draft modification (Modification 10) to the Consent Decree has been prepared to reconcile the costs incurred to date for the 1½ Mile ReachRemoval Action.   As you might recall, under the Consent Decree, EPA implemented the 1½ Mile Removal Action under a complex cost-share formula with GE whereby GE was required to pay its share of the costs in advance to help EPA fund the cleanup.  Then, generally, at the end of the cleanup, EPA and GE would reconcile the costs and GE would either be given a credit for any amount that GE paid EPA that was in excess of GE’s share, or would pay additional funds if GE’s payments were not equal to its share.

A modification is necessary because the contract vehicle EPA is continuing to use for the 1½ Mile Reach differs from the anticipated process in the Decree.  In the Decree, the parties envisioned that at the completion of the 1½  Mile Reach Action, EPA would close out its interagency agreement with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and that would be an appropriate time to reconcile costs incurred.  However, EPA believes it will be efficient to continue with the interagency agreement during the ongoing Post-Removal Site Control activities for the 1½ Mile Reach.  At the same time, we did not want that choice to artificially delay the cost reconciliation.  So, a modification of the Decree is needed to reconcile the costs to date.

The modification anticipates the reconciliation in two steps.  First, the parties have calculated their respective shares as of September 30, 2009, which indicates that EPA overpaid its share of the cleanup and GE owes EPA approximately $790,000.  The modification will memorialize the amount due and provide a mechanism for GE to pay EPA.  Second, the parties will establish a mechanism for ongoing periodic reconciliations as the project goes forward.  Post-Removal Site Control activities (that is, long-term inspection, monitoring and maintenance activities) for the 1½ Mile reach are expected to continue for the foreseeable future.  GE will incur costs performed these activities and EPA will incur costs overseeing GE.   The Consent Decree requires that these costs also be subject to the cost share; however the Consent Decree did not provide a mechanism to share these costs once construction activities were complete.  The modification sets up a process for EPA and GE to settle up on these costs on an annual basis.

As part of our outreach, EPA committed to inform the CCC of proposed Consent Decree modifications whenever feasible.   We anticipate submitting this modification to the Court in the next several weeks. The modification will become effective upon filing with the Court.  If you have any questions about this proposed modification, please call Tim Conway at Conway.Tim@epa.gov or 617.918.1705.

Removal of Documents from the Berkshire Athenaeum

This summary, the librarian at the Berkshire Athenaeum informed EPA that she was overloaded with documents related to the Site and requested that EPA reduce the size of the repository.  In response, EPA assessed each of the documents in the Athenaeum files, and decided to remove many of the older documents for cleanup actions that have already been completed and that have a Final Completion Report.  The Final Completion Reports for all removal actions will remain at the Athenaeum.  In addition, some groundwater reports have been removed.   For the five groundwater
management areas, all documents two years or older have been removed. For each area, the current groundwater submittals will remain.

A majority, if not all, of the documents removed from the repository are available on EPA’s web site at:  http://www.epa.gov/region01/ge/.   In addition, all documents are available upon request at EPA’s Record Center.  If you would like a list of documents removed from the repositories, please us know.

Documents that are related to the Rest of River and cleanups that do not have Final Completion Reports were not removed at this time.

These actions alleviated some of the immediate overload of documents. However, additional removal of documents is necessary.   The current system of providing a hard copy of all documents required by the Consent Decree and maintaining these documents in an organized manner is unsustainable.   We realize that making available these documents to the public in a user-friendly manner is critical at this Site and we are exploring ways to maintain or increase the availability of information while avoiding overcrowding the Athenaeum and/or having many documents sitting in boxes for months at a time.

We would like to discuss ways to accomplish these goals at the September 29 CCC meeting.

We look forward to discussing these two items at the September CCC meeting.  If you cannot attend the meeting and have any questions, please contact Jim Murphy at Murphy.Jim@epa.gov or 617.918.1028.

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Turning Ideas into Action to Double the Pace of Conservation

Wednesday, September 29, 1 pm - 4 pm
Wildlands and Woodlands Partnership Meeting
Location: Harvard Forest, 324 North Main Street, Petersham, MA

Working Woodlands:  Getting the Value Proposition Right for Private Forest Landowners

Speaker: Dylan H. Jenkins, CF, Director of Land Conservation, PA Chapter of TNC

There will be time in the meeting for extensive updates on the following items and more:

    • America's Great Outdoors Initiative and the Listening Session in Concord, NH - A group of New England conservationists presented information to Secretary Vilsack about how federal resources for forest conservation should be invested to achieve shared goals.  They developed a set of "talking points" that called for the federal government's support of regional conservation partnerships, permanent conservation funding, support for ecosystem markets, forest industry, etc.  Could these talking points help form the foundation for a policy platform that advances conservation across New England? Come to the meeting to learn more.
    • New England Conservation Finance and Policy Platform  -  Conservationists with expertise in conservation, climate change, forestry, and land use policy from across New England will be getting together to discuss the merits of a shared New England-wide policy campaign(s).  
    • Western MA Pilot Aggregation Project and New England Expansion - The New England Forestry Foundation is working with 7 land trusts to help 71 family forest landowners protect over 10,000 acres in Western Massachusetts.  NEFF will provide updates on efforts to apply this model to 14 other locations.
    • Woodland Councils USFS Redesign Grant Project - Four Woodland Councils in Massachusetts and Connecticut were awarded a $200,000 grant from the US Forest Service to provide training and educational programs to landowners, foresters, and municipal officials about conservation easements and their stewardship.
    • Regional Conservation Partnership Gathering Nov. 15 - Coordinators of existing and emerging partnerships are gathering in southern Maine on Nov. 15 at the Wells Research Reserve to learn from each other about what works best in collaborative conservation.  If you are interested in starting a new regional conservation collaboration, this may be right for you. Come to the meeting to find out more, or email blabich@highstead.net to register.
    • Massachusetts Special Commission on Financing Forest Conservation - James Levitt worked with a Special Advisory Committee to a Governor-appointed Commission in 2010 to identify several key strategies for greatly increasing resources to protect more land.  Aggregation, mitigation, and limited development were highlighted.  Are these strategies relevant to other New England states? We'll find out.
    • Regional Plan Association's (RPA) Landscape Conservation Initiative - The RPA recently launched a 3-year effort to promote landscape conservation in the Northeastern United States.  Deliverables include a GIS that places landscape initiatives in the context of conservation opportunities and development challenges; a website and conference to bring landscape professionals together; and a re-grant program in the 3rd year.
    • W&W Stewardship Science Initiative - W&W partner scientists and authors have developed a way for citizens and others to establish and maintain long-term monitoring plots on wildlands and woodlands and a means for uploading their data to an accessible on-line database. Hear more about this initiative and how to participate.
    • The New England Governor's Conference Blue Ribbon Commission on Land Conservation - Now that the NE Governors passed the resolution, what's next for the CLC?  How will they promote their pilot initiatives?
    • Southern New England Forest Management - Bob Perschel, Northeast Director with the Forest Guild, has been chairing this discussion group that includes forestry stakeholders from CT, RI and MA.  What's next for this group?
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From University of the Wild (part of the Institute for Environmental Awareness) Winter Newsletter

Contents:

Andean Pilgrimage, October 1-9
This 9-day pilgrimage to the Sacred Mountains in Peru is a journey of self-discovery to shed that which no longer serves, harvest the fruits of our labors and re-weave our animistic consciousness. Participants will work with celestial shamans from the north & south Andes, engaging in the ancient rituals and practices of a tradition known for its quantum healing and cosmic vision. This universally translatable experience is designed to help individuals reconnect with their true nature, reestablish purpose, increase well-being and ultimately, to evolve spiritual consciousness.
Click here for more details
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12th Annual North Quabbin Garlic and Arts Festival
'Two Days of Peace, Love and Garlic'

Event Name: 12th Annual North Quabbin Garlic and Arts Festival
Event Date: Saturday and Sunday, October 2 and 3, 2010
10 a.m. to 5 PM both days.  Shine or Rain
Location:   Forster’s Farm, 60 Chestnut Hill Rd.  Orange, MA 01364
Directions and Info: www.garlicandarts.org
Media Inquiries Contact: deb@seedsofsolidarity.org   (978) 544-9023
Admission: Adults $5 per day, $8 for weekend pass. Kids 12 and under free.  

Mark your calendars for the 12th Annual, always scent-sational ‘Festival that Stinks,’ October 2 and 3.
Two days of Peace, Love and Garlic! The North Quabbin Garlic and Arts Festival was voted second best festival among hundreds of great local events in the 2010 Valley Advocate readers poll. Follow your heart (and nose) to this fabulous fall destination in Orange MA, where there’s something for everyone in the family. 

Enjoy and support the bounty of over 100 amazing, visionary artists, farmers and organizations; strengthen communities by purchasing locally grown and crafted. Gain vision and skills for local living: learn to grow garlic, press cider, mill lumber, make paper, coil clay, grind grain, do tai chi, go solar. Nourish yourself through chef demos, incredible food courts and the wondrous wood fired bread oven. Transform trash into compost (only three bags of garbage for 10,000 people); Orange IS the New Green! Celebrate with friends old and new: enjoy rockin’ music and amazing entertainment on two solar powered stages, inspiring workshops, fabulous free kids art and activities, and garlic games galore. Admission is still only $5.00 per day for adults, weekend pass $8.00, kids 12 and under free. Wow!

The Bridge is Out but the Festival is ON!!
Important NEW travel information: Take Route 2 to Exit 15, or Route 202 (intersection with 122 north) and follow the signs to the NEW improved Shuttle Lot at Hunts Farm to catch a free shuttle ride right to the festival entrance gate. Parking at the festival site for carpools of 3 or more, or those with limited mobility or young children. As always, on-site parking reserved for vehicles with handicap tags, accessible port-o-potty available. Visit www.garlicandarts.org for directions, pet policy, and past years highlights. The 2010 schedule of vendors, music, entertainment and games, chef demos, renewable energy and healing arts workshops, and all you need to know for Two Days of Peace Love and Garlic will be updated by late July.

A fully volunteer committee of friends and neighbors, and Seeds of Solidarity Education Center, a non-profit organization, organize the North Quabbin Garlic and Arts Festival. Supporters include the Forster/Stewart Family, local businesses, and over 200 community volunteers the festival weekend! Festival proceeds keep the event sustainable and affordable, and support the festival’s new community grant program for regional arts, agriculture, health and energy projects.
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Master Gardeners 2010 Educational Series

The Western Mass Master Gardeners will kick off their 2010 educational series with a class on Planting and Caring for Hydrangea on Saturday, May 22, at 10:00am. The class will be held (rain or shine) in the demonstration gardens behind Springside House at Springside Park. Admission is free.

Please note your calendars for the remaining sessions.

October 9th- Putting Your Garden To Bed


All classes are at 10:00am except for the Herb class which will be held at 5:30pm.

To enroll or get additional information call Jack at 743-5193, or visit their web site at www.WMassMasterGardeners.org

Please share and forward this to others who may be interested.
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Bascom Lodge Schedule 2010: (top of Mt. Greylock, Adams, MA)

Start your day with a hike on Mount Greylock! Every Friday, began July 9th!

Every Friday through October free guided hikes will be offered on Mount Greylock to be followed by breakfast (optional) at historic Bascom Lodge.

Meet at the Visitors Center (30 Rockwell Road, Lanesboro) at 7:30AM where Steve Linscott will start your day with a nice hike!

Hikes will be moderate to strenuous.

Breakfast at 9AM (fee for breakfast).

Call 413-499-4262 for details.

Click here for breakfast menu

 

 

Just Added! Sundays & Mondays @ Bascom Lodge.

Sunday and Monday events have been added to the schedule!


And more events will be posted throughout the season.


All events are free and open to the public.


Note that there might be different hours for each event.

 

 

 

 

Wednesday, September 8: "Movie Night"
b
Rich Remsberg returns with a fine selection of found films.

Wednesday, September 15: "The Lichen and Mosses of Berkshire County"
Presented by Scott LaGreca, PhD
Natural Science Coordinator, Berkshire Museum.
In August Scott will be a "Creative Resident" at the Lodge during which time he will study the moss and lichen of the mountain and present his findings on September 15. Such studies reveal important information about our environment.

Saturday, September 18: Painting the Landscape on the Summit of Mt. Greylock-10am-4pm

This workshop will take place on the peak of glorious Mt. Greylock at the newly renovated Bascom Lodge. 
Included will be information on how to perceive the landscape for purposes of painting:  methods of creating compositions, principles of perspective and basic watercolor techniques such as washes, gradations, color mixing, transparent layering and the sequencing of making a watercolor painting.
Individual guidance offered and individual expression encouraged.   The class will meet outdoors.  In the event of inclement weather the class will be postponed until the following day, September 19.

Cost: $99.
To register   email or phone:   paula@paulagottlieb.com    413-634-0066

 

 

Wednesday, September 22: TBA

Wednesday, October 6: "Berkshire Grown"
Barbara Zheutlin, Executive Director of Berkshire Grown, will talk about all things locally grown.
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v

 

Please Save the Date for Clean Water Action's 16th Annual benefit


vPlease join us for the 16th Annual benefit party for Clean Water Action.
When: Saturday, October 2, 2010 - 3:00 - 5:00 PM
Where: Garden in the Woods, 180 Hemenway Rd, Framingham, Massachusetts (Map)
Sponsorships and tickets are available now!  Please become a sponsor or reserve your ticket today on our website.
Help Clean Water Action lead the way to a healthy environment by making your donation to support our work to elect pro-environment candidates to office and lobby on behalf of policies to protect our water cycle, keep diesel pollution out of our air, make producers responsible for the end disposal of the products that they make, such as computers and mercury thermostats, and replace the toxic hazards in our homes, workplaces and communities with safer alternatives.

Your support is critical to our success.
If you have any questions at all, feel free to contact me at 617-338-8131 x210 or via e-mail.
Sincerely,
v
Becky Smith
Water Organizer, Diesel Coordinator, and Benefit Coordinator

Get Your Tickets

Connect

Interested in attending the fundraiser or just making a donation? You can do that on our event page.

Become a fan on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, subscribe to our YouTube channel or Shop for a Cause.

GRAPHIC: Donate button

Join us on FacebookFollow us on TwitterCheck out our YouTube channel
We-Care.com: Shop with Purpose! If you shop online you can help Clean Water Action.

Contact Us

Boston office
262 Washington Street #301 | Boston, MA, 02108 | 617-338-8131
Northampton office
160 Main Street, Suite 6 | Northampton, MA, 01060 | 413-584-9830
National Office
1010 Vermont Ave NW, Suite 1100 | Washington, DC 20005-4918 | 202.895.0420


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Global Work Party 10/10/10
From 350.org


Dear World,

It's been a tough year: in North America, oil gushing into the Gulf of Mexico; in Asia some of the highest temperatures ever recorded; in the Arctic, the fastest melting of sea ice ever seen; in Latin America, record rainfalls washing away whole mountainsides.

So we're having a party.

Circle 10/10/10 on your calendar. That's the date. The place is wherever you live. And the point is to do something that will help deal with global warming in your city or community.

We're calling it a Global Work Party, with emphasis on both 'work' and 'party'. In Auckland, New Zealand, they're having a giant bike fix-up day, to get every bicycle in the city back on the road. In the Maldives, they're putting up solar panels on the President's office. In Kampala, Uganda, they're going to plant thousands of trees, and in Bolivia they're installing solar stoves for a massive carbon neutral picnic.

Since we've already worked hard to call, email, petition, and protest to get politicians to move, and they haven't moved fast enough, now it's time to show that we really do have the tools we need to get serious about the climate crisis.

On 10/10/10 we'll show that we the people can do this--but we need bold energy policies from our political leaders to do it on a scale that truly matters.  The goal of the day is not to solve the climate crisis one project at a time, but to send a pointed political message: if we can get to work, you can get to work too--on the legislation and the treaties that will make all our work easier in the long run.

You can sign up to host a local event at www.350.org/oct10

Or search for an event to join at www.350.org/map

And don't worry about being alone at this party: there are already 1077 groups in 109 countries around the world scheduled to do something great that day. We'll knit all these groups together with a powerful mosaic of photos, videos, and stories from around the world. You wouldn't want to miss it.

It's been a tough year--but it can be a beautiful day on the 10th Of October if we work together, and party together. And if we do it right, then we'll take a big step towards the kind of political solutions we desperately need.

Onwards!

Bill McKibben and the 350.org team

P.S. If you feel a little shy, or wonder if you can really make a party work, check out these pictures from last year's Global Day of Action. There were 5200 demonstrations in 181 countries, which means an awful lot of folks like you figured out how to get it done!
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MAC will host an education exhibit and activites for children and accompanying adults at The Spencer Fair on Saturday, September 4.  The focus will be on Honeybees and Pollination.  MAC will also host an educational exhibit and activities at the Big E in Springfield on two days.  Massachusetts Day, Thursday, September 23 and Specialty Foods Day, Friday, October 1.  We are looking for volunteers to help us with both events.  Training will be provided.

Our Fall Conference for Educators focusing on Composting, Soils, School Gardening, Healthy Local Foods and Natural resources will be held in Brookline on Saturday, November 6.  Mark the date.

Debi Hogan
Massachusetts Agriculture in the Classroom
P.O. Box 345
Seekonk, MA 02771
508-336-4426
debi.hogan@earthlink.net
www.aginclassroom.org
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Forest & Stream Cleanup - 10/16

This time we will be cleaning in and around Pittsfield State Forest along Potter Mountain Road. Exact location to meet is still being decided.

Wear old clothes and expect to get dirty and wet. We will provide gloves and trash bags.

This cleanup is organized by the MA Department of Conservation and Recreation, BEAT, Berkshire Natural Resources Council, and Jiminy Peak. This will be the 5th cleanup BEAT has helped with this year.

Thank you to all the many volunteers! You are awesome!
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Tickets Now on Sale!
A Celebration of Land Conservation for the 20th Anniversary of the Massachusetts Land Trust Coalition

Join Your Friends & Colleagues for a Night of Fun & Celebration!
Friday, October 22, 2010
6:00 p.m. VIP Reception - 7:00 p.m. Celebration
Riverview Banquet Facility at the Hudson Portuguese Club
14 Port Street, Hudson, Massachusetts

Honoring these Champions of Conservation:
Jack Clarke, Buzz Constable, Don Henley, Joel Lerner, Bob Levite,
Bob O'Connor, Pamela Resor, Wes Ward, Fred Winthrop & George Wislocki
(Click here for pix & bios of our Honorees!)

Special Guest Speaker - Nationally Renowned Conservation Attorney
Steve Small

Guest Tickets $40 each - VIP Tickets $100 each*
(Buy Tickets Here - http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/122741)
Patrons $500 for Two - Sponsors $250 for Two**

Help Support the Coalition by becoming a Patron or Sponsor of this Celebration!
Sponsor and Patron tickets include a tax-deductible contribution to the Massachusetts Land Trust Coalition

Click here to learn more! - http://www.massland.org/files/MLTC_Ticket_Form.pdf
Visit MassLand.org for Details!

*Includes admission for One to VIP reception and dinner
**Includes recognition in the program book and admission for Two to the VIP Reception and dinner
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Searsburg Wind Facility Tours
Tuesday, September 21 and Tuesday, October 12
Tours are scheduled for late morning and early afternoon
Searsburg, Vermont
0615_Walt.jpg
Eleven 550-kilowatt wind turbines make up the 6-megawatt power plant that provides enough emission-free electricity to supply 1,600 average Vermont households. These are the last two tour dates for 2010. Don't miss your chance to experience an operational wind power facility up close! Registration is required. Contact Cynthia Grippaldi at 413-445-4556 ext. 25 for more information or to register.

 

 

 




South Berkshire HHW paint and oil collection events
DSC_4260.JPGSaturday, September 11
9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Lenox DPW

Saturday, September 25
9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Great Barrington Recycling Center

These collections, which are funded by the South Berkshire Household Hazardous Waste Collaborative, are for your unwanted oil based paint, stain, thinner, turpentine and used motor oil. Only residents of the following towns are eligible to participate: Alford, Becket, Egremont, Great Barrington, Lee, Lenox, Monterey, Mount Washington, New Marlboro, Otis, Richmond, Sandisfield, Sheffield, Stockbridge, Tyringham, and West Stockbridge. Registration is required. Contact Jamie Cahillane at 413-445-4556, ext. 30 or 14 to register and for information on what is accepted at these collections. (No latex paint!)


South Berkshire Household Hazardous Waste Collection
Saturday, October 2
9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Great Barrington Recycling Center

CompHHWforUpdates.jpgThis is the last big collection for 2010. Again, this collection is only for residents of towns belonging to the South Berkshire Household Hazardous Waste Collaborative. Televisions and computers are $15 and up. Propane tanks up to 20 lb. 3 free tanks per car and then $5 each. Businesses, schools and institutions are eligible to participate, for a fee. The list is long for the types of toxic goodies we'll accept at this collection, so don't miss your chance--register today and enjoy a less toxic home environment this winter! Contact Amanda Dubrowski at 413-445-4556, ext. 10 or 14 to register and for more information. No latex paint -- you can let your latex paint dry up and then you can toss it in the regular garbage.

 




BPI Certification Courses

CET is now offering BPI Building Analyst and Envelope Professional Certification classes. Classes run from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day and all of the instruction is a combination of classroom study and hands on experience in the field.

  • Building Analyst
    September 13 through 17 (5 days)
  • Envelope Professional
    September 20 through 22 (3 days)
  • Combined Building Analyst & Envelope
    October 18 through 27 (8 days)

The unprecedented funding for residential energy efficiency retrofit work and weatherization assistance programs under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) has created an urgent need for trained, qualified home performance specialists. That means BPI certified professionals are in huge demand right now. CET has the know how to get you certified. Learn more about the trainings as well as why to get certified and why; and meet our trainers. Call 413-586-7350 ext. 236 to register or to learn more and you can also send email to training@cetonline.org.



1003_Vreeland_EcoBytes.jpg
Massachusetts Energy Codes Trainings
For Building Code Officials, Builders, Architects, HVAC Professionals, Home Inspectors and any other professionals affected by code changes.

We're excited to announce that classes will be offered again this fall! Please check back for dates and locations. For more information send email to training@cetonline.org or call 800-369-3333 ext. 301.

 




Mark your calendar...
0853_MoomawShed_sideangle_Web.jpgGreen Buildings Open House Tour Events
Friday, October 1
Saturday, October 2
10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Berkshire County

More details are coming soon! For more information on the 2010 Green Buildings Open House Tour contact Cynthia Grippaldi at 413-445-4556 ext. 25.
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The Sixth Annual Connecting for Change: A Bioneers by the Bay Conference presented by the Marion Institute, in the historic Downtown of New Bedford, MA, on October 21-24, 2010, is an internationally acclaimed annual gathering of environmental, industry and social justice innovators who have demonstrated visionary and practical models for restoring the Earth and its inhabitants.

Over 2,000 students, teachers, green business innovators, scientists, grassroots leaders and everyday folks from across the East Coast will gather to embrace, share, brainstorm, network, heal, learn, teach, celebrate, recharge and connect for change. We will roll up our sleeves and harvest tangible, practical solutions to the specific challenges we face here in the Northeast and the world at-large.

We have planned a rather remarkable three days of live keynote presentations, afternoon workshops, a inclusive family program, an extensive Youth Initiative program, a downlink of the 21st Annual Bioneers Conference in California, an exhibition hall featuring sustainable businesses and organizations, a community action center, films, music, art installations, a farmers’ market and local & organic food.

REGISTER NOW at: 
http://www.marioninstitute.org/connecting-for-change/register

For more information, visit:
http://www.marioninstitute.org/connecting-for-change
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SAVE THE DATE for the Seventh Annual WRLF PIE CONTEST at SHEEP HILL

Calling all Pie Bakers!  Do you have a famous family recipe for pie?  On Saturday, October 23rd the Williamstown Rural Lands Foundation (WRLF) will hold their Seventh Annual Pie Contest at Sheep Hill in Williamstown to celebrate the harvest season and the wide array of locally grown and produced ingredients.   A panel of distinguished pie aficionados will judge pies in three categories:  Adults Fruit/Produce or Nut/Cream, and a separate Youth category for our younger bakers (16 and under).  Look for entry forms in early September at Sheep Hill, the Milne Public Library, and Wild Oats Market, and more details on the WRLF website at www.wrlf.org.   The evening will also feature a cooking demo, craft projects for kids, and an easy Full Moon hike around the property if the weather is clear.

For more information, call WRLF at 458-2494, or email ruraland@wrlf.org.

Leslie Reed-Evans
Executive Director
Williamstown Rural Lands Foundation
Sheep Hill
671 Cold Spring Road
Williamstown, MA  01267

lre@wrlf.org  www.wrlf.org
413-458-2494
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2010 Northeast Wildlife Trackers Conference - 10/30

The 2010 Northeast Wildlife Trackers Conference will take place on October 30th, once again at the Doyle Conservation Center in Leominster, MA. Visit our website for more details.

9:30 AM to 3:30 PM -  9:00 AM sign-in
$30 per person
- registration required
Doyle Conservation Center, Leominster, MA

KEYNOTE SPEAKER: Susan Morse from Keeping Track®

Plus presentations on a wide variety of wildlife topics:

  • Find out how fellow trackers have been using wildlife tracking in their work
  • Renew friendships and share your experiences
  • See exhibits about other tracking-related resources 

Please bring your own bag lunch. Coffee and bagels at sign-in. Drinks and snacks provided.
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It Takes A Region - 2010: A Conference to Build our Northeast Food System
http://www.ittakesaregion.org/

What:
The 18th conference and annual meeting of the Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Working Group (NESAWG)

When:
November 12-13, 2010 with pre-conference trainings, November 11
 
Where:
Desmond Hotel and Conference Center, Albany, NY
 
Who:
Food system advocates, policymakers, planners, researchers, Extension and other educators, farm groups and support organizations, food supply chain businesses, consumer groups, youth, students and young food system professionals.
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The global financial system has failed us in its promise, resulting in an environment and society in crisis.  A movement for a new economics, one that supports people and the planet, is emerging as an inevitable response.

The Thirtieth Annual E. F. Schumacher Lectures will introduce three leading voices for a New Economics:

Gus Speth, prominent environmentalist who has been at the forefront of rethinking the connection between health of the environment and the nature of our economic system;

Neva Goodwin, pioneer of contextual economics at the Global Development and Environment Institute at Tufts University and an advocate for a new economics curriculum readying a younger generation to shape a sustainable future; and

Stewart Wallis, executive director of the influential New Economics Foundation of London that has led policy creation and public campaigns to successfully affect change in economic behavior.

November 20th, 10AM to 5PM, at Community Church of New York, 40 East 35th Street, New York City.  Tickets are $65. Registration is through the New York Open Center: www.opencenter.org

Events of the past few years have helped create a broad shift in our thinking about economics.  The Thirtieth Annual E. F. Schumacher Lectures are presented in recognition of this movement and in celebration of the many organizations and businesses working to develop the theory and practice of a new economics. 

In "Memoirs of a Revolutionist," Peter Kropotkin characterizes the making of a successful revolution:

"Socialist papers have often a tendency to become mere annals of complaint about existing conditions. The oppression of the laborers in the mine, the factory, and the field is related; the misery and sufferings of the workers during strikes are told in vivid pictures; their helplessness in the struggle against employers is insisted upon: and this succession of hopeless efforts, related in the paper, exercises a most depressing influence upon the reader. To counterbalance that effect, the editor had to rely chiefly upon burning words by means of which he tries to inspire his readers with energy and faith. I thought, on the contrary, that a revolutionary paper must be, above all, a record of those symptoms which everywhere announce the coming of a new era, the germination of new forms of social life, the growing revolt against antiquated institutions. These symptoms should be
watched, brought together in their intimate connection, and so grouped as to show to the hesitating minds of the greater number the invisible and often unconscious support which advanced ideas find everywhere, when a revival of thought takes place in society. To make one feel sympathy with the throbbing of the human heart all over the world, with its revolt against age-long injustice, with its attempts at working out new forms of life, -- this should be the chief duty of a revolutionary paper. It is hope, not despair, which makes successful revolutions."

We take Kropotkin's admonitions to heart as the E. F. Schumacher Society completes its metamorphosis into the New Economics Institute.  Our thanks to our members who share our vision of a just, sustainable, and regionally scaled economics and who are supporting us in this transition.

 Tax-deductible donations can be made at:

http://neweconomicsinstitute.org/support_us

or send a check to the New Economics Institute, 140 Jug End Road, Great
Barrington, MA 01230.

Best wishes,

Susan Witt, Stefan Apse, Joshua Moses, and Kenneth Monroe,
Staff of New Economics Institute
neweconomicsinstitute.org

Board of Directors: Gar Alperovitz, Jessica Brackman, Eric Harris-Braun, John Fullerton, Neva Goodwin, Hildegarde Hannum, Dan Levinson, Richard Norgaard, David Orr,  Constance Packard, Will Raap, Gus Speth, Peter Victor, and Stewart Wallis.

Advisory Board: Peter Barnes, Merrian Fuller, Bill McKibben, Otto Scharmer, Doug Tompkins, and Robert Wade.
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BARTHOLOMEW’S COBBLE UPCOMING PROGRAMS  
Weatogue Road, Ashley Falls, Sheffield
A property of The Trustees of Reservations
http://www.thetrustees.org/places-to-visit/berkshires/bartholomews-cobble.html

Monday September 6, 9am-12noon
Labor Day Canoe Trip
Enjoy the Labor Day holiday with a guided leisurely paddle along the Housatonic River down to the Konkapot River and back. All equipment provided. Adults $30. Children $15. Members $24/$10. Please pre-register to 413.229.8600. 

Saturday September 18, 5-7pm  (rain date next day)
Sunset Serenade
Enjoy an evening of outdoor Bagpipe music with Don Worth and the best sunset view in the Berkshires. Bring a picnic, chair or blanket to throw in the truck and hike up the hill. Adults $10. Children FREE. Reduced price for members. Please pre-register to 413.229.8600. 

Saturday & Sundays thru Oct 10  10am-4pm
Ashley House Stories of Freedom
Next door to the Cobble, visit the oldest house in the Berkshires, a site on the African American Heritage Trail. Hear two very different stories of freedom about Colonel John Ashley and Elizabeth Freeman. Hourly guided tours. Adult $6. Children & Trustees members FREE. 

Wednesdays, 8:30-9:30am
Wednesday Wellness Walks
Meditative walking and social time led by Margo and Lawrence Davis-Hollander. Free. Learn more at www.coachingvision.info.

Thursdays, thru October, 9am-12noon
Thursday Eco-Volunteers
Help maintain the biodiversity that the Cobble is famous for. Please call for information 413.229.8600.

Sunday September 26, 9am-12noon
Sunday October 3, 9am-12noon
Fall Foliage Canoe Trips
Paddle a gentle section of the Housatonic River watching for hawks and bald eagles with a naturalist guide. All equipment provided. Adult $30; Child $15. Members $24/$10. Please pre-register to 413.229.8600.

Monday October 11, 9am-12noon
Columbus Day Canoe Trip
Join a naturalist guide for the last canoe trip of the year, taking in the scenic Housatonic River. Adults $30. Children $15. Members $24/$10. Please pre-register to 413.229.8600. 

Friday, November 26, 7pm-9pm
Annual Owl Prowl
Learn how owls hunt swiftly and silently in the dead of night. We’ll listen to the calls of several species and try to draw them in. Individual $6. Family $15. Members $4/$12.  Please pre-register to 413.229.8600. 

Details & directions at www.thetrustees.org

Bartholomew’s Cobble is a 329 acre nature preserve with 5 miles of scenic trails and a nature museum, open daily 9am-4:30pm. Located on Weatogue Road in Ashley Falls, Sheffield, not far from routes 7 & 7A. A property of The Trustees of Reservations – Join as a member or volunteer today!

Tammis Coffin
Education & Outreach Coordinator
The Trustees of Reservations | Berkshires Office
P.O. Box 792 | 1 Sergeant Street | Stockbridge, MA 01262
(413) 298-3239 x3003
www.thetrustees.org
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Save the Date
Good Jobs Green Jobs Conference
February 8-10, 2011

Join us February 8-10, 2011, for the fourth Good Jobs, Green Jobs National Conference at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel in Washington, D.C.

The 2010 Good Jobs, Green Jobs Conference brought together more than 3,000 people for two days of high-profile speakers including Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senators John Kerry and Jeff Merkley, Labor Secretary Solis, Energy Secretary Chu, Governors Rendell and Ritter, and corporate, environmental and labor leaders from around the country.

The 2010 Conference also featured more than 100 workshops ranging in topic from green manufacturing to growth strategies for energy-efficiency industries, local economic development partnerships, and building markets for clean energy products through regulation and procurement.

Mark your calendars for the 2011 Good Jobs, Green Jobs National Conference, February 8-10, in Washington, D.C.

For more information, and to keep updated on this important event, visit www.greenjobsconference.org.

BlueGreen Alliance Foundation • 2828 University Ave SE • Minneapolis, MN • www.greenjobsconference.org
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Green Drinks-Great Barrington is a regular meetup of folks interested in green issues, always on the first Wednesday of each month starting at 5:15 pm, and is hosted by The Orion Society. There are Green Drinks chapters in Pittsfield and Northampton, too. Contact Erik Hoffner for details.

Wednesday 10/6 , 11/3 , 12/1
5:15 to 7:30 p.m.
Route 7 Grille

The next Great Barrington Green Drinks is Wednesday August 4th at Route 7 Grill, from 5:15 on, hosted by the staff of Orion magazine.

What exactly is Green Drinks? It's a monthly social event hosted by the folks who publish Orion magazine for people like you interested in everything from environmental education to local agriculture, the arts, green business & design, and the ways all of these intersect.

So grab a friend and bring them down to share what you're working on and meet others active in the community.

Please forward this on to your email friends and Facebook contacts...
Best wishes,

Erik Hoffner
Orion magazine
Orion Grassroots Network
413.528.4422
http://www.orionmagazine.org
http://www.oriongrassroots.org

The Orion Grassroots Network provides services and support to grassroots organizations engaged in ecological, social, and cultural change.
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Greenfield Green Drinks

Green Drinks gathering in Greenfield on 10/6, 11/3, 12/1- at Mesa Verdre.

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

No agendas, fees, or RSVP's required - (RSVP nice so we can tell the sites what to expect)

Why:   Because it's a high priority to have regular opportunities for good ol' fashioned face to face conversation on questions such as:

  • 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?

      Feel free to invite others to come with you and join the conversation. Sceptics welcome!

When:  Always FIRST WEDNESDAYS ~5:30 - 7:30pm, starting later in the winter

Where:  Places selected by the group
for the next event see http://www.earththrives.com/calendar.html

I am pleased to announce the EarthThrives.com will be sponsoring the gathering going forward.

If you'd please, RSVP if you think you might come so I can properly advise the folks
at Mesa Verdre what to expect.

Rich Roth,
CEO EarthThrives.com
Your place to find news and activities,
Green and Sustainable in the Pioneer Valley
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Northampton Green Drinks

Come join other environmentalists for an informal get-together for networking and fun on the second Wednesday of each month
Wednesday 9/8, 10/13, 11/10, 12/8
5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Northampton Brewery

Hi all - Green Drinks Northampton is Wednesday from 5:30 to 7:30 at the Northampton Brewery.

Warm weather is finally here - we'll be outside on the deck! (if the weather cooperates of course)

Look for the Green Drinks table tents or ask a hostess to point us out.  When you arrive, please grab a nametag.

Based on your feedback, we will no longer be collecting $5 from you, and people can just order food and drink on their own or in groups as they like.

If you are new to Green Drinks or have not been in a while, ask for Rich or Kirsten and we'll introduce you to a bunch of people!

We are taking over running the group from Pam and John, We're excited to be part of "Green Night at the Brewery" each second Wednesday of the month.  The related group Western Mass Green Consortium will be on break until the fall (their meeting is normally at 4)

Come to the Brewery each second Wednesday of the month and tap into the area's green scene and some quality brews at a business that is taking the lead in greening its own operations too.

Please forward this email to all of your friends and colleagues - it's the best way to spread the word!

Thanks!
John

Visit this group at
http://groups.google.com/group/greendrinksnorthamptonma?hl=en

Check us out on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=100989691931#

John Majercak
Associate Director
Center for Ecological Technology (CET)
ReStore Home Improvement Center
26 Market Street, Northampton, MA 01060
johnm@cetonline.org / 413-586-7350 ext. 28
Visit www.cetonline.org / www.restoreonline.org
Support our work
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Pittsfield Green Drinks

Pittsfield Green Drinks - gathering of people interested in conservation and environmental issues - all welcome

Co-sponsored by Berkshire Environmental Action Team (BEAT) & the Center for Ecological Technology (CET)

Tuesday 9/21, 10/19, 11/16, 12/21
starting at 5:15 pm

Pittsfield Green Drinks is a very informal gathering, open to everyone with any environmental interest. The drinks aren't green, but our conversations are.

Every month, on the third Tuesday, beginning at 5:15 pm we gather for "Green Drinks". This month's Pittsfield Green Drinks will be at Mission Bar and Tapas, 438 North St., Pittsfield. Come talk about the environmental issues you are interested in and hear about what others are doing to try to save the world.

Green Drinks in Pittsfield is co- sponsored by the Center for Ecological Technology (CET) and the Berkshire Environmental Action Team (BEAT).

What is Green Drinks? Green Drinks is an international forum where people who work in the environmental field meet for a beer and snacks at informal sessions. There will be a lively mix of people from Non-profit organizations, academia, government and business.
Green Drinks is a great way of catching up with people you know and for making new contacts. These networking events are very simple and unstructured. Come along and you'll be made welcome.

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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Athol Bird & Nature Club Field Trips & Meetings 2010

Unless otherwise noted, programs meet at
the Millers River Environmental Center, 100 Main Street, Athol.

Sunday, September 5, 7 a.m.              “Early Bird” Birding with Jeff
Join Jeff as he explores the North Quabbin area for spring migrant birds. Come for as long as your schedule allows. Meet at the Center, 100 Main St., Athol. Severe weather cancels. Info: Jeff Johnstone, 978-249-9052.

Wednesday, September 8, 7 p.m.  DCR Gull Study
Why do we see gulls so far inland? This monthly meeting at the Center (100 Main St., Athol) will address that question when Ken MacKenzie and Dan Clark discuss the Department of Conservation and Recreation’s Gull Study – research into ring-bill, herring and black-back gulls in Massachusetts, including their movements, feeding and use of public water supplies. Ken is a senior wildlife biologist and Dan is the Director of Natural Resources for DCR. 

Saturday, September 11, 1-2 p.m.                       Monarch Mania!
Join educator Rachel Roberts at the Center, 100 Main St., Athol, for a program exploring the complete life cycle of butterflies with emphasis on the monarchs who will be migrating through our area at the time. FREE and geared towards families with young children. This program is supported in part by a grant from the Athol Cultural Council, a local agency supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency. To register or for more info, contact Rachel at robertsrml@verizon.net or 413-774-7290.

Sunday September 12, 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m.            Exploring Tully Mountain
Allen Young, author of North of Quabbin Revisited and other books of local interest, will lead us on a loop trail exploring the mountain, part of ABNC’s celebration of Orange 2010. Meet at the parking area near 98 Mountain Rd. Bring a bag lunch to enjoy on the summit. Info: Allen Young, 978-249-7612.

Tuesday, September 14, 8-10 a.m.                     Accessible Birding with Joe
Join Joe Superchi on the second Tuesday of the month visiting local sites. Open to birders of all abilities. Meet at the Center, 100 Main St., Athol. Call ahead for wheelchair van access, 978-248-9491.

Sunday, September 19, 7 a.m.              “Early Bird” Birding with Jeff
Join Jeff as he explores the North Quabbin area for spring migrant birds. Come for as long as your schedule allows. Meet at the Center, 100 Main St., Athol. Severe weather cancels. Info: Jeff Johnstone, 978-249-9052.

Sunday, September 26, 7 a.m.              “Early Bird” Birding with Jeff
Join Jeff as he explores the North Quabbin area for spring migrant birds. Come for as long as your schedule allows. Meet at the Center, 100 Main St., Athol. Severe weather cancels. Info: Jeff Johnstone, 978-249-9052.

Sunday, October 3, 7:30 a.m.                     “Early Bird” Birding with Jeff
Join Jeff as he explores the North Quabbin area for spring migrant birds. Come for as long as your schedule allows. Meet at the Center, 100 Main St., Athol. Severe weather cancels. Info: Jeff Johnstone, 978-249-9052.

Saturday & Sunday, October 2 & 3, 11 a.m.            The Chestnut Story
Meet at the headquarters booth at the Garlic & Arts Festival, for a short hike in the Fittz Family Forest to learn about the glory days of the chestnut, its tragic demise, and the promise of the future. Guides for this event, part of ABNC’s celebration of Orange 2010, will be Lula Field and Christine Beckert Long. Those who wish can continue the hike to an overlook with a magnificent view of Orange’s Chestnut Hill, led by Daniel Bolton. For directions to the festival, visit the website: www.garlicandarts.org. Info: Chris Long, 978-249-0246 or christyblue@juno.com. Co-sponsored by New England Forestry Foundation and North Quabbin Woods.

Sunday, October 10, 7:30 a.m.                     “Early Bird” Birding with Jeff
Join Jeff as he explores the North Quabbin area for spring migrant birds. Come for as long as your schedule allows. Meet at the Center, 100 Main St., Athol. Severe weather cancels. Info: Jeff Johnstone, 978-249-9052.

Tuesday, October 12, 8-10 a.m.                        Accessible Birding with Joe
Join Joe Superchi on the second Tuesday of the month visiting local sites. Open to birders of all abilities. Meet at the Center, 100 Main St., Athol. Call ahead for wheelchair van access, 978-248-9491.

***Wednesday, October 13, 7 p.m.            Weasels
This regular monthly meeting at the Center (100 Main St., Athol) features Laura Hajduk  //
Laura Hajduk is currently the Furbearer and Black Bear Project Leader for the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, but her first love is weasels – she earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Illinois, where she studied space and habitat use of long-tailed weasels. 

Sunday, October 17, 7:30 a.m.                     “Early Bird” Birding with Jeff
Join Jeff as he explores the North Quabbin area for spring migrant birds. Come for as long as your schedule allows. Meet at the Center, 100 Main St., Athol. Severe weather cancels. Info: Jeff Johnstone, 978-249-9052.

Sunday, October 24, 7:30 a.m.                     “Early Bird” Birding with Jeff
Join Jeff as he explores the North Quabbin area for spring migrant birds. Come for as long as your schedule allows. Meet at the Center, 100 Main St., Athol. Severe weather cancels. Info: Jeff Johnstone, 978-249-9052.

Sunday, October 31, 7:30 a.m.                     “Early Bird” Birding with Jeff
Join Jeff as he explores the North Quabbin area for spring migrant birds. Come for as long as your schedule allows. Meet at the Center, 100 Main St., Athol. Severe weather cancels. Info: Jeff Johnstone, 978-249-9052.

Tuesday, November 9, 8-10 a.m.                     Accessible Birding with Joe
Join Joe Superchi on the second Tuesday of the month visiting local sites. Open to birders of all abilities. Meet at the Center, 100 Main St., Athol. Call ahead for wheelchair van access, 978-248-9491.

***Wednesday, November 10, 7 p.m.            Birding Thailand
Join us at 6 p.m. in Liberty Hall at the Athol Town Hall (584 Main St.) for our annual dinner meeting (members $10, non-members $12) and at 7 p.m. for a free, colorful trip to Thailand. A veterinarian in South Hadley, Bill Benner has traveled extensively over the years, birding in 45 of the 50 states as well as overseas. Birds and butterflies are the main focus for his photography – he is the current president of the Massachusetts Butterfly Club.
Reservations are required for the dinner; please respond to Cindy Hartwell at 978-544-5783 or cindyhartwell56@gmail.com by Sunday, November 7. No reservations are necessary for the program. The event will also feature an always popular Chinese auction; participants are encouraged to bring an item to donate for the auction.

Saturday, November 13, 9:30 a.m.-noon    Hiking Chestnut Hill
Dan Bolton will lead a hike on the beautiful Chestnut Hill Trail in Orange, part of the Orange 2010 celebration. Meet at Mattawa Four Corners (the corner of Holtshire and Chestnut Hill Roads.) Info: Dan Bolton, 978-249-2162. Co-sponsored with Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust.

Wednesday, December 8, 7 PM            Members’ Night at the Center
Come to the Center, 100 Main St., Athol, to share your experiences, trips and photographs with other members.  Plan for about 10-15 minutes, so we’ll have time for everyone!

Tuesday, December 14, 8-10 a.m.                     Accessible Birding with Joe
Join Joe Superchi on the second Tuesday of the month visiting local sites. Open to birders of all abilities. Meet at the Center, 100 Main St., Athol. Call ahead for wheelchair van access, 978-248-9491.

Saturday, December 18, all day             Christmas Bird Count
Join this "Citizen Science" project, the longest continuously running bird data in the area. Contact Dave Small for additional information and to participate in this nationwide annual event: 978-413-1772 or dave@dhsmall.net.

New Download and print the entire ABNC events list, visit:
http://www.millersriver.net/events/eventpics/Events2010-09.pdf

Dave Small
Athol, Massachusetts
dave@dhsmall.net
978-413-1772
http://dhsmall.blogspot.com/ 
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2009–2010 Hoffmann Bird Club Schedule

The Hoffmann Bird Club is Berkshire County’s premier ornithological organization. It was established in 1940 with a mission of promoting the study of birds in the county. The club was founded under the auspices of the Berkshire Museum and was named in honor of Ralph Hoffmann, a naturalist born in Berkshire County.

Meetings: are held at Berkshire Life Insurance, 700 South St., Pittsfield  01201 (499-4321), or at Pleasant Valley Sanctuary, 427 W. Mountain Rd., Lenox  01240 (637-0320). Consult the schedule for specific dates and locations. Most meetings begin at 7:00PM and are open at no charge to everyone interested in birds. Come enjoy the scheduled program and light refreshments.

Field Trips: Times listed are departure times; please arrive a few minutes early to meet the leader(s) and carpool when possible. When carpooling, participants are expected to contribute towards gas expenses. Local trips generally last until lunch, unless otherwise noted. For out-of-town trips, you must confirm with the Trip Leader in advance. Participants under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.  Dress for the weather, wear proper footwear, and bring binoculars (if you have them).  Call the Trip Leader if you have questions. Trips described as “TBA” will be announced on the club hotline.  It’s always a good idea to contact the Trip Leader to let her/him know you are coming.

Note: Unless otherwise noted, all telephone numbers are in area code 413

Click here for Hoffmann Bird Club's full 2010-2011 brochure(.doc) or (pdf)

Click here for the Hoffmann Bird Club's website.
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