The Beat News April 28, 2011

DCR WESTERN TRAILS COORDINATOR HONORED IN WASHINGTON, D.C.

BOSTON – The Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) announced today that Rebecca Barnes, DCR’s Western Region Trails Coordinator, has been honored by the Appalachian Trail Conservancy in Washington, D.C., for her commitment to the Appalachian Trail Community Program. The Conservancy has given Barnes the Appalachian Trail Conservancy Community Partner Award.

The Appalachian Trail Conservancy works with multiple state and federal agencies and more than 30 other partnering organizations in 14 states to protect and support the 2,181-mile Appalachian Trail that runs between Georgia and Maine. Barnes has been with DCR and its predecessor agency, the Department of Environmental Management, since 1982. She is responsible for overseeing the trail as it passes through Massachusetts, as well as 800 miles of other trails that traverse many of the largest and most remote DCR properties in the western part of the state.

“We are very proud of Becky,” said DCR Commissioner Ed Lambert. “Every day, she demonstrates her passion for the natural and recreational resources in her care and her remarkable commitment to public service.”

“The Conservancy is recognizing Rebecca for her outstanding commitment to the Appalachian Trail Community Program,” said Hawk Metheney, regional director for the Conservancy.

The Appalachian Trail Conservancy also supports communities along the trail that are taking steps to ensure the protection of their natural, cultural, and recreational resources, including the Appalachian Trail. Great Barrington is among those communities.

“Rebecca has been an indispensable partner in our efforts to connect the trail to the Great Barrington community, and our community to the Appalachian Trail and other southern Berkshire trails,” said Christine Ward of Great Barrington’s Trail Committee.

In 2006, the Appalachian Trail’s New England Regional Partnership Committee named Barnes the Agency Partner of the Year in recognition of her exceptional contribution to the protection and enhancement of the Appalachian Trail.

“Today, so much of our work involves partnerships to protect and enhance our park resources,” said Priscilla Geigis, DCR’s state parks director. “Becky has a remarkable talent for working with a wide range of partners to improve resource protection and public recreation opportunities.”

The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), an agency of the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, oversees 450,000 acres of parks and forests, beaches, bike trails, watersheds, dams, and parkways. Led by Commissioner Edward M. Lambert Jr., the agency’s mission is to protect, promote, and enhance our common wealth of natural, cultural, and recreational resources. To learn more about DCR, our facilities, and our programs, please visit www.mass.gov/dcr. Contact us at [email protected].
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Clean Water Act Guidance Open for Public Comment

WASHINGTON – Recognizing the importance of clean water and healthy watersheds to our economy, environment and communities, the Obama administration released a national clean water framework today that showcases its comprehensive commitment to protecting the health of America’s waters. The framework emphasizes the importance of partnerships and coordination with states, local communities, stakeholders and the public to protect public health and water quality, and promote the nation’s energy and economic security.

For nearly 40 years, the Clean Water Act, along with other important federal measures, has been a cornerstone of our effort to ensure that Americans have clean and healthy waters.  The administration’s framework outlines a series of actions underway and planned across federal agencies to ensure the integrity of the waters Americans rely on every day for drinking, swimming, and fishing, and that support farming, recreation, tourism and economic growth.   It includes draft federal guidance to clarify which waters are protected by the Clean Water Act nationwide; innovative partnerships and programs to improve water quality and water efficiency; and initiatives to revitalize communities and economies by restoring rivers and critical watersheds.

Clean water provides critical health, economic and livability benefits to American communities. Since 1972, the Clean Water Act has kept billions of pounds of pollution out of American waters, doubling the number of waters that meet safety standards for swimming and fishing.  Despite the dramatic progress in restoring the health of the nation’s waters, an estimated one-third of American waters still do not meet the swimmable and fishable standards of the Clean Water Act.  Additionally, new pollution and development challenges threaten to erode our gains, and demand innovative and strong action in partnership with federal agencies, states, and the public to ensure clean and healthy water for American families, businesses, and communities.

The Obama administration is safeguarding clean water by:

Updating the Nation’s Water Policies
The administration is strengthening protection of America’s waters and American communities.  We are modernizing water resources guidelines, and updating federal guidance (pdf) on where the Clean Water Act applies nationwide.  The draft guidance will protect waters that many communities depend upon for drinking, swimming, and fishing, and provide clearer, more predictable guidelines for determining which water bodies are protected from pollution under the Clean Water Act. The guidance (pdf) is open for 60 days of public comment to all allow all stakeholders to provide input and feedback before it is finalized.

Promoting Innovative Partnerships
Federal agencies are partnering with states, tribes, local governments and diverse stakeholders on innovative approaches to restore urban waters, promote sustainable water supplies, and develop new incentives for farmers to protect clean water.

Enhancing Communities and Economies by Restoring Important Water Bodies
The Obama administration is dedicating unprecedented attention to restoring iconic places like the Chesapeake Bay, California Bay-Delta, Great Lakes, Gulf of Mexico and Everglades, investing in action and helping states, local governments and stakeholders find pollution control solutions that are tailored to their specific needs.

Innovating for More Water Efficient Communities
The administration is working with policymakers, consumers, farmers and businesses to save water – and save money – through 21st century water management policies and technology.

Ensuring Clean Water to Protect Public Health
The Obama administration is aggressively pursuing new ways to protect public health by reducing contaminants in Americans’ drinking water.  We are updating drinking water standards, protecting drinking water sources, modernizing the tools available to communities to meet their clean water requirements, and providing affordable clean water services in rural communities.

Enhancing Use and Enjoyment of our Waters
The administration is promoting stewardship of America’s waters through innovative programs and partnerships.  These efforts include expanding access to waterways for recreation, protecting rural landscapes, and promoting public access to private lands for hunting, fishing and other recreational activities.

Supporting Science to Solve Water Problems
The administration is using the latest science and research to improve water policies and programs and identify and address emerging pollution challenges.

More information and to read the Obama administration’s clean water framework:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/ceq/initiatives/clean-water
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Happy Spring, from BCAC Community Garden Project
BCAC Community Garden Project is one of several, exciting veggie-centric initiatives in the area.  Our gardens serve neighbors and pantries in food insecure communities, where we share knowledge about growing food, healthy cooking & eating, caring for the environment, and the power of civic engagement. We seek to build capacity among residents to produce food and strengthen community.

This year our gardens are located at 148 Robbins Ave and at Conte Community School in Pittsfield, MA, where we’re offering free, educational and volunteer opportunities to neighbors of all ages.

We’d love your participation, whether to swing by the garden during open hours or to get your hands dirty at an event.  View our volunteer blog or Facebook page for more info. For the greener of thumbs among you – with garden materials galore – please help us whittle down our wishlist  (also attached as pdf).

Becky Rushford
BCAC Community Garden Project
Robbins Ave Garden
Conte School Garden
[email protected]
ph. /fax 413-442-2199

We welcome your participation in the Conte Community School clean-up and garden dedication, Monday, May 13th, 12-2 p.m. Bring gloves, a potato rake and / or a trowel and a plant, and join us at 200 West Union St. to clean the school grounds and get our green thumb prints all over the Conte Garden.
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BERKSHIRE GROWN TAKES A WALK ON THE WILD SIDE WITH
FARMED + FORAGED: A WEEKEND OF SPRING FLAVORS
 MAY 20 THROUGH MAY 22

GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. (April 23, 2011) – In celebration of the spring season, Berkshire Grown will host Farmed + Foraged: A Weekend of Spring Flavors, a culinary celebration of farmed and foraged seasonal foods at area restaurants from Friday, May 20 through Sunday, May 22. The event, now in its third year, will be further enhanced by expert-led foraging walks in the Berkshires throughout the month of May.

Farmed + Foraged: A Weekend of Spring Flavors will feature Berkshire Grown restaurants that have made a commitment to sustainably source wild and local edibles from area forests, fields and farms at the start of the growing season, which is a challenge for chefs in the Northeast. This year with considerable participation from members, Berkshire Grown will feature more than two dozen restaurants throughout the region.

Participants will offer an array of prix fixe menus and a la carte selections to celebrate this farm-to-table dining event. Menus will feature wild edibles, locally grown produce, Berkshire artisan cheeses, heritage breed meats, locally made bread and chocolate, and Berkshire-crafted beer and spirits. Dates of participation, menu and a la carte offerings and pricing will vary at each location.

In partnership with Berkshire Grown’s Farmed + Foraged event, Berkshire Farm & Table, an organization bringing Berkshire food culture to the forefront of the sustainable food movement, will present “Where the Wild Things Are” – eight wild food walks lead by experienced and passionate instructors who will focus on sustainable harvesting techniques, recipes and the history of foraging in the Berkshires. Community members can learn about edible and medicinal wild plants and mushrooms, nature and ecology through educational walks in the local landscape with expert foragers. For more information, visit www.berkshirefarmandtable.com/wildthings.

“We’re excited to see so many restaurants participating in this year’s Farmed + Foraged event,” said Barbara Zheutlin, executive director of Berkshire Grown. “This is an opportunity for community members to celebrate spring by supporting our local restaurants and farms and tasting some wild edibles they’ve been hearing about but may not have tried before.”

Participating restaurants include Allium Restaurant + Bar, Baba Louie’s, Berkshire Co-op Market, Café ADAM, Café Lucia, Chez Nous, Dreamaway Lodge, Firefly, Gramercy [email protected] MoCA, Guido’s Fresh Marketplace, Haven Café & Bakery, Inn at Sweet Water Farm, John Andrews: A Farmhouse Restaurant, La Terrazza at Gateways Inn, Mezze Bistro + Bar, Mission Bar + Tapas, Nudel, The Old Inn on the Green, Perigee, Pronto Cooking School, The Red Lion Inn, Route 7 Grill, The Stagecoach Tavern, Wild Oats Market and The Williams Inn. (A more detailed listing of participants, locations and contact phone numbers are included below.)

“We encourage everyone to dine out and try delicious dishes highlighting the local harvest. Although our crops are limited at this time of year, the fiddleheads and ramps and meats, mushrooms, cheeses, maple syrup and breads make for an exceptional meal, especially when prepared by our region’s extraordinarily talented chefs,” said Zheutlin. “Berkshire Grown member restaurants are committed to ‘buying locally grown food;’ don’t miss out on the fun Farmed + Foraged weekend!”

To support Berkshire Grown, Baba Louie’s, Berkshire Co-op, Guido’s Fresh Marketplace, Mezze Restaurant Group, The Red Lion Inn, Route 7 Grill and Slow Food of Western Massachusetts are official sponsors of the Farmed + Foraged event.

SPOTLIGHT ON FARMED + FORAGED PARTICIPANTS

The Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge will present a special Farmed + Foraged three-course dinner menu crafted from foraged items, local dairy, eggs, greens and locally sourced meats. Dinner will feature a first course of Smoked McEnroe Organic Tomato Soup with Bacon on the Side Bacon, Foraged Ramps and Equinox Farm Arugula or McEnroe Organic Asparagus with Sunny Side-Up Graceful Acre Bantam Egg and Shaved Berle Farm Bovinaburg. The second course will include Braised Bacon on the Side Pork and Ramp Ragu with Zehr Farm Mushrooms and Scape Sprouts or Lila’s Spicy Lamb Meatballs served with Minted Old Chatham Sheep’s Milk Yogurt and Spring Herbs. Dessert will feature Barrington Coffee Roasters Crème Brulee with Salted Caramel Biscotti and High Lawn Farm Cream or Ronnybrook Farm Vanilla Ice Cream and Ioka Valley Farm Maple Syrup Redux. The prix fixe meal is priced at $45 per person (not including tax or gratuity). Berkshire Grown will receive a contribution of $15 from each prix fixe dinner sold. In addition, several Farmed + Foraged items will be available a la carte. As has been the tradition for many years, The Red Lion Inn features sustainable dinner specials on Sundays and Mondays and a daily sustainable breakfast.

The Route 7 Grill in Great Barrington will feature a three-course Farmed + Foraged menu including House-made Local Ricotta Gnocchi with Asparagus, Zehr Farm Shiitakes, Pine Nuts and House-made Milk House Farm Bacon followed by Whey-braised Milk House Farm Pork Loin with Young Spring Carrots from Indian Line Farm and Rawson Brook Chevre Cheesecake. The dinner is $35 per person or $47 with wine or beer pairings.
Mezze Restaurant Group will spotlight locally grown items with Farmed + Foraged prix fixe menus at Allium Restaurant + Bar in Great Barrington and Mezze Bistro + Bar in Williamstown. The restaurants will feature foraged edibles including spring ramps, nettles and the first of spring greens from local farms.

Baba Louie’s Sourdough Pizza in Great Barrington and Pittsfield will feature Equinox Farm Arugula Salad with Prosciutto, Campari Cantaloupe Caviar and Cricket Creek Farm Cheddar Profiteroles plus a special White Queen Pizza with Fresh Mozzarella, Pickled Ramps, Braised Chicken, Roasted Shallots and Parmesan, drizzled with Ramp Pesto.

Guido’s Fresh Marketplace will spotlight free samples of Farmed + Foraged-inspired dishes from the Guido’s Kitchen at both Pittsfield and Great Barrington locations on Friday, May 20 from 1 pm to 6 pm. In both store locations, customers can shop for the freshest local farmed and foraged edibles to try out recipes of local seasonal foods in their own kitchens. Guido’s will also present their Renovation Celebration on May 19th through the 21st from 9 am to 7 pm at both store locations. Foodies will enjoy great savings, many samples, special guests, daily $100 Guido’s Gift Card raffles and more. Complete event details at guidosfreshmarketplace.com.

The Berkshire Co-op Market in Great Barrington will present their hot food and salad bar peppered with local spring greens, fiddleheads and leeks along with local produce from area farms. Saturday, May 21 will also feature a Farmed + Foraged special demo from 1 pm to 3 pm.

Berkshire Grown envisions a community where healthy farms define the open landscape, where a wide diversity of fresh, seasonal food and flowers continue to be readily available to everyone, and where we celebrate our agricultural bounty by buying from our neighboring family farms and savoring their distinctive Berkshire harvest. Berkshire Grown champions farmers’ markets and CSAs, creates local food and farm networks, promotes the Farm-to-Table relationship between restaurants and growers, and educates the community about the importance of eating healthy locally grown food.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

The dates, prices and menus for Farmed + Foraged vary. For example, some restaurants will be celebrating only on Saturday night. Please contact participating restaurants directly for accurate information on when they will be offering Farmed + Foraged, their menu options and pricing.

Visit www.berkshiregrown.org/farmed-foraged for additional details. To receive Berkshire Grown’s newsletter for more farm-to-table events, email [email protected].

PARTICIPATING RESTAURANTS’ CONTACT INFORMATION

** Allium Restaurant + Bar, Great Barrington – 413.528.2118 **
** Baba Louie’s, Great Barrington – 413.528.8100 **
** Baba Louie’s, Pittsfield – 413.499.2400 **
** Berkshire Co-op Market, Great Barrington – 413.528.9697 **
Cafe ADAM, Great Barrington – 413.528.7786
Cafe Lucia, Lenox – 413.637.2640
Chez Nous, Lee – 413.243.6397
Dreamaway Lodge, Becket – 413.623.8725
Firefly, Lenox – 413.637.2700
Gramercy [email protected] MoCA, North Adams – 413.663.5300
** Guido’s Fresh Marketplace, Pittsfield & Great Barrington – 413.442.9912 **
Haven Café & Bakery, Lenox – 413.637.8948
The Inn at Sweet Water Farm, North Egremont – 413.528.2882
John Andrews: A Farmhouse Restaurant, Egremont – 413.528.3469
La Terrazza Restaurant at Gateways Inn, Lenox – 413.637.2532
** Mezze Bistro + Bar, Williamstown – 413.458.0123 **
Mission Bar & Tapas, Pittsfield – no phone
Nudel, Lenox – 413.551.7183
The Old Inn on the Green, New Marlboro – 413.229.7924 ext 0
Perigee, Lee – 413.394.4047
Pronto Cooking School – 413.637.3949
** The Red Lion Inn, Stockbridge – 413.298.5545 **
** Route 7 Grill, Great Barrington – 413.528.5838 **
The Stagecoach Tavern, Sheffield – 413.229.8585
Wild Oats Market – 413.458.8060
The Williams Inn, Williamstown – 413.458.9371

** Thanks to our sponsors for their support! **
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Help Stop Toxic Incineration in Springfield
From the Stop Spewing Carbon Campaign

Stop Toxic Incineration in Springfield has recently learned that the developers of the PRE biomass incinerator have paid extra fees to ‘fast-track’ their state permitting process.  And they only need one more permit before they can put a shovel in the ground. Can you please spare a minute to comment on the State’s draft air permit? The deadline for the air permit comment period is Friday, April 29.

Hampden County is already home to the dirtiest, unhealthiest air in the state (please visit http://www.countyhealthrankings.org/massachusetts). Several hazardous air pollutants are already alarmingly above allowable levels.  Springfield children have blood lead levels and respiratory disease rates twice that of the children of the state.

You can make a difference!  We have already stopped these developers from burning construction and demolition debris in their incinerator.  The state and city of Springfield are taking notice of our requests for clean air and its link to our health.  Thank you for continuing to support this citizen activist effort by sending the message that clean energy does not come from a smokestack.

Meg Sheehan
Chair, Stop Spewing Carbon Campaign
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“Smart Building” Training Program
Using thermal imaging to measure heat loss and building assessments, program will help Massachusetts builders construct highly energy efficient homes

From the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs – BOSTON – April 22, 2011 – The Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER) today announced a new federally-funded program, “Smart Building: High Performance Homes,” which will train Massachusetts builders to use thermal imaging-enhanced building assessments to boost the energy efficiency of Massachusetts homes.

The US Department of Energy (DOE) awarded the Commonwealth $350,000 to fund activities that improve energy performance of Massachusetts buildings, including the Smart Building training. Massachusetts is among 24 states sharing $7 million in US Department of Energy’s (DOE) Building Energy Codes program, which, according to the DOE, has dramatically reduced energy use and carbon pollution and saved an estimated $16 billion for US consumers since its start 20 years ago.

“These training courses will educate a new cohort of building professionals who are knowledgeable about how to maximize energy efficiency and minimize energy costs in communities across the state,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) Secretary Richard K. Sullivan Jr., whose office includes DOER. “The energy assessments will help business and residents make informed decisions about how to reduce their energy use and associated costs.”
“This is another example of government having a positive impact on everyday life,” said Congressman Mike Capuano. “Through this federal funding, the Commonwealth will promote energy efficiency by working directly with building professionals. The practical impact for Massachusetts families will be more energy efficient homes and workplaces, more energy saved and less spent on heating your home.”

The Smart Building training is designed for building professionals, and covers best practices in residential construction to ensure energy efficiency and lower energy costs in both new homes and major renovations. Aimed at encouraging builders to adopt energy efficient building best practices, the training references the Massachusetts building energy codes, including the Stretch Code, an optional energy efficiency code now adopted in 67 communities – representing more than 2.4 million people, about 39 percent of the state’s population.

First adopted by cities and towns in 2010, the Stretch Code requires approximately 20 percent greater energy efficiency than the existing base energy code in new residential and commercial buildings. The first state-level stretch energy building code in the country, it applies to all residential buildings and new commercial buildings over 5,000 square feet. The International Code Council adopted the core of the Massachusetts commercial stretch code as the basis for the 2012 International Energy Efficiency Code.

The Smart Building training – which is offered at a low cost to builders and is free for municipal building code officials – began earlier this month and continues throughout 2011 across the state. It follows DOER’s successful 2010 building energy code training series, which featured 40 sessions statewide. That program trained approximately 2,000 building professionals, including approximately 1,250 building code officials representing 242 municipalities.

“With buildings comprising over 40 percent of all energy usage in the US, this effort is a terrific way to take a bite out of energy use and its associated costs and will fuel a growing energy efficiency job sector here,” said DOER Commissioner Mark Sylvia.

Training is provided by the Center for Ecological Technology located in Pittsfield and Northampton, and by the Commonwealth Services Group located in Westborough. More information about the training, including a schedule, is available at www.cetonline.org or [email protected] .
To complement the Smart Building training, DOER will use a portion of the DOE grant to analyze the quality of insulation in buildings using thermal imagery and analysis. By measuring temperature differences between the inside and outside of a building, thermal images can identify places where adding insulation and sealing gaps in construction can reduce heating fuel use and cost. The training will incorporate sample thermal images of building exteriors to illustrate how the quality of installation work impacts the energy performance of a building, and how thermal images can help identify cost-effective energy efficiency improvements. In addition, DOER will use the analysis to compare insulation work in buildings constructed in different time periods.

DOER’s contractor, Sagewell, Inc. of Woburn, will take thermal images of buildings located in a sampling of western and eastern Massachusetts municipalities that have endorsed the program. Imaging took place earlier this year in Belchertown, East Longmeadow, Hampden, Longmeadow, Palmer, Springfield and Wilbraham under a separate DOER pilot project. Imaging also began last week in Hamilton-Wenham and will occur within the next two weeks in Arlington and Lexington. More municipalities may be added.

[email protected]or calling 888-586-1726. Residents can also request that their home be imaged by emailing Sagewell at [email protected].
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500,000-acre Forest Conservation Goal
From the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs – BOSTON – April 22, 2011 – In celebration of Earth Day and reflecting the Patrick-Murray Administration’s precedent-setting commitment to land conservation, Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) Secretary Richard K. Sullivan Jr. today announced a 500,000-acre goal for two programs designed to “keep forests as forests.”

To meet this forest conservation goal over the next four years, the Administration will work with private woodland owners and professional foresters to augment approximately 420,000 acres of forest already protected from development. Land owners who place their properties under professional forest management plans and enter into long-term commitments to keep their land forested receive property tax incentives.
During the past four years, Governor Deval Patrick has led an unprecedented land conservation effort, resulting in the permanent protection of 75,000 acres of land – 84 percent of which is forested. Partnerships with private and community organizations have also been instrumental in safeguarding the Commonwealth’s most undisturbed large forest landscapes – 14,000 acres in ten premier forest habitat reserves.
“There are over two million acres of private forest lands in Massachusetts.  On this 41st anniversary of Earth Day, it’s important to remember how fortunate we are to have such a rich natural landscape and to renew our commitment to conserve and protect it by supporting private working forestland owners and communities,” said Secretary Sullivan.

The two state programs crucial to the Administration’s new 500,000-acre goal are the Massachusetts Forest Tax Law Program (Chapter 61) and the Forest Stewardship Program.

The Forest Stewardship Program provides state funding to professional foresters to develop ten-year forest stewardship plans for private forest landowners. Owners commit to keeping their land in forests and implementing the practices called for in the plans for the ten-year period.  In addition, the plans qualify owners for additional funding and assistance to implement wildlife, trail and forest product improvements on their forests.

The Massachusetts Forest Tax Law provides property tax incentives to land owners of ten or more contiguous acres of forest land who maintain their property as working forests for the purposes of long-term, sustainable timber production. Properties are taxed only for the value the land has for forestry, not for the land’s development potential – resulting in significant property tax savings.

For more information on the tax incentives visit http://www.mass.gov/dcr/stewardship/forestry/service/fortax.htm.

“The forests across Massachusetts are a huge and important part of the beauty and vitality of this Commonwealth,” said Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) Commissioner Edward M. Lambert Jr. “The Governor’s efforts to preserve our forest lands are laudable.”
Jay Szaro, a Westport resident, will celebrate the centennial anniversary of his family’s farm this summer. Under these forestry programs, Szaro said that his family has a renewed sense of pride and accomplishment that the farm’s forest area will be sustained for all family members to use and enjoy.

“It will be easier to see the entire resources available on our farm as we look at the various trees and determine what areas should be preserved and protected, what can be harvested for wood products and what areas of the property can be returned to field status for active farming,” Szaro said.

Several of the environmental and economic benefits of forest management plans include:

  • Protecting working forests protects some of the most valuable wildlife habitat and water supply lands in the state.
  • By removing low-value trees and leaving high quality high-value trees, landowners can multiply the monetary value of their forest over the next 30 to 40 years.
  • By increasing the supply of forest products from private forests in harvests done to the highest level of forest management, more foresters and harvesters are employed.
  • By working with a professional forester and gaining periodic income from forest management, landowners recognize the economic and environmental benefits of the long-term conservation of the land.

Over the past two years, enrollment in the Forest Stewardship Program has increased by 23 percent and enrollment in Chapter 61 by 15 percent.
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Letter to the Editor from DCR
April 22, 2011
On Saturday, April 16, more than 3,000 volunteers fanned out across the Commonwealth to participate in the Patrick-Murray Administration’s fifth annual Park Serve Day. I’d like to take this opportunity thank them all, publicly, for donating their time and energy to make our parks cleaner and more attractive for everyone. The volunteers cleared trails, picked up litter and trash, painted picnic tables, and planted flowers and shrubs in more than 50 parks. Their dedication is testament to the high regard Massachusetts residents place in their state parks. Governor Patrick was among the participants in Park Serve Day, and I know he joins me in extending a heartfelt thanks to everyone who came out that day to help.

Ed Lambert
Commissioner, Department of Conservation and Recreation
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Environment Committee Endorses Downing’s Lakes and Ponds Protection Bill .
from Senator Ben Downing
On April 5th Senator Downing testified before the Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture during a public hearing to advance his legislation, S. 347, to protect Massachusetts’ lakes and ponds from further contamination by zebra mussels and other aquatic nuisance species.
“Zebra mussels are devastating to a lake’s ecology; they can damage boats, cover ramps and docks, and kill native species,” noted Downing during his testimony. “There is no scientifically proven way to eradicate zebra mussels once they are introduced to a body of water. As such, the Commonwealth’s primary interest is to prevent the spread of this invasive species.”
At the conclusion of the hearing the Committee convened in Executive Session and voted unanimously to release Downing’s bill with a favorable report. The bill is now being reviewed by the Senate Committee on Ways and Means.  |more|
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Sustainable Living ‘Perfect House Committee’
By TELLY HALKIAS
Description: http://extras.mnginteractive.com/live/media/site506/2011/0420/20110420__NEWS06_VIEWER.jpg
Wednesday April 20, 2011
Alan Benoit always had an interest in sustainable living, but he never imagined how the recent economy would lead to his own business — and the formation of an organization that has made such practices its mantra.
Benoit is the owner of Sustainable Design of Vermont in Manchester, Vt., and a member of the recently formed civic group the Perfect House Committee, which advocates for all facets of sustainable living.
“As members of the Perfect House, we foster lifestyles which can be sustained indefinitely without depletion of resources, deterioration of ecosystems or loss of biodiversity,” Benoit said. “A sustainable approach is responsibly conceived, efficiently implemented, durable and long-lasting, free of detrimental effects to society or the environment.<MORE>
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Job Opening: Ipswich River Restoration Program Manager

The Ipswich River Watershed Association (IRWA) seeks a Manager for the Ipswich River Restoration Program. The restoration program includes a variety of activities designed to restore healthy stream flow, fisheries and aquatic habitat and improve water quality.

The Restoration Program Manager will:

  • Work with Special Projects Director to coordinate the Parker-Ipswich-Essex Rivers Restoration Partnership (PIEr²), a collaboration of federal, state and local agencies and non-governmental organizations
  • Work with Executive Director and Special Projects Director to develop a strategic plan for river restoration
  • Manage several dam removal investigations and implementation
  • Organize a River Restoration Conference and other educational programs about river restoration
  • Work closely with community and project partners to improve water management locally and regionally
  • Work with the Executive Director to obtain additional funding and other resources to sustain the program in the future.

This position requires a person with a strong background in water resource protection, experience in project management, knowledge of regulatory issues, successful grant proposal writing credentials, as well as excellent communication, management, and organizational skills. The ideal candidate will have a minimum of a bachelor’s degree in environmental science with experience in watershed protection. Familiarity with the region is strongly preferred.  Excellent computer skills are required, including GIS.

This position is full-time (although someone able to work ~30 hours would be considered). Compensation is commensurate with experience.  The position includes health insurance, retirement, vacation, and other benefits. The position requires the Restoration Program Manager to use his/her own vehicle to travel to meetings in the watershed, including some evening meetings. Mileage is reimbursed.

Interested candidates should send a cover letter and resume (preferably in electronic format) by
May 6, 2011 to:

Kerry Mackin, Executive Director
[email protected]

Ipswich River Watershed Association
PO Box 576, Ipswich, MA 01938
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Volunteers Wanted for Hilltown Spring Festival
The Hilltown CDC’s Hilltown Spring Festival committee is looking for volunteers for both Friday, May 13th & Saturday, May 14th.  It’s a great opportunity to get involved and be part of this fabulous Western MA music/food/art/sustainability festival!

If you’re interested, please email Seth Isman at [email protected]

Volunteer opportunities for high school students available too!

Best,

Sienna Wildfield
Editor/Director, Hilltown Families
Producer/Host, Hilltown Family Variety Show
HILLTOWN FAMILIES
www.HilltownFamilies.org
P.O Box 98, West Chesterfield, MA 01084
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Rushing River Institute Courses

Modeling habitat for fish and invertebrates with MesoHABSIM
Warsaw, Poland
May 24th – May 27th 2011

A two-day and four-day course will be offered in Poland on the MesoHABSIM approach for the planning of restoration and management of running waters. Using computer simulation, it offers a new impressive level of detail and accuracy in fully capturing significant portions of riverine environment and aquatic communities. This physical habitat simulation model describes the utility of instream habitat conditions for aquatic fauna, allowing the user to simulate change in habitat quality and quantity in response to alterations of flows or river morphology.

MesoHABSIM field techniques and data collection – Nebraska
Ak-Sar-Ben Aquarium, Gretna, Nebraska
August 29th – September 2nd, 2011

University of Nebraska, Lincoln and Rushing Rivers Institute offer this professional course in collection of field data compatible with the MesoHABSIM approach. This five day course will focus on habitat mapping as well as gathering fish data on large (braided) and small rivers. The first day we will begin with a theoretical introduction. The second day will be dedicated to the background of data collection and processing. The third and fourth days will consist of habitat mapping of sections of the Platte River and also a small creek. Fish and invertebrate data collection will include electrofishing with grids or boats, snorkeling, and surber sampling. The last day will be for data preparation which will be incorporated into Sim-Stream model and discussions.

Sim-Stream 8.0 Introduction– Software for use in Mesoscale Instream Habitat Assessment and Simulation
Seattle, Washington
September 4th, 2011

The Rushing Rivers Institute is pleased to announce that our 1-day course proposal has been accepted as part of the American Fisheries Society’s continuing education program on September 4th in Seattle, WA. The objective of the course is to introduce the participants to the new software version as a companion to the MesoHABSIM technique of instream habitat modeling. Participants in this course will be provided with the information necessary to understand the purpose and functionality of the SimStream 8.0 software for use in MesoHABSIM habitat modeling projects. The participants will be provided with a test data set which we will use to demonstrate the software’s functions and products.

**Remember to log on to rushingrivers.org and go to courses for more information and to sign up!

Video on MesoHABSIM Intro. Course Available

An online video on the MesoHABSIM introductory course given at the Flow 2008 Conference (Instream Flow Council) is now available for viewing on our website. Go to http://rushingrivers.org/index.php?option=com_phocadownload&view=category&id=1&Itemid=25 to see the course!
We wish you happy Holidays and wonderful spring,
Rushing Rivers Institute

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