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In the News
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 Award-winning Valley environmentalist Alexandra Dawson of Hadley dies at 80from the Daily Hampshire GazetteFriends and colleagues described Alexandra Dawson, an attorney, teacher and award-winning environmentalist who died Friday at 80, as a pillar of the region’s conservation movement whose “brilliance” and “feistiness” will be sorely missed. “She was one of the giants of the conservation movement,” said Andrew Morris-Friedman, who served with Dawson on Hadley’s Community Preservation Commission and Bicycle Committee. “Because of her, Hadley is first in Massachusetts in the number of acres in preservation – 3,000 acres. She was a real force.”• BEAT Note: Many of us will miss Alexandra deeply. She was absolutely brilliant, always ready to help and a great role model. A memorial is planned for the spring. Jim (her husband) has asked people not to phone him, but you can send a note to 2 West St., Hadley, MA 01035. |
| FBI Says Activists Can Be Prosecuted as Terroristsby Will Potter on December 20, 2011 in Terrorism LegislationThe FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force has kept files on activists who expose animal welfare abuses on factory farms and recommended prosecuting them as terrorists, according to a new document uncovered through the Freedom of Information Act.
This new information comes as the Center for Constitutional Rights has filed a lawsuit challenging the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act (AETA) as unconstitutional because its vague wording has had a chilling effect on political activism. This document adds to the evidence demonstrating that the AETA goes far beyond property destruction, as its supporters claim. The 2003 FBI file details the work of several animal rights activists who used undercover investigation to document repeated animal welfare violations. The FBI special agent who authored the report said they “illegally entered buildings owned by [redacted] Farm… and videotaped conditions of animals.” The animal activists caused “economic loss” to businesses, the FBI says. And they also openly rescued several animals from the abusive conditions. This was not done covertly in the style of underground groups like the Animal Liberation Front — it was an act of non-violent civil disobedience and, as the FBI agent notes, the activists distributed press releases and conducted media interviews taking responsibility for their actions. Based on these acts — trespassing in order to photograph and videotape abuses on factory farms — the agent concludes there “is a reasonable indication” that the activists “have violated the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act, 18 USC Section 43 (a).” The file was uncovered through a FOIA request by Ryan Shapiro, who is one of the activists mentioned. The file is available for download here. [Please note that this document has additional redactions in order to protect the identities of the other activists, at their request.] Shapiro is now a doctoral candidate at MIT. “It is deeply sobering to see one’s name in an FBI file proposing terrorism charges,” he said in an email. “It is even more sobering to realize the supposedly terroristic activities in question are merely exposing the horrific cruelty of factory farms, educating the public about what goes on behind those closed doors, and openly rescuing a few animals from one of those farms as an act of civil disobedience.” When I testified before Congress against the AETA in 2006, one of the primary concerns I raised is that the law could be used to wrap up a wide range of activity that threatens corporate profits. Supporters of the AETA have repeatedly denied this, and said the law will only be used against people who do things like burn buildings. So how do we explain that such a sweeping prosecution was being considered in 2003, under the law’s somewhat-narrower precursor? One possibility is that FBI agents lack training, education, and oversight. They are spying on political activists without understanding or respecting the law. Another explanation is that this document is no mistake, nor is it an isolated case. It is a reflection of a coordinated campaign to target animal rights activists who, as the FBI agent notes, cause “economic loss” to corporations. |
| BU Denied Request to Operate Hazardous Bioterrorism Lab Without Thorough Review of Risk AssessmentDec 29, 2011 by Jenny Rushlow of Conservation Law FoundationWhile much of Boston was distracted by the approaching holidays, public health and the environmental justice communities of Roxbury / South End scored a victory last Friday, December 23rd, when Secretary Sullivan issued his final decision to deny BU’s request to begin high level research at BU’s National Emerging Infectious Disease Laboratories (NEIDL) until a full risk assessment is reviewed by EOEEA. <Read more> |
| FDA Backs Down On Antibiotics Regulationby Keep Antibiotics WorkingOn December 22nd, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) withdrew longstanding proposals to remove approvals for two antibiotics, penicillins and tetracyclines, used in livestock feed. The FDA initially proposed the withdrawals in 1977 because the scientific evidence at that time indicated that feeding these antibiotics to animals for purposes other than disease treatment created an unacceptable risk to the public.
“Today’s decision is just the latest evidence that the Obama Administration fails to take seriously the risk of resistant infections that occur due to the overuse of antibiotics in animal agriculture,” said Steven Roach, Public Health Program Director at Food Animal Concerns Trust (FACT) and a member of Keep Antibiotics Working. “Since the FDA initially proposed the withdrawals in 1977, the data connecting antibiotic resistance with overuse in animals has only gotten stronger. Yet the FDA refuses to fulfill its mandate to protect the public health and withdraw drugs that have been shown to be unsafe. As long as the Administration fails to act and continues to fall back on an ineffective voluntary approach, Keep Antibiotics Working will press the FDA to protect the public health through more meaningful measures.” The FDA action came a week after the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the third recall this year of meat contaminated with antibiotic-resistant Salmonella that had caused outbreaks of human illness. Ground beef is the product implicated in the latest outbreak and it follows two earlier outbreaks with ground turkey this year. Salmonella detected in all three outbreaks is resistant to penicillin. The FDA originally started the withdrawal process for the feed additive use of penicillin to reduce the risk that people would contract penicillin resistant Salmonella. Now, decades later, FDA has closed the door on withdrawing the feed additive uses of these important drugs. Read media coverage on this development by the New York Times, Des Moines Register, Mother Jones, and more. |
| Tide of Plastic Bags That Started Wave of Revulsionfrom The Guardian
Since Rebecca Hosking reported the plastic pollution in the Pacific, levies and bans on single-use bags have spread
Plastic pollution in Manila Bay, the Philippines. Other countries including South Africa, Kenya, Uganda and China have introduced bans on single-use plastic bags. Photograph: Joshua Mark Dalupang/EPA Plastic bags became almost a national symbol of waste and decadence thanks to BBC camerawoman Rebecca Hosking, who travelled to the remote Pacific island of Midway to film a nature documentary. As the Guardian reported at the time: “Instead of finding some prelapsarian wilderness, she and a colleague were confronted with the horror of hundreds of albatrosses lying on the sand. The great birds’ stomachs had been split open by the heat and bits of plastic were spewing out between the feathers and the bones. All kinds of plastic – toys, shopping bags, asthma inhalers, pens, cigarette lighters, toothbrushes, combs, bottle tops. The birds had swallowed them and choked to death.” Later, Hosking and her colleagues found humpback whales, seals and turtles, “all dead or dying from the plastic”, which rolled in on every tide. Hosking came back to the UK, finished the film, and returned to her home town of Modbury in Devon, where she set about persuading all 43 shopkeepers to stop using plastic bags. <Read more> |
| In a First, Gas and Other Fuels are Top US ExportBig shift for gas-guzzling nation: fuels are top US export; oil imports still world’s highestBy Chris Kahn, AP Energy Writer | AP – Sat, Dec 31, 2011 4:38 AM EST
NEW YORK (AP) — For the first time, the top export of the United States, the world’s biggest gas guzzler, is — wait for it — fuel. Measured in dollars, the nation is on pace this year to ship more gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel than any other single export, according to U.S. Census data going back to 1990. It will also be the first year in more than 60 that America has been a net exporter of these fuels. Just how big of a shift is this? A decade ago, fuel wasn’t even among the top 25 exports. And for the last five years, America’s top export was aircraft. The trend is significant because for decades the U.S. has relied on huge imports of fuel from Europe in order to meet demand. It only reinforced the image of America as an energy hog. And up until a few years ago, whenever gasoline prices climbed, there were complaints in Congress that U.S. refiners were not growing quickly enough to satisfy domestic demand; that controversy would appear to be over. Still, the U.S. is nowhere close to energy independence. America is still the world’s largest importer of crude oil. From January to October, the country imported 2.7 billion barrels of oil worth roughly $280 billion. Fuel exports, worth an estimated $88 billion in 2011, have surged for two reasons: — Crude oil, the raw material from which gasoline and other refined products are made, is a lot more expensive. Oil prices averaged $95 a barrel in 2011, while gasoline averaged $3.52 a gallon — a record. A decade ago oil averaged $26 a barrel, while gasoline averaged $1.44 a gallon. — The volume of fuel exports is rising. The U.S. is using less fuel because of a weak economy and more efficient cars and trucks. That allows refiners to sell more fuel to rapidly growing economies in Latin America, for example. In 2011, U.S. refiners exported 117 million gallons per day of gasoline, diesel, jet fuel and other petroleum products, up from 40 million gallons per day a decade earlier. There’s at least one domestic downside to America’s growing role as a fuel exporter. Experts say the trend helps explain why U.S. motorists are paying more for gasoline. The more fuel that’s sent overseas, the less of a supply cushion there is at home. Gasoline supplies are being exported to the highest bidder, says Tom Kloza, chief oil analyst at Oil Price Information Service. “It’s a world market,” he says. Refining companies won’t say how much they make by selling fuel overseas. But analysts say those sales are likely generating higher profits per gallon than they would have generated in the U.S. Otherwise, they wouldn’t occur. The value of U.S. fuel exports has grown steadily over the past decade, coinciding with rising oil prices and increased demand around the globe. <MORE> |
| Wood Stove Replacements Clear AirThe replacement of 1,200 wood stoves in Libby, Montana with newer, more efficient models has improved air quality, leading to associated health improvements for children in the northwest Montana town, according to a new study. Airborne particulate pollution in Libby dropped 30 percent over the course of the four-year study. Associated Press |
| Roundup – birth defects, cancer, weed controlfrom Environmental Health NewsRoundup birth defects: regulators knew world’s best-selling herbicide causes problems, new report finds. Industry regulators have known for years that Roundup, the world’s best-selling herbicide produced by U.S. company Monsanto, causes birth defects, according to a new report released Tuesday. Huffington Post. 9 June 2011.
Life after Roundup. Glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup, has become the world’s top-selling herbicide by controlling weeds in major row crops grown from seeds genetically modified to resist it. But now it is losing its effectivenesss; some weeds are shrugging off the chemical as well and passing on resistance to future generations. Chemical & Engineering News. 18 April 2011. Cancer cause or crop aid? Herbicide faces big test. Critics say it’s a chemical that could cause infertility or cancer, while others see it speeding the growth of super weeds and causing worrying changes to plants and soil. Backers say it is safe and has made a big contribution to food production. It’s glyphosate – a critical part of global food production. Reuters. 9 April 2011. |
| Project Native presents: “Climate Change: global update & local impact”A talk by Frank Lowenstein Director of Global Climate Adaptation for The Nature ConservancySunday, January 15, 2:00 pm
at the Spectrum Playhouse, 20 Franklin Street, Lee, MA Free event open to the public Frank Lowenstein, Director of Global Climate Adaptation for The Nature Conservancy, will give a talk on the latest international climate change negotiations and impacts on the Berkshires, presented by Project Native, at the Spectrum Playhouse (former St. George’s Church), in Lee, MA, Sunday, January 15 at 2:00 pm. This event is free and open to the public. Lowenstein recently returned from the 18th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Durban, South Africa, where participating nations agreed to reduce their carbon emissions. But what does that really mean? The convention underscored the tension between industrialized nations whose economies generated most pollution in the past, and developing nations whose growth will generate most pollution in the future. The Berkshires are a long way from developing nations. How do these negotiations impact us? Lowenstein will put global climate change policy and politics into local perspective, and share strategies for coping with disruptions in water cycles and extreme weather events. The Nature Conservancy is the leading conservation organization working around the world to protect ecologically important lands and waters. Frank Lowenstein is Climate Adaptation Strategy Leader for The Nature Conservancy’s Global Climate Change Team. In this role he heads up the organization’s work on how natural systems can contribute to helping people adapt to climate change. Previously he was Director of Forest Health for the Conservancy’s North America Conservation Region. In this role he heads the organization’s collaborative work with many partners to protect America’s forests from non-native insects and diseases. Lowenstein has worked for The Nature Conservancy for 19 years, concentrating first on Berkshire preservation, and then expanding his scope to the international scene. He serves on the board of directors of Project Native, the horticultural farm and wildlife sanctuary in Housatonic, MA, which provides landscape restoration services using native plants. A Harvard graduate, Lowenstein received his Masters in Botany from the University of Vermont. He lives in Sheffield with his wife, Sheryl Lechner and their three sons. Co-sponsored by Berkshire Environmental Action Team(BEAT), Berkshire Grown, Berkshire Natural Resources Council, Green Berkshires, and The Nature Conservancy. For more information contact Karen Lyness LeBlanc, Project Native, (413) 274-3433 projectnative@verizon.net. |
| Call for Papers Society for Ecological Restoration Conference in NYThe Society for Ecological Restoration Mid‐Atlantic Chapter 7th Annual Conference, in collaboration with the SER New England Chapter:Restoration on the Edge: Exploring the frontiers of restoration, collaboration, and resilience in changing ecosystems
March 23‐24, 2012 ‐ Brooklyn College, City University of New York
The selected contributed papers will be delivered during afternoon concurrent sessions on March 23, 2012. Each presenter will be given 20 minutes. The selected posters will be displayed throughout the day and presented during a “Poster Pub” after the sessions. Contributed papers and posters may pertain to, but are not limited to, these subject areas: • Prevention and restoration of biodiversity loss • Ecosystem resilience • Novel ecosystems • Global climate changes affecting ecological community composition • Trends in invasive species distribution related to urban systems • Design of sustainable landscapes • Green infrastructure connections to ecological restoration • Agro‐ecology connections to ecological restoration • Management of sites experiencing ecological change • Ecosystem services and economics • Re‐establishing landscape connectivity • Successes, failures, and current status of restoration projects (case studies welcome) • Design of future restoration projects Approximately 300 restoration practitioners, scientists, administrators, environmental engineers, landscape architects, land stewards, students, and others are expected to attend the conference. Please send abstracts for papers and posters to: Laura Whalen at lwhalen@delawareestuary.org by January 13, 2012. Indicate whether you are proposing a talk or a poster or both, and provide the following information: • Paper/Poster title • Abstract (no longer than 1 page) • Name, affiliation and contact information (phone number and email) Applicants will be notified of the selection committee’s decisions by February 3, 2012. |
| Project Native has a wonderful new video all about Project Native up on their You Tube channel:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCEmyDi67fU&feature=youtu.Project Native
Celebrating 10 years 342 North Plain Road Housatonic, MA 01236 ph.413-274-3433 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 413-274-3433 end_of_the_skype_highlighting fax.413-274-3464 |
Free Drinks and FareThe next Great Barrington Green Drinks is Thursday, January 5, atRoute 7 Grill, from 5:15 on.This month we will celebrate Green Drinks two ways, and we even have a sponsor who will provide free drinks and fare:
As always there will be free copies of the current issue of Orion magazine for your enjoyment. You’ll love the new cover. Green Drinks is a monthly social event hosted by the folks who create Orion magazine for people like you and I interested in everything from environmental education to local agriculture, the arts, green business & design, and the ways all of these intersect. We usually have 50 or so folks from around the area stop by. So grab a friend or two and bring them down to share what you’re working on (green or not) and to meet others active in your community. Please forward this on to your friends & share with your social media contacts…the more the merrier. Erik Hoffner Orion magazine ***Orion is winner of the 2010 Independent Press Award in the category of General Excellence*** 888-909-6568 |
| Project Native 2nd Environmental Film FestivalSunday, March 25, 2012at the Triplex Cinema in Great Barrington, Massachusetts
January 2, 2011 – Project Native, a horticultural farm and wildlife sanctuary growing native plants in Southern Berkshire County, will present its 2nd Annual Environmental Film Festival, Sunday, March 25th, free to the public, at the Triplex Cinema in Great Barrington, MA. Films on a variety of topics, from 90-minute features to a series of short films for children, will inspire, enrage, and motivate audiences to engage. We are in the final stages of selecting award- winning documentary films to highlight the problems facing our world and actions we can all take for positive change. Film titles and show times to be announced soon. This event is supported by a grant from the Dr. Robert C. and Tina Sohn Foundation. Project Native is now seeking a corporate sponsor to underwrite this daylong event, and nonprofit sponsors for each of the individual films. For information on sponsorship opportunities, please contact Karen Lyness LeBlanc at 413-274-3433 or projectnative@verizon.net. For more information about Project Native please visit our website projectnative.org. Contact: Karen Lyness LeBlanc Project Native 342 North Plain Rd. Housatonic, MA 01236 413-274-3433 |
| Heron Homeschool Program–WINTER SESSIONFridays, starting January 6, 2012, 9:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.Amherst
Ages 7+ Classic Earthwork Programs! Your child can learn wilderness living skills and nature awareness while fully immersed in nature! Practice ice safety…build snow shelters…track animals…learn how to prevent hypothermia. Limited spots available. $50-65/class, sliding scale (8-week Winter session). Register online (www.earthworkprograms.com) or call 413-522-0338. Winter Schedule or click here for Calendar |
| Executive Director Opening with Society for Ecological Restoration The Society for Ecological Restoration in Washington, D.C. is currently seeking an Executive Director. This position is open until filled.Job Title: Executive Director
Organization: The Society for Ecological Restoration (SER) is a registered 501c3 not-for-profit organization with a diverse international membership. As a global network of restoration professionals, SER advances knowledge-based, participatory approaches for the repair and recovery of degraded ecosystems. Mission: To promote ecological restoration as a means of sustaining the diversity of life on Earth and re-establishing an ecologically healthy relationship between nature and culture. Background: SER was founded in 1988 and has over 2,000 members and partners in more than 60 nations. We have 13 chapters serving states, provinces and regions of North America, Europe, and Australasia, and are actively expanding our presence in Latin America and Africa. SER serves the growing field of ecological restoration by facilitating dialogue among restoration practitioners, encouraging research, promoting awareness of and public support for restoration, contributing to public policy discussions, recognizing those who have made outstanding contributions to the field, and promoting ecological restoration around the globe. Our conferences, workshops, publications, and international collaborations help facilitate the multiple interfaces between restoration science, policy and practice. SER has an operating budget of approximately $500,000. The Executive Director’s salary is offered in accordance with the operating budget; a bonus structure based upon sponsorships generated is negotiable. The Society provides a full health and benefits package. Reporting relationship: The Executive Director reports to the Chair of the Board of Directors. Job location: Washington, D.C. Job description: The Executive Director is responsible for the professional management and leadership of the Society and for securing funding for SER initiatives and operating expenses. S/he will implement the Society’s policies, programs, and strategic plan and provide leadership to advance the Society’s mission. The Executive Director, working in concert with the Board of Directors, SER staff, SER members, chapter leaders, volunteers, and partners will advance SER’s position as the primary source of expertise on issues related to ecological restoration worldwide. S/he will develop budgets and effectively manage funds, write development plans, and pursue funding opportunities to support operating expenses, strategic initiatives, and investments. S/he should have the capability to direct the implementation of stated programs and initiatives with minimal resources and to achieve success. The Executive Director will initially focus on these target areas, in addition to his/her regular responsibilities: • Increase, diversify, and strengthen the Society’s funding sources; develop fundraising plans; and solicit donations and grants to balance budgets and advance strategic goals/initiatives; • Increase the Society’s visibility and expand the membership base; • Provide direction, input, and oversight for new website development, and associated media and marketing outreach; • Enhance the capacity of the Board of Directors and support their needs as they advance Society initiatives; • Provide direction to implement the Society’s Practitioner Certification Program; • Assist staff in supporting chapter needs, including revising individual chapter agreements and legal paperwork; • Infuse energy into the Society’s 25th anniversary and conference in Madison, Wisconsin, in 2013; • Recruit, motivate, and engage a variety of partners in advancing global ecological restoration initiatives. Qualifications and Experience: The ideal candidate will have experience as a leader managing a small staff in diverse tasks within a nonprofit environment. The following is a list of basic requirements: • Minimum of five years proven leadership experience, including effective staff management skills • Proven fundraising experience • Strategic planning experience • Experience developing and managing complex budgets • Experience serving on, or working for, an active Board of Directors • Knowledge of environmental issues and commitment to the field of ecological restoration • Ability to effectively represent SER to potential partners, sponsors, members and volunteers, as well as the general public • Excellent written and oral communication skills • Multi-cultural sensitivity • Fluency in English (proficiency in other languages desirable, e.g. Spanish, French) • High energy • Willingness and ability to work from an office in Washington, D.C. • Willingness to travel up or more than 60 days per year, within the U.S. and internationally • Computer literacy in Microsoft applications and technological self-sufficiency • Candidates must be able to walk up three flights of stairs • Candidates must be able to legally work in the United States Responsibilities: Leadership Remains calm, tactful, and thoughtful under pressure and promotes an organizational culture that fosters passion for the mission, enhances teamwork, and furthers the effectiveness of the Society. Prioritizes strategic plans and work plans to effectively execute the goals of the Society. Provides strong leadership while working in a consensus building environment with the Board of Directors. Garners respect and is respectful to directors, staff, members, and partners. Creates a cooperative work environment for staff. Fiscal management Works with staff, Board of Directors, Treasurer, Finance Committee, and accountant to prepare and manage budgets and ensure that the organization operates within stated budget guidelines. Works with members of the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors and the accountant to review and manage contracts, manage reporting systems and other tasks associated with grants and foundations, conduct official correspondence, execute legal documents, and perform a range of other finance-related tasks required to ensure the Society’s long-term viability. Fundraising Implements strategies to increase the Society’s fundraising capacity and sustain a diverse funding base. Implements strategies to expand the organization’s membership base, increase individual donor capacity and secure foundation support. Increases the visibility of the Society with potential donors. Writes and reviews funding proposals and effectively communicates the Society’s mission and activities to potential funders. Outreach and Marketing Serves as a strong and inspiring voice of the Society through interactions with members, chapters, donors, directors, and partners. Represents the Society with professionalism and grace and instills confidence in the organization’s leadership. Works with staff to develop marketing materials that reflect SER’s mission and activities, and actively seeks opportunities to expand outreach and marketing activities. Develops appropriate communications to express SER’s position on policies, education, or other public initiatives related to restoration. Working with the editors, ensures that the Society’s academic journal Restoration Ecology (Wiley-Blackwell), book series with Island Press, newsletters, and e-bulletins appropriately represent the Society and are managed to their greatest potential for the benefit of readers and the organization as a whole. Human Resources and Operations Upholds personnel policies and supervises 3-5 staff. Supervises and delegates multiple tasks, including policy, fundraising, membership management, communications, and committee management. Balances strategic initiatives and operating tasks with available resources to ensure a well-functioning and healthy office environment. Communicates clearly and professionally with staff, and inspires confidence and respect from staff, directors, volunteers, and contractors. Manages recruiting, hiring and dismissal of employees, performance reviews, timesheets, payroll, training, and facilities for employees. Board Development and Management Maintains clear lines of communication with international Board of Directors and committee members. Maintains board meeting schedules and plans agendas for meetings, communicates weekly with Board Chair, and inspires confidence and initiates action among board members. Mediates conflicts as necessary and upholds Society bylaws. Enhances board effectiveness, participation, and development by seeking funding for board meetings, recruiting new board members, and participating in committee activities to advance the Society’s mission. Institutional Partnerships Maintains effective communication with partners of the Society, including international bodies of which SER is a member. Positions the Society as the recognized leader in the promotion of ecological restoration through strong partnerships and effective communication. Please submit a resume and cover letter with salary requirements, and address all inquiries to: Mary Travaglini, Interim Executive Director, mary@ser.org or call (202) 299-9518 x1 SOCIETY FOR ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION 1017 O Street, NW Washington, DC 20001 USA 202-299-9518 (Office) | www.ser.org |
