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CALENDAR OF EVENTS Advocacy News (Includes how to reach your legislators) DEP Enforcement Actions In The Berkshire return to top |
On behalf of Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Ian Bowles, you are invited to participate in any of six “listening sessions” scheduled for November 16 to November 20 where EEA will take public input on options for changes in administrative structures and programs to meet environmental goals in light of budget challenges. Please see the attached press release for additional details. BEAT note: Not one meeting in the Berkshires listed so far. We complained. |
GB farm for sale Seeking like minded folks! Four Winds Farm in Great Barrington, MA may be offered for sale in its entirety or in small parcels as part of a eco-type community under exploration.There is the potential to develop a small "village" community as zoning laws have changed to promote conservation of land. Total is 23 acres. It is the home of a non-profit, The Living Learning Collaborative. There is a small organic market garden, an apple orchard that is slowly being brought back, a beautiful farmhouse, dilapidated barn, woodland and overgrown pasture. Walk to town center and beach. If you are interested in any aspect of this, or have other ideas, please contact MaryBeth via fourwindsfarmgb@aol.com. Erik Hoffner The Orion Grassroots Network provides services and support to grassroots organizations engaged in ecological, social, and cultural change. |
EPA Announces Regional Administrator for Region 1, Regional Agency Headquarters in Boston |
Open Space Institute's Saving New England's Wildlife Grant Program Saving New England's Wildlife funds projects that accelerate the conservation of high priority wildlife habitat in Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts. The initiative achieves its mission through (1) capital grants for the purchase of permanent conservation easements and fee interest in land and (2) grants and contracts for efforts that increase support and funding for wildlife habitat protection. Capitalized with a $6 million grant from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, the initiative was developed and is administered by OSI. OSI awards grants to qualified organizations through a competitive process that is guided by an advisory board comprised of experts from across the three states with knowledge of the region’s wildlife habitat, funding opportunities, conservation policy, and protection opportunities and needs. Mission: Funding and Awards: Here’s a link to the Massachusetts Wildlife Action Plan: http://www.wildlifeactionplans.org/massachusetts.html and http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/habitat/cwcs/cwcs_home.htm OSI will award $5 million in capital land protection grants on a competitive basis to qualified organizations. A minimum of $1 million will be awarded to projects in each state, with the remaining funds to be granted to conservation transactions of the greatest need and opportunity within the three eligible states. This $5 million must leverage at least $25 million in other public and private financial support to help implement the action plans. Projects are reviewed by a regional advisory committee that recommends grants and loans for approval to OSI. In the first round of grants (Spring 2009), OSI approved 15 capital grants, three of which have closed. (PROJECT LIST) In addition, non-capital grants are available to increase funding for wildlife conservation and to amplify the importance of State Wildlife Action Plans to the media, decision-makers, funders and the general public. These amplification grants and contracts are awarded for selected projects by invitation only. OSI has approved six amplification grants in 2009. (Press Release) Outcomes: What we want to achieve More broadly, the initiative’s investment in selected land conservation projects will:
Geographic Focus: These ecological areas were chosen based on 1) biological diversity, 2) immediate or near term threat, 3) land conservation opportunities, 4) high percentage of species of greatest conservation need, and 5) regional and national significance of the wildlife resources at risk. Land Protection Grant Criteria:
Additional geographic preference:
Those projects that meet the threshold criteria will be judged against the following criteria:
Eligible Uses of Funds: Application Process and Timeline: Proposals are reviewed by the Fund’s advisory committee, which makes recommendations to OSI's Credit Committee. Final grant awards will be subject to approval by OSI's Board of Trustees. Funds will be provided at project closing in accordance with the terms of a grant agreement. Contact: The Massachusetts Watershed Coalition |
American Rivers and NOAA Community-Based Restoration Program River Grants Since 2001, American Rivers and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Community-based Restoration Program have provided financial and technical assistance for river restoration projects benefiting diadromous fish species in the Northeast (ME, VT, NH, MA, CT, RI), Mid-Atlantic (NY, PA, NJ, DE, MD, DC, VA), Northwest (WA, OR, ID) and California. [Diadromous fish migrate between freshwater and saltwater during their life cycle. Examples include alewife, American shad, American eel, salmon, steelhead and shortnose sturgeon.] During the first seven years of the partnership, the program has provided more than $2 million to support over 100 community-driven river restoration projects that have benefited diadromous fish populations and habitats throughout the country. The American Rivers-NOAA River Grants programs funds stream barrier removal projects in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Northwest, and California. Applications are being evaluated based upon four priority criteria: (1) ecological merits of the project, (2) technical feasibility of the project, (3) benefits provided to the local community, and (4) financial clarity and strength of the application. Grants are provided for three distinct project phases—feasibility analysis, engineering design, and construction—with the average grant size between $25,000 - $50,000. We are currently accepting applications for 2010 project funding. Applications are due by December 18, 2009. Application materials and instructions can be found below.
Click here for more information on the NOAA Community-Based Restoration Program and its partners. The Massachusetts Watershed Coalition |
AVOID INVASIVE PLANTS FOR HOLIDAY DECORATING As part of the upcoming holiday season, many people are using plant material to decorate their houses or businesses. The Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife) highly recommends that people avoid using certain exotic, invasive plants such as Oriental bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus) and multiflora rose (Rosa multiflora) in holiday decorations. Though these plants are attractive, it is best to refrain from using them. Birds eat and carry away the fruits from wreaths and garlands and the digested but still-viable seeds sprout where deposited. Exotic, invasive plants create severe environmental damage, invading open fields, forests, wetlands, meadows, and backyards, and crowding out native plants. Bittersweet can even kill mature trees through strangling. Both plants are extremely difficult to control: when cut off, the remaining plant segment in the ground will re-sprout. It is illegal to import or sell bittersweet and multiflora rose in any form (plants or cuttings) in the state of Massachusetts. Backyard gardeners, nursery staff, landscapers and conservationists can learn more about invasive plants from MassWildlife's Guide To Invasive Plants, authored by DFW's former State Botanist Paul Somers, Rachel Kramer, and Karen Lombard of The Nature Conservancy and Bill Brumback of the New England Wild Flower Society. In the Guide, each invasive plant description includes a photograph, the plant's regulatory status, key identification characteristics, habitats where the plant is likely to be found, type of threat the plant poses to native species and habitats, and its current distribution and place of origin. Similar plant species are also briefly described to aid in plant identification. The Guide includes definitions of three categories of invasiveness, brief explanations of how invasive plants are introduced and spread, why invasives are a problem, how to learn more about controlling invasive plants, and the state agricultural regulations regarding their importation, sale and propagation. Useful invasive plant websites are also referenced. The Guide is $5 a copy. To purchase a guide from MassWildlife, stop in the Westborough office during business hours or send a request to “Invasive Plant Guide,” MassWildlife Field HQ, NHESP, 1 Rabbit Hill Rd, Westborough, MA, 01581, and include a check payable to: Comm. of Mass.--NHESP. Sorry, but credit cards are not accepted. For more information from DFW about invasive plants, visit www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/nhesp/conservation/invasives/invasive_species.htm or visit the New England Wild Flower Society website at http://www.newfs.org/protect/invasive-plants. |
FOREST RECERTIFICATION: PUBLIC COMMENT INVITED As part of the 2009 forest management recertification process, the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife) is seeking public comments during a 30-day period (October 30, 2009 - November 30, 2009) regarding which state wildlife lands are being considered for recertification under the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) criteria for sustainable management. Public comments may be emailed to Mass.Wildlife@state.ma.us, or sent via postal mail to “Forest Certification Comments”, MassWildlife Field HQ, 1 Rabbit Hill Road, Westborough, MA, 01581. Certification by the FSC is a professional acknowledgment that the landowner is practicing responsible forest management that is environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial, and economically viable. The certification process requires annual audits of forest management practices, and must be renewed every five years. Certification also requires extensive public review of the forest management planning process for public lands. MassWildlife lands were originally certified through FSC in 2004, and the five-year recertification audit occurred between April and August of 2009. The audit report determined that only lands with publicly reviewed management plans are eligible for recertification. To comply with this determination, MassWildlife has identified a subset of state wildlife lands (44,000 acres) that are presently eligible for recertification, a subset of lands that can become eligible for certification in the future, and a subset of lands that will not be submitted for certification for various reasons, including: facility development (boat launch sites, offices and hatcheries), non-forested lands (salt marshes, roadside corridors, sand dunes), and lands not completely under MassWildlife's management control.. Lands currently eligible for recertification are located in the Berkshire Highlands and Taconic Mountains Forest Management Zones (FMZ) for which there are already publicly reviewed forest management plans. Information about these FMZ Plans is posted on the Division’s website at www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/habitat/management/bdi/forest_mgt/fmz_plans.htm. MassWildlife will post a summary of all comments received, and describe any action to be taken by the agency in response to comments received on its website on or about December 15, 2009. |
Pioneer Valley - Need a Thanksgiving Turkey??? Order your Turkeys for Thanksgiving this week. The Food Bank Farm in Hadley needs your support! Buy a local Diemand Naturally Raised ($3.49/lb) and/or a Murrays Naturally Raised ($2.69/lb) turkey. Email orders to mdocter@foodbankfarm.com or order a turkey at the farm store on November 9th (12-7pm), 11th (12-7PM) or 13th (11-3PM) during store hours. The Food Bank Farm store is open to everyone even if you are not a Food Bank Farm member. There will be lots to buy at the store Thanksgiving week. Contact Michael Dockter, mdocter@foodbankfarm.com. and if you are interested in a CSA share for 2010... there's the barn next door...join now! Support local farmers. LOCATION: 15 Lawrence Plain Rd., about 1/3rd of a mile past the Food Bank Farm heading south on route 47 in Hadley. SHAREROOM HOURS: M, W 2-7 and F, 12-4. June through November. SHARE SIZE/PRICE/OPTIONS: We will offer one share size, equivalent to the regular share at FBF, which feeds 3-5 people, for $525. Two households may split a share. WHAT IS INCLUDED IN THE SHARE: We will offer the same diverse selection that you have always received at FBF, including a large U-pick section. FARM STORE: This season we will offer a few select locally sourced items (including the local fruit you have been getting at FBF). We hope to reopen the farm store in the future. EXTRA’S: “Next Barn Over” CSA members can also expect: a biweekly newsletter full of recipes, farm news and sustainable agriculture information; opportunities to purchase bulk produce at discount prices for canning and freezing; opportunities to volunteer on the farm; invitations to farm events such as potlucks and film screenings; and daily recreational access to the farm for walking, picnicking, and u-picking. AN APPEAL: As you know, the formation of the “Next Barn Over” community supported farm is brand new. There will be costs involved in readying the barn for CSA use. In the future there will be an appeal to “Next Barn Over” members for donations toward these transition costs. We hope that you will be able to help! SIGN UP: Attached here is a sign up sheet for the “Next Barn Over” CSA. We are giving current FBF members priority seating at the “Next Barn Over”, please return your sign-up sheet and payment to us by November 9th at which point we will be opening membership up to the FBF waiting list. We ask that you fill out the form on your computer (to aid in readability), then print and send with your payment to: “Next Barn Over” CSA, P.O Box 92, Hadley, MA 01035 Feel free to contact us with any questions! ryoung@nextbarnover.com, With respect, and with the hope that we will see you this spring, Ray Young |
Green Communities Website Updates Green Communities has added some new documents to the website.
Working with you to protect the environment in the Berkshires and beyond |