In the News
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Environmental Monitor
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The BEAT News Archives
Advocacy News (Includes how to reach your legislators)
DEP Enforcement Actions In The Berkshire
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Bobcat, Mountain Lion, Moose, and More: Citizen science protects habitat
Have you ever seen an animal track while walking in the woods and wondered what animal made that track? Have you wondered what that track might be telling you? Was the animal running or walking? Where was it going, and why? Would you like to learn to read animal tracks and signs and then use those new skills to protect open spaces and natural habitats? That is just what nationally recognized naturalist and habitat identification specialist, Susan Morse of Keeping Track® is offering.
Susan Morse, a nationally recognized naturalist and habitat specialist, keeps audiences enthralled with her slide show of spectacular wildlife photos and an interactive talk on the biology and ecology of our native mammals. Morse will be bringing her presentation to the Berkshires Wednesday, September 22 from 6:30 to 8:30pm at St. Steven’s Episcopal Church, East St., Pittsfield. Morse uses humor and personal anecdotes to impress on wildlife enthusiasts of all ages the importance of landscape-level planning in protecting wildlife habitat and wildlife corridors. Sue's research has focused on cougar, bobcat, black bear, and Canada lynx. She collected these photographs and anecdotes during her more than 30 years of tracking and interpreting wildlife uses of habitat. Come early to talk, explore a collection of skulls, pelts, and plaster casts of tracks of local mammals, and talk with members of Berkshire Wildlife Trackers about their experiences as trackers in the Berkshires.
Keeping Track® was founded by Susan Morse in 1994 to teach adults and children how to observe, interpret, record, and monitor evidence of wildlife in their local communities. Sue coaches teams of trackers with diverse interests. While cooperating to gather data on local wildlife, these teams develop a network of understanding that encourages collaboration and land use solutions beneficial to wildlife as well as humans.
Berkshire Environmental Action Team (BEAT) is looking for eighteen people who want to get out doors, have fun, and work hard to protect our wildlands by joining Berkshire Wildlife Trackers wildlife habitat monitoring program. Volunteers sign on for six full-day training workshops in the field plus two classroom sessions. Participants are taught a scientifically-based data collection methodology in the form of track and sign surveys. Some of the topics addressed are: detection and interpretation of tracks and sign of agreed upon focal species for your region, conservation biology as it relates to data collection and resulting land protection, forest ecology and plant identification as they relate to mammal uses of habitat, 'search imaging' - Sue Morse's technique for predictably looking in the right places and finding sign, and an introduction to science-based field studies. The Keeping Track Project and Data Management Protocol is distributed to all trackers to serve as the manual for developing a monitoring program and provide standards for data collection.
Keeping Track teams provide their data to local and regional organizations so that planning, conservation, development, and road construction decisions can be based on these scientifically gathered facts. More than 2,500 acres of habitat were conserved in Northwestern Vermont because Keeping Track’s monitoring program shared data and collaborated with a dozen state and community-based organizations. Berkshire Wildlife Trackers brings this program to the Berkshires.
Keeping Track is a citizen-science program and the only one that works with mammals. “By engaging people in monitoring their local wildlife, Morse turns the notoriously abstract issues of biodiversity and habitat fragmentation into an earthy, firsthand relationship with wild animals on their home turf” says Audubon magazine.
During the event, participants will hear about Keeping Track's Wildlife Monitoring Training program and have an opportunity to join the Berkshire Wildlife Trackers team that will start training in October.
Sue Morse and Keeping Track® have been featured in: National Public Radio’s “Morning Edition” and in magazines such as Smithsonian, Audubon, The Nature Conservancy, the National Wildlife Federation’s Ranger Rick, Adirondack Life, Vermont Life, Orion, and Wild Earth. Her photography and life work are featured in The Woods Scientist, part of the Houghton Mifflin Company’s “Scientist in the Field” series.
The Berkshire Environmental Action Team (BEAT) and Berkshire Natural Resources Council are hosting this event, Wednesday, September 22 from 6:30 to 8:30pm at St. Steven’s Episcopal Church, East St., Pittsfield. For more information about the event, or if you are interested in volunteering to train as a Berkshire Wildlife Tracker please visit the Berkshire Wildlife Trackers’ website www.berkshirewildlifetrackers.org.
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Attention Fall Hikers
Citizen scientist hikers are still needed to monitor the fruiting season of forest and alpine plants. Record your observations and share your data online with Appalachian Mountain Club's research team. For more information and to sign up, visit http://www.outdoors.org/conservation/mountainwatch/mtplant.cfm.
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Funding is available for 3rd through 8th Grade Public School Classrooms to Execute Projects to Benefit the Environment! - Disney's Planet Challenge is offering match funding to hands-on environmental project(s) submitted by 3rd through 8th grade teachers requesting $650 or less in materials. Full-funding is available to teachers who also sign up to participate in Disney's Planet Challenge! 1) First, log in to your teacher account on DonorsChoose.org (if you don’t have one, any public school teacher can sign up at www.donorschoose.org/teacher). 2) Once you’re logged in, submit a hands-on project request focused on benefiting the environment (projects on water conservation and watershed protection, recycling, composting, restoring/creating community gardens, etc.) requesting $$650 or less in materials. 3) If interested, visit http://dpcproject.com and sign up for the Disney's Planet Challenge, using the same email address you used for your DonorsChoose.org account. 4) Make sure to submit your request as soon as possible for the best chance of funding. Projects must be submitted before November 1st for consideration. 5) 4. Then what happens? Within a week of project approval, if your projects meets the above criteria, you will see a Disney's Planet Challenge logo on your project page. This means it has qualified for this match offer and now has a great chance of being fully funded by the other donors that visit our site. If your project qualifies and you sign up for Disney’s Planet Challenge, your project will receive this funding by 12/18/10. For more information: Melanie Duppins Director of Program Expansion Partnerships, DonorsChoose.org 202-315-2414 melanie@donorschoose.org
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Call for Workshop Proposals
Annual MEES Conference 2011: Navigating MA Environmental Education: Mountains to Marine
Wednesday, March 2nd, 2011
College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, Massachusetts
The Massachusetts Environmental Education Society (MEES) is seeking workshop proposals for the 2011 Conference Navigating MA Environmental Education: Mountains to Marine. Come share what you have learned and experienced in and out of the classroom.
For more than thirty years, the MEES conference has attracted participants with great presentations, great food, and great friends! The conference draws a diverse audience including classroom teachers from pre-school to college, museum and nature center staff and administrators, and community resource leaders. We hope you will consider presenting at this exciting conference!
If you or someone you know is interested in presenting at the 2011 MEES Conference, now is the time to submit a workshop proposal. We are especially interested in presentations relating to climate and energy, classroom connections, and getting outside in Massachusetts. Our deadline for receiving proposals is October 15, 2010.
- How do you integrate various local habitats into your curriculum? Share your ideas for helping students learn to understand, improve, and protect the special places they call home.
- How do you weave environmental concepts into your teaching? How do you navigate the Standards and State Frameworks to reach your goals, whether you teach in a formal classroom or informal setting?
- How do you bring your teaching into the environment?
- What does living in Massachusetts mean to the students and teachers at your school or organization? Share your ideas for helping students learn about regions, ecosystems and habitats in Massachusetts.
- What are some ways you help your students learn to navigate, map, and explore their surroundings?
- Technology can be used to promote positive environmental attitudes and behaviors, to keep the message of environmental conservation fresh and timely, and to inspire students and educators alike with a wealth of information and tools—map out your success story that uses technology to educate about the environment.
- How do you bridge connections throughout Massachusetts in order to educate others on current topics in environmental education as well as local and global environmental issues?
Special consideration will be given to those workshops that contain “hands-on” materials and activities that participants can take with them to share with colleagues. We are looking for workshops which will engage participants in this year’s theme. These might include, but are not limited to:
- Integrating environmental science in formal school locations.
- Implementing Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks in environmental education programs and activities.
- Sharing or facilitating projects and programs that connect formal and informal educators and their institutions.
We offer certificates for professional development points for classroom teachers; please refer to the “Guidelines for K-12 Professional Development” below, as adapted from the Massachusetts Department of Education when designing your workshop:
Guidelines for K-12 Professional Development
- Connections to Common Core of Learning and state Curriculum Frameworks.
- Plan professional development with clear objectives, relevant learning activities and conclusions.
- Incorporate technology tools and appropriate media.
- Build on educators’ prior knowledge and experience.
- Use principles of adult learning theory to engage educators in professional growth.
- Depth of content rather than breadth of information presented.
- Employ a variety of teaching techniques such as direct instruction, practice, discussion, problem-solving, Socratic dialogue, and research projects
- Provide many and varied opportunities for educators to incorporate new knowledge and skills into classroom practice or school and district management.
- Assess proficiency through an appropriate end-of-course assessment.
- Provide follow-up resources.
Share what you have learned about promoting and supporting environmental education from the mountains to the shore in MA, and especially in your own community at this year’s MEES Conference.
Please find the Conference Workshop Proposal form online here and submit; or print, complete, and mail the MEES Call for Workshop Proposals 2011 to the address listed on the form by the October 15, 2010 deadline. Thank you!
Questions? Please e-mail: presenters@massmees.org
Links:
Online Conference Workshop Proposal Form: http://www.massmees.org/index.php?option=com_facileforms&ff_name=workshop_proposal&ff_border=0&Itemid=599
Printable (Word Doc) Conference Workshop Proposal Form: http://massmees.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1348&Itemid=606
MEES Website: www.massmees.org
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Course Announcement: Local Communities Adapting to Climate Change, Managing Risk in Decision Making
Thursday-Friday, November 4-5
Lincoln Institute of Land Policy
Cambridge, MA
This hands-on, interactive course provides local and regional leaders with the tools they need to assess the impacts of climate change and manage the risks it poses - and the opportunity to share their concerns on a difficult topic.
Course Instructors
- Lawrence Susskind Ford, Professor, Urban and Environmental Planning, MIT; Founder, CBI
- Paul Kirshen, Climate Change Adaptation Research Leader, Battelle
- Stephen Aldrich, President and founder, Bio Economic Research Associates (bio-era) LLC
- Patrick Field, Managing Director, CBI; Associate Director, MIT-Harvard Public Disputes Program
Who Should Attend
- Municipal, regional and state officials and staff
- Planners, land use professionals and consultants
- Public health and emergency services personnel
- Scientists, activists concerned about the costs of infrastructure
- Other civil society stakeholders
This course is offered free of charge thanks to the generous support of the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy. It fills quickly and registration is required; seats are allocated on a first come first served basis. Breakfast and lunch will be provided.
Registration deadline: October 8, 2010
For more information or to register, email lincolninstitute@resource-plus.com or call 888-845-8759.
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Explore the Changing Tide of Recycling’s Future - NERC’s Fall Conference,
November 3 & 4
Interested in learning about changes on the horizon for recycling and waste management? Then plan on attending the Northeast Recycling Council Fall Conference, November 3 – 4, Northampton , Massachusetts . The keynote address will be presented by Scott Cassel, Executive Director and Founder of the Product Stewardship Institute, and will address the factors leading to the abundance and acceptance of product stewardship programs in the United States .
Thinking beyond waste, how corporations are providing socially and environmentally responsible services to their clients, organics recycling, and C&D will all be discussed as well. Speakers include Lynne Pledger, Northeast Product Stewardship Organizer for the Product Policy Institute; Resa Dimino, Special Assistant, Commissioner’s Policy Office, New York Department of Environmental Conservation (invited); Nelson Widell, Peninsula Compost Group; and Michael Alexander, Recycle Away. Complete agenda details are available online at http://www.nerc.org/conferences/upcoming_conference_agenda.html.
Register now for this exciting gathering! Exhibit space and sponsorship opportunities are available. For more information, contact Mary Ann Remolador, NERC Assistant Director at maryann@nerc.org or 802.254.3636.
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Watch Out for Wildlife
from Defenders of Wildlife
The fall is all too often one of the deadliest times for wildlife near roads and highways. Experts estimate that up to 1.5 million wildlife-vehicle collisions occur in the United States every year. And roads are a leading cause of decline for some species.
In fact, vehicle collisions are a leading cause of death for the critically endangered Florida panther -- a record 17 panthers were killed by vehicles in 2009. But animals aren’t the only victims: More than 200 motorists are killed in wildlife-vehicle collisions in the U.S. every year.
Defenders of Wildlife Watch Out for Wildlife Week (September 12-18) is raising awareness of the dangers our roads pose to wildlife -- and you can help.
Watch a slideshow and take action: Urge your U.S. Representative to make our roadways safer for wildlife and motorists alike. 
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5th annual North Amherst Harvest Festival
The 5th annual North Amherst Harvest Festival will take place on Sunday, September 19 at Simple Gifts Farm from noon to 7:00pm. You are invited to join us for music, children's events, farm tours and more..... but if you really want to get involved in helping this community celebrate good food - perhaps you'd be willing to lend a hand.
Anyone willing to help out by volunteering may go to this volunteer web page for more information: http://www.justfoodnow.org/Events/harvestfestvolunteers.htm
But in any case, please join us for the Festival.... its a blast!
John Gerber
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Ch. 61B Application Deadline is October 1st
news from MassWoods
The Ch. 61 current use programs (Ch. 61, 61A, and 61B) can have a significant impact in helping landowners keep their land undeveloped by reducing property taxes.
These current use programs can be used by themselves or in combination with other land conservation tools to meet landowner goals.
The Ch. 61B program takes a passive approach towards the land. In exchange for maintaining land in an undeveloped condition, landowners are given a 75% reduction in their land assessment. Learn more about the Ch. 61B program. Calculate your property taxes under the Ch. 61B program.
The deadline for submitting a Ch. 61B application to your local assessor is October 1st. Download a Ch. 61B application.
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Campus to Congress to City Hall (C2C)
2010 Launch Conference - September 24th 4:00 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Center for Environmental Studies, Williams College
- C2C, an innovative grassroots network of faculty, students, staff and citizens committed to stopping global warming through clean energy solutions, will hold a launch conference on September 24th at Williams College.
- Economists Juliet Schor, author of Plenitude: the New Economics of True Wealth and Born To Buy: The Commercialized Child and the New Consumer Culture and Eban Goodstein, Director of Bard Center for Environmental Policy, will each give a keynote address.
- The conference will focus on growing this network involving a thousand universities and tens of thousands of students.
“Being a part of C2C is a great way for motivated students to talk directly with our nation’s decision makers about the importance of climate change.”
- Bard CEP Graduate Student, Rachel Savain
C2C is predicated on the belief that grassroots social movements drive social change in the US; only social movements have the power to overcome the natural gridlock of the US political system. From abolition to women’s suffrage, and from labor rights to civil rights, the power of a mobilized public has repeatedly swept through Washington, pushing through legislation that provided the foundation for subsequent decades of prosperity.
“Across the nation, at every college, university, high school and middle school, are dozens of faculty, students, and staff who understand that we are living at a truly extraordinary moment in history, and who are looking for a way to change the future. C2C is your network.”
- Eban Goodstein
Please join us September 24th from 4:00 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Williams College.
Event Schedule:
4-5:30 Opening Remarks, Eban Goodstein, Director, Bark College Center for Environmental Policy, Lawrence Hall Auditorium
5:30-6:30 Breakout session #1 Griffin Hall 1, 3
6:30-7:00 Dinner (Pizza Provided)
7:00-8:00 Breakout session #2 Griffin Hall 1, 3
8:00-9:00 Keynote Speaker: Juliet Schor, Economist and Author of Plenitude: the New Economics of True Wealth and Born To Buy: The Commercialized Child and the New Consumer Culture, Lawrence Hall Auditorium
Registration is free and dinner will be provided.
To register: Kate Fletcher at kfletcher@williams.edu
For more information: Sarah Gardner at sgardner@williams.edu
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We expect the food we eat to be safe, but events like the recent recall of more than half a billion eggs show us our system is failing us. The United States Senate is expected to take action as early as this week on critical federal food safety legislation, the Food and Drug Administration Food Safety Modernization Act (S. 510). We urge you to support this bill.
Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) plans to offer an amendment to the food safety bill that would ban the hormone-disrupting chemical bisphenol A (BPA) from sippy cups, baby bottles, baby food and infant formula containers. We need to protect our kids from BPA. Over 200 studies have linked BPA to health effects such as reproductive disorders, prostate and breast cancer, birth defects, low sperm count, early puberty and effects on brain development and behavior.
To make sure that both this vital amendment and underlying legislation have strong support, we need you to contact your Senators today and urge them to support both the new food safety bill and Senator Feinstein's BPA amendment.
Click here today to email your Senators.
BPA leaches from containers like sippy cups, baby bottles, baby food and infant formula canisters into the food and drink inside where it is then ingested by babies and children. The CDC found BPA in 93 percent of all Americans. Just last year EWG research revealed BPA in umbilical cord blood of newborns, which demonstrates that babies are exposed to this toxic chemical before they are born.
While the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act will address many of the enormous problems with our food safety system, we also need to act now to protect children from BPA. Senator Feinstein's amendment banning the potentially harmful chemical BPA from children's food and drink containers is an essential amendment to this bill. Please urge your Senators today to support the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act and Senator Feinstein's BPA amendment.
Click here today to tell your Senators to support both these vital food safety measures.
Thank you for taking the time to stand up to protect children from BPA and for safer food.
Together, our voices are stronger.
Sincerely,
Ken Cook
President, EWG Action Fund
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HIKE ACROSS THE RENSSELAER PLATEAU in the ELEVENTH ANNUAL HUDSON RIVER VALLEY RAMBLE
Grafton-- Dyken Pond Environmental Education Center, Rensselaer Plateau Alliance, Friends of the Dyken Pond Center and Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area are pleased to announce the Eleventh Annual Hudson River Valley Ramble, scheduled each weekend during September.
In Rensselaer County, a challenging two-day hike is scheduled for the weekend of September 25 and 26. The “Hike Across the Rensselaer Plateau” will cover two days and 25 miles of hiking. Most of the hiking will be on trails but will also include sections of off-trail hiking using map and compass. Saturday’s hike will cover 10 miles and will end with a free BBQ dinner. Hikers can camp overnight and will awaken on Sunday morning to a complimentary breakfast and then continue hiking 15 miles to Stephentown. This hike is free of charge and is for an advanced hiker. Pre-registration is required and the hike is limited to 20 people. Contact Jim Bonesteel to register at jim@bonesteel.com or 794-9160. Detailed information will be given upon registration. Children of parents wishing to participate can attend the Weekend Fall Nature Camp at Dyken Pond.
For more information about the Hudson River Valley Ramble and the Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area, please visit, www.hudsonrivervalley.com.
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Junior Naturalist Programs for Kids
Grafton – Dyken Pond Environmental Education Center is offering weekend nature programs throughout the fall season. A Junior Naturalist Series will be held every Saturday morning from 10 am until 12 pm. Each week will cover a seasonal theme and include activities for children ages 3 through 10. On Sunday afternoons, a naturalist will offer fall foliage hikes for all ages from 1 – 3 pm. Pre-registration is encouraged to help with planning, but not required. For more information and details on these programs or to get on our email notification list, please contact the Center at (518) 658-2055 or dykenpond@fairpoint.net.
Dyken Pond Center is a Rensselaer County Park open daily during daylight hours for hiking, fishing and non-motor boating.
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