Housatonic River Cleanup
2026-07-25 09:00 - 12:00 (America/New_York) | Westside Riverway Park, 181 Dewey Ave., Pittsfield, MA
Cleanups make a considerable difference in the health of the Housatonic River. Each summer, Berkshire Environmental Action Team (BEAT) and Housatonic Valley Association (HVA) work together to remove trash from the west branch of the Housatonic River. The West Branch is a beautiful stretch of the Housatonic River running south from Pontoosuc and Onota Lakes and joining with the East Branch on the south end of Pittsfield.
BEAT and HVA staff and volunteers have been taking to the river in waders, boots, and canoes to pull out trash and keep the river beautiful for several years now. Since beginning annual cleanups, our efforts have made a noticeable difference, with the piles of trash getting smaller — and that wouldn’t be possible without the help of volunteers. Join us to help support the health of our Housatonic River!
We will meet at the Westside Riverway Park in Pittsfield before cleanup teams disperse to nearby locations to gather miscellaneous trash from the river banks and bottom. Canoes will be used to transport the trash. We’ll finish cleaning up around noon and then eat some lunch, which will be provided for free to all participants.
REGISTER HERE
DATE: Saturday, July 25th (Rain Date: Saturday, August 22nd)
TIME: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
LOCATION: Riverway Park, 181 Dewey Ave, Pittsfield, MA

Pittsfield Farmers Market
2026-07-25 09:00 - 13:00, 2026-08-01 09:00 - 13:00, 2026-08-08 09:00 - 13:00, 2026-08-15 09:00 - 13:00, 2026-08-22 09:00 - 13:00, 2026-08-29 09:00 - 13:00, 2026-09-05 09:00 - 13:00, 2026-09-12 09:00 - 13:00 | Pittsfield Common, 100 1st St., Pittsfield, MA
Every Saturday through October, rain or shine!
Find more details here: farmersmarketpittsfield.org
DATE: Saturday, May 9 – Saturday, October 31
TIME: 9:00am – 1:00pm
LOCATION: The Common, 100 First St, Pittsfield, MA 01201

H is for Hoosic!
2026-07-28 16:30 - 17:30 | Hoosick River Greenway, 7 Classic St., Hoosick Falls, NY, United States
Join the Hoosic River Watershed Association (HooRWA), Cheney Library, and the Town of Hoosick in a riverside nature walk with naturalist educator Arianna Collins. As we walk along the Hoosick River Greenway, we can admire the scenery, learn more about riverine ecology, and enjoy sensory awareness activities. Families welcome.
Meet at the Hoosick River Greenway, 7 Classic St, Hoosick Falls, NY on Tuesday, July 28 at 4:30pm for this 1 hour program.
No registration necessary. Just show up if you can. This free program is made possible through Stewart’s Shops.
DATE: Tuesday, July 28
TIME: 4:30 – 5:30 pm
LOCATION: Hoosick River Greenway, 7 Classic St., Hoosick Falls, NY

The Nature of Cheshire Reservoir
2026-07-30 17:00 - 18:00 | Farnums Causeway, Ashuwillticook Rail Trail @ Farnham Rd, Farnams Rd, Cheshire, MA 01225, Cheshire, MA, 01225, United States
Enjoy an evening stroll along the Cheshire Reservoir trail on Thursday, July 30, from 5-6pm. Join the Hoosic River Watershed Association (HooRWA), Hoosac Lake Recreation/Preservation District (HLD), Berkshire Outfitters, and The Snack Shack in a reservoir-side nature walk with naturalist educator Arianna Collins. As we walk along Cheshire Reservoir, we can admire the scenery, learn more about the Watershed, and enjoy sensory awareness activities. Families welcome. Meet at Farnam’s Causeway, on Farnams Road off Rt 8 in Cheshire MA.
No registration necessary. Just show up if you can.
This program is supported by a grant from the Berkshire Environmental Endowment Fund, a fund of the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation.
DATE: Thursday, July 30
TIME: 5:00 – 6:00 pm
LOCATION: Farnams Causeway, Farnums Rd. off Rt. 8, Cheshire, MA

Follow the Forest Wildlife Training
2026-08-02 14:00 - 16:00 | Bushnell-Sage Library, 48 Main St., Sheffield, MA
On Sunday, August 2 at 2pm, train to be a citizen scientist for the Housatonic Valley Association’s Follow the Forest initiative and learn how to assess where good corridors exist for
deer, bobcats, and other animals to move across the land—and where there are barriers that we can help find ways for them to get around.
Join the Sheffield Land Trust and the Housatonic Valley Association (HVA) from 2-5pm at the Bushnell-Sage Library in Sheffield to learn more about how YOU can help wildlife move across
our landscape! During this hands-on training, HVA staff will introduce participants to the Follow the Forest initiative, which is working to protect our critical landscape, and the Wildlife Linkage
Assessment Tool, which is used to assess key habitat connectivity points.
You’ll learn to document how wildlife moves between forest habitats and navigates roadways. Your valuable observations will help inform conservation efforts and strengthen ecological
connections across the region.
Isabel Bronson, HVA’s Conservation Projects Manager, says “Follow the Forest is a bold conservation initiative working to protect and connect a climate-resilient wildlife corridor stretching from the Hudson Valley through western Connecticut and the Berkshires of Massachusetts, north through the Green Mountains of Vermont, to Canada. By bringing together conservation organizations and communities across the region, Follow the Forest is helping ensure that moose can roam, bobcats can travel, and countless other wildlife species can move freely between the large forest blocks that anchor the Northeast’s ecological resilience in a changing climate.”
DATE: Sunday, August 2
TIME: 2 PM
LOCATION: Bushnell-Sage Library, Sheffield, MA
The event is free and open to the public, but registration is required to be sure there is space for everyone. Please visit https://followtheforest.org/ to register or for more information.
If you have any questions, you can also contact HVA’s Conservation Projects Manager, Isabel Bronson, at ibronson@hvatoday.org.

Habitat Chat
2026-08-05 12:00 - 13:00, 2026-09-02 12:00 - 13:00 | Online
The Massachusetts Pollinator Network hosts monthly drop-in, informal meetings for participants from across the state to learn about topics relevant to our work, share projects, ask questions, and exchange knowledge, ideas, and updates.
Whether you’re a seasoned community organizer, a home gardener, work in the field already, or are new to pollinator protection concerns, all are welcome! Stay for the entire meeting or just pop in for what you can.

To receive the zoom link, please register here.
DATE: First Wednesday of each month
TIME: 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
LOCATION: Online via Zoom

Beyond Lithium, Part 3: Form Energy’s Iron-Air Battery
2026-08-06 13:00 - 14:00 | Online/Zoom
Clean Energy Group’s “Beyond Lithium” webinar series spotlights the emerging energy storage technologies that are expanding the grid’s capabilities beyond today’s lithium-ion batteries. Each session in the series will feature a leading non–lithium-ion storage company, offering a practical look at how their systems work, where they are being deployed, and how they compare on performance, cost, scalability, safety, and supply chain considerations. Participants will gain insight into the potential benefits, barriers, commercialization timelines, and policy frameworks shaping this evolving market.
This session will explore Form Energy, manufacturer of 100-hour, iron-air battery systems, with a manufacturing facility in West Virginia, a demonstration project in Minnesota, and a commercial pipeline of over 750 megawatts/75 gigawatt-hours under agreement. Form’s Director of Government Affairs, Sarah Jackson, will give an overview of their technology and answer questions from attendees. Clean Energy Group President and Executive Director Seth Mullendore will moderate.
Join us to better understand how diversifying storage technologies can strengthen grid resilience, advance energy affordability, and accelerate an equitable clean energy transition.
DATE: Thursday, August 6
TIME: 1:00 – 2:00 pm
LOCATION: Zoom
REGISTER HERE
This webinar will be recorded and posted online. If you are not able to attend this webinar but would still like to watch the recording, please register and you will receive an email with the webinar recording and slides 24-48 hours after the webinar ends.
After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.
This webinar is free, but registration is required.
Clean Energy Group
www.cleanegroup.org

Invasive Hardy Kiwi Plant Removal
2026-08-08 09:00 - 12:00 | Burbank Park Boat Launch, 309 Lakeway Drive, Pittsfield, MA, 01201, United States
Join Berkshire Environmental Action Team (BEAT) at Pittsfield’s Burbank Park to help remove Hardy Kiwi (Actinidia arguta), a rapidly spreading invasive vine that threatens our native ecosystems.
Originally introduced as an ornamental plant, hardy kiwi has become a serious problem across parts of the Northeast, including Berkshire County,

MA. Once established, this fast-growing vine forms dense mats several feet deep on the forest floor and climbs high into the canopy, creating thick “curtains” that smother native plants, shrubs, and even mature trees. These areas—sometimes called “amphitheaters”—become barren monocultures that threaten biodiversity and ecosystem resilience.
What to Expect:
On this workday, we’ll focus on cutting and pulling hardy kiwi vines—particularly removing any fruit before it can be eaten by wildlife and spread further. This is a great opportunity to get outdoors, get active, and connect with others who care about protecting our local environment. Lunch and refreshments will be provided.
Who Can Participate:
Everyone is welcome, regardless of age or experience! Volunteers should be able to walk on uneven ground for about 10 minutes to reach the work site.
Why It Matters:
Your efforts will directly support native wildlife habitat and help preserve the health and diversity of our local forests.
Come Prepared:
We recommend wearing long pants and long socks, along with closed-toed shoes. Please bring a full bottle of water. Pulling vines isn’t easy work; we want everyone to stay safe and hydrated! If you have your own work gloves, loppers, or pruning shears, please bring those along. Otherwise, you can borrow some from BEAT.
DATE: Saturday, August 8
TIME: 9:00 AM to Noon
LOCATION: Burbank Park, 309 Lakeway Drive, Pittsfield, MA — We will meet at the Onota Lake Boat Launch parking lot, NOT the main parking area for Burbank Park.
REGISTER HERE
***Extreme or wet weather cancels this event.***
Email team@thebeatnews.org with any questions.

Environmental Justice Council Meeting: Data Centers
2026-08-13 18:30 - 19:30 | Stockbridge Town Hall, 50 Main Street, Stockbridge, 01262, United States
The Environmental Justice Council (EJC) will hold its next meeting on August 13, 2026, at 6:30 PM (EST). Council members will discuss Data Centers. This will be an in-person meeting with a virtual option, held at the Stockbridge Town Hall Community Room, 50 Main Street, Stockbridge, MA 01262.
DATE: Thursday, August 13
TIME: 6:30 PM
LOCATION: Online and in-person at Stockbridge Town Hall Community Room, 50 Main Street, Stockbridge, MA 01262
REGISTER HERE
We are pleased to share that interpretation support will be provided for this meeting.

Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, Mandarin, Vietnamese, Haitian Creole, Cape Verdean Creole, and American Sign Language (ASL) will be available virtually through Zoom.
Spanish interpretation will also be offered in person.

If you require interpretation in another language or need any additional accommodations, please email your request to meetings@erg.com. All requests must be submitted at least 48 hours before the meeting start time.
For more information, please visit www.mass.gov/ejcouncil.

Points East: Possible Impacts of Constitution Pipeline for New England
2026-08-15 14:00 - 17:00 | Berkshire Environmental Action Team (BEAT), 20 Chapel St., Pittsfield, MA
Join Cathy Kristofferson of Pipe Line Awareness Network for the North East (PLAN-NE) and Rosemary Wessel of Berkshire Environmental Action Team (BEAT) for a presentation and discussion of the Constitution Pipeline’s potential impacts on the Northeast region.
The rise in demand for data centers is likely the most prevalent driving force behind proposals to build and expand pipelines across the country. The Constitution Pipeline would transmit natural gas from the fracking fields of Pennsylvania to a major pipeline hub in Wright, New York, just west of Albany, where it would then be brought into New England. Pipeline expansion could spur the growth of data centers in New England, with proposals for new locations at a scale of up to six times the size of the current largest centers.
Learn about the market and political factors driving current gas transmission expansion and what the construction of Constitution Pipeline could mean to our local communities and the environment, and what you can do to stop it.
This presentation is part of a series of community events throughout the region impacted by the Constitution pipeline proposal. Spanish interpretation will be available both in-person and online.
DATE: Saturday, August 15
TIME: 2 PM to 5 PM
LOCATION: Berkshire Environmental Action Team (BEAT), 20 Chapel St., Pittsfield, MA 01201
VIRTUAL HYBRID EVENT: Zoom (registration required)
REGISTER ONLINE
. . . . .
ABOUT THE SPEAKERS
Cathy Kristofferson is a co-founder of StopNED and the Pipe Line Awareness Network for the Northeast and is their member of the Mass Power Forward Planning Team. Cathy is also a Conservation Commissioner in the Town of Ashby.
Rosemary Wessel is the co-founder and Program Manager for Berkshire Environmental Action Team’s No Fracked Gas in Mass program and Board Member of Pipe Line Awareness Network for the Northeast.

The Beehive Microgrid Model: Mobile Solar+Storage in New Orleans
2026-08-18 13:00 - 14:00 | Online/Zoom
Prolonged power outages can result in a public health crisis, especially during extreme temperatures, with medically vulnerable or mobility-challenged people particularly at risk. In the wake of Hurricane Ida, two dozen Louisiana residents’ deaths were attributed to the 10-day power outage that followed. In response, New Orleans-based nonprofits Footprint Project and Groundworks New Orleans developed an innovative new model to help communities access reliable power during the next big disaster: the Beehive Microgrid Model. A Beehive consists of a “Hive”—a grid-connected microgrid powered by solar and energy storage (solar+storage)—and “Bees”—a group of mobile solar+storage trailers. Bees are charged and stationed at the Hive. During a power outage, the Bees can be deployed throughout a region to support emergency response and recovery efforts, providing reliable backup power for field operations. The Beehive Microgrid Model was first applied in the Gentilly neighborhood of New Orleans; read CEG’s case study on this first project here: https://www.cleanegroup.org/publication/beehive-microgrid-model/
In this CEG webinar, Nate Heegaard, Associate Director of Technology at Footprint Project, and Todd Reynolds, Executive Director of Groundwork New Orleans, will overview the Beehive Microgrid and discuss the design, development, and lessons learned from the first Beehive Microgrid project located in New Orleans. The presentation will be followed by questions and discussion from the audience. CEG Project Director Marriele Mango will moderate.
DATE: Tuesday, August 18
TIME: 1:00 – 2:00 pm
LOCATION: Zoom
REGISTER HERE
This webinar will be recorded and posted online. If you are not able to attend this webinar but would still like to watch the recording, please register and you will receive an email with the webinar recording and slides 24-48 hours after the webinar ends.
After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.
This webinar is free, but registration is required.
Clean Energy Group
www.cleanegroup.org

Act on Climate with 350Mass Berkshires
2026-08-19 18:00, 2026-09-16 18:00 | Online
Join members of 350Mass, the local climate group, at their monthly zoom meetings (and sometimes in-person) for good conversation and effective action. Learn about their efforts to promote affordable renewable energy and sustainable building practices in our schools, homes, and municipalities.
The group meets monthly on the 3rd Wednesday at 6:00 pm and is always looking for new people to bring ideas, brainstorm clever actions, and help implement current initiatives.
Please join and you will be made welcome! To contact us and get the Zoom link, email at: berkshires@350mass.org
DATES: 3rd Wednesdays
TIME: 6:00 PM
LOCATION: Online via Zoom

How Free Market Thinking Has Blocked Climate Action
2026-08-22 10:00 - 12:00 | Sandisfield Arts Center, 5 Hammertown Rd, Sandisfield, MA, 01255, United States
Book talk with celebrated historian and Harvard University professor Naomi Oreskes examining the enduring myth advanced by business elites and media allies to promote hostility to “big government” and faith in unfettered markets.
Naomi Oreskes is Henry Charles Lea Professor of the History of Science, Affiliated Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences at Harvard. A world-renowned earth scientist, historian and public speaker, she is the author of the best-selling book, Merchants of Doubt (2010) and a leading voice on the role of science in society, the reality of anthropogenic climate change, and the role of disinformation in blocking climate action.
She’ll be speaking on her latest book, with Erik Conway, The Big Myth: How American Business Taught Us to Loath Government and Love the Free Market.
“[A] scorching indictment of free market fundamentalism . . . and how we can change, before it’s too late.”-Esquire
“The bestselling authors of Merchants of Doubt offer a profound, startling history of one of America’s most tenacious-and destructive-false ideas: the myth of the “free market.”
Oreskes is author or co-author of 7 other books, and over 150 articles, essays and opinion pieces, including Merchants of Doubt (Bloomsbury, 2010), The Collapse of Western Civilization (Columbia University Press, 2014), Discerning Experts (University Chicago Press, 2019), Why Trust Science? (Princeton University Press, 2019), and Science on a Mission: American Oceanography from the Cold War to Climate Change, (University of Chicago Press, 2021). Merchants of Doubt, co-authored with Erik Conway, was the subject of a documentary film of the same name produced by participant Media and distributed by SONY Pictures Classics, and has been translated into nine languages. A new edition of Merchants of Doubt, with an introduction by Al Gore, was published in 2020.
DATE: Saturday, August 22
TIME: 10 AM to Noon
LOCATION: Sandisfield Arts Center, 5 Hammertown Rd, Sandisfield, MA 01255
REGISTER HERE

Cummington Tree Alliance Woods Walk at the Rivulet with BEAT
2026-08-23 09:30 - 11:30 | William Cullen Bryant Homestead, 207 Bryant Rd, Cummington, MA, United States
The Cummington Tree Alliance invites community members to a guided woods walk on Sunday, August 23, beginning at 9:30 a.m. at the Trustee’s Rivulet Trail on the Bryant Homestead.
The walk will be led by Chelsey Simmons, Stewardship Director at Berkshire Environmental Action Team (BEAT), and will explore the rich biodiversity of the Rivulet, one of the region’s most remarkable forest landscapes. The Rivulet contains a mature forest with many old-growth characteristics and provides exceptional habitat for native plants, wildlife, and fungi. During the walk, participants will learn about native tree identification, invasive species, tree diseases, forest ecology, and the many factors that contribute to healthy, resilient woodlands, while exploring one of Cummington’s ecological treasures.
Registration is required, and participation is limited to 10 people.
To reserve your place, please complete the registration form here:
▶ SIGN UP LINK/FORM
Once your participation is confirmed, we will send any additional event information.
DATE: Sunday, August 23
TIME: 9:30 AM to 11:30 AM
LOCATION: 207 Bryant Road, Cummington, MA 01026
Parking is available next to and behind the red barn at the Bryant Homestead. From there, we will gather as a group and begin the walk to the Rivulet.

Data Centers and Energy Usage 101: Impacts on the Electric Grid
2026-09-01 13:00 - 14:00 | Online/Zoom
As data center electricity usage projections continue to skyrocket, data centers are already propelling massive electric load growth in many states, testing regional grids and raising concerns for future energy planning. Bloomberg currently estimates that data centers’ power capacity could reach 194 gigawatts by 2035, an 83% increase from its projection last year. State policymakers, regulators, and community advocates face several challenges in understanding and planning for this future demand. This Clean Energy Group (CEG) webinar is a primer for the data center industry and will provide important information on data center energy usage estimates.
In this webinar, Alli Finn, Director of Community Partnerships at AI Now Institute, will provide an overview of the data center landscape underlying this load growth, including operational dynamics, incentive structures, and other key concepts. This will be followed by a presentation from Sarah Smith, a research scientist in Lawrence Berkeley National Lab’s Energy Analysis Division. Dr. Smith will present on factors impacting data center electricity usage modelling and considerations for policymakers, regulators, and local authorities when assessing data center load growth, as detailed in the US Data Center Energy Usage Report 2025 Update. The two presentations will be followed by questions and discussion from the audience. CEG Project Director Abbe Ramanan will moderate.
DATE: Tuesday, September 1
TIME: 1:00 – 2:00 pm
LOCATION: Zoom
REGISTER HERE
Clean Energy Group
www.cleanegroup.org

Housatonic Heritage Walk: Tree Identification Walk on the Housatonic Rail Trail
2026-09-06 10:00 - 12:00 | Housatonic Rail Trail
Join Chelsey Simmons of Berkshire Environmental Action Team (BEAT) for an engaging tree identification walk at one of the Berkshires’ hidden gems. On this guided outing, participants will learn how to recognize commonly encountered trees in Western Massachusetts using key characteristics visible throughout the year.
Led by a local naturalist and tree enthusiast, this walk will share practical tips and tricks to help build confidence in identifying trees across the seasons.
The walk will cover approximately 2 miles over the course of about 2 hours, with a relaxed pace and frequent stops for observation and discussion. Trail conditions are flat and forgiving; it’s generally considered an easy walk.
DATE: Sunday, September 6
TIME: 10 AM to Noon
LOCATION: Housatonic Rail Trail, Housatonic, MA – Meeting location details will be provided to registered participants.
Space is limited to 15 participants, and registration is required. Email chelsey@thebeatnews.org to reserve a spot.

This walk is part of the annual Housatonic Heritage Walks, which are free, guided interpretive walks to the most interesting historic, cultural, industrial, natural, and scenic sites in Berkshire County, MA, & Litchfield County, CT.

Berkshire County Farmers Forum: Williamstown
2026-09-09 17:30 - 19:30 | David & Joyce Milne Public Library, 1095 Main St., Williamstown, MA
Mass Dep, American Farmland Trust, and the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources present Berkshire County Farmers Forum: Agriculture & The Wetlands Protection Act

What we’ll cover;
• The agricultural exemption under the Wetlands Protection Act, explained
• Conservation planning, engineering, and technical assistance
• The Agricultural Preservation Restriction (APR) program
• Funding opportunities

DATE: Wednesday, September 9
TIME: 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM
LOCATION: Milne Public Library, 1095 Main St, Williamstown, MA 01267
Contact Daizha.Baptiste-Johnson@mass.gov with any questions.

Berkshire County Farmers Forum: Stockbridge
2026-09-10 18:00 - 20:00 | Stockbridge Town Hall, 50 Main Street, Stockbridge, 01262, United States
Mass Dep, American Farmland Trust, and the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources present Berkshire County Farmers Forum: Agriculture & The Wetlands Protection Act

What we’ll cover;
• The agricultural exemption under the Wetlands Protection Act, explained
• Conservation planning, engineering, and technical assistance
• The Agricultural Preservation Restriction (APR) program
• Funding opportunities

DATE: Thursday, September 10
TIME: 6:00 PM to8:00 PM
LOCATION: Stockbridge Town Hall, Conference Room, 50 Main St., Stockbridge, MA 01262
Contact Daizha.Baptiste-Johnson@mass.gov with any questions.

Tree Identification & Forest Biodiversity Walk with BEAT
2026-09-12 10:00 - 12:00 | Esau’s Heel Trail
Join BEAT’s Stewardship Director, Chelsey Simmons, for a free biodiversity tree identification walk on Esau’s Trail in Becket on Saturday, September 12, at 10 AM.
Learn how to identify trees using leaves, bark, twigs, fruit, and overall form, with tips for recognizing species year-round — even when leaves aren’t present. Along the way, we’ll also discuss invasive species, tree diseases, and other factors affecting forest health and biodiversity.
The walk will cover approximately 1.5 miles over about 2 hours at a relaxed pace, with frequent stops for observation and discussion. The trail is mostly flat and considered easy. Please dress for the weather and be prepared to be outdoors for the duration.
Space is limited, and registration is required. REGISTER HERE.
DATE: Saturday, September 12
TIME: 10 A M to Noon
LOCATION: Esau’s Heel Trail, 3 Jacobs Ladder Rd, Becket, MA
This is collaborative walk with the Becket Athenaeum and partially funded by the Central Berkshire Fund of the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation.

Forest Fires in Massachusetts: Myths and Reality
2026-09-12 11:00 - 14:30 | The National Spiritual Alliance, 2 Montague Avenue, Lake Pleasant, 01347, United States
Photo credit: MassWildlife, in cooperation with the Department of Conservation and Recreation, monitors a prescribed fire in the Montague Plains Wildlife Management Area on Tuesday. Credit: PAUL FRANZ / Staff Photo Greenfield Recorder June 16, 2026
Wildfires in the Western United States and Canada are more and more prominent in the news. There is also growing interest in the role of wildfires and intentional fires (“prescribed” burning) in New England.

In Massachusetts, public agencies are increasingly using prescribed burning in state forests and wildlife management areas, such as the Montague Plains and Muddy Brook wildlife management areas, and Myles Standish State Forest.
Our speakers are experts on these issues and will discuss important questions:
• What is the goal of prescribed burning and where is it happening?
• Does prescribed burning help with wildlife habitat restoration?
• Does prescribed burning help to prevent or mitigate forest fires?
• What is the risk of wildfires in Massachusetts?

Presenters:
David Foster is director emeritus of the Harvard Forest and its Long Term Ecological Research program and currently coordinates Wildlands, Woodlands, Farmlands and Communities and serves on the editorial board of From the Ground Up. David’s research and conservation focus began with his PhD studies on fire history and ecology of the Labrador wilderness but has increasingly focused on the role of natural and anthropogenic forces, including fire, that have shaped the New England landscape over past millennia. He is an author most recently of “Meeting of Land and Sea: Nature and the Future of Martha’s Vineyard,” and “Wildlands of New England: Past Present and Future.”
Michael Kellett has worked for 40 years to create national parks, save forests, and protect wildlife. He is co-founder and executive director of RESTORE: The North Woods, a New England-based nonprofit organization. He was the lead author of the paper, “Forest-clearing to create early-successional habitats: Questionable benefits, significant costs.”
Bill Stubblefield has a lifelong passion for natural history and holds a Ph.D. in Evolutionary Biology from Harvard University. He currently devotes his time to activism on behalf of all lifeforms on Planet Earth.
George Wuerthner is an ecologist and photographer who has visited more than 400 designated wilderness areas and more than 200 National Park System units. For a dozen years, he worked as Ecological Projects Director for Doug Tompkins’s Foundation for Deep Ecology and is now Executive Director of Public Lands Media. He has published 38 books, including “Wildfire: A Century of Failed Forest Policy,” “Protecting the Wild: Parks and Wilderness Foundation for Conservation,” and “Keeping the Wild: Against the Domestication of the Earth.

DATE: Saturday, September 12
TIME: 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM — Presentations and panel discussion in person and on Zoom. Please register to attend in person.
1:30 PM to 2:30 PM— Walking tour of the Montague Plains Wildlife Management Area
LOCATION: The National Spiritual Alliance, 2 Montague Avenue, Lake Pleasant, MA 01347
RSVP: jasinclair@verizon.net
REGISTER: Zoom

Please park near the intersection of Old Northfield Road and Lake Pleasant Road if possible.
Light snacks and beverages provided.

SPONSORED BY:
Climate Democracy Project, Community Land and Water Coalition, Concerned Citizens of Franklin County, Northeast Wilderness Trust, Partnership for Policy Integrity, Protect the Montague Plains, RESTORE: The North Woods, Save Massachusetts Forests, Sierra Club Massachusetts, Standing Trees, Wendell State Forest Alliance

Siting & Permitting 101: Large Clean Energy Infrastructure Projects
2026-09-17 12:00 - 13:30 | Online/Zoom
Siting & Permitting 101: Large Clean Energy Infrastructure Projects
The Department of Public Utilities (DPU) invites you to join a Siting & Permitting 101: Large Clean Energy Infrastructure Projects webinar on September 17, 2026, from 12:00 PM to 1:30 PM. This virtual webinar is intended for municipal officials, regional planning agencies and community-based organizations interested in learning about the Energy Facilities Siting Board’s (EFSB) new consolidated permit process for large clean energy infrastructure projects.
Please register in advance to receive the Zoom link for the webinar.

Staff will present an overview of the EFSB’s new siting and permitting process covering each phase from pre-filing to the conclusion of the adjudicatory proceeding. The webinar will highlight opportunities for public participation, including intervention, review key changes under the new regulations and offer a look into how EFSB evaluates projects and reaches its decisions. Interpretation and translation services are available upon request. To request language access accommodations, please email dpu.ej@mass.gov.

DATE: Thursday, September 17
TIME: 12:00 PM to 1:30 PM
LOCATION: Zoom
Contact Daizha.Baptiste-Johnson@mass.gov with any questions.
