Meetings Pontoosuc Lake Park Visioning Project
2022-03-10 19:00 - 20:30, 2022-03-03 19:00 - 20:30 (America/New_York) | Zoom/In-Person
Following extensive community and stakeholder input, the Pontoosuc Lake Park visioning project design consultants have developed several schemes, or concepts, for future park improvements. The Office of Community Development is pleased to share these with you in the coming weeks, both virtually and in-person.

Two meetings will be held:

Virtually:
– A Zoom webinar will be held on Thursday, March 3 at 7 pm.
Register in advance for this webinar: https://us06web.zoom.us/…/reg…/WN_R3pnYuBnTPqo9bHerZh9FQ
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar on the specified date.

In-person:
-Pittsfield City Hall, 70 Allen St. Thursday, March 10 beginning at 7 pm.
No registration required, but face coverings will be required.

For more information about the project, click here or contact city park staff at (413) 499-9344.

Tuesday Treks
2022-03-08 12:30 - 14:30, 2022-03-01 12:30 - 14:30 | Dyken Pond Environmental Education Center, 475 Dyken Pond Rd., Cropseyville, NY
Join Len Tremblay on a moderately paced 3-mile hike every Tuesday in March to explore the wilds of Dyken Pond Center. Learn the trail system one at a time with a knowledgeable guide. Each week we’ll discover new ground and nature. Hikes will be canceled in bad weather.
This program is free for adults and older teens. Pre-registration required.
DATE: Every Tuesday
TIME: 12:30 PM – 2:30 PM
LOCATION: Dyken Pond Environmental Education Center, 475 Dyken Pond Road, Cropseyville, NY 12052
To register, call (518) 658-2055 or email dykenpond@gmail.com. Your registration is not complete until you receive confirmation from the Center.

Winter Tracking Intensive Series
2022-03-06 08:30 - 16:00, 2022-02-26 08:30 - 16:00, 2022-02-19 08:30 - 16:00 | Outside
February 19, 26 & March 6, 12 @ 8:30 a.m. — 4:00 p.m.
Join Dan Yacobellis with special guest instructor Josh Wood as they co lead this four week series in the Northeast woods. Taken to a variety of habitats spread out through Rensselaer, Columbia, and Berkshire counties, the participants will have the opportunity to see the tracks and sign of most of the mammalian residents of this area written in the snow covered landscape.
Participants will come away with a good basic understanding of :
– Foot Morphology
– Body movements and locamotion
– Habitat preferences and uses
– Life cycles
– Animal behavior
– In-depth discussion on animal behavior and natural history and how the animals and their environment shape each other
– How to combine all of these to interpret the sign we find
This course offers something for most skill levels from novice to intermediate.
Tracking is an excellent way to have fun in winter while getting more connected to the natural world!
Cost: $ 400.00 per person (15% discount if you bring a friend)
10 Person maximun enrollment
REGISTER HERE.

Hornwort Biology and Systematics
2022-03-05 13:00 - 15:00, 2022-02-26 13:00 - 15:00, 2022-02-19 13:00 - 15:00 | Online/Zoom
Saturdays, February 19 & 26, March 5, 12, & 19 @ 1:00 — 3:00 p.m.
Instructor: Juan Carlos Villarreal Aguilar
Tuition Cost: $175
Hornworts represent the smallest phylum among land plants, with only 220 species. Despite the reduced species number, they have a fascinating biology and hold clues on the evolution of symbiotic interactions and chloroplast evolution. Most of the diversity of hornworts is found in tropical and subtemperate areas from the Americas and Asia (especially India and China). Despite the evolutionary and, recently, genomic importance of the group, the taxonomy remains challenging and little known.
This seminar will provide an introduction to the diversity of hornworts, with focus on the American continents (from Canada to Patagonia) and Europe. We will first identify study the morphology and anatomy of hornworts and discuss last decade studies on morphology, phylogenetics, symbiosis, systematics, and genomics. Then, we will focus on the regions of interest, giving special attention to genera and species present. The participant will be guided through the taxonomical literature available for regional taxa, and the morphological particularities when using the few available keys. To dive into the hornworts, we will explore their great variety, exploring their most common species in different substrates and ecosystems, including páramos, montane, premontane rain forest, and lowland tropical rain forest. This seminar will use zoom for interactive lectures by way of power point presentations. The seminar will provide a deep knowledge of this fascinating group of plants and discover why they have become important and popular in the field of evolutionary biology!
• Participants need to have a Zoom account (https://zoom.us ; sign-up is free). They will receive a secure link to join the seminar before it begins.
• Individual classes will be recorded and made available to stream (not download) for the duration of the seminar by its participants, so they are able to review them or make up missed ones.
Register Here.

Winter Outdoor Skills Adventure Weekend
2022-02-27, 2022-02-26 | Conway, MA
Saturday, February 26th & Sunday, February 27th

Join Frank Grindrod & Earthwork Programs to learn about specific winter skills, discuss winter shelters — maybe even build a quinzee — make a fire on layers of snow, do “warm” camping, learn ice safety, and track winter animals.

Split up into 4 wilderness skills workshops: 2 on Saturday, 2 on Sunday
Early-Bird Pricing (ends 1/18):

Adult: $50/Workshop
Child: $25/WorkshopChild

Intended Audience: For Families & Adults
Where: Conway, MA

Click here to register online or call 413-340-1161

Family Self-Guided StoryWalk | Caminata Familiar Autoguiada
2022-02-27, 2022-02-26, 2022-02-25, 2022-02-24, 2022-02-23, 2022-02-22, 2022-02-21, 2022-02-20 and 3 more dates | The Boulders, Dalton, MA
Owl Moon by Jane Yolen will be on display for a self-guided adventure from Saturday, February 12 – Sunday, February 27 (dawn to dusk) at The Boulders reserve in Pittsfield.
As you walk enjoy a story about a father that takes his child on an adventure to go owling for the first time on a cold winter night. Wordlessly the two companions walk along, for when you go owling you don’t need words. You don’t need anything but hope. Sometimes there isn’t an owl, but sometimes there is! While the audience of the book is 3-7-year-olds, the content is great for all ages- even adults!
This event is in partnership with the Berkshire Natural Resources Council and the Berkshire Environmental Action Team.
Click here to learn more.
Fo questions reach out to Mariah at mauman@bnrc.org

Luna de Búho, de Jane Yolen, estará exhibido para una aventura autoguiada desde el sábado 12 de febrero hasta el domingo 27 de febrero (desde el amanecer hasta el atardecer) en la reserva de The Boulders en Pittsfield.
Mientras camina, disfrute de la historia de un padre que lleva a su hijo a la aventura de ir en busca de búhos por primera vez en una fría noche de invierno. Los dos compañeros caminan sin palabras, pues cuando se encuentran en busca de búhos palabras no son necesarias. Solo se necesita tener esperanza. A veces no hay búhos alrededor, pero otras veces sí los hay. Si bien la audiencia del libro es para niños de 3 a 7 años, el contenido es ideal para todas las edades, ¡incluso para adultos!
Este evento se realiza en colaboración con el Consejo de Recursos Naturales de Berkshire y el Equipo de Acción Ambiental de Berkshire.
Si tiene alguna pregunta, por favor, comuníquese con Mariah en mauman@bnrc.org.
Clic aquí para saber más.

Northwoods Tracking & Trailing
2022-02-26 - 2022-02-27 | Maine Woodlands
Saturday & Sunday, February 26 – 27 or March 12 – 13
The western mountains of Maine in winter are stunning. They’re also home to the densest population of Canada lynx in the lower 48 states. Join seasoned wildlife tracker, educator and Maine Guide, Dan Gardoqui, for a small-group (6 max) experience tracking and trailing lynx, moose, marten, fisher and more.
Dan has led groups in this region for over a dozen years and will provide an unforgettable experience.
Only a few openings remain!

Registration is required. Apply HERE.

To learn more, click here.
Questions: email dan@leadwithnature.com.

Winter Survival Vacation Week Program
2022-02-25, 2022-02-24, 2022-02-23, 2022-02-22 | Conway, MA
During February School Vacation
Tuesday, 2/22 to Friday, 2/25 @ 9:00 a.m. — 3:00 p.m.

Experience the Wild in winter with Earthwork Programs in their beautiful forest and fields! Children will be tracking animals, building winter shelters, practicing winter fire-making skills, as well as learning about ice safety and hypothermia. All this during February School Vacation!

Costs: $320 Early-Bird Pricing (ends 1/18); $360 Regular Pricing
Where: Conway, MA
Intended Audience: Ages 8 and up

Click here to register online or call 413-340-1161 for details.

Forest Carbon and Multi-Use Forest Management — Webinar
2022-02-16 19:00 - 20:00, 2022-02-16 12:00 - 13:00 | Online/Zoom
Wednesday, February 16th @ noon and/or 7:00 p.m.
The influence of active forest management on forest carbon is little known for mature oak forests. This webinar will provide an overview of concepts related to forest carbon sequestration and storage in the context of multiple-use forestry. These are concepts that forest managers and woodland owners should consider when including carbon as an objective in management. Further, as a specific example from southern New England, three study areas each with six forest management practices were established in Connecticut in the early 1980s: uncut forest preserves, silvicultural clearcutting, shelterwood with final overstory removal, multi-aged crop tree, diameter limit, and high-grading. This study found that active management practices can provide valuable forest products while maintaining or increasing carbon sequestration. Management also provides the opportunity to create climate resilient forests with enhanced wildlife habitat. Presented by Drs. Joseph Orefice (Yale University) and Jeffrey Ward (Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station).
Note that webinars are live at noon and 7PM, for an hour each, but the meeting space is reserved from noon until 8PM. Your registration allows participation in either or both the noon and 7PM webinar, and from any computer.
REGISTER HERE
