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X-WR-CALNAME:Berkshire Environmental Action Team
X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://www.thebeatnews.org/BeatTeam
X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Berkshire Environmental Action Team
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260901T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260901T140000
DTSTAMP:20260811T155924Z
CREATED:20260811T155924Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260811T155924Z
UID:10005366-1788267600-1788271200@www.thebeatnews.org
SUMMARY:Data Centers and Energy Usage 101: Impacts on the Electric Grid
DESCRIPTION: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. \nIn 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. \nDATE: Tuesday\, September 1\nTIME: 1:00 – 2:00 pm\nLOCATION: Zoom \nREGISTER HERE \nClean Energy Group\nwww.cleanegroup.org
URL:https://www.thebeatnews.org/BeatTeam/event/data-centers-and-energy-usage-101-impacts-on-the-electric-grid/
LOCATION:Online/Zoom
CATEGORIES:Clean Energy,Energy,Webinars
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.thebeatnews.org/BeatTeam/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/d65004d1-886e-43c4-b5f3-fd73dd93d9e3.png
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260901T163000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260901T173000
DTSTAMP:20260827T161042Z
CREATED:20260827T161042Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260827T161042Z
UID:10005378-1788280200-1788283800@www.thebeatnews.org
SUMMARY:River Magic & Fairy Houses Along the Shore
DESCRIPTION:Fairies appreciate human kindness. Come build them fairy houses along the shore of the Green River from natural found objects. As we co-create beauty around us we’ll sneak in learning about the importance of a healthy riverine ecosystem through song and play. Join HooRWA and naturalist educator Arianna Alexsandra Collins on Tuesday\, September 1 from 4:30-5:30pm for this free whimsical family friendly program. \nRiver magic will take place along the Green River on the Linear Link Trail at Linear Park on Water Street (Mount Pleasant Playground) in Williamstown\, MA. There is a small parking lot at the Mount Pleasant Playground. If that is full you can park along the road across the street.  Please register at https://forms.gle/TYQfzG93QCormQb49 so we know how many fairy friends to expect. \nThis free program is made possible by a grant from the Berkshire Environmental Endowment Fund\, a fund of the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation. \nDATE: Tuesday\, September 1\nTIME: 4:30 – 5:30 pm\nLOCATION: Linear Link Trail at Linear Park on Water Street (Mount Pleasant Playground)\, Williamstown\, MA \nREGISTER HERE
URL:https://www.thebeatnews.org/BeatTeam/event/river-magic-fairy-houses-along-the-shore/
LOCATION:Linear Park\, Williamstown\, MA
CATEGORIES:Biodiversity,Children's Programming,Family Programming,Outdoor Activity
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260906T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260906T120000
DTSTAMP:20260714T210951Z
CREATED:20260714T210713Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260714T210951Z
UID:10005356-1788688800-1788696000@www.thebeatnews.org
SUMMARY:Housatonic Heritage Walk: Tree Identification Walk on the Housatonic Rail Trail
DESCRIPTION: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. \nLed 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. \nThe 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. \nDATE: Sunday\, September 6 \nTIME: 10 AM to Noon \nLOCATION: Housatonic Rail Trail\, Housatonic\, MA – Meeting location details will be provided to registered participants.  \nSpace is limited to 15 participants\, and registration is required. Email chelsey@thebeatnews.org to reserve a spot. \n  \nThis 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.
URL:https://www.thebeatnews.org/BeatTeam/event/housatonic-heritage-walk-tree-identification-walk-on-the-housatonic-rail-trail/
LOCATION:Housatonic Rail Trail
CATEGORIES:BEAT Events,Skills,Trees,Walks
ORGANIZER;CN="Berkshire Environmental Action Team":MAILTO:team@thebeatnews.org
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260909T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260909T140000
DTSTAMP:20260826T154737Z
CREATED:20260826T154737Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260826T154737Z
UID:10005376-1788958800-1788962400@www.thebeatnews.org
SUMMARY:The Road Forward for Medium- and Long-Duration Energy Storage
DESCRIPTION:ENERGY STORAGE TECHNOLOGY ADVANCEMENT PARTNERSHIP (ESTAP) WEBINAR Made possible by U.S. DOE-OE and Sandia National Laboratories \nMedium-duration energy storage (MDES) and long-duration energy storage (LDES) are critical elements for addressing load growth and improving grid resilience. But what is the status of MDES and LDES technologies now\, and how will they advance? \nThis ESTAP webinar will provide a summary of emerging technologies\, applications\, and markets for MDES and LDES. The webinar will feature presentations from Will McNamara\, Principal Investigator for the LDES National Consortium and Grid Energy Storage Policy Analyst for Sandia National Laboratories; Anna Siefken\, Director for Policy & Markets in North America at the Long Duration Energy Storage Council; and Jeremy Twitchell\, Energy Research Analyst at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Audience questions will be addressed following the presentation. CESA Senior Project Director Todd Olinsky-Paul will moderate. \nDATE: Wednesday\, September 9\nTIME: 1:00 – 2:00 pm\nLOCATION: Zoom \nREGISTER HERE \nThis webinar is a presentation of the Energy Storage Technology Advancement Partnership (ESTAP). ESTAP is a federal-state funding and information sharing project that aims to accelerate the deployment of electrical energy storage technologies in the U.S. ESTAP is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Electricity\, managed by Sandia National Laboratories\, and administered by the Clean Energy States Alliance. Learn more at www.cesa.org/projects/energy-storage-technology-advancement-partnership. \nThis 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. \nThis webinar is free\, but registration is required. \nClean Energy States Alliance\nwww.cesa.org \n 
URL:https://www.thebeatnews.org/BeatTeam/event/the-road-forward/
LOCATION:Online/Zoom
CATEGORIES:Clean Energy,Energy,Webinars
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.thebeatnews.org/BeatTeam/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/EnergyStorage.png
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260912T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260912T120000
DTSTAMP:20260820T153617Z
CREATED:20260820T153617Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260820T153617Z
UID:10005372-1789207200-1789214400@www.thebeatnews.org
SUMMARY:Tree Identification & Forest Biodiversity Walk with BEAT
DESCRIPTION: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. \nLearn 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. \nThe 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. \nSpace is limited\, and registration is required. REGISTER HERE. \nDATE: Saturday\, September 12 \nTIME: 10 A M to Noon \nLOCATION: Esau’s Heel Trail\, 3 Jacobs Ladder Rd\, Becket\, MA \nThis is collaborative walk with the Becket Athenaeum and partially funded by the Central Berkshire Fund of the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation.
URL:https://www.thebeatnews.org/BeatTeam/event/tree-identification-forest-biodiversity-walk-with-beat/
LOCATION:Esau’s Heel Trail
CATEGORIES:BEAT Events,Biodiversity,Native Plants,Natural History,Skills,Trees,Walks
ORGANIZER;CN="Berkshire Environmental Action Team":MAILTO:team@thebeatnews.org
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260912T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260912T143000
DTSTAMP:20260817T180705Z
CREATED:20260817T160836Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260817T180705Z
UID:10005368-1789210800-1789223400@www.thebeatnews.org
SUMMARY:Forest Fires in Massachusetts: Myths and Reality
DESCRIPTION: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\nWildfires 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. \n\nIn 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. \nOur speakers are experts on these issues and will discuss important questions: \n• What is the goal of prescribed burning and where is it happening? \n• Does prescribed burning help with wildlife habitat restoration? \n• Does prescribed burning help to prevent or mitigate forest fires? \n• What is the risk of wildfires in Massachusetts? \n  \nPresenters: \nDavid 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.” \nMichael 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.” \nBill 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. \nGeorge 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. \n  \nDATE: Saturday\, September 12 \nTIME: 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM — Presentations and panel discussion in person and on Zoom. Please register to attend in person.\n1:30 PM to 2:30 PM— Walking tour of the Montague Plains Wildlife Management Area \nLOCATION:  The National Spiritual Alliance\, 2 Montague Avenue\, Lake Pleasant\, MA 01347 \nRSVP: jasinclair@verizon.net \nREGISTER: Zoom \n  \nPlease park near the intersection of Old Northfield Road and Lake Pleasant Road if possible. \nLight snacks and beverages provided. \n  \nSPONSORED BY: \nClimate 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
URL:https://www.thebeatnews.org/BeatTeam/event/forest-fires-in-massachusetts/
LOCATION:The National Spiritual Alliance\, 2 Montague Avenue\, Lake Pleasant\, 01347\, United States
CATEGORIES:BEAT Events,Biodiversity,Skills,Trees,Walks
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.thebeatnews.org/BeatTeam/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/ForestFires.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260919
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20261005
DTSTAMP:20260804T170850Z
CREATED:20260804T170850Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260804T170850Z
UID:10005363-1789776000-1791158399@www.thebeatnews.org
SUMMARY:Women's Water Walk: Stop the Constitution Pipeline
DESCRIPTION:On September 19\, 2026 the Women’s Water Walk will begin a two-week\, 113 mile prayer walk led by women through towns along the route of the proposed Constitution Pipeline in New York State.​​ \nThe Constitution Pipeline is a fracked gas mega pipeline proposed by the Oklahoma-based Williams Company\, which would run from northeast Pennsylvania to Schoharie County\, New York. Rejected in 2016 by New York State as a danger to our water\, the Constitution Pipeline project has returned to line the pockets of big corporations who want to overturn New York’s fracking ban. \nThe pipeline would cut through 125 miles of forests\, wetlands\, wild habitats and rural farm communities\, providing a corridor of power for AI data centers and deafening compressor stations that cause serious air pollution and acid rain. \nThe Women’s Water Walk\, which men are encouraged to join\, will begin outside of Damascus\, N.Y. and continue through towns along the proposed pipeline route. ​Our walk is rooted in prayer and positive action. We will sing as we walk and stop to make offerings at the many rivers\, lakes and waterways along our path. We will gather daily to discuss community solutions\, actions and legal frameworks to protect our land and water – focusing not only on what we seek to stop\, but also on what we are trying to build. \nWe invite teachers\, students\, farmers\, neighbors\, workers\, artists\, faith leaders\, elected representatives and all relations to walk with us. You can walk for a week\, a day\, or even an hour. One step at a time\, we are planting seeds of love\, action and change for the generations to come. \nDATE: September 19 – October 4\, 2026 \nLOCATION: See map for walking route \nREGISTER HERE \nFor more information\, contact info@womenswaterwalk.org
URL:https://www.thebeatnews.org/BeatTeam/event/womens-water-walk/
LOCATION:MA
CATEGORIES:Action,Clean Energy,Community Events,Conservation,Energy,Environmental Justice,Hikes,Land Protection,Outdoor Activity,Protesting,Trees,Walks
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.thebeatnews.org/BeatTeam/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/WomensWaterWalk.png
ORGANIZER;CN="Women's Water Walk":MAILTO:info@womenswaterwalk.org
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260929T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260929T140000
DTSTAMP:20260824T154815Z
CREATED:20260824T154815Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260824T154815Z
UID:10005374-1790686800-1790690400@www.thebeatnews.org
SUMMARY:An Introduction to Virtual Power Plants (VPPs)
DESCRIPTION:Virtual power plants (VPPs) have the potential to help meet rising electricity demand while saving billions of dollars annually in avoided costs. A VPP is a network of distributed energy resources that work together to support the electric grid while providing important services to the community. Instead of relying on a single large power plant\, VPPs coordinate many smaller\, customer-side resources—such as solar\, batteries\, EVs\, smart appliances\, and flexible commercial loads—to deliver energy services cheaply\, cleanly\, and quickly. There are currently 82 battery-based VPPs across 30 US states. (Read more about these programs in CESA’s newly updated table of battery-based VPPs.) \nThis Clean Energy States Alliance (CESA) webinar will cover the basics of VPPs and how they can create value for both utilities and customers. Webinar panelists Adam Warren\, Senior Advisor at Luminate LLC and author of CESA’s forthcoming VPPs 101 guide\, and Todd Olinsky-Paul\, Senior Project Director at CESA\, will explain how VPPs operate\, highlight key policy design considerations for states\, and discuss the current U.S. VPP landscape. The presentation will be followed by questions and discussion from the audience. CESA Senior Project Director Nate Hausman will moderate the discussion. \nThis webinar is a presentation of the VPP Acceleration Initiative. The Initiative helps states\, local governments\, communities\, and financial institutions deploy and scale VPPs—advancing affordability\, strengthening resilience and grid reliability\, and supporting decarbonization. This initiative is led by CESA\, Clean Energy Group (CEG)\, and World Resources Institute (WRI). \nDATE: Tuesday\, September 29\nTIME: 1:00 – 2:00 pm\nLOCATION: Zoom \nREGISTER HERE \nClean Energy Group\nwww.cleanegroup.org
URL:https://www.thebeatnews.org/BeatTeam/event/introduction-to-vpps/
LOCATION:Online/Zoom
CATEGORIES:Clean Energy,Energy,Webinars
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.thebeatnews.org/BeatTeam/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/d65004d1-886e-43c4-b5f3-fd73dd93d9e3.png
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261017T090000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261017T163000
DTSTAMP:20260827T155935Z
CREATED:20260827T155935Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260827T155935Z
UID:10005377-1792227600-1792254600@www.thebeatnews.org
SUMMARY:2026 MA DCR Town Forest Conference
DESCRIPTION:2026 MA DCR Town Forest Conference Stewardship: The Preservation\, Health\, and Growth of New England Town Forests \nJoin community leaders\, forest conservationists\, foresters\, & ecologists from around the state to learn\, connect\, and bring home ideas about town forests. Learn more here! \nKeynote \n\nTending Your Town Forest Through Ecological Forestry\nPaul Catanzaro (UMass)\n\nConcurrent Sessions \n\nTackling Invasives: You got this!\nAmy Janovsky (AVIS)\nForests\, Forestry\, & Community Resilience\nAbby Hardy-Moss (Greenbelt) & Tom Lautzenheiser (Mass Audubon)\nManaging Local Open Space: Lessons from the Field\nRob Moore (Haverill) Mike Murray (Andover)\n\nAfternoon Field tours \n\nTour A: Deer Jump Reservation\nTour B: Wood Hill/Bald Hill Reservation\nTour C: Retelle Reservation\n\nDATE: Saturday\, October 17\nTIME: 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM\nLOCATION: West Elementary School\, Andover\, MA \nREGISTER HERE \nSponsored by MA DCR’s Forests Work
URL:https://www.thebeatnews.org/BeatTeam/event/2026-ma-dcr-town-forest-conference/
LOCATION:West Elementary School\, 58 Beacon St\, Andover\, 01810\, United States
CATEGORIES:Biodiversity,Community Events,Forestry,Invasive Species,Land Protection,Native Plants,Outdoor Activity,plants,Sustainability,Walks
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.thebeatnews.org/BeatTeam/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/MADCRAndoverEvent.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation":MAILTO:mass.parks@mass.gov
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