News Headlines
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Website Shows Massachusetts Greenhouse Gas Emissions Are Down 10 Percent Since 1990
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Join the 114th Christmas Bird Count
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Youth Outdoor Writing Contest Announced
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Become a Plant Conservation Volunteer with New England Wild Flower Society
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Volunteer Teachers Wanted!
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Communications Position Open for Highstead and W&W
Website Shows Massachusetts Greenhouse Gas Emissions Are Down 10 Percent Since 1990
The Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) today launched a new dashboard for Global Warming Solutions Act (GWSA) initiatives.
“The new dashboard will communicate the Commonwealth’s progress towards reducing our greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and help us shape future GHG reduction policies,” said EEA Secretary Rick Sullivan. “It’s also a great tool to engage the citizens of the Commonwealth so they can monitor, measure and contribute to our work toward meeting our GWSA goals for 2020 and beyond.”
The Boston-based Barr Foundation awarded the Patrick Administration with grant funding last year to develop both The Massachusetts Clean Energy & Climate Performance Management System (CCPMS) that EEA will use to manage implementation of The Massachusetts Clean Energy & Climate Plan for 2020 (CECP) and a public facing dashboard that shows EEA’s progress towards compliance with our 2020 GHG emission limits.
“The Barr Foundation is committed to helping Boston and Massachusetts achieve aggressive targets for emissions reductions and become national models for climate action,” says Mariella Puerto, Barr Foundation Senior Program Officer. “We saw this dashboard as an important tool for the State to monitor and share progress, to inform decision making, and to share lessons learned.”
The dashboard aims to be a user-friendly and engaging website that utilizes cutting-edge graphics and case studies to present data and enhance public awareness on the status of GWSA implementation.
The system is one of the first of its kind nationwide, and is expected to serve as a regional and national model that other states can adopt to analyze their efforts in reducing GHG emissions.
“Massachusetts is a national leader on energy efficiency and renewable energy,” said George Bachrach, President of the Environmental League of Massachusetts and member of the GWSA Implementation Advisory Committee. “Fighting climate change is not government’s job alone. All of us must be in the game. We need tools like this dashboard to measure our progress and challenges, and it must be done in the most transparent manner for all to see. Without measurement and accountability, we run the risk of stalling or falling back, a risk we cannot afford.”
“The investment in the GWSA Dashboard helps everyone see the significant climate and clean energy progress made over recent years in Massachusetts, and gain insights on the important work ahead of us in energy efficiency, buildings, renewables and transportation. This is a roadmap for a cleaner energy system for a growing and cost-effective clean energy economy in Massachusetts that meets important Greenhouse Gas emission reduction goals of the GWSA,” said New England Clean Energy Council President Peter Rothstein, a member of the GWSA Implementation Advisory Committee.
Governor Patrick signed the GWSA into law in 2008, which established the most ambitious, economy-wide greenhouse gas emission limits for any single state in the country:
- 25 percent below statewide 1990 GHG emission levels by 2020.
- At least 80 percent below statewide 1990 GHG emission levels by 2050.
EEA subsequently released the CECP, which is a portfolio of policies that EEA is currently implementing and that will ensure the Commonwealth reduces its GHG emissions by 25 percent from 1990 levels by 2020. The GWSA offers a unique and historic opportunity for the Commonwealth to develop innovative solutions that will help prevent the devastating and costly negative effects of climate change while improving the quality of our environment and public health, save households and businesses money through energy savings, create jobs and spur economic development, especially through our rapidly growing clean energy sector.
Join the 114th Christmas Bird Count
Make the Christmas Bird Count part of your seasonal outdoor tradition! From December 14, 2013 through January 5, 2014, bird lovers in Massachusetts will be participating in the nation’s longest running wildlife survey, the 114th Annual Christmas Bird Count (CBC). Families, students, birders, and scientists armed with binoculars, bird guides, and checklists embark on this seasonal mission – often leaving before dawn. The data collected by bird observers over the past century allow researchers, conservation biologists, and other interested individuals to study the long-term health and status of bird populations across North America. When combined with other surveys such as the Breeding Bird Survey, the CBC provides a picture of how the continent’s bird populations have changed in time and space over the past hundred and fourteen years.
In Massachusetts, there are 33 geographic “count circles” where bird counts occur. Each count circle is coordinated by an experienced Count Compiler who works with teams of birders who have signed up for that circle’s bird count. Beginning birders can join a group that includes at least one or two experienced birdwatchers in charge of covering a portion of the circle. In addition, if your home is within the boundaries of a count circle, you can help by reporting the birds that visit your feeder. In either case, if you have never been on a CBC before, contact your local Count Compiler to find out how you can participate. For more information, visit the MassBird website. More information and history about the CBC can be found at National Audubon’s web page.
Youth Outdoor Writing Contest Announced
The New England Outdoor Writers Association (NEOWA) is sponsoring a Youth Outdoor Writing Contest for school students in grades 6-12 across New England. Students are invited to submit a writing entry pertaining to any outdoor activity by February 15, 2014. The contest is a perfect opportunity for teachers and parents to connect with young people about the wonders and benefits of spending time outdoors. There are two student categories: the Junior Division includes grades 6-8, and the Senior Division includes grades 9-12. Entries must pertain to an outdoor-oriented topic and can include: hunting, fishing, boating, archery, shooting, field trials, sporting dogs, camping, woodcraft, diving, hiking, rock climbing, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, wildlife watching, natural history, conservation, ecology, and similar activities. The written work should not exceed 500 words. Massachusetts student entries must be submitted in digital format via email to, Mike Roche (mikeroche3@msn.com), the NEOWA Massachusetts chairperson. NEOWA reserves the right to publish any work submitted. However, students also retain publishing rights. Division winners will receive $125, and the two New England-wide winners will receive an additional $150, bringing their award to $275 each. For more information, visit the NEOWA Website http://www.neowa.org/youthwritingcontest.html or contact Marion Larson at marion.larson@state.ma.us or call (508) 389-6311.
Become a Plant Conservation Volunteer with New England Wild Flower Society
The New England Wild Flower Society is actively seeking volunteers for its Plant Conservation Volunteer (PCV) Corps. Participants in this program collect data on the status of rare plant populations throughout New England and assist with invasive and habitat management projects. Over 600 volunteers have been trained to document the current status of rare plant populations and identify potential threats to them. In return, PCVs are offered field trips, classes, and opportunities to interact with professional botanists to learn more about challenging species and the ecology of various habitats.
Plant species presence, health, and vigor reflect many of the unseen characteristics and conditions of a particular habitat. Through the activities of the PCV program, Conservation commission members would increase their knowledge of rare plant and indicator species, nurture relationships with other local conservationists, and more fully develop their understanding of ecological processes and current conservation issues. A more informed member of the commission will be more effective in public discussion and making important decisions about natural resources and development.
Come join us to find out about this great opportunity to become a citizen scientist and an active conservationist. The requirements are motivation, discretion, and a basic knowledge of native flora. It’s a great way to learn more about plants, meet others with similar interests, and make an impact in conservation.
You can email me the application available here. Training sessions will be held on a weekend in March in all New England states. For more information, visit our website at http://www.newenglandwild.org/volunteers/conservation-volunteers.html or contact:
John Burns
PCV Administrative Coordinator
New England Wild Flower Society
508-877-7630 ext. 3204
Volunteer Teachers Wanted!
Since 2004, Bonnie Benjamin has taken her first grade class at Sanders Street School in Athol to Skyfields Arboretum each spring for an outdoor lesson in the local landscape.
“They’re learning outside, in the midst of nature’s classroom, and that’s the best place to learn,” says Benjamin. “Children need a chance to look with the wonder and amazement of a child’s eyes. As children experience the miracles of nature, they learn to make the big connections to the earth as learners and stewards. Learning to see is like learning to read. You need practice.”
But today, as described in Richard Louv’s Last Child in the Woods, fewer children have the traditional opportunities to get out into the natural world and learn to learn. Louv’s work was one of the inspirations for Mount Grace’s MassLIFT-AmeriCorps program, which includes service learning and outdoor learning opportunities for youth among its core goals. Athol students working with MassLIFT have taken on hands-on projects to build and research sites for nest boxes for birds while learning about local species, monitor the water quality of the Tully River, and learn to identify and certify vernal pools.
This year’s MassLIFT Service Learning Coordinator aims to strengthen our school-based programs by expanding our partnership with the Athol Bird and Nature Club, and improving the lesson plans on Pollinator Gardening, Vernal Pool Certification, and Stream Health Assessment. We will offer rich outdoor learning experiences, and integrated lesson plans based on Massachusetts curriculum frameworks.
Benjamin, the 2013 recipient of Mount Grace’s Community Steward Award, is part of the effort, working with Service Learning Coordinator Alexa McKenzie to create and revise the lessons. “The program needs to fit easily with the Massachusetts curriculum,” says Benjamin, “These programs will support teachers so that they will be comfortable incorporating it in the school year.”
McKenzie is seeking more volunteer teachers and retired teachers to help fine tune lessons and lead workshops so that Mount Grace can continue to deliver these programs on a sustained basis.
If you are interested in volunteering to support this program, please contact Service Learning Coordinator Alexa McKenzie at 978-248-2055 x21 or service_americorps@mountgrace.org.
Communications Position Open for Highstead and W&W
Highstead, a leader in advancing the Wildlands and Woodlands (W&W) Initiative, seeks a communications professional with environmental nonprofit experience and familiarity with New England’s landscape for the full-time position of Communications Coordinator. The selected candidate will play a lead role in implementing comprehensive communications strategies, rolling-out major reports, and producing publications. Working closely with W&W leadership from several institutions, Highstead’s small conservation staff, and under the supervision of Highstead’s Conservation Director, the Communications Coordinator will help shape and implement effective print, digital, and social media to increase the pace of conservation in New England. The Communications Coordinator will also implement related communications specific to Highstead. Click here for a full job description.