The EPA Clean Power Plan

by Mike Sherman In August 2015, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published the Clean Power Plan as a final regulation under the Clean Air Act. The EPA’s authority to make this regulation was established under two cases argued before the U.S. Supreme Court, Massachusetts v the EPA and American Electric Power v CT. Two New England states, Massachusetts and Connecticut,  led the charge. The aim […]

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SHARON WATER RATES UPDATE 8-15

  Why Water Rates Matter As we contemplate the annual adjustment to our water rates, we should remember the critical role that water plays in Sharon. Driving into town, a billboard touts Sharon as “A better place to live because it’s naturally beautiful.” Sharon’s natural beauty is not possible without water. It is key to our quality of life, and supports $3 billion in property […]

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The Benefits of Rain-Only Lawns – Jun 27, 2015

One can create a beautiful “rain-only” lawn without using herbicides, pesticides, high-test fertilizer, and massive amounts of irrigation water. Simply apply weak organic fertilizer and lime in early spring and fall, cut the grass tall with a sharp blade, leave the clippings to decompose on the lawn, and rely on earthworms to aerate and enrich the soil. I use this approach, which saves me a […]

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Massapoag Trail Restored

Since 2003, Sharon Friends of Conservation has been working with the Sharon Conservation Commission to improve one of the Town’s premier assets, the Massapoag Trail. As of this writing, I am pleased to announce that two major projects have been completed. With these, the entire trail from Pond St. to Belcher St. has been restored. There remain to do only a short boardwalk and few […]

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Should We Let Them In?

by Kurt Buermann It’s been especially cold this winter. As I look out the window, I empathize with the wild creatures who visit our yard. Sometimes I wonder if I shouldn’t let them all into the house for a while to warm up. I can’t see that it would be much trouble. The raccoons, who have surprising manual dexterity, could open the cupboards and refrigerator, […]

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Climate Change Resolution Adopted at Town Meeting

On May 5, 2014, Sharon Town Meeting passed a resolution encouraging town officials to promote measures that conserve vital water and energy resources, and minimize carbon emissions in Sharon. SFOC Board Member Paul Lauenstein sponsored the resolution and presented a slideshow in favor of it that evening. Among other things, it encourages “actions at every level of society” including water- and energy-efficient homes and buildings […]

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The Cost of Water

Sharon’s conservation-oriented water rate structure rewards residents who use water wisely. As a result, water usage in Sharon has dropped by approximately 20%, saving over 100 million gallons per year. This illustrated presentation, entitled “The Cost of Water,” provides insights into why water conservation matters to our town and to future generations. Download the cost of water PDF…

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Sharon’s Goose Guests

Many years ago, it is said, Sharon folks maintained flocks of what are called Judas or toller geese. These Canadian geese (Branta canadensis) stayed put and did not migrate. (Geese raised in captivity never learn to migrate.) Their purpose was to lure wild geese down out of the skies. Then, as was the custom, these avian guests would be invited by Sharon families to their […]

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Critters in Residence

In a town like Sharon with an abundance of natural open space, the line between the natural world and the domestic front is often crossed. We have a veritable Noah’s Ark of fauna that believe what’s good for people is good for them, and they arrive in our yards and houses, suitcases in hand — or paw. Often they come as invited guests. Human homeowners […]

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Osprey Conservation

The osprey (pandion haliaetus) is a conservation success story. Once threatened with extinction due to the use of DDT insecticide, which weakened their egg shells, the osprey is becoming a not unusual sight in Massachusetts and the entire U.S. east coast. The photos here by David Rabinowitz are of an osprey perched above Briggs Pond in August 2012. These birds can be seen nesting on […]

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2012 Sharon Rain Barrel Program

To assist residents with water conservation efforts, the Sharon DPW is offering a limited number of SkyJuice New England Rain Barrels to local residents for $50 each. Rain barrels will be sold on a first come, first served basis. Rain barrels collect and store water run-off from your roof for use during dry weather. Harvested rainwater can be used to water plants, wash lawn furniture, […]

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Sharon’s Conservation-Oriented Water Rates

For over 20 years, Sharon has had ascending block water rates that increase as usage increases. Water rates are also higher in summer, when water is scarcest. Sharon’s rate structure is designed to encourage water conservation, and it has served the town well. Residential water use has declined by roughly 100 million gallons per year, even as population has increased by approximately 7 percent since […]

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Sharon Composting Initiative

Some Sharon High School students have created a composting program which is aimed at educating and expanding composting in Sharon and eventually other towns. The students have come far in a short while and are now at the point where they need help, especially with regard to legal and financial matters. Adult help is necessary dealing with Massachusetts State departments, with contracts and in establishing […]

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Turtle Townies

Since they are such a quiet clan, we tend to forget the chelonian inhabitants of our town. Sharon is home to six species of turtle: snapping turtles, spotted turtles, Blandings turtles, painted turtles, box turtles, and mud turtles (aka musk turtles). Some are more visible than others. The basic blueprint of turtles is as follows: The shell, called the carapace, is actually made of 50 […]

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Sweet Fern: Keep Bugs Away and Berries Fresh

Sometimes it is interesting to research some of the very common species which we see every day and think nothing of. One of these is sweet fern. It is easily found in Sharon wherever there is some clear, sunny space with sandy soil. Sweet fern, comptonia peregrina, is not a true fern. It is actually a deciduous shrub growing from 2 to 4 ft tall. […]

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SFOC Bluebird Brigade Marches On

Sharon Friends of Conservation’s bluebird monitors reported another successful season. While the final tally is not complete, we easily exceeded the 25 fledglings of last year. Good monitoring helps ward off the many perils bluebirds face before and after hatching. Monitors report and correct such things as wasps’ nests, damage to bluebird houses, and intrusions by other birds and predators. Our bluebird trails at present […]

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Moose Hill Community Farm

Moose Hill Community Farm is part of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA). Members buy shares in the farm and receive fresh, locally grown food every week during the growing season (June through October). A “full share” is usually enough for a family of four or a couple on a vegetarian diet, and a “single share” is about half this amount. As part of their share, all […]

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Real Food, Locally

For Sharon shoppers dissatisfied with commercial, mainstream supermarket groceries, our motivations may be simple or complex, including some or all of these: seeking better nutrition from less-processed foods; avoiding residues of agricultural chemistry; wanting better flavor grown in healthier soil; and supporting local agriculture to build the regional economy, preserve our New England landscape, and prepare for post-petroleum civilization. Toward these purposes, here’s a review […]

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Sharon’s Open Space and Recreation Plan

The Town of Sharon’s Open Space and Recreation Plan (OSRP) is almost complete. Residents will want to take a look at this interesting document when it becomes available. The plan provides an inventory of Sharon’s open space and recreation resources; a description of the environmental characteristics of the Town and the environmental challenges it faces; a survey of public opinion about the adequacy and best […]

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RIFLS: Monitoring Sharon Streams

SFOC members have been daily measuring stream flow at six locations in Sharon for the past three years. Two stream flow gauges are located along Beaver Brook in the Neponset watershed, and four are located along Billings Brook in the northwest corner of the Taunton watershed. Graphs of stream flow and stream depth can be seen at the River Instream Flow Stewards (RIFLS) program of […]

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Beat the Peak: A Conservationist’s Guide to Lawn Care

Cutting down on lawn watering will reduce your water bills and conserve drinking water. Lawn watering consumes large volumes of water and may increase your water rate from $3.40 up to $7.00 per thousand gallons. Lawn watering creates severe demands on our town’s water supply in summer, when our aquifers are most depleted. Here are some tips to minimize your lawn watering without harming your […]

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Billings Land Preserved by Public and Private Donors

By Alice Cheyer Many residents of Sharon and nearby towns believe that wild land should be preserved for public use—especially since the pool of undeveloped land is shrinking and will continue to do so as the U.S. population increases exponentially. And they are willing to “put their money where their mouth is” to ensure preservation of some green spaces where people can go for rest […]

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Salamander Story

By Paul Lauenstein March 2008 The combination of melting snow, rising temperatures, and rain one weekend last March triggered the annual migration of salamanders to their breeding grounds. Our relatives from New York City were visiting for the weekend, so we took a ride over toMoose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary in Sharon on Saturday night to witness the event. Arriving at Moose Hill, we encountered […]

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