Resources & Links
Sharon Government Resources
Sharon Conservation Commission
The Conservation Commission is responsible for the protection of wetlands. The purpose of the Commission is to protect the water resources and adjoining land areas in Sharon by controlling activities deemed by the Conservation Commission as being likely to have a significant or cumulative effect upon wetland values. Visit the Sharon Conservation Commission website…
Sharon Energy Advisory Committee
The Sharon Energy Advisory Committee was appointed by the Selectmen in October 2006 to find ways to save energy (gas and electricity) within our town.
Visit the Sharon Energy Advisory Committee website…
Sharon Mercury Recycling — Required
Don't throw mercury products in the trash — recycle them. It's the
law. The Sharon DPW accepts mercury products at its office, 217R South
Main Street, behind the Police Station. Mercury products include thermometers,
fluorescent light bulbs, thermostats, flat panel display screens, and button
cell batteries. Look for a mercury label or Hg symbol on newer products.
Sharon Water Conservation Program
The Town of Sharon Water Department has partnered with the Neponset River Watershed Association and EPA WaterSense program to create a Water Conservation Program in the Town of Sharon. Visit the Sharon Water Conservation Program website…
Sharon’s Washing Machine Rebate Program
The Sharon Water Department offers a rebate (as a water bill
credit) of up to $200 for modern high-efficiency washing machines.
These front-load machines use
only about one third of the water and energy that older top-load models typically
use, so they reduce your energy and water bills. They also use less detergent
and cause less wear on clothing. They even wring out more moisture in the spin.
Contact the Water Department at 781-784-1525, ext. 4, to obtain a list of washing
machine models that qualify for a rebate.
Secrets of a Waterless
Lawn
This 2-page PDF (106k) from the Water Management Advisory Committee,
Sharon Water Dept. shows how you can grow a nice lawn without
taxing our local rivers, lakes, and streams. Also included are
tips for
saving water indoors. Download Secrets of a Waterless Lawn…
Sharon Nonprofit Resources
Moose Hill Wildlife Sanctuary
The Mass Audobon Society's oldest
sanctuary has more than a dozen trails traversing its nearly
2,000 acres of forest, grassland, swamp, and bogs. Visit the Moose Hill website…
Moose Hill Farm
Owned by the Trustees of the Reservations, Moose Hill Farm has two miles of trails leading to summit fields, where grassland birds are again finding a home. The property’s wooded hillsides still shelter some mature specimens of the American chestnut tree, a formerly dominant forest species now sadly reduced by a bark fungus. Visit the Moose Hill Farm website…
Borderland State Park
Borderland is one of the most historically significant tracts of publicly owned land in the Commonwealth. Created in the early 1900s by artist and suffragist Blanche Ames and her botanist husband Oakes, Borderland offers many of the same pleasures that the Ames family enjoyed: walking and horseback riding on woodland trails, fishing and canoeing in the ponds, or, in winter, ice-skating and sledding. Visit the Borderland State Park website…
Atlantic
White Cedar Swamp Links
Sharon's Atlantic white cedar swamp, the water purification
system of our town's drinking water, is endangered. Here are links
to more information on this important natural resource.
Atlantic White Cedar Swamp Communities
Local Resources
Bikes Not Bombs
Bikes Not Bombs promotes bicycle technology as a concrete alternative to war and environmental destruction. For 25 years, BNB has been a nexus of bike recycling and community empowerment both in lower income neighborhoods of Boston and in the nations of the Global South. BNB's programs involve young people and adults in mutually respectful leadership development and environmental stewardship, while recycling thousands of bicycles. Every spring, SFOC teams up with Bikes Not Bombs to collect unwanted bicycles and give them a new home elsewhere. Visit the Bikes Not Bombs website…
Neponset River Watershed Association
Neponset
River Watershed Association (NepRWA) works to protect and restore the Neponset River, its tributaries and surrounding watershed lands for the benefit of present and future generations. Visit the NepRWA website…
Bay Circuit Trail Alliance
The Bay Circuit Trail Alliance maintains the Bay Circuit Trail and Greenway, a permanent recreation trail and greenway corridor extending
through 34 towns in Eastern Massachusetts and linking
the parks and open spaces surrounding metropolitan Boston. Visit the Bay Circuit Trail Alliance website…
Crystal
Spring Center for Earth Learning
Crystal
Spring Center for Earth Learning, 76 Everett
Skinner Rd, Plainville. The Center is committed to a sustainable,
bioregionally appropriate way of life. Easy trails. Interesting
programs. Drive: I-95 South to I-495 North (Exit 6B) to Rte 1 South
(Exit 14B), 1.5 miles, turn right on George St., which becomes
Everett Skinner Rd. 508-699-7167.
Regional Resources
Commonwealth of Massachusetts Riverways Program
River Instream Flow Stewards (RIFLS) is a program that enables local groups to learn about the importance of healthy streamflow, document streamflow on otherwise ungaged rivers and restore more natural flow regimes in rivers suffering from abnormal flow alterations. Visit the Riverways website…
Massachusetts Land Trust Coalition
The
Massachusetts Land Trust Coalition is an informal organization
of Massachusetts land trusts and conservation organizations.
Subscribe to the very useful e-mail letter, MassLand E-News,
by sending an e-mail request to info@massland.org.
Adopt a Stream
The Adopt
a Stream program of the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts Riverways Program works with citizens to support
and develop projects in watersheds across the state that restore
habitat and natural stream structure, protect flow and identify
and prevent non-point source pollution. Adopt-A-Stream provides
a suite of monitoring and restoration tools that help citizens
become active stewards of their watersheds.
Refuse to Use ChemLawn
A project of the Toxics Action Center in Boston, Refuse to Use ChemLawn outlines
the possible dangers of the pesticides that the largest U.S. lawn-care
company sprays on lawns every
day. A highlight of their website is their page of tips on growing
a truly organic (and green!) lawn.
Massachusetts League of Environmental Voters
Massachusetts
League of Environmental Voters is a statewide, non-partisan
organization dedicated to making environmental protection a
top priority for Massachusetts
elected officials, candidates, and voters in order to protect our
environment and health.
40-B?
40-R? CH. 61? MEPA? HAC? MACC?
The new Audubon book, Shaping
the Future of Your Community by Heidi Ricci, Senior Policy
Analyst for the Massachusetts Audubon Society, is an excellent compass
for navigating
through the maze of local boards, committees, State departments
and laws when dealing with development or trying to preserve land
for conservation. Sharon Friends of Conservation highly recommends
this up-to-date, clearly written book for both new and veteran
conservation activists. The entire book can be downloaded
from:
www.massaudubon.org/shapingthefuture.
White Mountain
Guidebook
The Appalachian Mountain Club's White
Mountain Guidebook is now available online.
The venerable guide contains information on over 500 trails and detailed
maps that you can use to plan your next hike. An annual subscription
is available for $15 ($12 for AMC members) and a free 14-day trial
lets you try the guide before you buy.
National Resources
WaterSense
The mission of WaterSense, a program sponsored by
the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency, is to protect the future of
our nation's water supply by supporting for water-efficient products
and
services. Saving water is easy; many products are available
for use, and
it doesn't require changing the way most of us live or do business.
By
choosing products labeled through the WaterSense program, you know
you'll
be saving water for future generations.
Local Government Environmental Assistance Network
The Local Government
Environmental Assistance Network (LGEAN) is a "first-stop
shop" providing environmental management, planning, funding,
and regulatory information for local government elected and appointed
officials, managers and staff. LGEAN enables local officials
to interact with their peers and others online. In an effort
to reach all local governments, LGEAN also manages a toll-free
telephone service (877/865-4326).
Federal Duck Stamps
Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamps, commonly known as “Duck Stamps,” are pictorial stamps produced by the U.S. Postal Service for the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. They are not valid for postage.
Duck stamps for 2008 - 2009 went on sale June 27 and cost $15.00. All wildlife watchers should consider buying one to support the National Wildlife Refuge System. Buy Federal Duck Stamps…
Community Source Water Protection Initiative
The Community
Source Water Protection Initiative offers mini-grants for
projects that support the protection and restoration of drinking
water sources. Info: Eddie Scher at
202/298-2395.
Water Conservation
High Efficiency Toilets (0.8 to 1.28 gallons per flush)**
Flushing power of High Efficiency Toilets
Dual-flush conversion kit
0.8
gallon per flush toilet
Washing machines (EnergyStar water factor of 5.0
or less)**
Energy
Star
Shower heads (1.5 to 1.75 gpm)
Overview video
How to change a shower head
EPA WaterSense
Heat sensing shutoff valve
5-minute shower timer
Faucet aerators (0.5 gpm in the bathroom to 1.5 gpm in the kitchen)
How to change a faucet aerator
Source for faucet aerators of various flow rates
Household leaks
Overview
Rain-only lawns
Overview
Rain-only lawn presentation
Drought-tolerant grass seed
Etc.
Teaching Kids about Water Conservation
*DISCLAIMER – Sharon Friends of Conservation does not endorse or recommend
any products mentioned on these web sites, either implicitly or explicitly.
**Call the Sharon Water Department (781-784-1525) to find out about rebates.
Et Cetera…
Osprey Webcam
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute operates an Osprey
Cam.
Barred Owl Webcam
Check out the exploits of Mama Barred Owl and her owlets, Sarah and Percy living in a camera-equipped box in the backyard of Wild Birds Unlimited founder and owner Jim Carpenter.
Hand-feeding Birds on NPR
Hugh Wiberg liked birds and growing big pumpkins. The author of “Hand-feeding Backyard Birds,” Mr. Wiberg died on October 2nd. In tribute, NPR re-broadcast a Living on Earth favorite from the year 2000 where he teaches host Steve Curwood the finer points of feeding wild birds out of the palm of one’s hand.
Squirrel Nest Webcam
The squirrel
nest webcam site can really get you up close and personal.
It gives a new picture every 3 seconds. The squirrel nest webcam
is designed to give a close-up view of the inside of a squirrel
nest where a mother squirrel is raising its babies. This nest
is located in a kestrel box mounted some 20 feet up in a silver
maple tree in a suburban back yard. The squirrel cam is live or recorded depending on the season.
Living
on Earth from National Public Radio
Sunday from 7:00-8:00 a.m. on WBUR, 90.9 FM, you
can hear Living
on Earth, NPR's
environmental news and information program. Check out their website…
Encyclopedia of Life
The Encyclopedia of
Life is a global effort by natural
history museums, botanical gardens, other research institutions,
and dedicated individuals to create the most complete
biodiversity database on the web.
Eagle Cam website
The Massapoag
eagle cam, located in north central Massachusetts, is new as of 2/19/11.
Eagle Cam II
The BioDiversity Research Institute's live eagle
webcam is 70 feet up in a white pine tree on the coast
of Maine, and provides live video of a nesting pair of bald
eagles, 24 hours a day. In season, there is also a loon
webcam.
Environmental Action and Learning
Center
"e"—The
Environmental Action and Learning Center science education
paired with community action leads to environmental change in
urban communities. Their mission: To educate parents
and children, elders, educators, and community leaders about the
science that underlies our unique and complex environment and then
involve them in the important and exciting actions required to restore
and retain our communities' and our earth's environmental balance.