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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 guidebook offers you
the tools for active involvement. It also guides you in determining
what you can do to minimize the impacts of a development project
that has already been proposed. Using this guide, you can craft
and implement effective strategies. The entire book can be downloaded
from:
www.massaudubon.org/shapingthefuture
(Download or online use is recommended due to many "hot" links
in the text providing a wealth of additional information.)
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.
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.
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 Ñ 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.
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…
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.
Neponset River Watershed Association
Neponset
River Watershed Association (NepRWA) has created a demonstration
rain garden to show how water can be saved while still growing
an attractive garden.
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).
This Local Government Environmental Assistance Network (LGEAN) Update has a
subscription service whose purpose is to keep you up to date on the latest
environmental information of interest to local governments. Subscribe to
the e-mail based LGEAN Update.
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 camera is mounted inside
a piece of PVC tubing that is fitted into the roof of the kestrel
box. An array of holes covered with squares of frosted plastic
supplies diffuse lighting to the interior of the nest. Nearby
are a number of mature trees that produce an array of seeds,
nuts, acorns, pinecones, and buds that provide food attractive
to squirrels. Nearby birdfeeders supply an added attraction.
The squirrel cam is live or recorded depending on the season. |
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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. Originally created in 1934 as the federal licenses required for hunting migratory waterfowl, Federal Duck Stamps have a much larger purpose today. Ninety-eight cents out of every dollar generated by the sales of Federal Duck Stamps goes directly to purchase or lease wetland habitat for protection in the National Wildlife Refuge System and sales of Federal Duck Stamps have generated more than $670 million, which has been used to help purchase or lease over 5.2 million acres of waterfowl habitat since 1934.
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…
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.
Blue Hills "Preserve
the Beauty" Photo Contest
The winners of the Friends of the Blue Hills 2007
Preserve
the Beauty photo contest were announced at their annual
meeting recently.
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.
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.
Canoe River Greenbelt
Cedar Swamp Description
BioMap
and Living Waters: Guiding Land Conservation for Biodiversity
in Mass.: Core Habitats of Sharon (339k PDF)
Atlantic White Cedar Swamp Communities
Eagle Cam website
Eagle
Cam is a cooperative effort among NU, MassWildlife and the
United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). NU has provided
a photovoltaic array to power the remote camera and transmit
the signal from the island to a nearby receiver. MassWildlife
provides climbers to maintain the system, places buoys and signs
to protect each nesting attempt and, when appropriate, bands
young eagles produced at the nest. The USFWS, through the Silvio
Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge office in Montague, Massachusetts,
coordinated the installation of the Eagle Cam system and serves
as the local contact to keep both the system and the partnership
up and running. Images provided by Eagle Cam are directed by
the USFWS to local cable access television and to the Internet
via the NU website.
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.
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.
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. |
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