One of the Region’s Most Rural Communities Protects its First Pieces of Public Open Space

Wildlands Trust was honored to be part of the ceremony held recently to celebrate the opening of Plympton’s first conservation lands, Cato’s Ridge and Churchill Park.  Karen Grey, Executive Director of Wildlands Trust, was a featured speaker at the event held to honor the many partners who helped bring this project to fruition.  Grey’s comments addressed the importance of the Community Preservation Act in local land protection. In this case, a $22,000 contribution from Plympton CPA funds leveraged the permanent protection of over 100 acres of open space.

Rain and mud did not deter the crowd of almost 100 people from coming out to celebrate this momentous occasion.  We congratulate all involved with impressive accomplishment.

WILDLANDS TRUST PARTNERS WITH DUXBURY SCHOOLS

This past month the Duxburrow Path Outdoor Learning Center opened to great fanfare in Duxbury, MA. This community based effort began in 2013 and continues in development currently. 

The goal of the project is to create an outdoor learning area for use by all three of the Alden Street schools as well as the community of Duxbury.  The newly-opened outdoor learning area follows the trails used by Duxbury’s early European settlers to get around Duxbury and travel to Marshfield and Plymouth. 

Phase I including planning, design and preparation for the project has been completed.  Now underway, Phase II focuses on the construction of an outdoor amphitheater by Duxbury High School students.  The school site offers extensive, unique learning opportunities that will help students take full advantage of project based learning through access to ponds, wetlands, wood areas, marshland, tidal rivers and gardens. It will be dedicated to providing hands-on learning experiences in nature that support and enhance current academic goals while also fostering a love for nature and life long learning

Wildlands Trust was a collaborator on the project from the beginning, working with Science Director Cheryl Lewis to help replicate the Trust’s Climate Lab as the model for the Outdoor Leaning Center.

ANOTHER YEAR OF ENVIROTHON SUCCESS!

Thursday, May 12th marked the second time Brockton High SchooL/Wildlands Trust participated in the annual Massachusetts Envirothon Competition. The team of nine Brockton High School students had the chance to compete in the state-wide competition held at the beautiful Hopkinton State Park this year. The team has worked hard since the beginning of the school year, learning the science and social issues behind four key areas of natural resource conservation: soils, water, wildlife, and forestry. 

Our team on competition day at Hopkinton State Park

All our students had a great time preparing the hands-on skills necessary for each section, and our Soils sub-team placed 2nd in the Soils Ecostation category!

Our award winning (2d place) soils sub-team in the pits determining soil qualities

Additionally, every year has a unique Current Issue Topic, around which the students base their community research. This year’s topic was “Invasive Species Management” and the students created a 3-tiered Action Plan. First, they sent out a survey to local environmental professionals to assess the issue of invasive species, which got back almost 70 responses in just two weeks!  Second, they decided to gain hands-on, personal experience by helping to remove a truck-load of invasive Buckthorn and Honeysuckle from Wildlands Trust’s Brockton Audubon Preserve.  Third, they filmed their experience and created a PSA video to share with BHS’s 4,000+ students and on Brockton Public Access Television to educate the public about the problem of invasive species.  Through these efforts, the team earned both the Community Research Award and the Community Action Award and will have letters sent on their behalf detailing their accomplishments to the Brockton Superintendent of Schools, local newspapers and media outlets, and their district’s state representatives. 

Congratulations to our students!  We are so proud of all their hard work and dedication!

Students present their findings about Invasive Species

Discussing a potential invasives with a local gardener

We would like to thank the Brockton Public Schools Transportation Department for providing transportation to the Envirothon Workshops throughout the year and the Competition.

ENVIROTHON IN ACTION TODAY

GOOD LUCK TO OUR WILDLANDS TRUST ENVIROTHON TEAM WHICH IS COMPETING TODAY.

The Envirothon is Massachusetts’ leading natural resource education program for high school students, emphasizing hands-on, team-oriented problem solving and community involvement that prepares young people for environmental careers and active citizenship.  We are so proud of our group of students from Brockton High School who have worked so hard this year.

Check out the video that was made last year about the event.  (Our team members are from Brockton High School)

Conservation Landowners

About Conservation Landowners

Wildlands Trust is proud to work with conservation landowners to protect over 90 separate municipal and privately-owned properties comprising over 2,200 acres throughout southeastern Massachusetts.  Conservation landowners are a special group of people committed to preserving the conservation values of their properties for future generations.  Through legal land protection mechanisms such as Conservation Restrictions (CRs), Agricultural Preservation Restrictions (APRs), and Deed Restrictions (DRs), Wildlands Trust is able to ensure the protection of many unique and precious habitats and landscapes. 

CRs, APRs, and DRs limit specified future uses of the land, such as development, but allow you to maintain ownership, management, and the right to sell your land or pass it on to heirs.  This may result in significant local and federal tax benefits.  As a conservation landowner, you are responsible for complying with the specific terms of the restriction as well as all of the local, state, and federal laws that regulate land-use activities in your area. 

Questions?

Wildlands Trust staff is always happy to discuss landowner interests and concerns.  Contact Scott MacFaden, Director of Land Acquisitions, by e-mail at smacfaden@wildlandstrust.org or by phone at 774-343-5121 x107.

Helpful Links for Conservation Landowners

• Invasive Plants of Massachusetts: http://www.massnature.com/Plants/Invasives/invasiveplants.htm

• Natural Resources Conservation Service – Massachusetts: http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/site/ma/home/

• MA Natural Heritage Endangered Species Program: http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dfg/dfw/natural-heritage/

• Living with Wildlife: http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dfg/dfw/fish-wildlife-plants/living-with-wildlife.html

• Rare Plant Conservation: http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dfg/dfw/natural-heritage/species-information-and-conservation/rare-plants/