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VOLUME II, Issue 20
http://www.GreenForNewEngland.org

October 17, 2001
    1 – A Family Affair
    2 – A Walk in the Woods
    3 – The (Auto) Body Shop
    4 – SmartWood
    5 – VIB (Very Important Bird)
    6 – Owl Prowl

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1 - A Family Affair
The Merrimack River Watershed Council recently celebrated year two of introducing children and their families to the Merrimack River Watershed through its Family Watershed Education Project (FWEP). FWEP is a watershed education effort using the river and its surrounding lands as its classroom for learning ecology and sciences, math, history and culture. Hands-on learning is an essential component of the program. This year, participants visited a quaking bog in Andover, MA, tracked wildlife at the Salem, NH, Town Forest, and learned about the role of the River in the Industrial Revolution at Lawrence Heritage State Park. For more information on this and other MRWC programs, visit www.merrimack.org or call 798-681-5777.

2 - A Walk in the Woods
Think you know everything there is to know about taking a walk in the woods? Attend the Connecticut Forest and Park Association's (CFPA) "A Walk in the Woods Isn't What You Think It Is" and you are bound to learn something new. The fun takes place on Saturday, October 27, 1:00 PM at Sessions Woods in Burlington, CT. CFPA Trail Manager Dan Casey will teach you how to negotiate Connecticut's Blue-Blazed Hiking Trails by interpreting the blazes and reading the terrain, while he lets you in on what trail managers are thinking when they lay out a trail. You will be amazed at what you didn't know about hiking and trail-blazing. Dan is the manager of a 60-mile section of the Blue-Blazed Tunxis Trail. Pre-registration is required, so call 860-346-2372 to reserve your spot!

3 - The (Auto) Body Shop
They are almost as ubiquitous in New England as Dunkin' Donuts. Well, maybe not that common, but there certainly is no shortage of auto body garages throughout the area. The Regional Environmental Council (REC), as part of their Toxic Use Reduction program, is researching auto body shops and ways to make their processes more efficient and environmentally friendly to the neighborhoods in which they are located. Citizens and body shops can obtain an REC brochure that provides useful tips on the health concerns of toxins and how to cut down on hazardous waste. For more information, contact REC at 508-799-9139 or visit www.regionalenvironmentalcouncil.org.

4 - SmartWood
The National Wildlife Federation (NWF) recently announced that more than 29,000 acres of forestland in Maine's Baxter State Park is SmartWood-certified for forest management. Working with the Rainforest Alliance's SmartWood program, NWF performs forest certification assessments that identify outstanding models of sustainable forestry that balance the needs of people and wildlife. Baxter's forest management area had to meet more than 50 rigorous SmartWood program criteria, which are used to certify forests that are managed for long-term ecological, social, and economic health. For example, SmartWood forest managers must show that they protect streams and wetlands and conserve fragile or uncommon wildlife, including endangered species, as part of their management activities. For more information, contact the National Wildlife Federation (www.nwf.org) at 800-332-4949 or the Rainforest Alliance (www.rainforest-alliance.org) at 888-MY-EARTH.

5 - VIB (Very Important Bird)
The Massachusetts Audubon Society, in conjunction with the National Audubon Society, has launched the Massachusetts Important Bird Area (IBA) Program. The goal of the program is to identify and protect sites that contain essential habitat for one or more species of breeding, wintering, or migrating birds. This is done through the collection of information that helps land managers evaluate areas for habitat management, engage public and private participation in bird conservation efforts, and provide public education and community outreach opportunities. Six sites in Massachusetts have been identified so far, including the Mount Greylock State Reservation IBA, the Quabbin Reservoir Watershed IBA, and the North Shore Barrier Beach and Great Marsh IBA. For more information, visit www.massaudon.org or contact Scott Hecker at (781) 834-9661.

6 - Owl Prowl
The leaves are changing and the air is getting cooler. That can only mean one thing: it is almost Halloween! Celebrate in style at the Vermont Institute of Natural Science's Vermont Raptor Center. If you are not too scared, show up on Friday, October 19, from 6 to 8 PM so you can take part in their Halloween Owl Prowl. This family program will encourage everyone to use their nocturnal senses as you sit around a campfire learning about bats and owls. You will get an up-close look at the Raptor Center owls as well as "call in" those in the forest. While you are there, be sure to check out the other offerings at the Center, including the eagles, falcons, vultures, and ravens. For more information, contact the Center at 802-457-2779 or visit www.vinsweb.org.

On the Campaign Trail
Many of our employee workplace giving campaigns are underway, with numerous others set to kick-off in the next month. Check out our list of corporate partners (click here!) to see if your company supports Earth Share of New England and our 78 environmental organizations. Or, if you know of a friend, colleague, or family member that works at one of these companies, let them know that they can give to Earth Share of New England. If your company is not on the list, would you like it to be? Then contact Peter Twombly at 617-542-3363 or via e-mail at peter@GreenForNewEngland.org.

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