Commonwealth Conversations: The Great Outdoors

Bay State agricultural fairs kick off this weekend

Commissioner Scott Soares

Commissioner, Department of Agriculture Resources (DAR)

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This Memorial Day Weekend, I’m excited to be partaking in one of my favorite New England spring-through-fall pastimes – going to Agricultural State Fairs! I’ll be headed to the Sheep and Woolcraft Fair in Cummington this Saturday (at Fairgrounds Road) for the kick-off of what is gearing up to be a great fairs season.

Did you know it was two Merino sheep that launched our Commonwealth’s rich and diverse history of fairs? In 1807, Massachusetts native Elkanah Watson decided to exhibit his animals at a public square in Pittsfield. A few years later, agricultural societies were established to sponsor and promote the state’s agricultural fairs of which DAR has been a big part.

Today, our agricultural fairs remain a favorite destination point for the more than 3 million residents and visitors each year.

The Commonwealth’s agricultural fairs feature highlights such as exhibits, livestock competitions and showings, farm-fresh food, and local crafts. Some fairs also have fireworks displays, tractor or pony rides, pig racing, and pie eating contests. There are also wine and beer making competitions, wood carving or cooking demonstrations, and concerts.

Find a fair near you in our fairs brochure.

Find a fair using our interactive map.

This year the American Automobile Association (AAA) has kindly partnered with us to also feature hard copies of our 2010 Fairs Brochure at their AAA clubs. Or, you can send an email request to receive a hard copy to Ellen.Hart@state.ma.us.

From fairs to farms to farmers’ markets, our Agri-Google map on our new MassGrown & Fresher website will connect you to all of your favorite agricultural destinations. www.mass.gov/massgrown

Whether you like the big fairs or the small community ones – I hope to see you there!

Go Fish!

Marion Larson

Outreach Coordinator, MassWildlife

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Looking for a way to spend some quality time with family or friends in the great outdoors and learn a new skill or brush up on your technique? Go fish…at a free fishing clinic or fishing festival near you! The MassWildlife’s Angler Education Program offers fishing clinics and participates in festivals designed to introduce “newbies" to fishing. At these events, participants will be taught casting skills, safety tips, fish identification, and how to choose appropriate (and affordable) fishing equipment. They’ll also learn a little aquatic ecology.

When I see new anglers catching their first fish, I’ve noticed that no matter what their age, their smiles stretch from ear to ear! There are some great benefits to fishing--a survey conducted by the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation found that 35 percent of all Americans said fishing and boating are the best ways to spend quality time with their families. Eighty-seven percent of those surveyed think fishing and boating have a positive effect on family relationships and 90 percent of Americans said that fishing and boating help to reduce the stress in their lives.

The photo taken by myself at Walden Pond at one of our agency events shows one of our volunteer instructors, Mike Norman of Newton, in action teaching a woman who asked to try out some fishing!

Plan your own outing with friends and family at one of the many free fishing events available in the state this spring and summer by visiting the MassWildlife Fishing Events calendar.

On June 5 and 6, anglers over the age of 15 can take someone freshwater fishing for free as part of MassWildlife’s annual Free Fishing Weekend. Looking for a place to fish or want to find out where award winning trophy fish have been caught? Visit the MassWildlife fishing home page.

Moving on to greener pastures

Erin Burke

Protected Species Specialist, Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF)

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The right whale season in Cape Cod Bay is officially over! Around this time each year, as food in the Bay dwindles, right whales begin exploring nearby habitats for a better meal. Aerial surveys earlier this month of the Bay spotted zero right whales and our acoustic buoys show no activity. However, state and federal aerial surveillance teams have seen right whales in their usual late-spring hot spot – the Great South Channel - a funnel-shaped trench off the coast of Massachusetts where nutrient-rich copepods aggregate each spring….and the whales follow! While the zooplankton buffet in Cape Cod Bay is winding down, the food supply offshore starts to pick up.

The transition of right whales from Cape Cod Bay to Great South Channel is very typical. However, the large group seen in Rhode Island Sound around mid-April was unusual! Right whales generally spend little time there, simply migrating through on their way up from Florida and Georgia, but this year a group of 100 individuals was seen feeding in the area. This event occurred one week after 70 right whales in Cape Cod Bay made short work of the food supply there.

Green Massachusetts flickr Photostream

Was the Rhode Island group migrating from the south and happened upon a good food source? Or were they hungry Cape Cod Bay whales looking for their next meal? Photo-analysis and comparison to recent sightings history will tell us more about the “origin” of this feeding group. Either way, the unusual aggregation illustrates the point that right whale habitat is broader and more flexible than we may think. The Gulf of Maine and surrounding areas may seem enormous to a human, but it’s no problem for a right whale to have breakfast in Cape Cod Bay and pop over to Rhode Island for dinner.

Photos of right whales from April research trip to Cape Cod Bay by DMF’s Dan McKiernan.

Stop invasive zebra mussels this boating season

Bill Hinkley

Program Director, Massachusetts Environmental Trust (MET)

View Bill's Bio

Boating and fishing are great activities for the whole family. With the discovery of highly invasive zebra mussels in Laurel Lake last summer, boaters need to be especially careful when transporting boats between lakes to stop the spread of this species.

To help protect the lakes of Berkshire County, a new free boat wash is scheduled to be up and running in Stockbridge in time for Memorial Day. The wash, which works like a carwash, will clean and disinfect boats by running very hot water (>140°) to kill the zebra mussel larvae and juveniles that may be on a hull, in a motor, or elsewhere on a vessel or trailer.

Any boat – including motorboats, canoes, and kayaks – can be washed at the Stockbridge facility. Trained operators will be staffing the facility 40 hours per week this spring and summer. The boat wash, located at 35 Main Street in Stockbridge, is 5 miles from Laurel Lake and Stockbridge Bowl and accessible from Exit 1 or 2 off the Massachusetts Turnpike.

Zebra mussels may be just the size of a fingernail but they cause major damage to lake and river ecosystems. Unlike most freshwater mussels, zebra mussels can attach themselves to just about any hard surface. Zebra mussels reproduce rapidly and cause severe damage to boats, docks, and pipes. Large infestations in other states have caused billions of dollars in damage and there is no known way to rid a water body of this species once it is introduced.

Photo credit: U.S. Department of the Interior - Additional Zebra Mussel Photos

The best way to stop zebra mussels, or any aquatic invasive species, is to remember to clean, drain and dry your boat before moving to a new lake. Zebra mussels can stay alive out of the water for several days.

• Check with the town of Stockbridge to find out when the boat wash opens.
• If you are using Laurel Lake before the boat wash opens,please take some extra precautions as outlined by the Great Lakes Sea Grant Network.
• DCR Lakes & Ponds Program rules and regulations for safe boating in the Berkshires this season.

The boat wash was made possible through a grant from the Massachusetts Environmental Trust, a trust funded with fees collected from specialty license plates.

FIELD REPORT: Women's turkey hunt

Mary Griffin

Commissioner, Department of Fish and Game (DFG)

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At 4:30 a.m. on May 3, I joined nine women and six guides for a turkey hunt in Devens sponsored by MassWildlife’s Becoming an Outdoorswoman (BOW) program. Fueled by coffee and a desire to hit the woods before first light, we met at the South Post of the Reserve Forces Training Area (RFTA) in Devens.

It was a really warm day, even at that very early hour. Every one of the participants saw or heard turkeys that day. I saw a total of seven turkeys during the hunt, including five toms, one jake (a juvenile male) and one hen, and I took my first turkey of the season.

Nancy Cunniff from Mansfield also took a turkey during the hunt (it was her first). We all enjoyed the camaraderie of the group hunt and got to practice our hunting skills with other women with shared interests.

After the hunt ended at noon, we came in from the woods to share lunch and our stories of the day’s adventures in the woods. Participants also saw deer, porcupine, bog turtles, a garter snake, and a coyote chasing a turkey.

Prior to the hunt, all participants had taken a one day class on turkey hunting skills and safety. The BOW program focuses on education for women on outdoor skills including basic fishing, beginning shotgun, kayaking, compass reading, archery, pond and stream adventures, nature photography, martial arts, outdoor and game cooking, edible plants and much more. DFG and MassWildlife appreciate the efforts of the many dedicated volunteers and partners who make the BOW program possible.

The hunt was led by a great group of experienced volunteer hunting guides. Many thanks to MassWildlife board member Bonnie Booth and fellow blogger Ellie Horwitz for organizing the event. Thanks also to Tom Poole helping us to partner with the RFTA for this annual event.

Coming up is a BOW weekend event, June 4-6 in Becket. Over 32 classes are offered over the weekend for women eager to learn new outdoors skills or brush up on existing skills.

Registration information on the June 4-6, 2010 BOW weekend.

Try bird watching this spring

Bob Greco

Chief of Staff, Department of Fish & Game (DFG)

View Bob's Bio

May is a great month for bird watching in Massachusetts, featuring the northern migration of colorful wood warblers, the return of many other native birds, and active courting and nesting of returning birds and year-round residents. A recent trip to MassAudubon’s Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary in Topsfield with my daughter and son confirmed this is also a great family activity.

We saw palm warbler, yellow-rumped warbler, black and white warbler, and many other interesting and colorful species such as great crested flycatcher, eastern kingbird, blue-gray gnatcatcher, eastern bluebird, hermit thrush, and Baltimore oriole.

The highlight for the kids was letting friendly nuthatches and chickadees take sunflower seeds directly out of their hands (see photo). They also greatly enjoyed snapping pictures of birds and other wildlife with their digital cameras. They got several shots of a playful catbird singing in a nearby thicket, an American goldfinch bathing at the river’s edge, an extremely friendly nuthatch, and a white-tailed deer (see other photos taken by Mia, age 10 and Michael, age 7). We also got very close to a large, male wild turkey who was busily calling for a mate, and a garter snake.

Birds sing the most in the early morning, so that is the best time to go, but you can enjoy bird watching any time of day. Check out MassWildlife’s wildlife viewing index for all kinds of wildlife viewing opportunities and the links below for places to see warblers and other birds in Massachusetts.

Greater Boston:

• Boston Public Garden
• Mount Auburn Cemetery, Cambridge

Northeastern Massachusetts:

• Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary, Topsfield
• Parker River National Wildlife Refuge, Newburyport 

Southeastern Massachusetts:

• Crane Wildlife Management Area (WMA), Falmouth/Bourne
• Daniel Webster Wildlife Sanctuary, Marshfield

Central Massachusetts:

• Bolton Flats Wildlife Management Area, Bolton/Harvard
• High Ridge Wildlife Management Area, Gardner/Westminster 

Connecticut River Valley:

• Laughing Brook Wildlife Sanctuary, Hampden 
• Herm Covey Wildlife Management Area, Belchertown/Ware

Western Massachusetts:

• George Darey Housatonic Valley Wildlife Management Area, Lenox, Lee and Pittsfield
• Pleasant Valley Wildlife Sanctuary, Lenox
• Hiram Fox WMA, Chester/Worthington

Get outside and take farm photos, submit to annual contest

Anna Waclawiczek

Chief of Staff, Department of Agricultural Resources (DAR)

View Anna's Bio

If you’re an amateur photographer who enjoys capturing images of the Bay State’s farms and farm products, grab your camera and get outside to take pictures of farm happenings for our annual Massachusetts Agriculture Calendar Photo Contest. Winning entries will be published in the 2011 Massachusetts Agriculture Calendar. The contest and calendar are sponsored by DAR, Massachusetts Agriculture in the Classroom Inc. and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.

We are seeking photos that represent the traditional, including maple sugaring, cranberries, dairy cows, flowers and plants, fall fruits, farmers, and farm families, and the new and dynamic, such as on-farm renewable energy systems and urban agriculture.

2010 Calendar winners.

Winning photographers will be credited in the calendar and will be invited to a ceremony at the Eastern States Exposition (The Big E agricultural fair) in West Springfield this September (tickets to the fair included). Winning photos will be featured on DAR’s home page during the corresponding month.

2011 Calendar photo contest entry form.

Entry deadline is June 1, 2010.

Going saltwater fishing? Don't forget to register.

Mary Griffin

Commissioner, Department of Fish and Game (DFG)

View Commissioner Griffin's Bio

With spring upon us, Massachusetts’ recreational saltwater anglers should know that, under new federal law, they must register with the National Marine Fisheries Service this year before going fishing.

The Federal Saltwater Fishing Registration is quick, easy and free in 2010, either online or by phone at (888) 674-7411. Massachusetts saltwater anglers will be required to purchase a state permit from the DFG’s Division of Marine Fisheries in 2011.

The federal registry and permit system have been established so that fisheries scientists can get better data on recreational fishing and make better decisions about bag limits, fishing seasons, and catch sizes to ensure that recreational fishing is robust for years to come. The current data collection system is inadequate for fisheries research because there is no record of anglers on which to base surveys. Anglers who register will provide a phone number that will allow fisheries managers to survey them about where they fish and what they catch.

A new law launched the state permit in 2011 and established a dedicated saltwater recreational fishing fund, one-third of which will be devoted to public access projects like expanded parking lots and new boat ramps and docks. The state individual permit fee is set at $10, lower than the proposed $15 to $25 2011 federal fee.

Registry and State Permit Program Information

With your support, we look forward to improving our fisheries statistics analysis and enhancing our recreational fishing programs for years to come.

Saltwater Fishing Registry Law

Celebrate Preservation Month at the parks

Wendy Pearl

Preservation Planner, Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR)

View Wendy's Bio

May is National Preservation Month, and DCR’s parks are a great place to see preservation in action. DCR’s mission is firmly rooted in the legacy of Charles Eliot and Frederick Law Olmsted, who dedicated their lives to preserving special places for public enjoyment.

Begin your preservation journey at Plymouth Rock in Plymouth, where the restored 1921 portico is sharing the spotlight with the legendary boulder. Climb the steps across the street to Cole’s Hill, a National Historic Landmark filled with commemorative sculpture and spectacular harbor views. North of Boston, learn more about America’s first public beach though the weekly walk at Revere Beach (a National Historic Landmark) every Saturday at 10:30 a.m. Round out your history tour with visits to Walden Pond in Concord, the Dorothy Quincy Homestead in Quincy, and Fort Warren in the Boston Harbor Islands.

This Saturday, May 15, there two history-related events:

In the central part of the state, Upton State Forest celebrates Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) Day and the legacy of that New Deal-era work program. Upton State Forest has one of the only surviving CCC camps.

In the Berkshires, Bascom Lodge, operating at the summit of Mount Greylock under a lease through DCR’s Historic Curatorship Program, will celebrate its grand opening. Stop in for a bite to eat or an overnight stay. Leading to the summit, the historic parkways have been carefully rehabilitated to retain the rustic materials and craftsmanship of the CCC. The views will take your breath away.

Massachusetts state parks have a lot to offer this month. Get out there and see history!

Got Trout?!

Marion Larson

Outreach Coordinator, MassWildlife

View Marion's Bio

It’s the height of the trout stocking season in the Bay State! Truckloads of trout have been netted out of state hatcheries and transported to lakes, ponds, rivers and streams in all parts of the state. Whether you use a fly rod or spinning rod, this is a terrific time to cast a line for trout. Over 540,000 feisty brook, brown, rainbow and tiger trout being stocked this spring for the benefit of recreational anglers. The Division of Fisheries and Wildlife will also stock 320,000 rainbow trout averaging 12 inches or longer. Nearly 78 percent of these rainbows will be 14 inches or larger. The division will also stock 47,000 brown trout averaging more then 12 inches along with another 115,000 browns in the 9 to 11 inch range. Brook trout will be stocked in a similar fashion with approximately 11,500 fish measuring a foot or better, and more than 66,000 in the 6 to 11 inch class. Anglers can also anticipate trying to tame some of the 6,000 tiger trout to be released, all topping the 14 inch mark. These handsome fish, a cross between a female brown trout and a male brook trout, have become popular with folks lucky enough to hook and land one. Each Friday, MassWildlife posts an update to the trout stocking schedule that shows what was stocked in the previous five days. Spring trout stocking activity will end just before Memorial Day weekend.

The photo, taken by MassWildlife photographer Bill Byrne, shows DFW biologist Bridgett McAlice and technician Mike Morrelly with a netful of fish from the truck to stock in the Quinapoxet River in West Boylston.