Are you an avid fisher? Have you ever wanted to try fishing, but never got the chance to do so? Whatever your answer, you should think about attending one of the great fishing festivals that MassWildlife Angler Education Program is hosting around the state this weekend. Come to cast a line, learn about native Massachusetts fishes and familiarize yourself in the important areas of fishing safety, ethics, and equipment. Seasoned fishers are requested to bring their own equipment, but equipment and tackle will be provided for first timers. Events will be held on Saturday in Westborough on the shores of Sandra Pond and in Charlton at Snows Pond and on Sunday the fishing festival will take place in Brookline.
A series of Sunday afternoon Nature Walks and Stories will start this week in South Boston. Department of Conservation and Recreation rangers invite you and your family to a fun filled afternoon of crafts and story readings in Ventura Park!
I am sure that our recent spate of summer-like weather has prompted many of you to pull out your canoe or kayak and get in some early-season paddling. Early spring is usually a great time to be venturing out on the Commonwealth’s rivers and larger streams, as the higher water levels and vigorous flows enable paddling on many streams that tend to be too rocky in the summer.
If you have already been out paddling, you may have noticed an increase in the amount of downed trees and branches in and along the river, perhaps resulting from last year’s weather events like Tropical Storm Irene or the pre-Halloween snowstorm. Working your way through all the wood in the river might have made your paddle feel more like an obstacle course, as you clambered in and out of your boat to avoid numerous fallen logs and overhanging branches.
Living and dead trees, branches and logs in and along a river confer a myriad of ecological benefits, serving as perching areas for birds, cover for fish to hide from predators and prey, and basking spots for turtles, as well as non-ecological benefits such as attenuating downstream flooding. The way the river interacts with the downed wood creates undercut banks, side channels and other “nooks and crannies,” contributing to habitat complexity, a key characteristic of a healthy river ecosystem.
That being said, downed wood in rivers can be a possible safety hazard, such as when a fallen tree piles up against a bridge abutment, or lies across a fast-moving section of water where it could act as a “sweeper” or “strainer” that could flip a boat and pin it underwater. When to remove trees and when to leave them be requires performing a balancing act and to provide clarity the Division of Ecological Restoration’s (DER) Russ Cohen collaborated with Mike Gildesgame of the Appalachian Mountain Club on Trees, Paddlers and Wildlife: Safeguarding Ecological and Recreation Values on the River.
There has been a brochure, video and newly-postedPowerPoint presentation Russ delivered at the Mass. Association of Conservation Commission’s 2012 Conference, are all intended to educate paddlers and others about why trees are good for rivers and to encourage their retention except where significant safety hazards exist, and even then to look for the minimum action possible such as judicious pruning or relocation of the vegetation to abate the hazard.
Also, DER compiles an annual Rivers and Wetlands Months Calendar, listing all the public paddling trips and other river- and wetland-related activities taking place in the Commonwealth during May (Wetlands Month) and June (Rivers Month). The 2012 Calendar will cover the period from Saturday, April 28 to Wednesday, July 4. So, if you know of an event taking place during that time, please feel free to send an e-mail about it to Russ russ.cohen@state.ma.us.
On Friday, April 27, the Bushnell-Sage Library in Sheffield will host a talk on local wildlife. Learn about the wildlife in your community, from bats and bears, to fish and beaver from MassWildlife District Manager, Andrew Madden. For more information, call the library at (413) 229-7004.
Have you ever wanted to learn the basics of firearms, using a gun, or shooting a bow and arrow? On Saturday, April 28, head over to Hanson for Shooting Sports Day for Outdoors Women and Men, an event for beginners sponsored by MassWildlife and the Hanson Rod and Gun Club. Experts will help you learn the basics. Be sure to make it if you plan on applying for an F.I.D. or an L.T.C. card. Registration materials can be found here.
This is the first post in a series about the Great Marsh. Be sure to check back to learn more about how you can enjoy and protect this wonderful and critical resource on Massachusetts’ North Shore!
Within the network of marsh, estuaries, mud flats and tidal rivers that make up the Great Marsh, the endangered least tern feels safe enough to make its nest along the shore. The least tern is just one of 350 bird species that uses some part of the Great Marsh’s diverse habitats for either breeding or migration purposes. The Great Marsh is the largest salt marsh in New England covering over 20,000 acres and extending from Gloucester to Salisbury. The area is bursting with diverse flora and fauna and for this reason it's recognized as an Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC). In addition to birds, you may also see deer, coyotes, muskrats, beavers, raccoons, snapping turtles, toads and seals. ACEC designations, administered by the Massachusetts Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs' Department of Conservation and Recreation, are given to natural places for the uniqueness and significance of their natural and cultural resources. More proof of the wonders of the Great Marsh lie in that the area is designated an Important Bird Area and is home to the federal Parker River Wildlife Refuge, Mass Audubon’s Joppa Flats Sanctuary and many other areas protected by local land trusts and non-profits.
If all this talk has caught your eye and you’re ready to get out and experience the Great Marsh, there are numerous public beaches and parks you can visit. Two of my favorites are DCR's Sandy Point State Reservation on the Southern tip of Plum Island and Salisbury Beach State Reservation. If you are looking for other sites to explore within the Great Marsh, click here for all the best walking trails, paddling launch sites, and beaches.
Make your way to the Hopkinton State Park on April 19, for the Hopkinton Reservoir Family Fishing Festival, sponsored by the Department of Conservation and Recreation! Cast a line, and learn about fish in our local waters, as well as water safety and ethics plus fishing equipment. Some fishing equipment and bait will be provided, but bring your equipment along if you have it. Email Jim Lagacy, MassWildlife aquatic resource education coordinator, at jim.lagacy@state.ma.us for more information.
Kids will love the interactive outdoor nature walks being offered throughout the state on April 18. Explore the trails of the Upton State Forest on the “Scents of Place” hike with DCR Search and Rescue K9 Emmit Francis and his handler, ranger Jennifer Stowe. Call (978) 369-7834 ext. 3 for more information.
Enjoy some springtime stories in the Wompatuck State Park in Hingham! Storyteller Andrea Lovett will present engaging stories and activities for children of all ages. Call (508) 866-2580 ext. 164 for more information.
On April 22, the Springfield Science Museum will host an Earth Day festival from 11am to 4pm. The MassWildlife Angler Education program will run the Kids Casting Program at this event. Other festivities will include a performance by the Boys of the Landfill bluegrass band, a live animal demonstration, and a papermaking activity, plus other displays.
Get outdoors or learn something new about your environment this weekend! This upcoming weekend is full of educational and hands-on outdoor events for residents and visitors of the Commonwealth. On Saturday, April 14, the next in the series of Growing Up WILD workshops will be held in Newton. This week’s workshop focuses on the role early childcare providers have in fostering a child’s sense of wonder about nature and the environment. The first of a two part seminar on Turkey hunting will also be held on Saturday. This seminar will take place in Shirley and is designed to support beginning female hunters – no previous experience required!
On Sunday, April 15, the Wildlife Walk Series will continue in Alewife, where expert naturalist David Brown will guide you through the Alewife Wildlife Reservation. This is a chance to see songbirds and other wildlife right here in Massachusetts! Dighton Rock State Park will also offer a hike that kids will love- it’s a hide and seek adventure to search for animals and their tracks.
The fishing season opens this week at the Wachusett, Sudbury and Quabbin Reservoirs. More information and fishing guides can be found here for the Wachusett and Sudbury Reservoirs and here for the Quabbin Reservoir.
Be sure to check out the Great Outdoors interactive Google calendar for a full calendar of Massachusetts outdoor events.
Although it has been a relatively mild winter, signs of spring still ignite positive energies and excitement within the Commonwealth. Lunch breaks take a little longer and the walk to your T stop is a bit more relaxed. To many people, springtime is about more than just an escape from the bonds of cold weather. Springtime is the start of the birds’ mating season and the farmers’ planting season; the activities we do in our free time change and we can spend more of our day outside interacting with the nature around us.
Today I spoke with members of the various environmental agencies to find out what they love about spring. For Marion Larson with MassWildlife, the mating call of the American Woodcocks “peent….peent…peent,” is a clear sign of the new season. Although SJ Port, who works with the Department of Conservation Resources (DCR), is reluctant to put her hockey gear away, she is excited to replace her skates with sneakers and take a walk along DCR's Charles River Reservation's Esplanade and hike through some of the DCR state parks. Anna Waclawiczek, in the Department of Agricultural Resources (DAR), looks forward to the busy planting season at our local farms. Now is the time, she says, whether you are a farmer or a green thumb hobbyist to visit a garden center or nursery and get your fingers dirty with fresh planting soil. To find local nurseries, garden centers, farmers’ markets and much more go to the MassGrown & FresherAgri-Google map.
What do you love about the transition into spring? What smell, sight, or sound is most indicative to you that springtime is here? For me it is the smell of hyacinths when I am out on a jog or walking my dogs. Use the comment space below to share with us your thoughts.
Saturday morning, I was driving to Princeton, when I came over a hill I spotted a cow moose and yearling calf who were crossing the road at the bottom of the hill (just 200 yards away)! I immediately slowed down and braked, frantically reached for my camera, rolled down the window and hastily snapped some images as both animals trotted quickly into the woods. (Find the calf by the brush pile!)
The cow stopped and looked at the car for a moment, shook her head, then turned and trotted away. I was so busy looking in the woods that I nearly missed seeing a second yearling calf dithering about on the other side of the road, seemingly conflicted about crossing in front of my car. Fortunately, I noticed its movement and pointed the camera out the front windshield as it crossed the road. He barreled into the woods to catch up to the rest of the family.
Soon those yearlings will be on their own, as this family will be breaking up. The adult cow will be calving in late May or early June and before that event occurs she’ll be harassing the “teens” away to get out from her oversight.
Isn’t it amazing that this largest member of the cervid, or deer, family can be found in Massachusetts, the third most densely human populated state in the nation?!
On March 28, MassWildlife and MassAudubon’s Broadmeadow Brook Sanctuary invite teachers and educators to participate in a Growing Up WILD Workshop in Worcester that focuses on connecting young children to the natural world. This workshop will encourage the child’s natural sense of exploration and curiosity with activities that develop the child’s emerging cognitive and social skills. If you work with children grades K-2, then please join us for this day of fun, interactive learning. Introducing children to the natural world at a young age will foster a love for nature and a sense of stewardship in them that will mature and strengthen as the child grows up. Challenge yourself to make an impact on the next generation of budding environmentalists.
MassWildlife holds these workshops in various locations throughout the state, so if this one does not work for you, then keep an eye out for other upcoming workshops. You can visit the MassWildlife website for a list of workshops.
Right whales are crowding the beaches of Provincetown early this year! Due to the warm winter, the appearance of these giants and their food source, zooplankton, are around six weeks ahead of schedule this year. Right now, approximately 30 right whales have formed a stable aggregation close to shore around Provincetown, from Race Point to Long Point. The animals are surface and sub-surface feeding near the beach on patches of copepods. Given the odd weather, we’re not sure if the food resource will stabilize and we’ll have a typical right whale spring here in Massachusetts. So come to Provincetown and catch the show while you can!
Vessels are reminded that state and federal law require you remain 500 yards from right whales.
