Boston Flora

Month: October 2014

  • Thursday, November 13, 6:00 pm – Mummies, Mildews, Manna, and Mosses: Four Kingdoms Under One Roof

    The Farlow Library and Herbarium of Cryptogamic Botany is steward of a world-class collection of books, archives, and specimens related to four different types of organisms—fungi, protista, plants, and monera—that play key roles in nature and society. Founded by William G. Farlow (below) in the nineteenth century, the collection celebrates its 90th anniversary in 2014. From expanding our understanding of plant diseases and helping us assess the impact of climate change and habitat destruction on geographic distributions of organisms, to offering insights into ancient ecosystems, the Farlow collection advances scientific research that is relevant to society and our understanding of life on Earth. On Thursday, November 13 at 6 pm, join mycologist Donald Pfister, Asa Gray Professor of Systematic Botany and Curator of the Farlow Library and Herbarium, Harvard University, in an exploration of the history and impact of this unique Harvard collection.

    Lecture and Reception. Registration required: www.hmsc.harvard.edu
    Geological Lecture Hall, 24 Oxford Street
    Presented in collaboration with the Friends of the Farlow
    Free event parking available at the 52 Oxford Street Garage

  • Thursday, November 6, 12:00 noon – 1:00 pm – Invasive Species: Causes, Consequences, and Solutions

    Invasive species are a leading component of environmental change. Some of the main challenges in invasive species research are understanding the causes of species invasions, their consequences in the invaded range, and solutions for invasive species management. This talk on Thursday, November 6 will combine principles from ecology and economics to understand causes, consequences and solutions to invasive species management.

    Rebecca Irwin is an Associate Professor in the Biology Department at Dartmouth College. Dr. Irwin’s research focuses on the ecology and evolution of multiple-species interactions, pollination biology, and species invasions. She received a B.A. in Biology from Middlebury College, and she holds a PhD in Ecology and Evolution from the University of Vermont. Her research is well funded, having received numerous grants from the National Science Foundation as well as other organizations. Her impressive publication record includes articles in top journals such as Ecology, Ecology Letters, and PNAS.

    Lunch & Learn lectures take place every Thursday from 12:00-1:00pm at the Lincoln Filene Center, Rabb Room on the Medford Campus during the academic year. The Tufts Institute of the Environment generously sponsors lunch. If you are interested in participating in the Lunch & Learn program as a guest lecturer/participant, contact environmentalstudies@tufts.edu.

    You can’t make it to the talk? No problem! Watch it live here from your computer or smart phone.

  • Wednesday, November 12, 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm – Topology: On Sensing and Conceiving Landscape

    The invention of landscape has always oscillated between a history of beliefs in nature, with its many representations, and a history of terrain measurements through various techniques of appropriation. In his talk sponsored by the Harvard University Graduate School of Design on Wednesday, November 12, from 6:30 – 8 in the Piper Auditorium of Gund Hall, 48 Quincy Street in Cambridge, Christophe Girot will consider the longstanding balance between culture and its instruments for sensing and conceiving a landscape, noting that the particular representation of landscape that we hold true today has roots in the dialogue between ars and techne that has characterized every epoch. The aim of this talk and discussion is to open a window on topology’s shifting point of view with regard to this form of interdependence that will considerably affect our ability to act and perform effectively on landscape’s reality. Girot is chair of Landscape Architecture at the Institute of Landscape Architecture, ETH Zürich.

    For accessibility accommodations please contact the events office two weeks in advance at (617)-496-2414 or events@gsd.harvard.edu.  Free and open to the public.

  • Saturday, November 15, 1:00 pm – The Art and Science of the Unfeathered Bird

    Imagine that you could see beneath the fluff and feather of a bird to view bone and muscle in action. What would this perspective reveal about movement, structure, and evolution? The Unfeathered Bird is a magnum opus, twenty-five years in the making, that features 385 finely-rendered drawings and paintings of 200 bird species. In a Harvard Museum of Natural History program intended for artists, scientists, and bird lovers alike, Katrina van Grouw will explain her approach to preparing and drawing the specimens featured in her book and share her insights into bird anatomy and biomechanics.

    Lecture and Book Signing will begin at 1:00 pm on Saturday, November 15, in Haller Hall of the Museum.  Enter at 26 Oxford Street in Cambridge. Regular museum admission rates apply. Free event parking available at the 52 Oxford Street Garage.

  • Wednesday, November 19, 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm – Landscaping at the Water’s Edge: An Ecological Approach

    Landscaping at the Water’s Edge: An Ecological Approach is an Ecological Landscaping Alliance webinar scheduled for Wednesday, November 19, from 1 – 2, which will cover simple stormwater management strategies for residential properties that encourage infiltration of runoff on site, thus reducing pollutant loads to surface waters. Line drawings illustrate how a degraded lakeshore property can be transformed to an attractive and highly functional site. With simple observations, ecologically-based design and low impact maintenance practices, you can protect, and even improve, the quality of our water resources. The presentation draws strongly on a New England sense of place, but the principals apply no matter where you live. We are all connected to the water cycle and we all live in a watershed where your actions matter.

    Dr. Catherine Neal is an Extension Professor and Specialist in Landscape Horticulture at the Univ. of New Hampshire. She develops and conducts training in sustainable landscape practices that enhance biodiversity and protect our soil and water resources. Her areas of expertise include rain garden design and installation, pollinator habitat and meadow establishment strategies for New England. She is author of several fact sheets and books including Landscaping at the Water’s Edge, available online at http://extension.unh.edu/Landscaping-Waters-Edge-Publications.
    – See more at: http://www.ecolandscaping.org/event/webinar-landscaping-at-the-waters-edge-an-ecological-approach/#sthash.JHxqx4gR.dpuf.

  • Friday, November 14, 12:20 pm – 1:10 pm – STORMISE – An Initiative to Manage Trees and Forests for Storm Resilience

    Mark Rudnicki, Associate Professor, Forest Ecology, Department of Natural Resources and the Environment at the University of Connecticut will speak on Friday, November 14, from 12:20 pm in Room 305, University of Massachusetts/Amherst’s Department of Environmental Conservation, 160 Holdsworth Way in Amherst.  His topic is STORMISE – An Initiative to Manage Trees and Forests for Storm Resilience.  Dr. Rudnicki is interested in understanding the mechanisms that govern forest stand dynamics.  In particular, he is interested in catastrophic and chronic wind interactions with forest ecosystems, and in quantifying tree sway in the wind and effects of sway on tree growth and canopy architecture. For more information call 413-545-2665.  Image from www.sierraclub.org.

  • Friday, October 31 – Sunday, November 2 – Orchid Passion: Yesterday and Today

    Friday, October 31 – Sunday, November 2 – Orchid Passion: Yesterday and Today

    The Massachusetts Orchid Society will present Orchid Passion: Yesterday and Today at Tower Hill Botanic Garden on Friday, October 31 from 1 – 5, Saturday, November 1 from 9 – 5, and Sunday, November 2 from 9 – 4.  Free with admission to the Garden.  See incredible displays of blooming orchids, floral arrangements, vignettes, and original artwork featuring orchids.  Educational programs and demonstrations, show and garden tours, a raffle, and a large sales area to stock up on orchid plants, supplies and more, will be featured.  For more information visit www.towerhillbg.org.

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  • Saturday, November 8, 10:00 am – 1:00 pm – Woodlands Restoration of Daisy Field

    Help the Emerald Necklace Conservancy implement a comprehensive woodlands management program ranging from the removal of invasive plant species to the conditioning of the forest soil to promote a healthier forest, on Saturday, November 8, from 10 – 1 at Daisy Field at Olmsted Park, Willow Pond Road in Boston.  For complete information call 617-522-2700.

  • From the Archives – Front Yard Contest

    In 1968, The Garden Club of the Back Bay co-sponsored the Fourth Annual Front Yard Contest with the Neighborhood Association of the Back Bay. The judges were Jay J. Stinson,  Muriel Crossman, and Henry Wendler, all of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society. More than thirty entries were received. Winners in four of the six classes were:

    F.P. Hatch, caretaker for the Newman Preparatory School on Marlborough Street, pictured below, for the best front yard of a church, club or school receiving professional care.

    Mrs. Edward Rose, 400 Beacon Street, for best use of evergreens, shrubs, trees or vines in a front yard.

    Mrs. Gordon Hanlon, 334 Marlborough Street, for best use of flowers.

    Chi Phi, 32 Hereford Street, for Best Fraternity.

    Class I, Best Lawn, had only “one poor entry” and no prize was given.  Class IV, Best Evergreen Ground Cover, Paved or Pebbled Area was also bypassed.  The prizes were subscriptions to Horticulture Magazine.

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  • Boston’s First Permanent Indoor Farmers’ Market Announced

    The Trustees of Reservations and the Boston Public Market announced an important new partnership that will bring the Trustee’s experience and expertise in community programming to the planned public market slated to open in summer 2015.

    Within the Market, an area devoted to outreach and programming, will be managed and staffed by the Trustees of Reservations, offering year-round educational opportunities for customers of the Market, residents, and visitors. The programs presented and produced by the Trustees and delivered with a diverse set of non-profit partners will address culinary education, health and nutrition, youth engagement, sustainability and conservation, and will include programing such as chef-led cooking demonstrations, nutrition classes, market tours, and workshops.

    “The Trustees of Reservations have a strong commitment to connecting people with locally grown food,” said Governor Duval Patrick. “They are an invaluable partner for the Boston Public Market’s outreach programs and will help ensure the success of this exciting new civic institution.”

    The agreement is the culmination of an ongoing collaboration between The Trustees and the Boston Public Market and constitutes the first significant non-profit partnership announcement for the Market as it nears its opening date. The two organizations have worked together to raise funds for the design and build-out of the market, especially the demonstration kitchen which will serve as an educational hub.

    “Creating a public market is most importantly about the people: the ones who will grow and produce the food, and the ones who will come to enjoy, eat, and celebrate all that New England offers,” said Liz Morningstar, CEO of the Boston Public Market. “The Trustees has a proven track record of attracting, educating, and engaging people across Massachusetts about local food, agriculture, and healthy lifestyles, and we are pleased to have them as a founding partner.”

    “Serving as the program partner of the market allows the Trustees to bring our knowledge about connecting people to places and ideas in a meaningful way for the Commonwealth,” said Barbara Erickson, President and CEO, Trustees of Reservations. “We believe that the new Boston Public Market will highlight the best of Massachusetts and New England agriculture, nature, and fisheries through a vibrant civic center. These ideas are core to the Trustees’ work so it’s only appropriate that we be a key partner in helping bring this place to life.”

    The Trustees’ programming at the Boston Public Market will reach a broad range of visitors and residents. The Trustees currently offers around 900 public programs on about 60 of its 113 reservations annually, but the new arrangement with the Public Market constitutes the first time the organization will offer programming on a site that is not its own reservation. Founded in 1891 by Charles Eliot, the Trustees has offered a regular selection of walks, talks, hikes, classes, workshops, tours, and performances to its many visitors, members, neighbors, and community groups as part of its effort to get more people to enjoy and experience its growing portfolio of sites. Annually, the organization estimates that it has more than 1.2 million visitors on its reservations and about 250,000 attending its public programs.

    Historically, the Trustees has protected over 200 farm properties, including the nation’s oldest, Appleton Farms, and the organization is the largest private farm-land owner in the Commonwealth. Recently the Trustees began to see its properties as ways to help facilitate healthy connections to locally grown food. In the last 15 years, the organization has begun to focus on building a sustainable food system and is actively involved in community supported agriculture (CSA), farm stands, pantry donation, “food by prescription,” apprenticeships, day camps, and a full-fledged dairy operation. Last year, it launched Appleton Cooks, a culinary based program out of a demonstration kitchen at Appleton Farms and this fall has opened Powisset Cooks, a similar program at Powisset Farm in Dover.

    The Boston Public Market will be a permanent, year-round, self-sustaining market featuring fresh locally-sourced food brought directly to and from the diverse people that make up Massachusetts and New England. The market’s permanent, indoor location on the Greenway directly above the Haymarket MBTA station is slated to open next year. The Boston Public Market currently runs two seasonal farmers markets each year along the Rose Kennedy Greenway, featuring over 30 local producers.