Join Jane Newhouse, founder of Newhouse Wildlife Rescue, on March 16 as she shares interesting facts about our local wildlife. She will discuss what wildlife rehab is all about, shares fun facts about opossums, porcupines, beavers, raccoons, and foxes, and will discuss rodenticides and how they kill their way up the food chain. Learn the do’s and don’ts of helping injured and orphaned wild animals in an emergency. Possible guest appearances by Nibi the Beaver and Stanley the Groundhog. Information and registration at https://actonconservationtrust.org/
Floras change over time in response to numerous variables, including land use changes, species introductions, climate change, and other factors. This New England Botanical Society talk at 7 pm on February 7 will examine and attempt to explain changes in frequencies of two groups of plants in southern New England: orchids and northern species (i.e., those near the southern end of their range). It will include a discussion of different data sources and their limitations and the challenges of dealing with potentially confounding factors. Speaker Dr. Robert Bertin is Professor Emeritus of Biology at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester. The talk will be live and on Zoom.
Non-members may register for the meeting access link here.
The Garden Club of the Back Bay will hold its February meeting on February 25 at 2 pm at The Chilton Club, 152 Commonwealth Avenue, featuring Bonnie Power on the topic of houseplants. As with our outdoor gardens, many things can go wrong when you grow plants indoors. Learn the factors that make for happy houseplants, including light, water, and soil…and how to provide them. Common houseplant pests and diseases are also on the agenda, as well as how to treat them.
Bonnie Power has been a Massachusetts Master Gardener since 2016 (now a Lifetime MG) and member of the MMGA Speakers Bureau since 2018…and a serious outdoor/indoor gardener most of her life. Curious and research-oriented by nature, she has many horticultural interests and areas of expertise. Bonnie holds both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in Zoology, which informs her perspective on the management of garden insects. She is a member of the MGA Soil pH Testing team and also volunteer guide at Garden in the Woods, a Native Plant Trust botanical garden in Framingham. She learned to grow vegetables as a child from her father, and flowers and houseplants from her mother. Early in her marriage her father-in-law provided her first lessons in organic gardening. At home in Marlborough, Bonnie grows a variety of vegetables and ornamentals (with a bias for natives).
Olympic BirdFest, April 10 – 13, offers a major birding event in the wild and untamed Olympic Peninsula, hosted at the new facility of the Dungeness River Nature Center. The North Olympic Peninsula comprises a strip of coastlines and forests between the million-acre Olympic National Park and the Strait of Juan de Fuca. The steep rise of the mountains allows birders to sample coastal, riparian, forested and montane habitats in close proximity. The Dungeness River Watershed, for example, drops from 7800 feet to the sea in only 32 miles. The central location of the Dungeness River Nature Center puts all these habitats within reach of birders.
Participants can choose to visit Neah Bay near the northwesternmost point of the continental United States in the territory of the Makah Tribe, or to walk the longest natural sand spit in the nation at Dungeness Spit, now under management by the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe. The Elwha River, freed in 2014 by the largest dam removal project in the United States, offers riparian birding. Other field trips will explore Sequim Bay, Port Angeles Harbor, Dungeness Bay, Ediz Hook and wooded areas and fields.
The April dates of Olympic BirdFest allow birders to catch wintering birds such as harlequin and long-tailed ducks, along with spring migrants such as the rufous hummingbirds that arrive in this area with the blooming of red-flowering currants in early April.
All proceeds from BirdFest support the Dungeness River Nature Center, helping to fund environmental education programs that connect people of all ages to the Peninsula’s ecosystems. Field trip leaders and speakers donate their time and expertise advance the River Center’s mission to inspire understanding, respect, and stewardship of the natural and cultural resources of the region.
Whether you’re a seasoned birder, a nature enthusiast, or simply curious about the diverse ecosystems of the Dungeness River Watershed, we invite you to enjoy the birds and landscapes of the North Olympic Peninsula with us! In addition to the field trips, birders may participate in presentations, workshops and a banquet (with great food, a speaker and a raffle of birding-centric items).
Sequim is the ancestral home of the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe (a partner of the non-profit Dungeness River Nature Center). Their Tribal headquarters are at the head of Sequim Bay at Blyn. A tour explaining traditional Northwest Coast totemic art (totem poles, house posts, masks, and signage) at the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribal Center and their Seven Cedars Resort properties will also be offered. For more information about the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe, see https://library.jamestowntribe.org/home where you can also find pre-recorded presentations by tribal elders and leaders on the Tribe’s culture and history.
The Olympic BirdFest is a partnership of the Olympic Peninsula Audubon Society, Dungeness River Nature Center and Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe. Proceeds from this festival help support the educational programs of the Dungeness River Nature Center. For more information, call 360-681-4076, or email: info@olympicbirdfest.org.
We hope to see you at ELA’s Annual Conference scheduled for February 26, 27. and 28, 2025! Day 1 & 2 of the conference will remain virtual on Qiqochat to facilitate greater access and participation. Each day of virtual learning will consist of a number of concurrent presentations organized across three educational tracks.
The last day of the conference, we are organizing in-person member meet ups to build on the momentum from last year and continue expanding our community!This conference will give the ELA community a chance to engage and reflect on where the industry has been, to hear lessons learned, to prepare and adapt for the future, and to inspire each other to do all that we can to build and maintain resilient landscapes that work in harmony with the life that supports them.
The Garden Club of the Back Bay will sponsor a Members Only pop up event on January 5 at Mahoney’s Garden Center, 449 Western Avenue in Brighton. Want to beat the post-holiday blues? Join for an hour of learning with Mahoney’s Sara Barrios as we delve into the world of orchid care in the fabulous new greenhouse at Mahoney’s. Afterward, feel free to purchase an orchid or other houseplant of choice to take home with you.
The cost of the class is free, but space is limited to 20 people. Please RSVP to Stephanie Fletcher. Not yet a member? Visit https://bostonflora.com/join. You’ll want to be on the list for the upcoming Winter Tea as well, so act now.
Nearly 20 years ago, Julia Etter and Martin Kristen made Jalisco, Mexico their home, embracing the local culture and lifestyle. Now practically Mexican, they immerse themselves in tending their expansive garden and greenhouse, designing a botanical garden for a major Tequila factory, and caring for a lively menagerie of chickens and seven cats. Despite their busy lives, they still seize every opportunity to explore the field. Since 2009, Julia and Martin have collaborated with botanists from the Institute of Biology at UNAM and the University of Guadalajara. Their contributions to botany have been honored with several plant species named after them, including Agave kristenii, Echeveria juliana, E. kristenii, Graptopetalum kristenii, and Sedum kristenii. Their work has been widely published in books, journals, and online, reflecting their deep commitment to sharing the beauty and knowledge of these remarkable plants. More information about their work can be found at agavaceae.com and crassulaceae.com.
On January 18 at 1 pm Eastern, the Cactus & Succulent Society of Massachusetts will present a Zoom virtual meeting with Julia Etter and Martin Kristen, To register (the meeting is for members, but a year’s membership is $20), visit https://www.cssma.org/membership
The New England Botanical Society is having a membership event on January 10 at the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife’s Cronin Building, 1 Rabbit Hill Road in Westborough, Room 108, Southeast Conference Room. There will be a members potluck, raffle, and show & tell starting at 5:30 pm. For information on joining, visit https://www.rhodora.org/membership/join.html
Cool down in New England next summer and learn with colleagues in the heart of the Connecticut River Valley!
Save the Date for NCYGS 2025
The American Horticultural Society is excited to share that the 33rd annual National Children & Youth Garden Symposium will be held in Hartford, Connecticut from Tuesday, July 8 to Friday, July 11, 2025. The symposium will focus on “Science & History in Youth Gardening” and will be headquartered at the Connecticut Science Center. Full details and registration will become available in January. Mark your calendars now.
2025 NCYGS Call for Sessions
The American Horticultural Society is now accepting session proposals for the 33rd annual National Children & Youth Garden Symposium, “Science and History in Youth Gardening,” in Hartford, CT from Tuesday, July 8 to Friday, July 11, 2025. We encourage youth garden educators from across the fields to apply! Please review the proposal guidance and submit your session proposals by Friday, January 3, 2025. All submissions will be notified of decisions in January 2025. For further information and to submit a proposal, visit NCYGS 2025.
Enjoy a magical evening of music and holiday cheer on December 19 at the Eustis Estate, 1424 Canton Avenue in Milton. Explore the 1878 mansion, which has been lavishly decorated for Christmas, while live holiday music fills the halls.
Members of Historic New England $20; Students $15; Nonmember $35. Log in or Join now to have your discount applied at checkout.
Advance tickets are required. Refreshments, wine, beer, and cider are included with your ticket. Please call 617-994-6600 for more information.
