Boston Flora

Category: Volunteer Opportunity

  • Saturday, January 12, 9:00 am – 2:00 pm, and Wednesdays, January 16 – January 30, 3:00 pm – 7:00 pm – Nonvascular Herbarium Work Sessions

    The New England Botanical Club welcomes volunteers to help with curatorial work in the nonvascular herbarium of the NEBC. Listed below are the scheduled work sessions. If you would like to join us or have questions, please email Elizabeth Kneiper (Ekneiper@aol.com) or call 781-801-2734. We look forward to hearing from you! Weather and various other circumstances can force the sessions to be canceled or rescheduled, but volunteers will be notified.

    Wednesday, January 9, 2019 – 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
    Saturday, January 12, 2019 – 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
    Wednesday, January 16, 2019 – 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
    Wednesday, January 23, 2019 – 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
    Wednesday, January 30, 2019 – 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

    Type of work: Curatorial – replacing old packets, data basing, and inserting collections. A great chance to work with historic collections of New England lichens, bryophytes, algae, and fungi.

    Location: Farlow Herbarium, 22 Divinity Ave, Cambridge, MA.

  • Monday, January 14, 6:00 pm – Air Rights Parcel 12 Public Meeting

    The Boston Planning and Development Agency will be hosting a Public Meeting on Monday, January 14th, 2019 beginning at 6:00 PM (rescheduled from Monday, December 10th) in Room 101 of the Hynes Convention Center (900 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02115)

    The Public Comment Period has been extended to conclude on Thursday, January 31st, 2019 (originally scheduled to conclude on Friday, December 14th)
    If would would like additional information before the meeting, please use the following links.

    Project website: http://www.bostonplans.org/projects/development-projects/parcel-12

    Expanded project notification document for download: http://www.bostonplans.org/getattachment/cd77ecdd-bb17-4dd3-8cf5-95ebc4263fef

    Notes from the Neighborhood Association of the Back Bay Development and Transportation Committee:

    Sign up for DTC updates on the project via email to info@nabbonline.com by including “Parcel 12 Updates” in the subject line.
    Make direct requests for copies of the EPNF to Kyle Greaves, AICP at (617) 607-2988 or via email to kgreaves@vhb.com.

  • Friends of the Boston Park Rangers Mounted Unit – Annual Update

    We received the following letter from Chief Gene Survillo and wish to share part of it with our readers:

    We offer you an update on “Jacob” (BPR Mount #598) and his rehabilitation. For Park Ranger trivia buffs, “Jake” was originally sponsored in 1998 by Mr. Kevin Fitzgerald, the owner and operator of Jacob Wirth’s Restaurant!

    In late July Jake was diagnosed with a serious and debilitating hoof disease referred to as “canker.” His treatment began immediately at Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine under the care of Dr. Thomas Jenei and their incredible staff. His care then continued with extensive rehabilitation at the Ross Haven Farm in Sturbridge under the direction of Dr. Carl Kirkerhead.

    Despite daily treatments and a level of care by Dr. Kirkerhead and his staff (care that can only be described as amazing and inspirational), his condition worsened in September. Another intensive procedure was performed at Tufts and he returned to Ross Haven in October for further rehabilitation. The prognosis held serious concern but, nonetheless, cautious optimism. We are now thrilled to report that Jake has finally (and somewhat miraculously!) been cleared to return home and is now back in the comfort of his stall at our barn.

    Jake’s history as one of the Boston Park Rangers Mounted Unit’s great horses is legendary. We share this update if for no other reason than to add to his storied past as well as to magnify his incredible character, personality, and trustworthiness as a Park Ranger mount and his service to The City of Boston. Anyone who has experienced his gentle yet bold behavior understands that Jake possesses traits that you simply cannot train into a horse. In his retirement, it’s these very character traits that have contributed to his being a favorite among those dedicated and committed to his care and recovery.

    We now face the challenge of finding the appropriate retirement setting for Jake. It will take a special environment along with special caretakers for this very, very special partner. We are confident we will find that home and in the meantime, Jake will continue his recovery here at our Mounted Operations in Franklin Park among his old friends and partners – both equine and human!

    Anyone wishing to donate to the Friends of the Boston Park Rangers Mounted Unit on Jacob’s behalf may do so at https://friendsofthebprmountedunit.org/donate/

  • Wednesday, May 1, 6:00 pm – 8:30 pm -Twilight Garden Party: Caring For Our City Trees : SAVE THE DATE

    Co-chairs Stephanie Fletcher, Mary Carty, Carrie Pelzel, and Susan Viano are pleased to announce the date of this year’s Garden Club of the Back Bay spring benefit, the Twilight Garden Party: Caring For Our City Trees. We will return to the beautiful St. Botolph Club, 199 Commonwealth Avenue, on Wednesday, May 1 from 6 – 8:30. Planning is underway, and Garden Club members who wish to lend a hand are encouraged to let us know at info@bostonflora.com. Details will follow in the coming months, but put the party on your calendars now!

  • Trees For Troops

    Donate a real Christmas Tree to a military family for $30.

    Imagine somewhere on the other side of the world, a group of U.S. troops gathered around a fresh, real Christmas tree that was express shipped from the states. Or imagine how a military family of a deployed loved one would feel if they received a real Christmas tree, given by a caring family they have never met. This is the mission of  Trees for Troops, a national charitable campaign that provides real Christmas trees to members of the armed forces and their families at more than 65 military bases in the U.S. and overseas. Since 2005, Trees for Troops has provided more than 176,00 Christmas Trees to military families and troops in the United States and overseas.

    2018 will be Mahoney’s 12th year participating in the Trees for Troops program and they hope to make it their most successful year yet! They are proud to say that through the support of our customers, last year we were able to donate 2700 Christmas trees. This year, with your help they think they can do even better. They’ve made it easier than ever to donate a tree by accepting donations in all of their stores, online, and over the phone. To support online, and for more information, visit http://mahoneysgarden.com/trees-troops/

  • Tuesday, November 20, 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm, and Wednesday, November 21 – Saturday, November 25 (excluding Thanksgiving), 10:00 am – 5:00 pm, and Sunday, November 25, 10:00 am – 2:00 pm – Nantucket Festival of Wreaths

    The Festival of Wreaths is the Nantucket Historical Association’s kickoff celebration for the holiday season. This community event features an array of wreaths beautifully crafted by local businesses, non-profits, schools, and organizations that are displayed during the week of Thanksgiving. Visitors can bid on their favorite wreaths in a silent auction to benefit the NHA’s year-round outreach efforts. From traditionally-decorated greens to unconventional materials, all of the Festival of Wreaths entries capture the creativity of Nantucketers! This year, celebrating the 20th anniversary, the Preview Party will take place at the Whaling Museum on November 20 from 5:30 – 7:30. A special thank you to the 2018 Festival of Wreaths Chairs, Donald Dallaire and David Handy. If you are interested in becoming a 2018 Wreath Designer, contact Stacey Stuart, Director of Corporate Development, at sstuart@nha.org. For complete information visit https://nha.org/join-give/benefit-events/festival-of-wreaths/

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  • Saturday, November 10, 9:00 am – 12:00 noon – Bussey Brook Urban Wild Cleanup

    The City of Boston’s Environment Department and Parks and Recreation Department are organizing a clean-up at the Bussey Brook Meadow Urban Wild in Jamaica Plain. The cleanup will take place on Saturday, November 10, from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. at 407 South Street, Jamaica Plain 02130.

    A major component of the cleanup will be the picking up and disposing of trash in the surrounding area. Another component will involve the physical removal and disposal of invasive species. Invasive species are a group of organisms that are not native to a specific area and are harmful to the native organisms. This is due to the competition for resources that they create among the native organisms.

    Sign up at https://www.boston.gov/calendar/bussey-brook-urban-wild-cleanup or email greenovate@boston.gov

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  • Project Oscar

    Project Oscar is the City of Boston’s 24-hour community compost pilot program. Named after the Sesame Street character, Project Oscar compost bins give communities a place to drop-off residential food scraps for composting. Our bins are emptied by the Public Works team, and managed by Greenovate Boston. This partnership project is a pilot program, so we appreciate feedback about how it’s going. This pilot program currently has six community compost bins. They are located in these locations:

    East Boston, on the Lewis Mall across from Maverick Station MBTA stop
    North End, in the Nazzaro Center parking lot on North Bennet Street
    Brighton, at Faneuil Gardens Apartments in the west parking lot across from McKinney Playground
    Jamaica Plain, in the parking lot of the Curtis Hall Community Center at 20 South Street
    City Hall Plaza, on Fisher Park near the Bill Russell Statue and food truck vending area
    Grove Hall Plaza, off of Blue Hill Avenue next to Flames restaurant

    Project Oscar bins can be used to compost personal food scraps by anyone who works or lives in Boston. All bins are unlocked and open to the public for use at any time.

    These items CAN be composted

    Fruit and vegetable scraps, peelings, pits, and seeds
    Eggshells and nutshells
    Rice, pasta, cereal
    Bread, pastries, cookies
    Coffee grounds and coffee filters
    Teabags
    Cut or dry flowers
    Napkins, paper towels, paper plates
    Cardboard take-out containers
    Wine corks
    Wooden coffee stirrers
    Biodegradable plastics and bags

    Items we don’t take in our bins

    Meat, fish, bones
    Dairy products
    Cheese
    Fats, grease, oils
    Pet waste
    Charcoal
    Yard waste (Find your leaf and yard waste collection schedule)
    Cigarette butts
    Dryer lint, dryer sheets
    Styrofoam
    Plastic bags

    Have questions about Project Oscar? Please email us at oscar@boston.gov, or call us 617-635-3850.

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  • TreeVersity

    Warm weather and sun are in the forecast, and after a long and dreary winter here in Boston, we’re finally seeing hints of green in the landscape. For researches at the Arnold Arboretum, this means fieldwork! As buds swell, cones open, and flowers bloom, a flurry of biological activity returns to the grounds–and our team of photographers are working tirelessly to document the action and share it with the public. Using ArbPIX, the Arboretum’s plant image search tool, researchers, educators, students and plant lovers worldwide can explore the Arboretum’s living collection and discover a stunning range of plant diversity from their own devices!

    To improve the search function of this ever-growing database, we’re asking for your help! As a TreeVersity volunteer, your contributions will add valuable metadata to this database as you identify morphological and phenological features in plant images. Along the way, you’ll learn about plant biology and have a chance to interact with researchers and fellow volunteers on the project’s discussion forum. You can check out the TreeVersity Twitter feed, Facebook page and blog (https://treeversity.wordpress.com/), where the project team frequently posts updates, articles and fun plant facts.

    We’ve had some terrific participation so far, but we need your help to finish classifying our current batch of nearly 10,000 images! We’ve just reached 50% of the required classifications thanks to the hard work of over 1,700 TreeVersity volunteers. We still have a ways to go, and every classification counts. If everyone reading this post classified 150 photos, we’d be done before lunch!

    TreeVersity newcomers: if you’d love to see a magnolia flower up close, learn how plants attract insect defenders, or find out what a “pneumatophore” might be (hint, it’s a cypress tree’s “knee”), then join the TreeVersity community and help us fight plant blindness around the globe! To sign up, visit https://www.zooniverse.org/projects/friedmaw/treeversity

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  • Thursday, May 24, 11:30 am – City of Boston Park Budget Hearing

    Let’s fill the room at this City of Boston budget hearing at 11:30 on May 24 in the City Hall Council Chamber to demonstrate our support for parks and trees across all of our beautiful and diverse neighborhoods. Prepare testimony if you can, and lend your voice to the chorus of people asking for more resources to keep our green spaces and trees safe, attractive and available to all.

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