In cooperation with the Athol Council on Aging, Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust is sponsoring a free screening of Hank Cramer’s 40-minute film Wild Things of North Quabbin at the Athol Town Hall (584 Main Street, Athol) on Saturday January 26th from 7-8:30pm.

Shot in the New Salem woods, the film offers us glimpses into the secret lives of locally common birds and mammals. “The wild things in the film encourage us to conserve the local landscape they need for a home and can remind us that people need the land, too, for air to breathe, water to drink, wood for our homes, and, as importantly, for inspiration,” says Leigh Youngblood, Mount Grace Executive Director. Youngblood will be speaking at the event, which will also include a chance to meet some of the animals currently staying with local wildlife rehabilitator Medicine Mammals.

Hank’s love of nature, perseverance, and sense of curiosity give us a glimpse across four seasons in our local landscape. The movie, edited and assembled from five years of footage, features more than 25 species, including rarely seen behaviors of beavers, bears, bobcats, turkeys, fish, coyotes and herons. The event is free and is designed to introduce people to the wildlife of the region and the importance of land conservation in our communities. For more information about Mount Grace or to reserve seats, visit www.mountgrace.org.