Boston Flora

Tag: EPA

  • Tuesday, July 30, 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm – Planning & Implementing Climate Smart Parks in Massachusetts Webinar

    This United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Soak Up the Rain webinar on July 30 will discuss climate-smart parks in Metro Boston, covering the available tools, data analysis, and planning and design strategies for successful implementation. The Trust for Public Land and Metropolitan Area Planning Council developed and implemented a Climate Smart Parks data analysis and mapping tool to help Massachusetts towns plan and design urban parks and green infrastructure installations to support urban climate resilience. The metro-Boston city of Medford will showcase these tools and strategies in action with a real-world climate-resilient green infrastructure case study developed and implemented through the Metro Mayors Program.

    Presenters

    • Brendan Shane, Director of Climate, The Trust for Public Land
    • Darci Schofield, Senior Environmental Planner, Metropolitan Area Planning Council
    • Alicia Hunt, Sustainability Director, City of Medford, MA

    For more information and to register, visit https://www.epa.gov/soakuptherain/soak-rain-new-england-webinar-series

  • Tuesday, July 25, 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm – Alternatives to Traditional Lawns

    According to NASA scientists, in the United States more surface area is covered by lawn than by any other single irrigated crop. Traditionally managed lawns are resource-heavy, requiring irrigation, fertilizer, and pesticides to thrive in our climate. Despite the “costs” lawns and turf are a predominant feature of the landscape and are valued for recreation as well aesthetics. With growing environmental awareness along with new regulations, it is imperative that responsible homeowners as well as lawn and turf professionals manage lawns and turf in the most ecological manner. Following emerging best practices, it’s possible to create healthy lawns and turf that are functional and aesthetic and are managed in a way that eliminates negative impact on health and the environment, meets regulatory guidelines, and is cost effective.

    When considering ecological lawns, one solution that is gaining momentum is to reduce or remove lawns in favor or more biodiverse alternatives. On Tuesday, July 25, at Garden in the Woods in Framingham, from 1 – 5, join New England Wild Flower Society for a full afternoon of lectures.

    Ecological Lawns – No Longer an Inferior Compromise by Joe Magazzi (Not Yet Confirmed)

    Joe Magazzi from Green Earth Ag & Turf will discuss best practices for ecological lawns including updates on organic fertility, with a focus on using soil biology to reduce fertilizer inputs. He will also briefly cover advances in biologicals for lawn disease and pest control. Organics and IPM are no longer a compromise, this is quickly becoming the best practice.

    How Do Plant Nutrient Regulations Affect Me? by Mary Owen

    Developing and implementing a soil and nutrient management program based on best management practices is critical to the proper management of turf with environmental protection, natural resource preservation, and economic viability as priorities. Regulations regarding the sale, use, and application of fertilizer and nutrients on non-agricultural turf and in the landscape have been enacted by many states and communities. Mary Owen will provide an overview of how the new legislation impacts homeowners and landscape practitioners and will discuss strategies for implementing best nutrient management practices for turf with protection of water resources as the priority.

    Protecting Pollinators – Proposed Legislation: Information and Impact by Dan Bensonoff (Not Yet Confirmed)

    What are neonicotinoids and how are they currently regulated? Neonicotinoids are a synthetic form of nicotine that attacks receptors in insects’ nervous systems. Unfortunately, this broad-spectrum (harmful to most insects), systemic (taken up by all plant parts, including roots and flowers), and persistent pesticide (sticks around in the environment for a long time) is also harming our pollinators. The European Union suspended most uses of these pesticides in 2013 but the US EPA opted to allow current uses of neonicotinoids to continue while it conducts reviews through 2019. Proposed Massachusetts legislation H.4187 would regulate Neonicotinoids including: mandatory applicator training/certification, application timing, establishment of a commission to investigate pollinator health, and notification of pollinator risk to property owners. Dan Bensonoff from NOFA will discuss the proposed legislation including the ways that this would protect pollinators.

    Kill Your Lawn by Mark Richardson

    Even if sustainable lawn management is being used, fuel for power mowers, toxic emissions, water consumption, and your weekend time are all part of the cost of lawn maintenance. Mark Richardson introduces us to an ecological approach that is gaining momentum, to reduce the size or eliminate lawns. Smaller lawns that are replaced with more biodiverse native plants can benefit the environment while saving time, energy, and expense. Aesthetically appealing and ecological alternatives include native groundcovers, meadows, and mixed gardens with perennial and shrubs.

    $30 for NEWFS members, $40 for nonmembers. Register online at http://www.newfs.org/learn/our-programs/alternatives-to-traditional-lawns.

  • Monday, June 5 – Friday, June 9 – The Metcalf Institute 2017 Public Lecture Series

    The Metcalf Institute for Marine & Environmental Reporting will hold its 2017 Annual Public Lecture Series at the Corless Auditorium, University of Rhode Island Graduate School of Oceanography, 218 South Ferry Road in Narragansett, June 5 – 9.  All lectures are free and open to the public.  The Institute is celebrating 20 years of excellence in bringing science to the conversation.  The stellar lineup includes:

    Monday, June 5, 3:30 p.m.
    Johanna Polsenberg, The Ocean Health Index
    Assessing the Health of Our Oceans
    How can we protect the health of our oceans? Large-scale ocean datasets provide critical information for sustaining marine resources. Dr. Polsenberg of Conservation International will discuss the global Ocean Health Index and how it uses data to drive science-based policy and identify the research relevant for marine and coastal conservation.

    Tuesday, June 6, 3:30 p.m.
    Dan Kahan, Yale University
    Science Communication in the Age of Fake News and Public Distrust of the Press
    How do we effectively weigh the credibility of scientific information? Some would argue that greater public science literacy is the key, but this is not necessarily borne out by research. Dr. Kahan will describe how cultural barriers affect views of scientific evidence, and how we can use this knowledge to improve science communication.

    Wednesday, June 7, 3:30 p.m.
    Shreeram Inamdar, University of Delaware
    Extreme Weather at the Watershed Scale: How to Protect Water Quality
    Climate forecasts show that many regions will experience increased frequency or intensity of large storms, which could have serious consequences for water quality and aquatic ecosystems. Dr. Inamdar will discuss how these storms affect watershed health, management and policy, and how new research can identify ways to adapt.

    Thursday, June 8, 3:30 p.m.
    Cynthia Giles, Former U.S. EPA Assistant Administrator
    Environmental Enforcement: the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
    Delivering on the promise of environmental laws requires tough enforcement and innovative thinking about protecting the environment, including using cutting-edge monitoring and information technologies. Giles will talk about the past and future of these essential protections for communities across the country.

    Friday, June 9, 11 a.m.
    David Baron, Author and former Health and Science Editor for PRI’s The World.
    The Great Eclipse of 1878 and the Dawn of American Science
    On August 21, 2017, a total solar eclipse will cross the U.S. for the first time in 99 years, offering a rare national opportunity to rally around a scientific event. Baron’s new story of the 1878 eclipse describes the event’s role in spurring America’s rise as a global scientific power. Author book signing to follow for American Eclipse: A Nation’s Epic Race to Catch the Shadow of the Moon and Win the Glory of the World.

    For more information visit http://metcalfinstitute.org/lectures/als-2017/

  • Wednesday, November 16, 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm – Webinar: Soil Amendments: What Works, What Should Be Avoided

    Soils are the base of the landscape. Their complexity can be overwhelming without proper tools to analyze and make best practice recommendations for clients and job sites. This free Ecological Landscape Alliance webinar on Wednesday, November 16 at 1 pm will discuss how to assess soil conditions and make a plan of action to preserve, protect, and promote soil health. Native soils, soil amendments, and engineered soils will be discussed. Image from www.rodaleorganiclife.com.

    Presenter Mark Highland recalls that “It was on a beautiful piece of Illinois farmland that I pushed his first shovel into garden soil.” After he “grew up,” Mark focused his M.S. degree studies in the Longwood Graduate Program on compost and potting soil. After the Longwood Graduate Program, Mark started The Organic Mechanic Soil Company, LLC in 2006. Mark has served as a consultant for the EPA and Institute for Local Self-Reliance, and recently received the Young Professional Award from the Perennial Plant Association. Mark currently resides in Chester County PA, with his wife, Amy and their two children.
    – See more at: http://www.ecolandscaping.org/event/webinar-soil-amendments-what-works-what-should-be-avoided/#sthash.ti2Km6da.dpuf

  • Wednesday, January 20, 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm – “Beyond LID” Green Infrastructure

    Low Impact Development (LID) has become an increasingly widespread sustainable approach to site planning and stormwater management design. In this Ecological Landscape Alliance webinar on Wednesday, January 20 from 2 – 3, Jonathan Ford, PE and Brian Kuchar, PE, RLA, will review the fundamental LID principles, then demonstrate innovative “beyond LID” advancements including neighborhood scale environmental design, “lovable” infrastructure, bioretention and permeable pavement case studies in various contexts, bioretention planting approaches, and solutions to address perceived LID stormwater maintenance and operation challenges.

    Brian Kuchar has over 18 years of experience in the combined fields of site engineering and landscape architecture including: site inventory assessment and planning, park and trail design, erosion control, stormwater management, green infrastructure, ecological and stream bank restoration, land management planning, public outreach, and construction administration. Brian has been employed in both the public and private sectors and has experience with a broad range of projects including multi use paths, park and riverwalk design, land use management, stormwater retrofit, green infrastructure and ecological restoration. He collaborated with the EPA on the development of a handbook for urban green infrastructure and stormwater retrofits as part of the EPA’s Green Infrastructure Municipal Handbook Series. Brian is a registered landscape architect as well as a registered professional engineer and a LEED accredited professional, and previously served as an adjunct professor in the Landscape Architecture Department at the University of Rhode Island.

    Jon Ford, PE, is a Senior Project Manager at the Horsley Witten Group. His planning and design approach is based on the principles of New Urbanism and the belief that compact, walkable neighborhood design creates vibrant, livable places in balance with nature. Mr. Ford is a Knight Fellow in Community Building at the University of Miami’s School of Architecture, co-founder and past President of the New England Chapter of the Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU), and on the faculty of the Form Based Codes Institute. His projects have won numerous awards, including a CNU New England Award of Excellence, Rudy Bruner Award for Urban Excellence Silver Medal, and Boston Society of Landscape Architects Honor Award. He serves on the Board of Directors of the New England Chapter of the Congress for the New Urbanism, Ecological Landscape Alliance, and Blackstone Parks Conservancy. Free for ELA members, $10 for nonmembers – See more at: http://www.ecolandscaping.org/event/beyond-lid-green-infrastructure/#sthash.ai2ui447.dpuf 

  • New Environmental Protection Agency National Stormwater Calculator Available for Download

    The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently updated its national stormwater calculator, which estimates the amount of rainwater and runoff from any site in the U.S., to reflect best estimates on future climate change. The EPA writes: “the calculator now includes changes in seasonal precipitation levels, the effects of more frequent high-intensity storms, and changes in evaporation rates based on validated Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) climate change scenarios.” The first iteration of the calculator just covered soils conditions, slope, land cover, and historical rainfall records.

    The goal is help developers, planners, and landscape architects understand how to best adapt our water management systems for a changing future. The new EPA administrator, Gina McCarthy, said: “climate change threatens our health, our economy, and our environment. As part of the President’s Climate Action Plan, this tool will help us better prepare for climate impacts by helping build safer, sustainable, and more resilient water infrastructure.”

    The calculator software, which can be downloaded free, enables users to discover how green infrastructure can reduce stormwater runoff. According to the EPA, the calculator first accesses several databases that offer soil, topography, rainfall, and evaporation information for any given site. Users then plug in information about a site’s land cover and finally determine which types of green infrastructure they would like to use. Options include rain harvesting, rain gardens, green roofs, street planters, infiltration basins, or porous pavement.

    The EPA says it’s best to develop a range of results using different assumptions about “percent of impervious surface, soil type, sizing of green infrastructure, as well as historical weather and future climate change scenarios” in order to comprehensive.

    Download the new calculator from the following web page, which includes instructions for downloading: http://www.epa.gov/nrmrl/wswrd/wq/models/swc/.

    http://www.usgbc.org/sites/default/files/imagecache/fixed_670-308/feature_stormwater_0.jpg

  • Tuesdays, August 20, September 10, and October 8, 8:00 pm – Conversation with a Beekeeper

    The American Beekeeping Federation Education Committee has been hard at work developing new ways to keep its members engaged and informed in between ABF annual conferences each year.  The Conversation with a Beekeeper Webinar Series is the first interactive venture to deliver information directly to the membership.

    Currently, we have a five-part webinar series of presentations by the Environmental Protection Agency on pesticides. The first two EPA webinars covered such critical and informational topics, the ABF Board of Directors agreed to open access to the last three to all of the beekeeping industry and the general public.  All members and friends of the industry are encouraged to register and participate. Links to register for each session are included below.

    EPA – Assessing Pesticide Exposure to Bees
    Tuesday, August 20, 2013
    8:00 p.m. ET / 7:00 p.m. CT / 6:00 p.m. MT / 5:00 p.m. PT / 4:00 p.m. AKST / 2:00 p.m. HST
    Kris Garber, Senior Biologist, EPA Office of Pesticide Programs’ Environmental Fate and Effects Division & Reuben Baris, Fate Scientist, EPA Office of Pesticide Programs’ Environmental Fate and Effects Division

    Click here to register

    EPA – Incident Reporting
    Tuesday, September 10, 2013
    8:00 p.m. ET / 7:00 p.m. CT / 6:00 p.m. MT / 5:00 p.m. PT / 4:00 p.m. AKST / 2:00 p.m. HST
    Dr. Tom Steeger, Senior Science Advisor, EPA Office of Pesticide Programs’ Environmental Fate and Effects Division

    Click here to register

    EPA – Risk Management for Pesticides
    Tuesday, October 8, 2013
    8:00 p.m. ET / 7:00 p.m. CT / 6:00 p.m. MT / 5:00 p.m. PT / 4:00 p.m. AKST / 2:00 p.m. HST
    Tom Moriarty, Team Leader, EPA Office of Pesticide Programs’ Pesticide Re-evaluation Division & Meredith Laws, Branch Chief, Registration Division

    Click here to register

    http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Environment/Pix/columnists/2013/2/28/1362052179425/A-bee-collects-pollen-fro-008.jpg

  • July 30 – August 1 – 2013 Community Involvement Training Conference

    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) 13th Community Involvement Training Conference will be held at the Westin Boston Waterfront Hotel in Boston, Massachusetts July 30-August 1, 2013. The EPA Office of Water, EPA Region 1, and the EPA Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response are leading the planning efforts for this conference.

    This dynamic training conference seeks to both inform and train EPA staff as well as Agency stakeholders and community partners in best practices to enhance community involvement. In 2011, the training conference brought more than 450 community involvement practitioners together. This three-day training conference features plenary sessions with guest speakers, topical discussions, multiple 90-minute information sessions, engaging three, four, and seven hour training sessions, and field trips demonstrating effective community involvement and cooperative conservation efforts in the Boston area. Additionally, there will be a Tuesday evening reception that will highlight a poster presentation and technology demonstration session to showcase excellent community involvement projects as well as new tools, technologies, and software. Throughout the training conference there will be exhibits, a variety of networking opportunities and evening activities to add value and fun to the experience. Community involvement is a field that has changed significantly over the years and continues to evolve. As a result, this year’s training conference theme “The Next Generation of Community Involvement” seeks to explore best practices and innovative solutions for community involvement. On line registration and complete details may be found at www.epa.gov/ciconference/index.htm.

    http://www.epa.gov/ciconference/images/boston_revere.jpg

  • Thursday, April 12, 4:00 pm – 8:30 pm – Community Stormwater Solutions

    Please join The Massachusetts Watershed Coalition on April 12th at Worcester State University for an important stormwater conference, Community Stormwater Solutions: Keeping Streams & Lakes Healthy. This year’s conference will feature practical guidance for municipal boards, community groups, businesses and homeowners.  The keynote speaker will be Curt Spalding, EPA Region 1 Administrator, on the topic Soak Up the Rain Campaign. Featured workshops: “growing greener”, aquatic ecosystems, low-cost runoff remedies, erosion control, porous paving, BMP ratings and more. Expert speakers will offer practical guidance for municipal officials, town planners, lake and pond groups, watershed organizations, highway departments, home builders, engineers and concerned citizens. Visit www.commonwaters.org/events or call 978-534-0379.

  • Saturday, March 26, 8:00 am – 4:00 pm – The 21st Massachusetts Land Conservation Conference

    The Trustees of Reservations would like to invite you to attend The 21st Massachusetts Land Conservation Conference, being held on March 26, 2011 from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM at the Worcester Technical High School in Worcester. The conference offers an opportunity for anyone interested in “Climate Change and Land Conservation” to learn, share and discuss their experience, and make new connections.

    Climate change is one of the most significant challenges of the 21st century, impacting human life as well as wildlife and our natural landscapes. The conservation community is working to mitigate the impact of climate change by protecting critical lands to serve as carbon sinks and migration corridors for wildlife, and by making natural areas and historic structures more resilient to the stresses of climate change.

    Some of the 30+ workshops at the conference include:

    * BioMap2 : Conserving the Biodiversity of Massachusetts in a Changing World
    * Restoring Ecological Integrity to Your Land in the Face of Climate Change
    * Strengthen Your Message to Gain More Support from More People
    * The Future of Small Land Trusts in Massachusetts
    * Wind Turbine Siting on Land Trust Lands
    * The Soulful Landscape: Restoring Connections between People, Place, and Community

    The conference will also feature a plenary session with MA Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rick Sullivan, and keynote speaker, Environmental Protection Agency’s New England Region Administrator Curt Spalding (pictured below). Mr. Spalding will be addressing EPA’s role in promoting adaptation and resilience strategies for natural resources protection, including land conservation.

    Anyone may register for the conference at www.MassConservation.org; the registration fee is $62 ($52 for students). Call (802) 865-5202 if you have any questions about registering for the conference.

    The Trustees of Reservations’ Putnam Conservation Institute and the Massachusetts Land Trust Coalition are the co-conveners of the 21st Massachusetts Land Conservation Conference, and the co-sponsors are the Land Trust Alliance, The Nature Conservancy, Mass Audubon, and The Trust for Public Land. Visit www.MassConservation.org for complete conference information.