Boston Flora

Tag: Mass Pollinators Network

  • Tuesday, November 17, 7:00 pm – 8:15 pm Eastern – Community Gardens on DCR Property, Online

    The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) stewards nearly a half million acres of public land. Across this diverse system are recreational spaces such as ball fields, pools, rinks, and playgrounds. Within these spaces there are many areas that present opportunities to create habitat, strengthen biodiversity, and enhance community green space.

    Through partnerships with local organizations and communities, DCR explores new ways to activate these spaces beyond recreation to create native plant habitat that supports pollinators and broader ecological goals.

    Join Patrick Lindquist, who leads the Growing Wild Massachusetts program for DCR, and Renée Scott who runs the Massachusetts Pollinator Network for Grow Native Massachusetts, on November 17 at 7 pm Eastern online as they discuss their collaboration at Foss Park in Somerville, to establish a native plant garden in an under-utilized space as a joint DCR/Grow Native MA/Community project. They will share how the idea developed, the process of bringing the garden to life, lessons learned along the way, and how this partnership model could be replicated in other communities across Massachusetts.

    Patrick Lindquist has coordinated the Growing Wild Massachusetts program for the last three years, after coming from the Greening the Gateway Cities Program.

    Register for this free online talk at https://grownativemass.org/Our-Programs/Calendar-of-Events/Community-Gardens-on-DCR-Property

  • Tuesday, April 28, 7:00 pm – 8:15 pm Eastern – Climate Change and the Future Flora of New England, Online

    Have you heard the phrase “assisted migration” or been advised to plant for a climate south of you? This Mass Pollinators Network free webinar on April 28 with Jesse Bellemare should be a fascinating discussion about what our landscapes may look like in the future and if we can (should?) “help” by planting for a future climate. Register at https://grownativemass.org/Our-Programs/Calendar-of-Events/Climate-Change-and-the-Future-Flora-of-New-England

    Jesse Bellemare is a plant ecologist and associate professor in the department of biological sciences at Smith College in Northampton, MA. His research is focused on the ecology of plant range shifts in response to climate change and the novel challenges these dynamics present for plant conservation in the New England region and beyond. Jesse’s research has also explored the role that native plant horticulture has played in facilitating northward range shifts for a number of southern plant species and the complex issues these “neo-native” species raise for management and conservation in the New England flora. In addition to teaching at Smith College, Jesse has also been a visiting faculty member at the Conway School of Landscape Design exploring how insights from climate change ecology might inform design, ecological restoration, and forward-looking plant selection in horticulture.