Boston Flora

Tag: Massachusetts Association of Conservation Commissions

  • Saturday, December 14, 9:30 am – 3:30 pm – Winter Botany

    On Saturday, December 14 at Garden in the Woods in Framingham, from 9:30 – 3:30, William E. Kuriger will help you investigate the taxonomic characteristics of deciduous, evergreen, and some herbaceous plants in winter. Students learn to use a dichotomous key and then identify a large inventory of twig and plant specimens before heading outdoors to practice these skills in the Garden’s living collection. Bring a bag lunch, a hand lens, and a copy of Fruit Key and Twig Key to Trees and Shrubs by William M. Harlow. Take home plant specimens. $102for Native Plant Trust  members, $120 for nonmembers. Register at www.nativeplanttrust.org

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  • Thursday, February 25, 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm – Bedstraws

    The 22 native New England species of Galium can be challenging to distinguish—many of these species look alike, and identification requires careful observation of leaf, stem, flower, and fruit characteristics. In this Native Plant Trust class, to be held at Garden in the Woods on February 25 at 1 pm with instructor Ted Elliman, you will learn bedstraw morphological features, habitats, distributions, and conservation status through images and herbarium specimens. COVID protocols will be in place, and registration is limited. $30 for NPT members, $36 for nonmembers. Register at http://www.nativeplanttrust.org/events/bedstraws/. The class is cosponsored by the Massachusetts Association of Conservation Commissions.

  • Saturday, December 7, 10:00 am – 2:00 pm – Shrubs in Winter

    Even without leaves, most shrubs are easily recognizable in winter. On December 7 from 10 – 2 at Garden in the Woods in Framingham, learn to identify 20 native New England shrubs through such characteristics as branching patterns, bark, persistent flowers and fruits, growth forms, galls, and habitats. We begin indoors looking at twig samples and slides, then head out into the Garden for a close look at our subjects. We will also consider the natural history of these shrubs, and finish indoors with a twig quiz. Bring lunch and a hand lens. The class will be led by Roland “
    Boot” Boutwell, and is $60 for NPT members, $72 for nonmembers. It is co-sponsored by the Massachusetts Association on Conservation Commissions. Register at http://www.nativeplanttrust.org/events/shrubs-winter/

  • Friday, September 13, 11:00 am – 2:00 pm – Conservation Through Use

    Humans are increasingly disconnected from wild places due to the overuse of land, and the exclusion of human activity from some conservation areas. Join Seed Bank Coordinator Michael Piantedosi on September 13 from 11 – 2 for a talk about ways human interaction with wildlife and wildlands can actually support conservation goals. Co-sponsored by Native Plant Trust and the Massachusetts Association of Conservation Commissions, the group will meet at Garden in the Woods in Framingham. $40 for sponsor members, $48 for nonmembers. Register at http://www.nativeplanttrust.org/events/conservation-through-use/

  • Friday, July 26, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm, and Saturday, July 27, 10:00 am – 2:00 pm – Grasses of the Northeast

    Friday, July 26, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm, and Saturday, July 27, 10:00 am – 2:00 pm – Grasses of the Northeast

    This Native Plant Trust comprehensive survey covers more than 40 common and representative genera of grasses. The first day of this two-day workshop includes a talk and discussion, microscopic examination of specimens, and observation of dried plants; the second day is devoted to field studies. The class will be taught by Dennis Magee at Garden in the Woods, and is $132 for NPT members, $160 for nonmembers. Cosponsored by the Massachusetts Association of Conservation Commissions. Register at www.nativeplanttrust.org.

  • Tuesday, July 30, 10:00 am – 2:00 pm – Wildflowers of Rock Meadow

    During the summer, Belmont, Massachusetts’ Rock Meadow’s meadows, woods and wetlands are ablaze with colorful wildflowers. Discover plants that can be used to cure poison ivy, plants that attract monarch butterflies and their caterpillars, and plants that, according to ancient lore, were used to calm unruly oxen. Bring a bag lunch and a hand lens if you have one. This Native Plant Trust field trip is co-sponsored with the Massachusetts Association of Conservation Commissions, and is led by Roland “Boot” Boutwell. $38 for NPT members, $46 for nonmembers. Register at www.nativeplanttrust.org.

  • Sunday, May 19, 12:00 noon – 3:00 pm – Rattlesnake Gutter

    The Native Plant Trust, in conjunction with the Massachusetts Association of Conservation Commissions and guide George LoCascio, will lead a walk on May 19 from 12 – 3 at Rattlesnake Gutter in Leverett, Massachusetts. Discover spring ephemerals along the historical road of this important habitat. This little-known nook features impressive calcareous rock cliffs and enchanting wooded areas. Will we find hordes of rattlesnakes? Probably not, but we will find some excellent native plant specimens! $28/$35. Register at http://www.nativeplanttrust.org/events/rattlesnake-gutter/

  • Tuesday, May 14, 10:00 am – 2:00 pm – Wetland Shrubs

    Explore varied wetland habitats, including a pond, a stream, and a bog, for excellent examples of shrubs that grow in and around wetlands, in this May 14 Native Plant Trust session at Grassy Pond in Acton, Massachusetts, from 10 – 2. Come learn 15-20 New England shrubs as well as a handful of shrubs that grow in higher and drier habitats. Please bring lunch, a hand lens, and a field guide to shrubs, if you have them. Co-sponsored by the Massachusetts Association of Conservation Commissions, the walk is led by Roland “Boot” Boutwell. $53 for members of sponsoring organizations, $64 for nonmembers. Register at http://www.nativeplanttrust.org/events/wetland-shrubs/

  • Thursday, October 25, and Saturday, October 27, 10:00 am – 5:00 pm – Framework Trees of New England

    Forests are a dominant feature of the New England landscape. This two day New England Wild Flower Society course on October 25 and 27 from 10 – 5 at Nasami Farm in Whately, and other field sites, covers the history, changes in composition, and ecology of the region’s forest from the Ice Age through European settlement. Learn to identify native trees, their habitats, and their communities. Explore the impact of past natural and human disturbances on the landscape and learn how current forestry practices shape forest communities. Taught by forester Jonathan “Yoni” Glogower, and co-sponsored by the Massachusetts Association of Conservation Commissions, the cost is $216 for sponsor members, $254 for nonmembers. Register at www.newenglandwild.org.

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  • Saturday, September 15, 12:00 noon – 2:00 pm – Wetlands of East Leverett Meadow

    Following muddy and mossy trails, this field study in the East Leverett Meadow on September 15 from 12 – 2 explores different wetlands and their plant compositions. Naturalist George LoCascio highlights local plants, wetlands ecology, and the importance of conserving the plants. Aquatic invertebrates make a special cameo appearance. The walk is co-sponsored by the New England Wild Flower Society and the Massachusetts Association of Conservation Commissions. $21 for members of sponsoring organizations, $25 for nonmembers. Register online at www.newenglandwild.org.

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