Boston Flora

Tag: Mayor Walsh

  • Wednesday, October 14, 6:00 pm – An Emerald Necklace Evening In

    You’re invited to the Emerald Necklace Conservancy’s first-ever virtual fundraiser, An Emerald Evening In. Parks are essential to our individual and community health, now more than ever. Please join us at this special event supporting the vitality of the Emerald Necklace.

    An Emerald Evening In is the Emerald Necklace Conservancy’s signature biennial fundraiser, supporting our education programs, advocacy efforts, visitor services and community engagement. Your ticket or sponsorship purchase helps the Conservancy continue stewarding these vital parks and connecting our community to its treasured green space.

    Each ticket or sponsorship purchase includes special perks, such as a gourmet cheese and wine pairing curated by Curd & Co. and The Urban Grape, a virtual gift bag and other benefits.

    Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh will join us at An Emerald Evening In to accept the Olmsted Award of Excellence. We are thrilled to honor Mayor Walsh for his administration’s significant investments in Boston’s parks. Since 2014, over $60M has been committed to the Emerald Necklace – the largest-ever capital investment in the Necklace. 

    The prestigious Olmsted Award of Excellence is presented to an individual or organization who demonstrates an unwavering commitment and service to carrying our Frederick Law Olmsted’s vision for urban parks through exemplary and enduring work on behalf of local parks and the Emerald Necklace in particular. 

    Prior Olmsted Award of Excellence recipients include long-time Conservancy volunteer and Olmsted Tree Society founder Janet Atkins (2018), Conservancy Board Chair Benjamin Taylor (2016), former Massachusetts Governor and Conservancy Life Trustee Michael Dukakis (2014) and parks advocate Sarah Freeman (2013).

    Tickets begin at $100. Register at www.emeraldnecklace.org

  • Saturday, May 4, 8:30 am – 12:00 noon – Back Bay’s Annual Alley Rally

    Make a difference in your neighborhood, one alley at a time. The Neighborhood Association of the Back Bay’s City Services Committee organizes Alley Rally annually as a neighborhood cleanup in conjunction with Mayor Walsh’s “Love Your Block.” Join your neighbors in an effort to keep Back Bay beautiful by spending three hours sweeping up our alleys and side streets. All ages welcome and no rsvp necessary.

    From 8:30 – 9 meet at the Clarendon Street Playground for coffee, juice and breakfast provided by local Back Bay sponsors. Then, at 9, divide into teams and head off to lean alleys and side streets. Gloves, trash bags, brooms, and other tools will be provided by the City of Boston’s Department of Public Works. Then, at noon, enjoy a free lunch and raffle for all volunteers back at the Clarendon Street Playground. For additional information contact Jason Post at jason.b.post@gmail.com.

    Alley Rally has been sponsored by NABB since 1967. In the “old days” there was a lot more to do. The neighborhood was a mix of student buildings, rooming houses, and single family houses, with just a few newly created condominiums in existence. Property owners came out and worked, and in the evening NABB sponsored a dinner at a member’s home for the volunteers. As years passed, fewer residents began showing up, but our wonderful area fraternity brothers lent their muscle to some of the heavy lifting. It’s time to turn back the clock and see more owners out on the streets. The neighborhood is much cleaner than it was in the 1970’s and 1980’s, and volunteers will meet so many good people in this community effort. The more people you know, the safer the Back Bay will be. We urge you to consider participating. Thanks to sponsors Engle & Volkers, Star Market, and Quality Mart.

  • Saturday, March 23, 10:00 am – 5:00 pm – 44th Annual Gardener’s Gathering

    Celebrate the start of the gardening season on March 23 from 10 – 5 at Shillman Hall, Northeastern University, 115 Forsyth Street in Boston. The 44th Annual Gardeners’ Gathering brings Boston-area gardeners together for a free day full of informative workshops, engaging exhibitors, networking, and inspiration. Held at Northeastern University, the Gathering features more than two dozen workshops on everything from Healthy Soil to Urban Foraging. Urban homesteaders can learn about keeping bees or chickens, making fermented pickles, and growing gourmet mushrooms. Gardeners can hone their skills with workshops on garden planning, managing pests and diseases, and more.

    This year’s Gathering will feature special guest speaker Aziz Dehkan, Executive Director of the New York City Community Garden Coalition. Aziz is an activist, community organizer, former organic farmer, and a tireless member of #Resist. He has worked for many social and environmental organizations including Mother Jones, The Coalition for the Homeless, The Fortune Society, and Peace Action Network of NY. Aziz will address the history, current state, and future of community gardens in NYC, looking at them through the lens of social justice and climate change protection. He’ll speak to gentrification and racial inequality and delve into how community gardens can be in the vanguard of climate change monitoring, adaption, and mitigation.

    Mayor Walsh will deliver a keynote address and present the annual Community Garden Awards to an outstanding Rookie Garden of the Year, Most Valuable Gardener, and Hall of Fame garden.

    A diverse array of local environmental and urban agriculture organizations will share their work in the exhibitors’ gallery. Register in advance at http://www.thetrustees.org/things-to-do/metro-boston/event-43119.html

    Image result for Aziz Dehkan

  • Tuesday, March 6, 6:15 pm – 8:00 pm – Greenovate Boston’s Second Climate Ready South Boston Open House

    Climate Ready Boston is Mayor Marty Walsh’s ongoing initiative to help the City grow and prosper in the face of climate change. Protecting South Boston from sea level rise and coastal flooding is a priority. On March 6th, join Greenovate Boston for a community open house, where we will update you on our work and discuss options for ensuring a Climate Ready South Boston. The event will take place in the 5th Floor Conference Room of the Boston Children’s Museum, 308 Congress Street, beginning at 6:15 pm. RSVP at http://www.greenovateboston.org

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  • Saturday, March 26, 10:00 am – 4:30 pm – 41st Annual Gardeners Gathering

    For 41 years, the Gardeners Gathering has provided an annual forum for gardeners to shrug off winter together and celebrate urban gardening in Boston. The 41st Annual Gardeners’ Gathering, presented by the Trustees of Reservations and the City of Boston, will take place on Saturday, March 26, at the Egan Center and Shillman Hall at Northeastern University in Boston, from 10 – 4:30. This year, back by popular demand, the Annual Community Garden Awards will be presented by Mayor Martin J. Walsh, who will honor individuals, garden groups, and non-profit organizations with the “Hall of Fame,” “Rookie Gardener of the Year,” and “Most Valuable Gardener” awards. Award ceremony beings at 12pm.

    Free and open to all, The Gardener’s Gathering brings together over 400 gardeners to kick off Boston’s gardening season. As the city’s largest educational forum for urban gardeners, the Gardeners’ Gathering is an opportunity for people to share ideas and tips, network, and learn. The Gardeners’ Gathering offers more than two dozen skill-building workshops for both vegetable and ornamental gardeners with an emphasis on healthy practices for urban gardens. Topics range from seed starting to composting, urban beekeeping, and community and youth organizing to learning how to prepare garden-grown goodies like sauerkraut. Attendees will also have the opportunity to learn about Boston-area agriculture, gardening, and environmental organizations through the information gallery.

    This year, the Gardeners Gathering will start off with a keynote speaker and breakfast event at 10:00 AM in the Egan Center. Leading social entrepreneur Daniel Ross (pictured below) of Daisa Enterprises and formerly of Nuestras Raices and Wholesome Wave Charitable Foundation, will speak on “Dimensions of Change through Community Gardening.” This portion of the program is $15 for Trustees members and $25 for nonmembers, and requires online registration. The remainder of the program is free and attendees can register when they arrive.

    “The Gardeners’ Gathering offers an inspirational, educational venue for Boston residents and gardening enthusiasts to share information and expand their gardening skills while celebrating the City as a dynamic hub for community-based, urban gardening ” says Barbara Erickson, Trustees of Reservations President & CEO. “As the nation’s passion for gardening continues to grow exponentially each year, we are excited to move our mission to connect more Massachusetts residents with local food sources and programming forward with time-tested events like the Gardeners’ Gathering.”

    For a complete schedule of activities and workshop topics and more information, contact Michelle de Lima at mdelima@thetrustees.org or 617.542.7696 x2115. To register for the keynote, please visit www.thetrustees.org .

  • Monday, November 30, 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm – Copley Square Tree Lighting

    Monday, November 30, 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm – Copley Square Tree Lighting

    Mayor Martin J. Walsh, the Boston Parks and Recreation Department, and The Friends of Copley Square welcome the holidays with the annual Copley Square Tree Lighting on Monday, November 30, from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.  The free event will feature appearances by Mayor Walsh, “Dining Playbook” host Jenny Johnson, Santa Claus, and Rudolph along with live entertainment including members of the Boston Pops Brass Ensemble, Berklee College of Music’s co-ed contemporary a cappella group Pitch Slapped, “The Voice” contestant Brittany Butler, and a holiday sing-along. In addition, the US Postal Service will unveil its new holiday stamp. The festivities continue with a family reception from 6 – 7 at the Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel. For more information visit www.friendsofcopleysquare.org.

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  • Tuesday, March 24, 9:00 am – 10:30 am – Boston Methane Leak Tutorial

    Please join Case Associates on Tuesday, March 24th from 9-10:30 am at Muriel Finegold’s home at 72 Mount Vernon Street in Boston to learn about the methane leak problem in Boston.

    We will have two fabulous experts explain the problem and together we will discuss possible solutions. Feel free to invite others you think might be interested and please RSVP to Ana Maria Camargo at ania.camargo@gmail.com, or telephone her at 617-227-1711 so we know how many people are coming.

    Methane Leak Issue:
    Natural gas pipes buried under the streets can begin to leak as they age. The natural gas that seeps out is potentially dangerous, kills trees, wastes the ratepayers’ money, releases volatile organic compounds hazardous to human health and is a potent greenhouse gas.

    The Boston Globe recently reported that: “the amount of methane leaking from natural gas pipelines, storage facilities, and other sources in the Boston area is as much as three times greater than previously estimated — a loss that contributes to the region’s high energy costs and adds potent greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. The leaks would be enough to heat as many as 200,000 homes a year and are valued at $90 million a year, the Harvard study authors said.”

    Our speakers:

    Audrey Schulman, HEET Co-founder and President

    HEET (Home Energy Efficiency Team) is a Cambridge-based non-profit organization with a mission to catalyze community engagement and develop hands-on educational opportunities to advance energy efficiency skills and clean energy knowledge to achieve climate stability and create resilient communities. In 2014, Heet organized the “Squeaky Leaks” project to map natural gas leaks along public streets in Cambridge and Somerville. HEET recruited Bob Ackley of Gas Safety USA, a professional with 30 years experience, to do the mapping. Ackley drove down every street in Cambridge and Somerville with a GPS- enabled high precision methane analyzer (natural gas is 95% methane), recording any elevated levels of atmospheric methane. The data was mapped to Google Earth. They found 780 leaks with released methane that damages the climate more than the combined emissions of all the cars driven in the two cities.
    Joel Wool, Clean Energy Campaign Organizer for Clean Water Action
    Joel joined Clean Water Action in 2011 to support work on clean energy. He now serves as a campaign organizer focusing on energy efficiency, natural gas infrastructure and coal phase-out. An alumnus of AmeriCorps and the JOIN for Justice Fellowship, Joel believes strongly in amplifying the voices of communities. Joel worked on Mayor Walsh’s campaign for mayor advising him on sustainability issues.

  • Friday, July 11 – Entry Deadline for Mayor Walsh’s Garden Contest

    Launched as part of Mayor Walsh’s citywide beautification initiative, the contest recognizes gardeners who have landscaped, planted flowers, trees, and shrubs, and, in the process, helped beautify Boston’s neighborhoods.

    First place winners in the garden categories will receive the coveted “Golden Trowel” award from Mayor Walsh and prize packages from the Parks Department, Mahoney’s Garden Centers of Brighton and other sponsors at an awards ceremony in August in the Public Garden. Grand Prize provided by JetBlue.

    Mayor Walsh will recognize Garden Contest Hall of Fame inductees this year. To be eligible to be in the Hall of Fame, a gardener must have won three or more times. Residents and businesses are encouraged to nominate their own or a neighbor’s garden, window box, or front, back, or side yard. Only gardens planted by amateur gardeners are eligible to take part in the contest. No professionally contracted work will be allowed to enter. Entrants are required to submit photographs of their garden along with an official entry form. Using these photos, judges will narrow the entrants to five finalists per category. Site visits by contest judges will determine the winners.

    Your photo(s) and completed nomination form must be received at our Boston offices by July 11, 2014 at 11:59PM to be eligible for competition.

    Entries without photographs will not be accepted.
    Online Entry Form – http://www.cityofboston.gov/parks/gardencontest/gardencontest.aspx
    Complete the form online and upload up to 5 digital photos of your garden.
    For More Information call 617-635-4505 or email GardenContest@cityofboston.gov. Pictured below, last year’s first place senior garden in Roslindale.