Climate change is the most important challenge the world faces. As I write this, the UN COP26 summit has just adjourned in Glasgow, Scotland. This is the 26th UN Climate Change Conference. COP stands for Conference of the Parties. The parties are the 197 countries that are members of the UN Framework Convention on Climate…
Fall is the time for many animals to migrate south. We know that many species of birds migrate and also that Monarch Butterflies migrate. But did you know that Green Darner Dragonflies also migrate? Green Darners are large, strong dragonflies. Males are about 3 ” long, with a 2″-wide wingspan. Both male and female have…
Post talk update: To enjoy the recording of our Trust annual meeting and our Guest Speaker Jim McCormac’s presentation – click here **please note, to jump to the guest speaker presentation, this starts at 19:00 minutes Virtual 2021 Westford Conservation Trust Annual Meeting on Thursday, November 4th at 7 pm Members and friends are invited…
What Good Is A Forest? What good is a forest? How do I count the ways? We know by experience, especially during the past year, how soothing and peaceful it feels to walk in a forest. We read that trees release chemicals into the air that help them to communicate with each other, but which…
Many of us have taken down our birdfeeders this summer, due to the mystery bird disease that is affecting the east coast and mid-west. We are feeling a profound loss of the color and song in our yards. We miss “our” birds! What to do? Well, the birds are still around, but we need to…
You may have heard by now the sad news that birds are experiencing a new, mystery illness. The illness is progressing through Texas, the Mid-Atlantic states and up the east coast. As of this writing it is said to have come as far north as northern New Jersey, and not yet in New England. However,…
Chemical Free Lawns Our lawns should be kept chemical free, and mown less frequently. Rob Moir of the Ocean River Institute of Cambridge, MA has studied lawns and bees. He found in a study he conducted in Springfield MA this past May that “lawns mowed every three weeks instead of weekly resulted in as many…
Each year the Trust presents college scholarships of up to $1000 to Westford seniors who demonstrate an interest beyond their studies in the cause of conservation. Education and conservation are foremost in the minds of the Trust directors and we hope to encourage the youth of Westford to follow this same passion. We are honored…
Birds need native trees. Laura Tangley and Desiree Narango worked for three years as interns for Professor Doug Tallamy, Professor of Entomology at the University of Delaware. They studied how nonnative trees in cities and suburbs affect birds. In Laura Tangley’s National Wildlife Federation article titled “Why Birds Need Native Trees”, she noted that 80%…
Post talk update: To enjoy the recording of the June 1, 2021 Let it Be An Oak presentation – click here Question & Answer section (audio only) – click here Please join us for a virtual presentation by naturalist, scientist, observer and gardener Doug Tallamy on JUNE 1, 2021 at 7PM. Once we have decided…
Please join us in welcoming Dave Ebitson as the Trust’s new president. Dave has been active in the Land and Trails committee for the last several years. As a former Corporate Director for Global Product Support, Dave has added additional organizational skills to the Trust. He created a database to track and monitor the condition…
Bees are keystone species in the web of life. The presence of bees in our yards and open spaces is essential to the pollination and flourishing of our plants, and thus to our own lives. Dick Callahan, legislative director for the Massachusetts Beekeepers Association states that around the world, 40-50% of insect species are declining….
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