Acton Conservation Trust

Recent Land Projects

Neighborhood Advocacy Program

Presentation to the Acton Board of Selectmen on the Cost of Conservation Restrictions

Pictures from the Ocotober 24, 2011 Nashoba Brook Walk

Pictures from the 6th Annual Whitcomb Land Walk, January 29,2012

Just Released!

2012 Edition of
Land Trust News

May (All Month)
Garlic Mustard Picking Month
- The Land Stewardship Committee is in the middle of a multi-year project to reduce the impact of Garlic Mustard, an invasive plant, on Acton's conservation lands.
- "Invasive plants" are plant species moved by human action across ecosystem boundaries that out-compete local native plants in unmanaged areas.   The conservation areas in Acton, mostly formerly farm land and now reverted to forest, are a hotbed for plant invasions. Garlic Mustard is one we've been targeting for a couple of years in Acton's conservation areas because it is both spreading and doing harm, and it is amenable to control by volunteers doing hand-picking. This year we are getting a bit fancier, with a wider outreach and a web-form for a signup:
http://actoninvasives.org
For more information, contact Jim Snyder-Grant, 978-266-0409.

Monday, May 14
OARS Annual Meeting
7:30-9 PM
Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center, 680 Hudson Road, Sudbury
Join us for our Annual Meeting featuring "The Return of the Magnificent Bald Eagle to Our Rivers" with presenter Tom French, the Assistant Director of the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and WIldlife, where he serves as Director of the Natural Heritage and Endangered Species.   The presentation will be preceded by a short business meeting. Light refreshments will be served. For information, contact OARS at 978-369-3956

Saturday, May 19
Great Meadows Walk
9:30 to 11:15 AM
Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, Monsen Road, Concord, MA off Route 62 - driveway is on the left where road curves right.
"Sense of Place", a continuing series of monthly walks exploring the landscape, plants, and seasonal wonders of Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge.
The concentration will be on spring blooming and wildlife activity all happening at once. Walks will highlight the special qualities of light, sound, and seasonal rhythms. Come delight in the delicacy of spring blooms, duckling flotillas and gosling parades, singing warblers, the frenzy of mating fish, basking snakes and turtles, and a chorus of spring birds. Bring binoculars and cameras. Walks are led by cherrie Corey, local naturalist and photographer, and co-sponsored by the Musketaquid Arts and Environment Program and Friends of Assabet River NWR. No pre-registration required. A $5/person voluntary donation will be gratefully accepted. For questions, email cherrie.-corey@verizon.net or call 978-760-1933.

Saturday, May 19; (rain date Sunday, May 20, 2012)
Walk of the Caouette-Simeone Farm Land
10:30 AM
Meet at the property easement along the northern border of the property at 90 Martin Street.
Second Annual Spring Walk on Town-Owned Caouette-Simeone farmlands in South Acton
Parking is available on Martin Street near property easement along the northern border of the property at 90 Martin Street, or at Jones Field or the South Acton Train Station.
Officers of the Acton Conservation Trust will lead a walk of the Caouette-Simeone farm land acquired Fall 2010 with Community Preservation funds. The walk will begin at the property easement along the northern border of the property at 90 Martin Street. We will walk on the periphery of the fields and on the berms that separate them; enjoy the view from the northwest corner - the highest point on the property; cross over the footbridge to take in the sights of Fort Pond Brook and Mill Pond and keep our eyes open for wildlife, including ducks, hawks, deer, beavers and great blue heron. Come dressed for ticks, sprayed for mosquitos, and wearing water resistant boots.
Please join us and bring a friend! (Refreshments provided).
For more information, contact Susan Mitchell-Hardt, 978-369-9264, info@actonconservationtrust.org.
If the weather is questionable, please call Susan, 978-369-9264, about possible re-scheduling. (Walk sponsored by the Acton Conservation Trust, Acton's local non-profit, non-governmental land trust).

Wednesday, May 23
Woods Management and Conservation Forum for Landowners
6:30 to 8:30 PM
NRWA River Resource Center, 592 Main Street (Rt. 119) in Groton, MA
State Extension Forester Dave Kittredge will lead this free Woods Forum bringing together local woodland owners to share their experiences with woods management and conservation decisions. Many of us don’t think about our woods on a day-to-day basis, except to enjoy the privacy, scenery, and the tranquil environment to live in and raise a family. However, at some point in every landowner's life, questions arise about what to do with our woods, such as: should I harvest the woods on my land? How much are my woods worth? How do I address ice storm damage on my property? It’s important for woodland owners to know they have options and know where to find information.
Refreshments will be provided. The forum is sponsored by the NRWA, the Pepperell Conservation Commission, and the Massachusetts Association of Conservation Commissioners. To RSVP, or for more information, please call Al Futterman, NRWA Land Programs Director at (978) 448-0299, or email AlF@NashuaRiverWatershed.org. FREE

Thursday, May 31, 2012
Deciding the Future of Your Land: Estate Planning and Conservation Options for Landowners
6-7:30 PM
Gale Free Library, 23 Highland Street in Holden, MA
Your land is a part of your legacy. Deciding what will happen to your land after you are gone may be the most important step you can take as a landowner - not just for your own benefit, but for the benefit of your family, your community, and, of course, the land itself. Land is a flexible asset that can provide both financial and personal value. In order to find solutions that will meet your needs and those of your family, planning ahead is important. An estate plan ensures that your assets - including your land - are distributed in a way that will meet your financial and personal needs. Estate planning helps ensure that the legacy of your land is a positive one.
Learn about estate planning and land conservation options that can help you shape the future of your land at this free 2 hour workshop featureing:
- George Dresser, an experienced estate planning attorney, explaining important estate planning considerations.
- Al Futterman, from NRWA, discussing conservation options and how land trusts can help you make the best decisions for you and your family.
- Two local landowners sharing their personal experiences with estate planning. Space is limited so please let us know if you can attend. To RSVP, or for more information, please call Jay Rasku 978-248-2118 or email into@nqpartnership.org.

Action Alert from Massachusetts Land Trust Coalition (MLTC)
- Endangered Species Act Needs Your Help
There is a radical effort to repeal the Massachusetts Endangered Species Act (MESA) and MLTC needs your help to stop it in its tracks!
The legislation, An Act Relative to Land Takings (Senate Bill 1854 filed by Senator Candaras, D-Springfield) is in the Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture. Both environmental groups and the business community have supported the standards the program uses to protect endangered species. This effort to gut endangered species protections is coming from a limited, but very vocal, few.
Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture Committee Chairs, Representative Anne Gobi (D-Spencer) and Senator Marc Pacheco (D-Taunton), are considering revisions that we strongly oppose. Please help to stop this bill in its tracks.
We urge you to contact Chairman Pacheco and Chairwoman Gobi today (http://www.malegislature.gov/People/Profile/AMG1) - by phone, email, fax or mail - to ask them to protect endangered species and table Senate Bill 1854.    Be sure to let your representative and senator know where you stand, and ask them to speak to the Chairs as well.
You can find out who your legislators are and how to contact them at http://www.malegislature.gov/People/FindMyLegislator
To better understand the legislation and issues, please see Mass. Audubon's joint testimony on the bill.
To view the bill see SB1854 An Act relative to land takings.
For more information, contact Kathy McGrath, Coordinator, Mass. Land Trust Coalition, Kmcgrath@massland.org, 978-443-5588.

Recent Land Projects Neighborhood Advocacy Program Presentation to the Acton Board of Selectmen on the Cost of Conservation Restrictions Pictures from the Ocotober 24, 2011 Nashoba Brook Walk Pictures from the 6th Annual Whitcomb Land Walk, January 29,2012 Just Released! 2012 Edition of Land Trust News	May (All Month) Garlic Mustard Picking Month - The Land Stewardship Committee is in the middle of a multi-year project to reduce the impact of Garlic Mustard, an invasive plant, on Acton's conservation lands. - "Invasive plants" are plant species moved by human action across ecosystem boundaries that out-compete local native plants in unmanaged areas. The conservation areas in Acton, mostly formerly farm land and now reverted to forest, are a hotbed for plant invasions. Garlic Mustard is one we've been targeting for a couple of years in Acton's conservation areas because it is both spreading and doing harm, and it is amenable to control by volunteers doing hand-picking. This year we are getting a bit fancier, with a wider outreach and a web-form for a signup: http://actoninvasives.org For more information, contact Jim Snyder-Grant, 978-266-0409. Monday, May 14 OARS Annual Meeting 7:30-9 PM Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center, 680 Hudson Road, Sudbury Join us for our Annual Meeting featuring "The Return of the Magnificent Bald Eagle to Our Rivers" with presenter Tom French, the Assistant Director of the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and WIldlife, where he serves as Director of the Natural Heritage and Endangered Species. The presentation will be preceded by a short business meeting. Light refreshments will be served. For information, contact OARS at 978-369-3956 Saturday, May 19 Great Meadows Walk 9:30 to 11:15 AM Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, Monsen Road, Concord, MA off Route 62 - driveway is on the left where road curves right. "Sense of Place", a continuing series of monthly walks exploring the landscape, plants, and seasonal wonders of Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge. The concentration will be on spring blooming and wildlife activity all happening at once. Walks will highlight the special qualities of light, sound, and seasonal rhythms. Come delight in the delicacy of spring blooms, duckling flotillas and gosling parades, singing warblers, the frenzy of mating fish, basking snakes and turtles, and a chorus of spring birds. Bring binoculars and cameras. Walks are led by cherrie Corey, local naturalist and photographer, and co-sponsored by the Musketaquid Arts and Environment Program and Friends of Assabet River NWR. No pre-registration required. A $5/person voluntary donation will be gratefully accepted. For questions, email cherrie.-corey@verizon.net or call 978-760-1933. Saturday, May 19; (rain date Sunday, May 20, 2012) Walk of the Caouette-Simeone Farm Land 10:30 AM Meet at the property easement along the northern border of the property at 90 Martin Street. Second Annual Spring Walk on Town-Owned Caouette-Simeone farmlands in South Acton Parking is available on Martin Street near property easement along the northern border of the property at 90 Martin Street, or at Jones Field or the South Acton Train Station. Officers of the Acton Conservation Trust will lead a walk of the Caouette-Simeone farm land acquired Fall 2010 with Community Preservation funds. The walk will begin at the property easement along the northern border of the property at 90 Martin Street. We will walk on the periphery of the fields and on the berms that separate them; enjoy the view from the northwest corner - the highest point on the property; cross over the footbridge to take in the sights of Fort Pond Brook and Mill Pond and keep our eyes open for wildlife, including ducks, hawks, deer, beavers and great blue heron. Come dressed for ticks, sprayed for mosquitos, and wearing water resistant boots. Please join us and bring a friend! (Refreshments provided). For more information, contact Susan Mitchell-Hardt, 978-369-9264, info@actonconservationtrust.org. If the weather is questionable, please call Susan, 978-369-9264, about possible re-scheduling. (Walk sponsored by the Acton Conservation Trust, Acton's local non-profit, non-governmental land trust). Wednesday, May 23 Woods Management and Conservation Forum for Landowners 6:30 to 8:30 PM NRWA River Resource Center, 592 Main Street (Rt. 119) in Groton, MA State Extension Forester Dave Kittredge will lead this free Woods Forum bringing together local woodland owners to share their experiences with woods management and conservation decisions. Many of us don’t think about our woods on a day-to-day basis, except to enjoy the privacy, scenery, and the tranquil environment to live in and raise a family. However, at some point in every landowner's life, questions arise about what to do with our woods, such as: should I harvest the woods on my land? How much are my woods worth? How do I address ice storm damage on my property? It’s important for woodland owners to know they have options and know where to find information. Refreshments will be provided. The forum is sponsored by the NRWA, the Pepperell Conservation Commission, and the Massachusetts Association of Conservation Commissioners. To RSVP, or for more information, please call Al Futterman, NRWA Land Programs Director at (978) 448-0299, or email AlF@NashuaRiverWatershed.org. FREE Thursday, May 31, 2012 Deciding the Future of Your Land: Estate Planning and Conservation Options for Landowners 6-7:30 PM Gale Free Library, 23 Highland Street in Holden, MA Your land is a part of your legacy. Deciding what will happen to your land after you are gone may be the most important step you can take as a landowner - not just for your own benefit, but for the benefit of your family, your community, and, of course, the land itself. Land is a flexible asset that can provide both financial and personal value. In order to find solutions that will meet your needs and those of your family, planning ahead is important. An estate plan ensures that your assets - including your land - are distributed in a way that will meet your financial and personal needs. Estate planning helps ensure that the legacy of your land is a positive one. Learn about estate planning and land conservation options that can help you shape the future of your land at this free 2 hour workshop featureing: - George Dresser, an experienced estate planning attorney, explaining important estate planning considerations. - Al Futterman, from NRWA, discussing conservation options and how land trusts can help you make the best decisions for you and your family. - Two local landowners sharing their personal experiences with estate planning. Space is limited so please let us know if you can attend. To RSVP, or for more information, please call Jay Rasku 978-248-2118 or email into@nqpartnership.org. Action Alert from Massachusetts Land Trust Coalition (MLTC) - Endangered Species Act Needs Your Help There is a radical effort to repeal the Massachusetts Endangered Species Act (MESA) and MLTC needs your help to stop it in its tracks! The legislation, An Act Relative to Land Takings (Senate Bill 1854 filed by Senator Candaras, D-Springfield) is in the Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture. Both environmental groups and the business community have supported the standards the program uses to protect endangered species. This effort to gut endangered species protections is coming from a limited, but very vocal, few. Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture Committee Chairs, Representative Anne Gobi (D-Spencer) and Senator Marc Pacheco (D-Taunton), are considering revisions that we strongly oppose. Please help to stop this bill in its tracks. We urge you to contact Chairman Pacheco and Chairwoman Gobi today (http://www.malegislature.gov/People/Profile/AMG1) - by phone, email, fax or mail - to ask them to protect endangered species and table Senate Bill 1854. Be sure to let your representative and senator know where you stand, and ask them to speak to the Chairs as well. You can find out who your legislators are and how to contact them at http://www.malegislature.gov/People/FindMyLegislator To better understand the legislation and issues, please see Mass. Audubon's joint testimony on the bill. To view the bill see SB1854 An Act relative to land takings. For more information, contact Kathy McGrath, Coordinator, Mass. Land Trust Coalition, Kmcgrath@massland.org, 978-443-5588.

The Acton Conservation Trust is a non-profit, non-governmental organization that can hold permanent conservation easements, accept gifts of land, accept tax-deductible gifts to be used for open space preservation and purchase land for conservation purposes. We also provide education to landowners about various options for preservation. ACT is one of more than 130 such organizations in Massachusetts, and is a member of the Massachusetts Land Trust Coalition and the national Land Trust Alliance.