April 22nd (Earth Day), 2005
NewsNotes #15

Revitalizing Urban Riverfronts

Dear River Advocates,

The lead story for this issue of NewsNotes is Riverways’ recent urban river experiences with Fitchburg. Knowing that Fitchburg is in the midst of creatively planning for its future, Cindy Delpapa, Riverways’ Stream and Urban Ecologist, brought partners together to plan a charrette involving the community, the mayor, his staff, Economic Development Office Director, planners and conservation commission members and staff. The Charrette led to a river master plan and accompanying poster, and we are delighted to report that city boards are utilizing the ideas from this community project in their implementation efforts. We will keep you apprised of progress in Fitchburg.

Riverways staff are working hard on final preparations for the Massachusetts Stream Flow Conference, coming up on April 29th. Riverways has been involved in streamflow issues since citizen river activists brought their concerns about water supply-related streamflow depletion to our attention in the late 1980s. One of our actions in response was a working paper prepared in 1990 by Judy Wagner and Russ Cohen entitled Conservation Works: The Ecological and Economic Benefits of Conserving Water. The paper showed the ability of water conservation and demand management to reduce if not eliminate the need for new source development, while enabling the retention of water in the natural environment, where it is critically needed to sustain healthy aquatic and other water-dependent organisms and ecosystems. Since then, Riverways, along with many other groups and individuals seeking to raise awareness of this issue, have been talking about the need for a statewide gathering of people concerned about streamflow to share concerns, data, strategies and solutions.

As part of her work on streamflow and networking with others on this issue, Margaret Kearns, Riverways’ Watershed Ecologist and head of Riverways’ River Instream Flow Stewards (RIFLS) citizen streamflow monitoring program, had the determination to apply for funding from the Mass. Environmental Trust (MET) to help put on a statewide streamflow conference and work with partners to turn a great idea into an actual event. Gabrielle Stebbins from RIFLS has done a great job with organizing the conference. We had first planned to hold the event at The Trustees of Reservations’ new Doyle Conservation Center in Leominster, thinking that we would have an audience of about 140 people. Two days after the invitation went out, we had 180 responses! We now have 282 registrants for the conference, the maximum number for our new location in Tyngsboro, with a waiting list and calls still coming in. Audience members represent a diversity of interests and responsibilities and include consultants, state environmental agencies (including representatives from Connecticut, Rhode Island and New Hampshire), Town representatives (Conservation Agents, water suppliers, Planners), federal agencies, and local watershed organizations, Stream Teams, RIFLS teams, concerned citizens, universities, and so on. The overwhelming response to the conference illustrates the importance of the streamflow issue to a wide-ranging group of people. We are very gratified to see the increased interest in streamflow and maintaining/restoring more natural flow regimes in rivers and streams reflected in science and policy. This bodes well for our riverine ecosystems. For those of you who will not be able to be with us on April 29, we will put presentation summaries on our web page (http://www.massriverways.org). We are pleased to be co-sponsoring the Conference with The Nature Conservancy and very happy to have partial funding from MET. Sales of the environmental license plates, from which MET derives a substantial portion of its income, have helped make this possible (see the last part of NewsNotes for more on that).

For those of you who are interested in river ecology and dams, there is a wonderful opportunity to support river-friendly provisions in Massachusetts’ Dam Safety Regulations, which are currently proposed for revision by the Mass. Dept. of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) to reflect statutory changes made several years ago. The official notice of the public hearings and opportunity to comment on DCR’s proposed regulatory modifications is posted at http://www.mass.gov/envir/mepa/notices/040905em/
dcrdamsafetyregs.doc. Hearings will be held on Tues. April 26 in Boston at 251 Causeway Street, 9th floor at 11:00 A.M., Tues. May 3 in Northampton, at DCR’s Damon road Office, 136 Damon Road at 11 A.M. and Tues. May 10 at West Boylston, 180 Beaman Street at 11 A.M. Written comments will be accepted until Tues., May 17th. For a copy of the proposed regulations or to submit comments, please contact Nicolas Vontzalides, DCR, 251 Causeway Street, Suite 600, Boston MA 02114 or email at Nicholas.Vontzalides@state.ma.us. On a similar note, Karen Pelto from Riverways will be taking part in a seminar co-sponsored by Riverways, Fuss and O’Neill, and the Mass. Association of Conservation Commissions (MACC) to be held on Friday, May 20; see details in the Calendar section below.

Last but not least, as usual, this edition of NewsNotes includes an extensive Resources and Grants section (you may want to skim the Grant Opportunities and Calendar portions first to make sure you don’t miss any fast-approaching events and deadlines).

It’s grand that it’s spring. Our thoughts are turning to kayaking, canoeing, walks and being on our rivers. Look for the Massachusetts Rivers Month Calendar in the beginning of May (more on that below).

See you on the rivers (and Happy Earth Day!) –

Joan Kimball
Director

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Riverways’ Partners in Urban River Planning - The Fitchburg River Master Plan Project.

Enthusiasm is contagious and alluring. Even the most challenging of situations may be transformed by a room of passionate and visionary people. So begins the story of Fitchburg and the future of the North Nashua River corridor as it winds through the city.

The story is not new. Massachusetts has many older, industrial cities experiencing decline since their Industrial Revolution glory days. The heart of these cities has always been their rivers which provided the fuel for their industry. This is especially true for the City of Fitchburg. The North Nashua River rises in a corner of Fitchburg before plunging through the city in a steep, seven mile arc. The River’s steep, fast flowing waters powered many mills and swept away countless waste products as industry replaced farming as the community’s major employer in the mid-nineteenth century. (See, e.g., the dramatic “then” and “now” photo pairing taken at the same location in downtown Fitchburg, posted on the Nashua River Watershed Association’s opening webpage at http://www.nashuariverwatershed.org).

Industry is no longer the driving force and the City is changing and adapting to a new age. Recently Fitchburg undertook an extensive master planning effort (see http://www.ci.fitchburg.ma.us/inventory.html) focused on renewing the downtown and recognizing the changing landscape and populace in the City. Arts and education are prominent; the City is home to Fitchburg State College, a vibrant art museum and a thriving arts community. Small businesses are also flourishing though most of the old industry, including a large General Electric manufacturing plant, has closed. The one constant is the Nashua River, flowing just a block from City Hall and within walking distance of almost every neighborhood in Fitchburg. Given the intertwined histories of the River and the City, Riverways saw an opportunity to utilize the potential of the River to enhance the new revitalization plan. The objective was to work with the City, business and advocacy groups to develop a complementary River Master Plan to augment the City’s Redevelopment Plan. It was too inviting a prospect to pass up.

Riverways staff started working with the City and Redevelopment Authority staff to explore the possibilities. Fitchburg had already made a recent and significant investment and engendered a fair amount of excitement when the City converted the burnt ruins of an old factory into Riverfront Park (see http://www.ci.fitchburg.ma.us/riverfrpix.htm). The park transformed a few acres of downtown into a pleasant green space along the river complete with plans to add a bandstand and other amenities in the coming years. The City also asked the Army Corps of Engineers to assess possible restoration measures within the downtown river reach, the section of river contained in the flood walls the Corps built after the City was devastated by a flood in the 1930’s. Fitchburg had already begun incorporating the river in its future; a River Master Plan would offer a more expansive canvas.

Riverways and our partners easily determined the project components: an advisory committee would be formed, proposals would be solicited, a consultant would be hired, research would be undertaken, lots of (bilingual) outreach done, a community “charrette” held (see http://www.tndtownpaper.com/what_is_charrette.htm), and a final River Master Plan would be created harmonizing with Fitchburg’s Redevelopment Master Plan. Riverways was able to hire a consulting company to develop the plan and conduct the community charrette. The Advisory Committee members provided plenty of information, history, expertise, and enthusiasm. The design firm of Crosby | Schlessinger | Smallridge (CSS) were selected as the consultants and immediately began working with the City’s Planning Department and Conservation staff and Riverways to build a foundation for the plan and for the community charrette and to research successful river revitalization efforts around the world.

The local charter school stepped up to offer their facility for the charrette. The school was an especially good fit- housed in a rehabilitated, riverfront, mixed-use mill building with a teaching staff dedicated to using the river as a living classroom. Bi-lingual posters and mailers were developed to invite the community to the charrette and free child care, lunch and translation services were offered during the charrette. The Mayor of Fitchburg extended personal invitations, cable television and radio were tapped to promote the event, and posters sent to social, religious, business and educational entities.

Early on in the project it was recognized that few people had a sense of the river as much of its banks are lined with structures or it is book-ended by steep slopes and flood walls. A pictorial tour of the river was compiled to kick off the charrette and introduce the attendees to the many extraordinary sections of the river and to orient people during the charrette. The charrette kick-off also offered a brief history of the river and, of course, the goals for the workshop and how the day would progress. To jump start the creative process, the introduction concluded with examples of riverside parks, greenways, water sports, public amenities and successful river-related redevelopment in other cities.

Fifty people joined in the charrette, offering a range of perspectives and experience. Attendees included elected officials, representatives of the arts community, mill owners, local advocates, the Nashua River Watershed Association, students and educators. Huge maps of the different river segments lined walls and tables. People shared their childhood memories of a troubled river colored by the fabric dyes released daily. Others envisioned canoeing the river or having the place to take children to the waters edge. Without exception, everyone expressed a resolute belief in the North Nashua River as an invaluable and underutilized asset to the community. Small groups, facilitated by CSS’s landscape architects and planners, need no prodding to begin visualizing, discussing and even designing possibilities. By the day’s end the maps of the different river segments barely contained all of the notes, scribbles, sketches, and recommendations recorded by the charrette participants and CSS staff.

CSS massaged and translated the charrette recommendations into a final River Master Plan for the City of Fitchburg, dividing the river into five manageable units. One of the most compelling aspects of the Plan are the sketches of possibilities for the riverfront - all based on the ideas generated at the charrette. The Plan includes a range of projects, both large and small scale. Projects range from simple pruning and clearing efforts to open up a view of the river to a river walkway from one end of the City to the other. This diversity provides a mix of long and short term projects with a range of challenges and cost. The sketches and designs are enhanced by narrative explanations of the recommended improvements along with examples, local history, and recommendations, all compiled into a compelling and attractive River Master Plan document. CSS also developed a poster to offer a striking and easy to read summation of the plan. [CSS’s portfolio web page (http://www.cssboston.com/nashriv.shtml) provides a glimpse of the River Master Plan.]

Now comes the challenging but rewarding task of implementing the plan’s elements. The City is already completing additional improvements to the Riverfront Park, including a pedestrian access bridge over the North Nashua River. Part of the riverwalk could become a reality with the City’s acquisition of an old steam plant and the narrow strip of land adjacent to the River the steam pipes once occupied. The Army Corps is finishing up their assessment of restoration possibilities, offering the potential for projects to improve habitat and river health. It is an exciting time for the City of Fitchburg and the people who love and value the North Nashua River. For more information about this project and/or if you are interested in initiating a similar effort in your community, contact Cindy Delpapa at Riverways at (617) 626-1545 or cindy.delpapa@state.ma.us.

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Resources and Grants

Grant Opportunities

Acres for America (http://www.nfwf.org/programs/walmart/index.htm), a partnership between Wal-Mart and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), was established to provide funding (around $3 million/year for the next decade) for habitat land protection. Acres for America’s goal is to offset the footprint of Wal-Mart’s domestic facilities (currently estimated at 88,000 acres and increasing by about 5,000 acres/year) on at least an acre-for-acre basis through these conservation acquisitions. Endorsement by appropriate federal, state, and local government agencies, Natural Heritage programs and/or non-profit conservation organizations that the acquisition is of high conservation value is a primary consideration. Letters of support from the agencies and organizations listed above should be available for review. Acquisitions that contribute to “landscape level” conservation efforts that help reduce fragmentation are preferred over isolated acquisitions. Maps should be available to illustrate habitat linkages. All grant awards require a minimum 1:1 match of cash or contributed goods and services. Federal funds may be considered as match. Higher ratios of matching funds may aid in making applications more competitive. Annual pre-proposal deadlines are January 7, May 13, and September 17. Applicants are urged to contact NFWF Eastern regional director Tom Kelsch at (202) 857-0166 or tom.kelsch@nfwf.org to discuss project ideas prior to submitting pre-proposals.

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Employees Charitable Campaign (COMECC) is now considering applications from charitable organizations that would like to be eligible for funding from this statewide workplace giving program for Massachusetts state employees. Interested non-profit groups should consult Executive Order 451 (http://www.lawlib.state.ma.us/ExecOrders/eo451.txt) which sets out basic eligibility criteria, as well as fill out an application, available on-line at https://comecc.net/charity.asp. Organizations can apply to be eligible in the COMECC region(s) benefiting from their charitable activities. If you wish to apply for participation in more than one COMECC Region, you may submit a single complete application form to the Statewide Campaign Manager by checking the Regions where your organization provides services and by providing a separate detailed description in response to section 9. All completed applications must be received by the Statewide Campaign Manager no later than Friday, May 13, 2005 at 5:00 p.m. Moreover, as the Committee will review applications on a “first received, first reviewed” basis, it is advantageous to submit applications early if you can. If you have any questions, please contact the Statewide Campaign Manager, Duke Hutchinson at (617) 348-6228 or hutchinson@bostonabcd.org.

Founded in 1981, the Town Creek Foundation (http://www.towncreekfdn.org) seeks a healthy environment, an informed society, and a peaceful world. The Foundation is committed to achieving its mission through public education, citizen action, and advocacy. The Foundation supports programs that engage citizens in challenging the unsustainable use of natural resources and in protecting biological diversity. Strategies supported are grassroots activism, monitoring the enforcement of environmental laws, public policy advocacy, collaborative opportunities, media outreach, and model or demonstration projects fostering sustainable policies and practices. A letter of inquiry (up to two pages) may be submitted before a full proposal is prepared. It may be submitted by fax or email and the foundation will respond as soon as possible as to whether a full proposal will be considered. The next grant application deadline is May 15, 2005. For more info, contact Christine B. Shelton, Executive Director, Town Creek Foundation, 121 N. West Street, Easton, Maryland 21601, (410) 763-8171, (410) 763-8172 (fax) or info@towncreekfdn.org.

The Project AWARE Foundation (http://www.projectaware.org/americas/english/grants.asp), established in 1992, is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit, tax-exempt organization committed to conserving and preserving the aquatic environment and its resources. The Foundation’s Grant Program operates on a quarterly funding cycle and supports worthwhile aquatic conservation projects. Funding for the program comes directly from contributions made by divers and non-divers. Funded projects have a direct benefit to the aquatic environment through public education, grass roots conservation and enhancement projects, environmentally focused research leading to conservation measures, public awareness initiatives, environmental assessment and monitoring projects and volunteer-supported community activism. The Foundation does not fund legislative advocacy to influence policy; political campaigns, projects whose methods are not environmentally accepted, overhead expenses including salaries, stipends, benefits or tuition, capital expenses including computer hardware/software or office furnishings, travel and living expenses, dive equipment or instruction or products designed for resale. The Foundation offers a “Micro Grant” program (where up to $1000 grants are made for localized grass roots efforts including (but not limited to) beach and underwater cleanups, mooring buoy programs, research projects, local education and public awareness programs) and a “Macro Grant” program” (where up to $10,000 grants are available for larger-scale efforts). The Board of Directors meets quarterly to consider grant proposals; the next deadline is May 15. Proposals received after the deadline will be considered at the next quarterly meeting. Send all comments and suggestions to information@projectaware.org.

After learning about the principles of smart growth, many communities are asking "How do we get from principles to practice? This could really help my community - but how do we do it?" The U.S. EPA is offering an opportunity to apply for free technical assistance that will help communities apply smart growth principles to a real challenge.

The Development, Community and Environment Division in EPA's Office of Policy, Economics and Innovation is seeking applications from communities that want to develop in ways that meet environmental and other community goals. A team of multidisciplinary experts will provide technical assistance to communities that are selected. Communities around the country are interested in fostering economic development, protecting their environmental resources, enhancing public health, and planning for growth, but they may lack the tools, resources, or information to achieve these goals. EPA can help communities overcome these roadblocks by providing evaluation tools and expert analysis. EPA is soliciting applications from communities that want help with either policy analysis (e.g., reviewing state and local codes, school siting guidelines, transportation policies, etc.) or public participatory processes (e.g., visioning, alternatives analysis, build-out analysis, etc.). Selected communities will receive assistance from a team of experts organized by EPA and other national partners to work with local leaders. The deadline for applications is 5PM, East Coast Time, Thursday, May 19, 2005. For more information and application materials, please visit: http://www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/sg_implementation.htm

The U.S. EPA’s “Community Action for a Renewed Environment” (CARE) Program (http://cfpub.epa.gov/care/ ) is a new and unique community-based, community-driven, multimedia demonstration program designed to help communities understand and reduce risks due to toxics from all sources. While national regulatory approaches have resulted in significant reductions in toxic releases, they have not always been effective in addressing specific community concerns and cumulative risks resulting from toxic releases from multiple and often diffuse sources. CARE is designed to complement national regulatory approaches and meet community needs by building the capacity of communities to understand and take effective actions to address toxic concerns resulting at the local level. Through CARE, organizations will build community capacity to understand and reduce risks by providing funding, information, training, technical support, help building collaborative partnerships, and by improving access to voluntary programs to address community concerns. Initial proposals (not to exceed 10 pages) are due on May 20, 2005. The EPA plans to award a total of $1.65 million via two different funding levels: Level 1 ($60-90K) for forming community-based collaborative partnerships to develop an understanding of toxics; and, Level II ($150-325K) to ID and demonstrate risk reduction projects in the community. For more info and a copy of the Request for Initial Proposals (RFA# OAR-IO-05-08), see http://cfpub.epa.gov/care/index.cfm?fuseaction=
Agreement.showAgreement.

Earlier this month, the Mass. Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) issued a Request for Responses (RFR) for the Federal Year 2006 Section 319 Nonpoint Source Pollution Grant Program. DEP anticipates that up to $1.5 million will be available for disbursement in this year’s grant round. This year, DEP is especially encouraging proposals that implement Massachusetts’ Total Maximum Daily Loading (TMDL) analyses, or will implement recommendations made in Diagnostic/Feasibility (D/F) or other credible studies for waters that do not meet the state’s Surface Water Quality Standards, or will otherwise be consistent with the Commonwealth’s Nonpoint Source Management Plan. A listing of TMDL reports and D/F studies can be found at http://www.state.ma.us/dep/brp/wm/wmpubs.htm. Demonstration projects will demonstrate and evaluate new and innovative technologies and encourage their appropriate use. Outreach and Education should demonstrate the effectiveness of outreach and education as a non-structural BMP. All Proposals must be submitted to: Jane Peirce, 319 RFR Coordinator, DEP, 627 Main Street, 2nd Floor, Worcester, MA 01608 and received no later than 5 p.m., Wednesday June 1, 2005. For more information, go to http://www.comm-pass.com, click on “Search for Solicitations”, then enter “BRP 2005-03” into the search box.

The annual Kodak American Greenway Award grants program, sponsored by The Conservation Fund, Eastman Kodak Company and the National Geographic Society, provides important seed money to stimulate greenway, blueway and trail planning and design. The award recipients, announced in early fall, will receive grants of $500 - $2500 to support their pioneering work in linking the nation's natural areas, historic sites, parks and open space. Local, regional, and statewide nonprofits, as well as community-based and municipal government organizations are encouraged to apply. In addition to providing small grants, the Kodak American Greenways Awards Program honors groups and individuals whose creativity and vision foster a nationwide network of greenways and open space. Last year, Kodak, The Conservation Fund, and the National Geographic Society awarded 39 community grants. An online application, grant guidelines and additional program information are available at http://www.conservationfund.org under "Award Programs" or by writing to greenways@conservationfund.org. This year’s application deadline is June 1.

The Acorn Foundation (see http://www.commoncounsel.org/pages/foundation.html#acorn) supports projects dedicated to building a sustainable future for the planet and to restoring a healthy global environment. The foundation is particularly interested in small and innovative community-based projects which: preserve and restore habitats supporting biological diversity and wildlife; advocate for environmental justice, particularly in low-income and indigenous communities; and prevent or remedy toxic pollution. The Foundation makes grants in the $5,000 to $10,000 range to grassroots organizations. Application deadlines for proposals are (postmarked by) Jan.15th and June 15th for Spring and Fall grantmaking meetings. Decisions usually take at least 6 months from date of submittal.

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), in cooperation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), the National Conservation Training Center (NCTC), The Keystone Center, and National Wildlife Refuge Association, is seeking applicants from organizations interested in initiating or expanding The Nature of Learning programs in their communities. The Nature of Learning (see http://refuges.fws.gov/education/natureOfLearning/index.html) is the National Wildlife Refuge System’s new community-based environmental education initiative that seeks to use Refuges as outdoor classrooms to promote a greater understanding of local conservation issues; encourage an interdisciplinary approach to learning that seeks to enhance student academic achievement; utilize field experiences and student-led stewardship projects to connect classroom lessons to real world issues; and involve a partnership among local schools, community groups, natural resource professionals and local businesses. Grants of up to $5,000 will be awarded on a competitive basis to support start-up expenses associated with new programs. Eligible applicants include: schools or non-profit organizations, including "Friends" groups, Cooperative and Interpretive Associations, conservation organizations and nature centers. Programs must involve a partnership among a local school(s), community group (e.g., Refuge Support Group), and National Wildlife Refuge. Letters of support from the Refuge Manager and a school administrator are strongly encouraged. Applications must be postmarked by June 15, 2005. For additional information on The Nature of Learning program, please contact Deborah Moore at deborah_moore@fws.gov or Andy Spencer at aspencer@keystone.org. For questions regarding grant applications, go on-line to http://www.nfwf.org/programs/tnol.htm or contact Suzy Oversvee at suzanne.oversvee@nfwf.org.

The Captain Planet Foundation provides grants ranging from $250-$2,500 for projects that: promote understanding of environmental issues; focus on hands-on involvement; involve children and young adults 6-18 (elementary through high school); promote interaction and cooperation within the group; help young people develop planning and problem solving skills; include adult supervision and commit to follow-up communication with the Foundation (specific requirements are explained once the grant has been awarded). The next submission deadline is June 30. For more information go on-line to http://www.captainplanetfdn.org/aboutUs.html#
policies_grant_guidelines.

A project of the Rockefeller Family Fund and an affinity group of the Council on Foundations, the Environmental Grantmakers Association (EGA)’s mission is to support its member organizations in grantmaking that protects the environment and its inhabitants, and to provide means for them to connect with, encourage, and challenge one another, explore environmental issues and grantmaking, and promote, diversify, and expand environmental philanthropy. Today, EGA members represent over 250 foundations from North America and around the world. EGA’s on-line Funder Directory (http://www.ega.org/funders/funder.php?op=list) provides summaries, contact information and links to most of its member foundations, many of which have funded projects in Massachusetts.

Stonyfield Farm’s “Profits for the Planet” program (PFP, http://www.stonyfield.com/EarthActions/
ProfitsforthePlanetProgram.cfm) puts the company’s guiding principle of corporate social responsibility into action. Each year, 10% of the company's profits are given to efforts that help protect and restore the environment. By directing financial support to those programs that affect positive and meaningful change, PFP embodies the spirit of the company's environmental and educational missions. Projects which protect and restore the planet, generate measurable results (i.e. natural resources saved, people educated) and promote Stonyfield Farm via sampling opportunities, collateral, media relations have the best chance of funding. To request funds, please send your proposal to: Mary Townsend, President's Office, Chief of Staff, Stonyfield Farm, 10 Burton Drive, Londonderry, NH 03053, (603) 437-7594 (fax), mtownsend@stonyfield.com. Please try to limit your proposal to 2 pages — be concise and straightforward. The company wants to know who you are, what you've accomplished, what your mission is, what your goals are, how you plan to achieve them and where the money would go. Along with your letter, please include a detailed project budget, and where applicable, proof of §501(c)3 tax-exempt status. In addition to funds, Stonyfield Farm often donates product to organizations. To request a product donation, please visit http://www.stonyfield.com/donations.

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Calendar

[Note: Riverways’ 2005 Massachusetts Rivers Month Calendar, covering river-related events in the Commonwealth taking place from Sat. May 14th to Mon. July 4th, will be sent out and posted on-line at http://www.massriverways.org on or before May 11th. If you haven’t already sent in your river-related events (canoe trips, river festivals, river art exhibitions, etc.) – today was our deadline (see http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/river/riversmonthform.htm) – please send the info in to us anyway, and we will try to squeeze your event into the Calendar – no promises, though.]

April 28-30
The New England Estuarine Research Society (NEERS) will host its Spring 2005 meeting from April 28-30 at the Captain's Quarters in Eastham. The event includes a full-day symposium on April 28, beginning at 9:30AM. Titled Water to Water: Watersheds and the Estuaries They Affect, the symposium is aimed at synthesizing information relative to eutrophication and wastewater issues and will include a section on how these issues are affecting Cape Cod. On April 30, NEERS will host a mini-symposium discussing salt marsh restoration, organized by the CZM Wetland Restoration Program's Bruce Carlisle and Mass. Audubon's Robert Buchsbaum. Other highlights include paper and poster presentations and student presentations. For more info about the NEERS Spring 2005 meeting and symposia, go to http://www.neers.org/main/meetings/2005Sannounce.htm.

April 23, 30 and May 7
On April 23, 30 and May 7, "Anadromous Awakening" by artist Joseph Ingoldsby, will blend art, science and technology to illustrate the annual migration of smelt, herring and shad up the Neponset Estuary. Come see larger-than-life fish forms anchored above the waters of the Neponset River. View computer-printed, giant salmon eggs floating above the rapids. Watch video projections of herring and shad evoke the colonial memory of fish passage upstream (before the dams were built). Experience expert-led lectures on the life history of anadromous fish. The exhibits will be open 4-8PM, along the Neponset River on Wharf Street, Milton. Lectures will start at 5PM at the Milton Yacht Club, 25 Wharf Street. Activities are free and open to the public; the venue is accessible via public transportation (the “Milton Village” stop on the Ashmont-Mattapan trolley line). This project was developed with support from the Mass. Division of Marine Fisheries and the Neponset River Watershed Association (NepRWA), with technology from the UMASS-Boston Geographic Information Systems Labs. Contact Carly Rocklen of NepRWA [(781) 575-0354 or rocklen@neponset.org] for more info.

Sunday May 1st
Two years ago, the Mystic River Watershed Association (MyRWA, http://www.mysticriver.org) received funding to install 3 interpretive signs along the Mystic River in Somerville. The first sign, entitled "People and the River," describes some of the Mystic River's history, including its role as a site for fishing, shipbuilding, industry, and recreation. The river's biodiversity is the subject of the second sign, entitled "Abundant River; Connected Lives." This sign describes some of the residents of the river—a few of the typical plants and animals that are found in a river's riparian zone, along with information about several of the invasive plants and animals that are found along the Mystic. The third sign is entitled "A Watershed Worth Protecting: Caring for the River." It suggests some of the actions that residents can take to protect the river, and includes information on MyRWA's initiatives to promote a “fishable and Swimmable” Mystic. The three signs were completed last summer and the Mass. Dept. of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) installed them last fall. MyRWA plans to unveil them at this year's Mystic Herring Run event (see next entry). The event will take place around 10:30AM at the Blessing of the Bay Boathouse, 32 Shore Drive, Somerville (in the Ten Hills area, just off of Mystic Ave and Route 28.) Please RSVP to Janet Kovner [janet@mysticriver.org or (781) 316-3438].

The 9th Annual Mystic River Herring Run will take place on Sunday May 1st, 2005 at 9AM at the Blessing of the Bay Boathouse (32 Shore Drive), in Somerville. This year's event will include a 5K Road Race, paddle race, awards ceremony, and informational tables. Registration is now open for both the 5K Road Race and the paddle race (see links below). Run with the fish! The flat and fast certified course for the 5K road race follows the Mystic River bike path, dashing past thousands of herring returning from the ocean back to the Mystic River. Entry includes t-shirt and 2005 membership in the Mystic River Watershed Association. Fabulous prizes have been donated by local businesses for the top three overall female and male athletes; first place age groups and team finishes. Pre-registration information is available on-line at http://www.active.com/event_detail.cfm?event_id=1203994. The Paddle Race starts at 10:30AM – information for that is at http://www.active.com/event_detail.cfm?event_id=1208524 . Contact herringrun2005@yahoo.com or visit http://www.mysticriver.org for more info about the event.

Saturday, April 30th
The North and South Rivers Watershed Association (NSRWA, http://www.nsrwa.org) will be hosting a Benefit Auction, celebrating the organization’s 35th year of protecting the rivers, on Saturday, April 30th from 6:30PM to 10PM at the Cushing Center, 673 Main St (Route 123) in Norwell Center. Bid on quality auction items including fine art, vacation getaways, sporting and concert events tickets, a used hybrid Honda Civic, gift certificates and much more! $40 admission includes hearty hors d’oeuvres, desserts and wine & beer. Make reservations by sending your check to NSRWA, P.O. Box 43 Norwell, MA 02061. Reservations should be made by April 23rd. NSRWA will also be hosting an event entitled Herring on The Run on Saturday, May 7 at 9:00AM, at the Jenney Grist Mill, 6 Spring Lane in downtown Plymouth. Come witness the annual pilgrimage of the river herring at Town Brook as they make their way up to Billington Sea. Learn about what makes these creatures return to their spawning ground every year, the state of fish runs on the South Shore and the fishways that give them a “leg up” over the dams.

May 7th from 8:30AM– Noon
The Canoe River Aquifer Advisory Committee (CRAAC) is hosting its annual Canoe River Awareness Day on Saturday, May 7th from 8:30AM– Noon at the Mansfield Fish and Game Club, Route 106 in Mansfield. This year’s featured speakers will be Leslie Luchonok, Director of the Massachusetts Resource Management Planning Program, and Kurt Gaffney, who will offer a tour of the Mansfield Water [Supply] Treatment Plant. The event concludes with a two-hour canoe trip. Additional information is available at http://home.comcast.net/~nrtma/html/committee.html.

Wednesday, May 18th
The Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences is pleased to offer half-day workshops entitled Identifying Massachusetts’ Natural Communities: A workshop for conservationists. This workshop is appropriate for everyone from the novice to the professional and are offered free of charge, thanks to the generous support of the Mass. Environmental Trust. Eight workshops are currently scheduled for later this spring (the first one takes place on Wednesday, May 18th in Hull), with additional ones to be added soon. Go on-line to http://www.conservationmapper.org/natcom_schedule.htm to see the current list of workshop dates and locations. If there isn’t already one scheduled nearby, call Manomet at (508) 224-6521 to book a workshop for your community.

Friday, May 20, 2005 from 9:00AM- 3:00PM
“The Landscape of Opportunity” is the title of a symposium to be held on Friday, May 20, 2005 from 9:00AM- 3:00PM at North Shore Community College in Danvers. The symposium is the culminating element of the Essex County Reconnaissance Survey, an inventory of the region’s heritage landscapes undertaken jointly by the Essex National Heritage Commission (ENHC, http://www.essexheritage.org) and the Mass. Dept. of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) as part of DCR’s statewide Heritage Landscape Inventory Program. The symposium will focus on the preservation of endangered heritage landscapes. Come help create an action agenda for statewide policy change while learning about existing tools and opportunities for protecting local heritage resources such as farms, town centers, estates, scenic roads, and properties along the “water’s edge.” More info is available on-line at ENHC’s web page, DCR’s Heritage Landscape Inventory Program at http://www.mass.gov/dem/programs/histland/histland.htm or by contacting Jessica A. Rowcroft at (617) 626-1380 or Jessica.rowcroft@state.ma.us.

Friday, May 20, 2005 from 8:00AM-12noon
Riverways has worked with dam owners and municipalities to restore several miles of fisheries habitat through the removal or breaching of three dams. The failure of a dam can have potentially severe environmental impacts downstream. When a dam is found to be unsafe, there are regulatory steps which must be taken to implement remedies, ranging from repair to removal. New legislation passed in September of 2002 will require dam owners to register their dams with the State and have their dams inspected on a periodic basis. It is important that dam owners and the Conservation Commissions who regulate work involving dams be aware of the responsibilities they face when owning, operating, repairing or removing these structures. These and similar issues will be taken up at a seminar entitled Maintenance, Repair and Removal of Dams in Massachusetts, to be held on Friday, May 20, 2005 from 8:00AM-12noon at the Doyle Conservation Center in Leominster. Presented and co-sponsored by Fuss & O'Neill, Inc., the Mass. Riverways Program and the Mass. Association of Conservation Commissions (MACC), this seminar will cover the types of remedies applied to unsafe dams, including removal, the process of permitting and construction and the potential costs that dam owners face. While there is no charge to participate in this seminar, space is limited and pre-registration is required. For more info or to pre-register, contact the MACC at (617) 489-3939 or staff@maccweb.org.

Monday, May 23rd
The U.S. EPA’s Office of Water, in cooperation with the California Urban Water Conservation Council (CUWCC), is looking into options for a new national organization to promote water efficiency. EPA and CUWCC are developing the framework for a national partnership on water use efficiency similar to the Consortium for Energy Efficiency. Many water stakeholders see a need for a nationwide water efficiency organization that can develop cross-state initiatives, conduct needed water efficiency research, coordinate water efficiency project partners, and in general serve as a clearinghouse for water efficiency progress and cutting-edge change. To design a program that best meets the needs of the water and related industries, information is being gathered in a variety of ways, including a series of workshops next month, including one in Boston on Monday, May 23rd. Representatives from water and wastewater utilities, manufacturers of water-using products, environmental groups, builders and developers, and interested government agencies are invited to attend. For registration info, contact Jeffrey Hughes at jeffrey@cuwcc.org. The final report is due in December, 2005 (see related info at http://www.epa.gov/owm/water-efficiency/products_program.htm).

June 20
The Lincoln Institute of Land Policy is offering a full-day course entitled Ecology and Conservation Fundamentals: A Practical Course for Planners, Architects, Developers and Citizens, to be held at its Cambridge headquarters on June 20, 2005. The program focuses on techniques for creating healthy, sustainable human communities while protecting native species and ecosystems. It includes relevant theory along with real life examples and exercises that illustrate the application of these concepts. Instructors are Brandeis Environmental Studies Professor Dan Perlman and Univ. of Texas/Austin Architecture Professor Frederick Steiner. To register or for more info, go to http://www.lincolninst.edu/education/education-coursedetail.asp?id=228.

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On-line Resources

As the warmer weather returns, many people celebrate the annual migration of anadromous fish up our coastal rivers and streams. Providing passage through numerous man-made blockages allowing for spawning migration of these fishes is essential to maintaining healthy populations of anadromous fish and other organisms dependent upon them. The Mass. Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF), which (along with Riverways) is within the Mass. Department of Fish and Game (http://www.mass.gov/dfwele), has made available an on-line version of its technical report entitled A Survey of Anadromous Fish Passage in Coastal Massachusetts – Part 1 – Southeastern Massachusetts (a.k.a. Technical Report TR-15). The purpose of the report is to provide information on the state of fish passage, and various man-made obstacles to such passage, to provide guidance for future restoration efforts. A Survey of Anadromous Fish Passage may be viewed on-line at http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dmf/publications/technical.htm#tr (scroll down).

“Volmonitor” is a National listserv for volunteer water quality and streamflow monitors and volunteer program coordinators. Subscribers can post notices of upcoming conferences, workshops, special events, and new publications and ask and respond to questions about volunteer monitoring methods, data quality and data management issues, volunteer organizing and training, and other topics related to developing and maintaining volunteer monitoring programs. To subscribe, send a blank e-mail to volmonitor-subscribe@lists.epa.gov. You must subscribe to post a message to the list. On a related note: The Winter 2005 issue of The Volunteer Monitor newsletter is now available on-line (along with past issues) at http://www.epa.gov/owow/monitoring/volunteer/issues.htm . The topic of this issue is data documentation and interpretation; the issue includes articles on metadata (helping data live longer, go farther); certifying volunteer monitors, documenting site locations, and more.

The National Weather Service’s Northeast River Forecast Center (http://www.erh.noaa.gov/er/nerfc/) provides info on current and predicted flooding conditions on the region’s waterways. A related site maintained by the USGS at http://water.usgs.gov/waterwatch/national_map.html tracks streamflow conditions nationwide and provides a quick visual assessment of how current streamflows compare to typical flows recorded for that location and time of year.

The Mass. Highway Department (MassHighway) has compiled an on-line statewide map and inventory at http://www.mhd.state.ma.us//default.asp?pgid=bikes/
Bikes&sid=bikes providing info on current and proposed bike paths in the Commonwealth as well as links to bicycling and related recreational groups and opportunities.

The “Resources” webpage of the Massachusetts Office of the Attorney General’s Division of Public Charities (http://www.ago.state.ma.us/sp.cfm?pageid=1212) contains links to many “watchdog” organizations that safeguard the integrity of non-profit organizations and help ensure charitable contributions are used for their intended purpose. The webpage also provides a link to an on-line, user-friendly means for adding your telephone number(s) to the “Do Not Call” list.

The Conservation Study Institute (CSI, http://www.nps.gov/mabi/csi/index.htm) was established in 1998 by the National Park Service (NPS) to enhance leadership in the field of conservation. In collaboration with the NPS and academic and nonprofit partners, the Institute provides a forum for the conservation community to discuss conservation history, contemporary issues and practice, and future directions for the field. CSI’s vision encompasses natural and cultural heritage in defining sense of place, and emphasizes the role of people in stewardship. Reflecting this vision, the Institute's approach is founded on collaborative leadership and community-based conservation involving cooperation and partnerships. The Institute is located at the Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park in Woodstock, Vermont, because this national park tells the story of conservation history and the evolving nature of land stewardship in America. CSI’s web page provides information about its education and training programs as well as access to on-line publications such as A Handbook for Managers of Cultural Landscapes with Natural Resource Values. For more information, contact CSI Director Nora Mitchell at (802) 457-3368 ext.17 or stewardship@nps.gov.

The Mass. Office of Coastal Zone Management (MCZM) has published an informative on-line guide and introductory primer to Massachusetts’ environmental laws and regulations applying to proposed development and other projects that might impact coastal or other natural resources. Issued in the fall of 2003, Environmental Permitting in Massachusetts (http://www.mass.gov/czm/envpermittoc.htm) offers clear, brief descriptions of the major Massachusetts environmental permits. Section 1 provides an overview of environmental regulations and permits, focusing on Massachusetts statutes and regulations, while also including information about local and federal statutes that tie into Massachusetts’ permitting process. Section 2 contains technical descriptions of each of the statutes, regulations, and programs referenced in Section 1. Although the document focuses on laws/regulations applying to coastal areas, it has considerable applicability to inland areas as well.

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Non-government On-line Resources

American Rivers’ Online River Action Center
http://www.americanrivers.org
Founded in 1973 as the American Rivers Conservation Council, American Rivers is a national non-profit conservation organization dedicated to protecting and restoring healthy natural rivers and the variety of life they sustain for people, fish, and wildlife. American Rivers recently upgraded its website and River Action Center to more effectively communicate with the grassroots river advocacy community, make it easier for you to find the tools and information the organization offers to empower you to be a strong advocate for your hometown river, and link you with individuals and organizations around the country who share your concern for healthy rivers. Logging in with your username and password enables you to receive personalized web-content and contact your decision makers with just a few clicks of the mouse. American Rivers’ priority issues include America's Most Endangered Rivers, Clean Water, Dam Removal, Hydropower Dam Reform, Wild Rivers, Sprawl, Water Scarcity & Instream Flow, Community Watersheds, Army Corps Reform and River Science. Additionally, the Citizens’ Agenda for Rivers, a plan for healthy rivers developed by the river movement, addresses the three priorities of water quality, water quantity, and poorly planned development. To date, over 400 organizations and 4.7 million people have already signed on in support of the Citizens’ Agenda – have you? For more information, contact Julia Haley at outreach@americanrivers.org.

Audubon at Home
http://www.audubon.org/bird/at_home/index.html
A project of the National Audubon Society, the Audubon at Home website is intended to encourage personal conservation action to improve the environmental health and habitat quality of local yards and neighborhoods. The website states that “Our backyards are our private spaces, but also part of a larger landscape we share with our human and wildlife neighbors. With the right tools and information, we all can do simple things to create a healthier place to live for our families, our communities, and birds, plants, and other wildlife.” The Audubon at Home website provides a wealth of reasons, tools and techniques for making your yard and neighborhood more people- and wildlife-friendly and to make conservation actions a part of your everyday life - at home and in your community.

Campaign to Safeguard America’s Waters (C-SAW)
http://www.earthisland.org/project/viewProject.cfm?subSiteID=6
A national project of the Earth Island Institute, C-SAW is dedicated to closing loopholes in federal and state water pollution regulations that allow millions of gallons of polluted wastes to be dumped into public waters every day. Many of these polluted waste streams are "legally permitted" through the application of discretionary "implementation policies": rules that allow regulators to modify or circumvent the normal restrictions (Water Quality Standards) on waste dumping intended to protect public health and the aquatic environment. Examples of these administrative loopholes, e.g., mixing zones, zones of deposit, and site-specific criteria, are discussed on the C-SAW website along with articles, letters, and advice on how to ensure the Clean Water Act is properly administered in the waters where you live. [A related news story, on the US EPA’s controversial proposal to permit sewage “blending” in areas where sewer pipes overflow, aired on NPR’s All Things Considered on Fri. April 15th and is accessible on-line at http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4602953. The lead article in the most recent edition (April 2005) of The Groundwater Foundation’s Recharge Report (http://www.groundwater.org/au/rechargereport.html) presents a good discussion of the sewage blending issue. Information on the latest round of EPA-funded State Revolving Fund loans to help address this and related water quality problems in Massachusetts is available at http://www.mass.gov/dep/pao/news/srf2005.htm. See also http://www.epa.gov/ne/charles/index.html.]

CampaignStrategy.org
http://www.campaignstrategy.org
Created and maintained by former Greenpeace executive Chris Rose from the U.K, the CampaignStrategy.org website provides free assistance to non-profit organizations seeking to wage successful campaigns to achieve environmental and other progressive objectives. The website features 12 basic guidelines and strategies (including the threshold issue of whether or not a campaign is the right tactic to achieve your group’s objectives) and excerpts of Chris’ new book How to Win Campaigns: 100 Steps to Success. For more info, contact Chris at info@campaignstrategy.org.

Earthwise When
http://www.earthwisewhen.com
Established by Boston-area environmentalist Meryl Brott, the Earthwise When website features a number of drawings intended to persuade people to adopt more earth-friendly practices (see “Fostering Sustainable Behavior” below). Use Earthwise drawings to convey your conservation message, whether it's promoting water conservation, advertising an upcoming pollution prevention education day, or other efforts to increase participation in earth-friendly activities. Look through the site’s gallery to see if an existing drawing corresponds to your cause, and, if not, you can commission your own. Contact merylb@wildmail.com for more information.

E.F. Schumacher Society
http://www.smallisbeautiful.org/frameset_land.html
The Society, named after the author of Small Is Beautiful: Economics As If People Mattered, is an educational non-profit organization founded in 1980. The Society’s programs demonstrate that both social and environmental sustainability can be achieved by applying the values of human-scale communities and respect for the natural environment to economic issues. Building on a rich tradition often known as decentralism, the Society initiates practical measures that lead to community revitalization and further the transition toward an economically and ecologically sustainable society. The link above takes you to information on Community Land Trusts (CLTs), and an on-line handbook, describing and providing real-life examples of a land ownership technique that enables working lands and housing to remain affordable for current and subsequent users. [See http://www.lincolninst.edu/pubs/pub-detail.asp?id=1011 for a related article on CLTs appearing in the Lincoln Institute’s latest Land Lines newsletter.]

FashionTackle™
http://www.fashiontackle.com/
FashionTackle™ is a line of fishing lure-inspired earrings developed by a group of active outdoorswomen in Minnesota. It is available in inexpensive (and easy to purchase on-line) Earring Collection Kits that include an assortment of 5 different FashionTackle earrings bundled with a free fashionable sport tackle accessory case. All Painted Earring Fishing Components are hand sprayed or pad printed with an assortment of enamel paint colors and lacquered for durability. FashionTackle and its components are manufactured in the U.S.A. Call (952) 924-2460 for more info.

Fostering Sustainable Behavior through Community-Based Social Marketing
http://www.cbsm.com
Most people know that to protect the environment they should recycle more, water their lawn less, get out of the car and take a multitude of other steps to reduce their ecological footprint. But as often as not the actions people take are not consistent with what they know to be true about the state of the environment. In fact, research demonstrates that simply providing information usually has little or no effect on what people do. But if not brochures, then what? Over the last several years a new approach, community-based social marketing (CBSM), has emerged as an attractive alternative for delivering programs to change environmental behavior. CBSM uses many of the same tools and techniques businesses and advertisers employ to market their services and products to consumers to, instead, persuade people to adopt more socially- and environmentally-responsible behavior such as composting, waste and litter reduction and water conservation. Assembled and maintained by New Brunswick-based social marketing guru Doug McKenzie-Mohr, the cbsm.com website consists of six resources: an online guide which provides valuable information on the use of CBSM to design and evaluate programs to foster sustainable behavior; searchable databases of articles, cases, graphics, and downloadable reports on fostering sustainable behavior, and discussion forums for sharing information and asking questions of others. For more info, contact Doug at dmm@cbsm.com or (506) 455-5061.

The Green Guide
http://www.thegreenguide.com/doc.mhtml?i=107&s=lawn
Edited by Mindy Pennybacker, The Green Guide in-print and on-line publications are published by The Green Guide Institute (GGI), an independent media service designed to provide news, information and educational material to consumers and others. GGI’s mission is to bring you the most objective, responsible and accurate environmental and health information you will find in print or on the web and to ensure that The Green Guide and www.thegreenguide.com serve as your most practical, reliable, and trustworthy content source for product choices and daily practices that are better for health and the environment. The GGI website invites you to sign up for its free bi-weekly The Green Guide to Go e-newsletter providing links to articles recently posted to GGI’s website. The above link takes you to “Nontoxic Lawn Care: Products and How-To's” which discusses the hazards of conventional lawn care products and suggests a wide range of safer alternatives.

JustGive.org
http://www.justgive.org
JustGive is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to connect people with the charities and causes they care about and to increase overall giving. If your non-profit or charitable organization already has a website but no way to collect donations online, JustGive can help. By adding a "Donate Now" button anywhere on your site, you can direct your visitors to your page on JustGive's website. Donors' transactions are safe and secure, checks are mailed to the organization each month, and donors receive an automatic receipt for tax purposes. In order to continue providing a valuable on-line service for donors and non-profits, JustGive deducts 3% of donations for processing/credit card costs (none of which it keeps for itself – all of it is used to pay for credit card and other processing fees that it has no control over). If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact help@justgive.org.

Leave a Legacy®
http://www.leavealegacy.org
First begun in 1994 as a grassroots effort in Columbus, Ohio, Leave A Legacy (LAL) is a campaign conducted by the National Committee on Planned Giving to inspire people to make charitable bequests. Bequests are just one type of "planned gift" – a gift that will be distributed sometime in the future – to a charitable organization or agency. LAL is a broad-based community campaign that involves all types of nonprofit groups, including social service and arts organizations, churches, hospitals and educational institutions. The program is conducted by professionals who assist donors with charitable estate planning. These partners help promote the message that people from all walks of life – covering a wide range of ages and income levels – have the ability to “make a difference in the lives that follow” by leaving a charitable legacy. The website does not solicit gifts for any particular organization – “we want you to choose the charity that has touched you for any future donations you wish to give - it is simply our mission to encourage bequests to charities you deem deserving”. The LAL website features the stories of people who have made charitable bequests and other types of planned gifts in the hope of encouraging others to give. To date, there is one LAL affiliate operating in Massachusetts: Leave A Legacy of Central Massachusetts (http://www.leavealegacycm.org/). For more information, contact: Audrey Klein Leach, 370 Main St., Suite 650, Worcester, MA 01608, (508) 755-0980, akl@greaterworcester.org.

NatureServe
http://www.natureserve.org/index.jsp
Billed as “a network connecting science with conservation, NatureServe and its network of natural heritage programs are the trusted source for information about rare and endangered species and threatened ecosystems”. Available at NatureServe’s website is a new report entitled Endangered By Sprawl: How Runaway Development Threatens America’s Wildlife. The report, produced in cooperation with the National Wildlife Federation, Smart Growth America, and NatureServe, documents how the rapid conversion of once-natural areas and farmland into subdivisions, shopping centers, roads and parking lots has become a leading threat to America’s native plants and animals. For more information, contact Rob Riordan [(703) 908-1831, rob_riordan@natureserve.org].

New England Environmental Finance Center (NE/EFC)
http://efc.muskie.usm.maine.edu/index.html
A cooperative project of EPA Region 1 New England and the University of Southern Maine’s Edmund S. Muskie School of Public Service, the purpose of the NE/EFC is to further the cooperators’ goal of researching, publishing, and extending creative approaches to environmental protection and management, especially respecting the associated "how-to-pay" questions. In particular, the Center works to advance the understanding and practice of "smart growth" throughout New England; to build local capacity to deal with related issues; and to develop and apply techniques that go "beyond compliance" with government regulations. Resources at NE/EFC’s website will soon include an on-line Watershed Funding Directory where you can search for watershed funding (both public and private sources) by targeted searches or geographic area (see the “beta” version at http://beta.nssg.com/bsuwatershed/website/index.asp). For more info, contact the NE/EFC at neefc@usm.maine.edu.

New England Shad Association (NESA)
http://www.newenglandshad.com
Created and maintained by shad enthusiast John Coughlin, the NESA website celebrates the American Shad (Alosa sapidissima, a.k.a. the “poor man’s salmon”) and its cousins and is a great resource for shad fishing enthusiasts in the region. The website keeps close tabs on the annual shad migration up the region’s rivers (most notably the Connecticut) to spawn as well as providing advice on good fishing spots and techniques. FYI, the NESA website reports that due to lingering cold temperatures (until recently), the annual shad migration is a bit later than usual, which should mean some excellent shad fishing opportunities in the very near future (so grab your fishing rod and get out there). Send an e-mail to scough48@charter.net or go on-line to http://www.bio.umass.edu/biology/conn.river/shad.html for more info.

North American Native Fishes Association (NANFA)
http://www.nanfa.org/
The North American Native Fishes Association is dedicated to the appreciation, study and conservation of the continent's native fishes. The website features a checklist of freshwater fishes native to North America and a Fish in Focus section with images and brief descriptions. The site also contains information about an award program for breeders, grant programs, related links, and more.

Northeast Wilderness Trust (NWT)
http://www.newildernesstrust.org
The natural heritage of the Northeast--its distinctive plants, animals, and landscapes--are increasingly threatened by increasing population pressures, sprawling development, pollution, forest fragmentation, atmospheric and climatic changes, and unstable ownership. Although there have been tremendous conservation achievements in the Northeast, only about two percent of the region is protected as “forever-wild”, mostly on public land. Much of the land conserved in the Northeast has been for scenic, recreational, timber, and agricultural purposes. While the protection of multiple-use land is important, the need to complement these lands with the protection of wilderness is critical. The vast majority of land in the Northeast is privately owned; thus, to truly succeed in preserving wilderness areas across the landscape, private solutions are necessary. NWT was founded on the core belief that wilderness needs to become a bigger part of the conservation landscape so that wild Nature will endure in this corner of America. NWT is the only regional land trust focused exclusively on restoring and protecting wilderness areas. The organization works with landowners, government agencies, conservation organizations and other land trusts to restore and preserve “forever-wild” landscapes through conservation easements, land acquisitions, donations and other preservation methods. NWT bases its land protection priorities on conservation science, wilderness potential, community vision, threat, and opportunity. NWT works in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, Massachusetts and Connecticut.

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Publications

The New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission (NEIWPCC, pronounced “newiepick”) recently produced a publication entitled Water Today...Water Tomorrow?: Protecting Drinking Water Sources in Your Community: Tools for Municipal Officials, a colorful and informative source water protection resource for New England’s municipal officials and community volunteers. This action-packed 52-page manual, plus a series of five companion fact sheets, focuses on five key areas of vulnerability identified in New England state Source Water Assessments—inadequate local regulations and ordinances, underground storage tanks, onsite sewage disposal systems, hazardous materials storage, and stormwater runoff. The document provides municipal officials with tools they can use to take action in their communities to protect drinking water sources. It also includes several short case examples from states and communities. The Water Today...Water Tomorrow? manual and fact sheets are available on-line at http://www.neiwpcc.org/Index.htm?sourcewateroutreach/
index.htm~mainFrame. NEIWPCC also has a limited amount of printed copies of these materials available. Please call Kara Sergeant at (978) 323-7929 for more info on this publication and other aspects of NEIWPCC’s Source Water Protection Web page and activities.

“Place-Based Education” is the term for a technique that uses the local community and environment as the starting place for curriculum learning, strengthening community bonds, appreciation for the natural world, and a commitment to citizen engagement. Place-Based Education: Connecting Classrooms & Communities, by David Sobel, the author of the highly influential book Beyond Ecophobia, provides a comprehensive review of the pedagogy and practice of place-based education. Through academic research, practical examples, and step-by-step strategies drawn from classrooms throughout the U.S., Sobel celebrates teachers who emphasize the connection of school, community, and environment. Place-Based Education (105pp., $8) is available from its publisher, the Great Barrington-based Orion Society, along with related works in its Nature Literacy series, at http://www.oriononline.org/pages/ob/nls/index_nls.html.

Green Living: A Practical Journal for Friends of the Environment (http://www.greenlivingjournal.com) has been publishing news you can use, mostly related to environmental issues, since 1990. Its regular topics include organic gardening, green building, health, eco-careers and right livelihood, outdoors/sports, socially responsible investing, eco-notes, questions and answers, book reviews, and features on topical environmental issues. Some topics covered in past issues include composting toilets, community-supported agriculture, solar and tankless water heaters, ecological and water-saving landscaping and John Todd’s Living Machines for improving water quality. Green Living’s focus is on the practical and positive: most articles focus on how the reader can help the environment or improve their health. Like an eco-minded Utne Reader, it scans many publications for the most interesting stories around. The quarterly magazine is available for free at many locations in the Connecticut River valley, and is also available through paid subscription (at a very reasonable sliding scale of $5.95-$7.95/year). For more information, contact editor/publisher Marshall Glickman at P.O. Box 88, 14 Port Thayer Rd, Williamsville, VT 05362, (802) 348-7441, subscriptions@greenlivingjournal.com.

Land Conservation Financing, a book by Mike McQueen and Ed McMahon of The Conservation Fund, provides state and local government officials, land trusts, foundations, universities and others with new information on state-of-the-art conservation financing. It showcases eight of the nation’s leading state land conservation programs—California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota and New Jersey. It lays out how the programs work, how they’re funded and what they’ve accomplished —the protection of millions of acres. The book takes a similar look at local land protection efforts by examining model land conservation programs on Cape Cod, Mass., and in DeKalb County, Ga.; Douglas County, Colo.; Jacksonville, Fla.; Lake County, Ill.; Lancaster County, Pa.; Marin County, Calif.; and the St. Louis metro area. The authors examine how hundreds of communities across the U.S. have created billions of dollars in funding for land conservation by developing successful campaigns to win land conservation ballot measures. Case studies detail how St. Louis area residents defied the odds by creating a two-state multicounty park district in 2000 and California voters approved the largest park and natural resource bond in U.S. history in 2002. Land Conservation Financing also describes how private foundations, such as the Richard King Mellon Foundation, David and

Lucile Packard Foundation and the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, have devoted hundreds of millions of dollars to land conservation in the last two decades. In closing, the authors look at the future of land conservation by profiling the emerging concept of green infrastructure. Green infrastructure is a strategically planned and managed network of wilderness, parks, greenways, conservation easements and working lands with conservation value. This network supports native species, maintains natural ecological processes, sustains air and water resources, and contributes to the health and quality of life for America’s communities and people. By taking a more holistic view of natural systems and their contribution to our well-being, proponents of green infrastructure seek to elevate its status to a primary public investment on a par with roads, water and sewer systems and utilities. Land Conservation Financing (212 pp. $30) is available from its publisher, Island Press, at (800) 828-1302 or http://www.islandpress.org.

Last But Not Least

Does your car have an environmental license plate?

The Massachusetts Environmental Trust (MET, http://massenvironmentaltrust.org) provides funding to many river and other water resources protection and restoration projects throughout the Commonwealth. A major source of MET’s funding comes from the sale of environmental license plates. Besides the “whale” plate (often accompanied in print ads by “Bob”, MET’s new marketing icon), sale of the “FW” (“fish and wildlife”) and “BV” (“Blackstone Valley”) plates also help fund MET’s grant-making programs. (By the way, these three are the only Mass. specialty license plates that exclusively fund environmental programs). Getting an environmental plate is easy and can be done on-line at http://www.mass.gov/rmv or at your local Registry of Motor Vehicles office.

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