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| Waite Award | Upcoming Events | |
Supplemental River Clean-up (Sep 20, 2003 - 9:00 a.m.) Meet at the southeast end of the Great River Bridge (where Rt. 10/202 cross the Westfield River just north of the center of town) at 9:00 a.m. The plan is to send smaller groups out to cleanup particular areas, especially along Rt. 20 west of Westfield. Contact Gabe Khatchadourian (568-3005) for more information. Stream Connectivity Surveying (Sep 27, 2003 - 9:00 a.m.) We're planning to do surveying of culverts and bridges along one of the tributaries of the Westfield River, probably in the Huntington area. We'll meet at Westfield State College initially, spend a little time familiarizing newcomers with the survey forms, then go out into the watershed in groups of two or three to do the surveying. Contact Mike Young (572-5741) for more information. Annual Source-to-the-Sea River Clean-up (Oct 4, 2003 - 9:00 a.m.) Meet at the southeast end of the Great River Bridge (where Rt. 10/202 cross the Westfield River just north of the center of town) at 9:00 a.m for WRWA's annual participation in the Source-to-the-Sea cleanup of the Connecticut River and its tributaries. We'll be cleaning along the Riverwalk in Westfield and, if there are enough volunteers, at other locations in Westfield and along Rt. 20 to the West. Contact Gabe Khatchadourian (568-3005) for more information. AMC Noble View Hike (Oct 11, 2003 - 10:00 a.m.) Hike from AMC Noble View Camp into the Springfield - Cobble Mountain Westfield River watershed area exploring old stone farmhouse foundations and stop at several lookouts over the valley. The destination will be a brick kiln that was used for gunpowder manufacturing or possibly for producing heating fuel for the well to-do. It will make for a pleasant day with foliage at the peak. The hike takes place on Saturday, October, 11, 2003 at 10:00 am; 4 miles, leisurely pace, terrain average with some uphill. A trail use fee is required. Call leader Gary Forish 562-6792 for details. Our Land: Going, Going, Gone (Oct 15, 2003 - 7:30 p.m.) This program is perhaps one of the most important ever presented by the Springfield Naturalists Club and should be of interest to every person concerned about nature and the outdoors. Bob Wilber, Director of Land Protection for Mass Audubon, will discuss the urgent need to protect critical wildlife and plant habitat in the Commonwealth. We are currently losing 16,000 acres of land (44 acres per day) to development. Sprawl is increasing at an alarming rate. The nature of Massachusetts as we know it is very much at risk. There is a narrowing window of 10 to 15 years to do "meaningful conservation" in Massachusetts. After this time the amount of land fragmented by development will make meaningful conservation and protection virtually impossible. Utilizing a dynamic power point presentation, Bob will explore this problem, and provide information on how ordinary citizens can help preserve the plants, animals, and natural resources of our state. This is a must see program for all nature, outdoor recreation and land conservation groups. The presentation will begin at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, October 15, in the Fine Arts Museum Auditorium, at the Quadrangle in Springfield. For more information or travel directions call Dietrich Schlobohm at (413) 788-4125. Sanderson Brook Falls and Beyond (Oct 18, 2003 - 9:00 a.m.) Sanderson Brook Falls is one of the most spectacular falls in the Westfield River watershed. Join Tom Condon for a relaxing walk along the brook as we gradually ascend to this magnificent sight. After a short break to enjoy the sights and sounds, we'll continue our hike to one of the best views of the watershed by ascending some old gravel roads to the top of the H. Newman Marsh Memorial Trail. Here a series of overlooks offers outstanding views of the valley. We'll finally descend the steep H. Newman Marsh Memorial Trail back to the parking lot. This is the most rugged part of the trip and a good, sturdy pair of boots and perhaps a walking stick is suggested. Total distance of the hike is about 3.5 miles bring a lunch, plenty of water, and raingear. Heavy rains cancel. Meet at the Sanderson Brook Falls parking area off Rt. 20 in Chester (across from Bannish Lumber). Please call Tom (564-0895) to sign up. Wild & Scenic Celebration (Oct 18, 2003) The Westfield River Wild and Scenic Advisory Committee is planning to hold a trail work/dedication for the East Branch Trail on Saturday October 18th. There will be a hike as part of this event to give people a tour of the area. Please contact Carrie Banks at (413)773-5031 or river_banks@hotmail.com for more information. October Mountain in November (Nov 2, 2003 - 9:00 a.m.) Join us for an early November hike along the gently rolling hills of October Mountain State Forest. After running a car shuttle, we'll start our hike off County Road (gravel) in Beckett (5 miles from Route 8). We'll then hike the Appalachian Trail to the picturesque Finerty Pond. If a bit of fall color still survives this pond is a real delight. The trail is relatively gentle through this section of the forest. We'll then begin a gradual ascent of both Becket (2,180 ft.) and Walling (2,220 ft.) Mountains. Although the summits are forested, the open woods in the area makes for a very pleasant fall hike as the newly fallen leaves pad our steps beats raking them. The total distance of the hike is 5.5 miles. Bring a lunch, plenty of water, raingear and good hiking boots. Heavy rains cancel. Meet at the Westfield State College commuter parking lot off Western Avenue. Please call Tom (564-0895) to sign up. |
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