AUGUST
2014 PROGRAMS
at
Fresh Pond Reservation
These
events are FREE and open to the public. Children are welcome in
the company of an adult.
You will receive information on parking when you register.
Registration information is below.
Wildflower
Identification Using Newcomb's Wildflower Guide
Date:
Saturday, August 2
Time: 1 to 3pm
Meeting Place : Water Purification Facility front door
250 Fresh Pond Parkway
If
you find yourself wishing that you could identify the flowers
that you see as you walk around Fresh Pond, this program may be
just right for you! We will demonstrate the use of Newcomb's,
a wildflower guide that really works; then we will identify some
beautiful specimens in the nearby Water Department planting beds.
We have Newcomb's guides and hand lenses to lend, or you can bring
your own.
Register with Elizabeth Wylde at friendsoffreshpond@yahoo.com
or leave a message at 617-349-6489.
Volunteer
Adventures at Fresh Pond with Ranger Jean
Dates:
Saturdays, August 2 and
9
Time: 10 am to 1 pm
Meeting Place : Fresh
Pond Ranger Station
250 Fresh Pond Parkway
Go
behind the scenes to see what's involved in maintaining Cambridge's
most heavily visited open space. Volunteers will water trees,
spread wood chips on pathways, remove invasive plants, take counts
of park users, prune back brush, and help Ranger Jean with some
of her other ranger duties. A list of adventures will be posted
weekly in the Ranger Station as we see what needs to be done.
Gloves, tools and good company provided. Bring a water bottle
and wear sturdy shoes (no sandals!); long pants recommended. For
more information contact Ranger Jean at jrogers@cambridgema.gov
or call 508-562- 7605.
Fresh
Pond Monarch Watch: Pod-a-Palooza!
Date:
Monday, August 4
Time: 6 to 7:30 pm
Meeting Place : Water Purification Facility front door
250 Fresh Pond Parkway
Not
only does the invasive weed black swallow-wort push out
the milkweed which monarchs depend on,
it also confuses monarchs who accidentally lay their eggs on it,
poisoning the caterpillars.
Help stop the spread - pick seed pods with us! This a low-impact
weeding activity appropriate
for all ages - bring friends and family! Every pod we pick is
at least a couple hundred seeds that won't sprout. Tools and gloves
provided. Sturdy shoes, water bottle and bug repellant recommended.Learn
more about Fresh Pond Monarch Watch at www.cambridgema.gov/Water/freshpondreservation..
For more information contact Kirsten at klindquist@cambridgema.gov
or (617) 349-6489. No registration necessary.
A
Tour of the Water Purification Facility
Date:
Monday, August 4
Time: 6 to 7:30 pm
Meeting Place : Water Purification Facility front door
250 Fresh Pond Parkway
Find
out how water that falls as rain in the suburbs 10 miles west
of Cambridge is transported to Fresh Pond and then tested, treated
and delivered to the city's residents and businesses! Members
of the Cambridge Water Department staff will describe the process,
answer your questions, and give a tour of the building. For
more information contact Kirsten at klindquist@cambridgema.gov
or (617) 349-6489. No registration necessary.
Wake-Up
and Weed!
Date:
Every Thursday in August
Time: 10 am to12 noon
Meeting Place . Meets at the volunteer trailer in the parking
lot in front of the Water Dept .
Join
our weed-warrior crew! We are Fresh Pond citizens dedicated to
keeping invasive plants at bay for the benefit of wildlife, water
and humans alike. No experience or long-term commitment necessary!
All tools are provided; sturdy shoes, pants, long-sleeves and
a water bottle are strongly recommended. For more information
contact Kirsten at (617) 349-6489 / klindquist@cambridgema.gov
. No
registration necessary
Experience Fresh Pond through Nature Journaling
Date:
Friday, August 8
Time: 10 am to 12 noon
Meeting Place : Maynard Ecology Center
650 Concord Avenue
Join
Ranger Jean and Tobin School Volunteers for a single 2 hour
session on nature journaling as a means of learning more about
Fresh Pond over time. This is not a drawing class: it is more
a methods experience. Bring a journal or simple drawing pad, some
number 2 pencils and a gum eraser Starts at 10 am sharp. Please
register in advance at 508 562-7605 or jrogers@cambridgema.gov
to obtain reference materials electronically.
Get
Ready to HONK!
Date:
Sunday, August 10
Time: 1 to 3 pm
Meeting Place : Fresh Pond Ranger Station
250 Fresh Pond Parkway
Come
learn about the HONK! parade and make signs, flags and
masks of Living Things at Fresh Pond Reservation to be carried
by marchers. At this program for people of all ages, you will
learn about some of our wildlife, and color and prepare masks,
signs and flags that represent them. All materials supplied. Go
home with information about the Festival and sign up to join us
in October for the event. For more information contact Ranger
Jean at jrogers@cambridgema.gov or 508 562-7605.
Community
Weedout: The Grateful Dead-Head
Date:
Monday, August 11
Time: 6
to 7:30 pm
Meeting Place: The volunteer trailer in the parking lot
in front of the Water Dept .
Sharpen
those pruning shears and get your groove on - we've got weeds
to dead-head! Thistles and burdock to be exact. Now's our chance
to stop seed spread from invasive weeds we missed earlier in the
season. Tie-dye attire encouraged, family-friendly boombox of
good jams provided. Sturdy shoes, long pants and sleeves, water
bottle and bug repellent recommended. Leather gloves and shears
will be available. For more information contact Kirsten at
(617) 349-6489 / klindquist@cambridgema.gov
. No
registration necessary
Fresh
Pond Monarch Watch: Caterpillar Check-up & Release Preparation
Date:
Tuesday, August 12
Time: 1 to 3 pm
Meeting Place : Ranger Station Door
250 Fresh Pond Parkway
Reservation
staff are raising monarch caterpillars for release! This butterfly
species is under threat and we're taking action to protect them
(and help our local habitats) at Fresh Pond. Come see how the
caterpillars are growing, learn how you can help, and prepare
crafts for our big release in August! Learn more about the project
at www.cambridgema.gov/Water/freshpondreservation.
Fresh
Pond Monarch Watch: Pod Patrol
Date:
Monday, August 18
Time: 6
to 7:30 pm
Meeting Place: The volunteer trailer in the parking lot
in front of the Water Dept .
This
is round two of the pod-picking campaign to stop the spread of
the highly invasive black swallow-wort. This will be a low-impact
weeding session great for all ages! Every pod we pick is at least
a couple hundred seeds that won't sprout. Tools and gloves provided.
Sturdy shoes, water bottle and bug repellant recommended. Learn
more about Fresh Pond Monarch Watch at www.cambridgema.gov/Water/freshpondreservation.
For more information contact Kirsten at (617) 349-6489 / klindquist@cambridgema.gov
. No
registration necessary
Fresh
Pond Monarch Watch: Butterfly Release Ceremony
Date:
Saturday, August 23
Time:2
to 3:30 pm
Meeting Place: Cambridge Water Department
front door
250 Fresh Pond Parkway
This
is the big day all our hard work has been for - the release of
our monarchs back into the wild! A parade - open to all (decorations
and noisemakers encouraged!) - will take us from the Water Treatment
Facility to Lusitania Meadow, where we’ll have a little ceremony
and finally send our butterflies off into the meadow. Feel
free to just meet us at the meadow too! For more information contact
Kirsten at (617) 349-6489 / klindquist@cambridgema.gov
. No
registration necessary.
Composting
101
Date:
Monday, August 25
Time:
6 to 7:30 pm
Meeting Place: Cambridge Water Department
front door
250 Fresh Pond Parkway
Learn
options to compost food scraps and reduce food waste! Cambridge's
Recycling Director, Ms. Randi Mail, will review best practices
for outdoor and indoor composting, and options for drop-off and
bicycle pickup. Recycling food scraps into soil is rewarding,
benefits your plants and helps to curb climate change! Americans
waste over 40% of the food we produce (over $100 billion value)
- be part of the change, right in your own home! Please REGISTER
for this workshop: email recycle@cambridgema.gov or call (617)
349-6489. For more information contact Kirsten at (617) 349-6489
/ klindquist@cambridgema.gov
. No
registration necessary
You
can sign up for the
City of Cambridge's user-friendly and informative
Recycling
and Composting Newsletter
by emailing recycle@cambridgema.gov
Also, check out the Recycling Division's
Website
|
Please
register for each event that you plan to attend:
You will receive directions and information on parking in response
to your registration.
Follow registration directions included with each program
description
To
receive monthly email program announcements, send an email to
friendsoffreshpond@yahoo.com
