APRIL 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.

 

Leap into Spring!
with Kid's Walks at Fresh Pond Reservation

Dates: Fridays, April 4 to June 6
Time: 10 to 11:30 am
Meeting Place: Maher Park, 650 Concord Ave.

Join CWD staff on ambles to discover the wildlife and sights of Fresh Pond! Possible exploits include puddle- jumping, nature crafts, insect safaris, and storytime. Please come ready for adventure with your grownup(s), your own drink and snack, and clothes that are OK to get a little dirty. We hope you can come play! Heavy rain, thunder, and/or extreme heat cancels.
For more information and parking directions, contact Kirsten at (617) 349-6489 / klindquist@cambridgema.gov .

Migratory Bird Walk #1

Date: Saturday, April 12
Time: 8:30 to 10:30 am
Meeting Place: Register for parking and meeting information

Among the migrating birds that are passing through at this time of year, we might see several species of waterfowl, as well as songbirds, including a variety of warblers. In addition, many of our summer residents will have returned: tree swallows, catbirds, phoebes, vireos, orioles, grackles and red-winged blackbirds. Beginners are welcome. We have binoculars to lend and will show you how to use them. Led by Nancy Guppy. To register and for important meeting and parking information, email Elizabeth at friendsoffreshpond@yahoo.com or call 617-349-6489 during business hours.

 

Earth Day Community Weed-out
The Great Garlic Mustard Muster!

Date: Tuesday, April 22
Time: 5:30 to 7:00 pm
Meeting Place: Meet at Maher Park (650 Concord Ave.), weeding at Black's Nook

Join our Community Weed-Out kick-off! We'll tackle insidious garlic mustard with shovels to free up our woodland floor for native groundcover species like wild violet. No experience necessary and all tools are provided! Long sleeves, pants and a water bottle are recommended. Latecomers are welcome; please find us at the Black's Nook bulletin board. Parking is available at the Maher Park lot. No need to register - just come!.

 

Migratory Bird Walk #2

Date: Saturday, April 26
Time: 8 to 10 am
Meeting Place: Register for parking and meeting information

Every bird walk is unique and an opportunity for surprises. That is part of the thrill of birding! We only can guess in advance what we might see and hear. At this time of year many of the birds are courting and claiming territories, so we will probably hear plenty of bird song. Beginners welcome, and we can lend you binoculars. Led by Nancy Guppy. To register and for important meeting and parking information, email Elizabeth Wylde at friendsoffreshpond@yahoo.com or call 617-349-6489 during business hours.

Cambridge Water(shed) Works
A Big-Picture Adventure in our Water Address

Date: Monday, April 28
Time: 6:00 to 7:30 pm
Meeting Place: Walter J. Sullivan Water Purification Facility
250 Fresh Pond Parkway

You may have had the chance to see our waterworks treatment process in action, but do you know how our watershed brings water to the treatment facility? What is a watershed and water address anyway? Join us for an interactive and hands-on workshop about where our water comes from and how watersheds work. This program is appropriate for ages 8 through adult. Come ready to experiment and get involved, and don't forget to register with Kirsten at klindquist@cambridgema.gov or (617) 349-6489! Registration Required - Please register by NOON, Friday, April 25.

 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

MORE PROGRAMS - KEEP SCROLLING DOWN!

To receive monthly email program announcements, send an email to friendsoffreshpond@yahoo.com

GROW NATIVE MASSACHUSETTS Presents Evenings with Experts 2014 First Wednesdays of the Month: 7:00 - 8:30 pm Free and open to all. April 2 - American Oaks: A Genus to Love Tom Boland, Director of the Polly Hill Arboretum on Martha's Vineyard CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS

 

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

MAY 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.

 

Spring Bird Walk

Dates: Sunday, May 4
Time: 7:30 to 9:30 am
Meeting Place: Register for parking and meeting information

Many of our summer residents will have returned, including tree swallows, catbirds, grackles and red-winged blackbirds - and perhaps phoebes, vireos, and orioles. They will be singing up a storm, courting mates and defending territories. Some will be hard at work building nests. Led by Nancy Guppy. Beginners are welcome. We have binoculars to lend and will show you how to use them. To register and for important meeting and parking information, email Elizabeth at friendsoffreshpond@yahoo.com or call 617-349-6489 during business hours.

 

A Tour of the Water Purification Facility

Date: Monday, May 5
Time: 6 to 7:30 pm
Meeting Place : Water Purification Facility front door
250 Fresh Pond Parkway

Come learn where your tap water originates, how it is purified to make it safe and tasty for drinking and cooking, and the role Fresh Pond plays in the process. 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.

 

Fresh Pond Stewards – Big & Small, Short & Tall – Family Night

Date: Monday, May 5
Time: 6 to 7:30 pm
Meeting Place : Water Purification Facility front door
250 Fresh Pond Parkway

Join a fun volunteer evening for both big and little hands. Activities will require a bit of walking about, so recommended age is 6 and up. This is an outside activity; bring clothes that can get a bit dirty! For more information contact Kirsten at klindquist@cambridgema.gov or (617) 349-6489. No registration necessary.

Managing Invasives
From Garlic Mustard Pulls to Tupperweed Parties

Date: Wednesday, May 7
Time: 7 to 8:30 pm
Meeting Place: Cambridge Public Library,
449 Broadway, Cambridge

The cooperative management of invasive species requires creative new approaches- whether working with your neighbors or navigating town hall. Dr. Julie Richburg, Regional Ecologist for The Trustees of Reservations, is the founder and Chair of the Westfield River Watershed Invasive Species Partnership. She will explore with us innovative ways to start grassroots control efforts, discussing effective outreach methods and the importance of public education. She will describe Westfield's effective organizational collaboration and coordinated control methods as well as several other town-wide efforts. Friends of Fresh Pond Reservation is helping Grow Native Massachusetts present this program. Details about this and future GNM programs at grownativemass.org . You do NOT need to register to attend this program.

Birding by Ear

Date: Saturday, May 10
Time: 7:30 to 9:30 am
Meeting Place: Register for parking and meeting information

Bird walk leader Herb Pearce will help us learn to identify and locate birds by their songs. At this time of year we may also hear babies in the nest, and see their parents bringing them food. We will use guides with pictures of the birds to help you get to know them. Birders of all experience levels are welcome. We have binoculars to lend and will show you how to use them. Register with Elizabeth Wylde at friendsoffreshpond@yahoo.com or call 617-349-6489 during business hours.

 

Upper Watershed Walkabout

Date: Monday, May 12
Time: Departs and returns in the evening
Meeting Place: Water Purification Facility front door
250 Fresh Pond Parkway

Stroll with Water Dept. staff through some of the up-country land that protects our Stony Brook and Hobbs Brook Reservoirs. Connect with your water source and meet the folks protecting your upper watershed. Registration required by noon on May 9, and space is LIMITED! Transportation is provided. Outdoor clothing, water and bug repellant recommended. To register, contact Kirsten at klindquist@cambridgema.gov or (617) 349-6489.

Bee-Wise...Know Your Fresh Pond Pollinators!

Date: Monday, May 19
Time: 6 to 7:30 pm
Meeting Place: Water Purification Facility
250 Fresh Pond Parkway

Pollinators are what keep the world growing, and Fresh Pond Reservation is no exception! Meet one of Fresh Pond’s beekeepers to learn about bee biology, ecology and what it takes to beekeep! We’ll get to see some bees up close and visit the Lusitania hives. For more information contact Kirsten at klindquist@cambridgema.gov or (617) 349-6489. No registration necessary.

Seventh Annual Fresh Pond Day

Date: Saturday, May 31
Time: 11 am to 3 pm
Meeting Place: on the lawn and parking lot outside the Water Treatment Facility
250 Fresh Pond Parkway

Fresh Pond Day is Cambridge’s annual celebration of community and sustainability at Fresh Pond Reservation, our urban oasis and water source! Live music, kid games and face paint. Meet & greet tables by city, community and sustainability groups, and much more! Come join in the spring fun! FREE and open to all. To volunteer, or participate as an organization, contact Kirsten at (617) 349-6489/klindquist@cambridgema.gov. Otherwise, just come - no need to register.

Fresh Pond Day: Visit the Woodland Restoration Project

Date: Saturday, May 31
Time: 11:30 am to 2:30 pm
Meeting Place: Get directions at the FFPR information table at the Water Department
250 Fresh Pond Parkwayy

Come for Fresh Pond Day and stop for a quiet visit in the Woodland Restoration Project. This area has been planted with species that are native to what is now Middlesex County. There is a circular path to walk on and, during Fresh Pond Day, the plants will be labeled. This is a good place to learn about native plants that you might want to use in your own garden. No dogs, please! You do NOT need to register to visit the Project.

 

 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

MORE PROGRAMS - KEEP SCROLLING DOWN!

To receive monthly email program announcements, send an email to friendsoffreshpond@yahoo.com

GROW NATIVE MASSACHUSETTS Presents Evenings with Experts 2014 First Wednesdays of the Month: 7:00 - 8:30 pm Free and open to all. May 7- Managing Invasives From Garlic Mustard Pulls to Tupperweed Parties Dr. Julie Richburg, Regional Ecologist for The Trustees of Reservations, is the founder and Chair of the Westfield River Watershed Invasive Species Partnership. CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS

 

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

 

SEE 2014 WATER DEPARTMENT PROGRAMS BELOW