Don’t Miss Our Annual Meeting on October 23

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Our annual meetings are typically a time for socializing with other nature lovers, learning something new from a guest speaker, and celebrating the year’s accomplishments, and this year is no exception.

The Attleboro Land Trust is working to preserve properties containing both wetland and upland habitats, a strategy that benefits many wildlife species, especially amphibians.  Our guest at the Annual Meeting will be Carol Entin, who will speak about the variety of common and uncommon amphibian species that inhabit our region.

Attleboro hosts approximately 20% of all known pure blue-spotted salamanders in the northeastern United States! The marbled salamander is also an Attleboro resident. Neighboring Rehoboth hosts 2 of only 8 known inland populations of the Eastern spadefoot toad. Carol, a volunteer amphibian monitor for the Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program, will give a photo presentation about N.E. Amphibians, then focus on how monitors do their work and how you can contribute sightings to the Massachusetts database. A retired Moses Brown science teacher (32 years), and former Caratunk Wildlife Refuge assistant director, Carol is a passionate advocate for amphibians!

Eastern spadefoot toad    Image credit: Carol Entin

Attleboro Land Trust Annual Meeting
Open to the Public
Tuesday, October 23, 2018 6:00PM
Attleboro Arts Museum
86 Park Street, Attleboro, MA

Light Refreshments
Bring Your ID for Wine

ANNUAL MEETING AGENDA
October 23, 2018

6:00 – 6:30 Social half-hour with wine, cheese and fruit
6:30 – 6:40 Welcome and State of the ALT – Roy Belcher, President
6:40 – 6:45 Election of Directors (per handout with slate of nominations)
By Mike O’Brien
6:45 – 7:00 Recognition of volunteers and helpers
7:00 – 7:45 Guest Speaker, Carol Entin, Amphibians in our backyard

Fairy Houses Bring Imagination and Creativity to the Richardson Preserve on October 14

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Create a fairy house on your own and bring it to the Deborah and Roger Richardson Nature Preserve Preserve for set up and display at 9:00 am on Sunday, October 14.  Or come later that day to enjoy the exhibit from 10:00 am through 12:00 noon. Either way you will have a chance to make and take a fairy garden at this event.

What are Fairy Houses? According to the Fairy House official website: “Fairy Houses are small structures for the fairies and woodland creatures. Ranging from simple to intricate ‘Fairy Mansions’, these whimsical habitats are built by children, families, gardeners and nature lovers reflecting their creativity, joy and pride.” Google “fairy houses” for images, ideas and instructions.

Fairy houses will be exhibited at the creator’s own risk and be removed at the end of the 1-day, 2-hour exhibit, or left in the woods for the fairies and removed when needed by the land trust.

To register, go to the event listing page. Click on the register link or call: 508-222-0157.

This fairy house by Sarah Mott will be one of the creations on display at the Richardson Preserve on October 14.

Attleboro Land Trust sponsored Big Read Event
9:00 am – 12:00 noon
Fairy House Exhibit
In the Glen and Deborah’s Garden
At Deborah and Roger Richardson Nature Preserve
577B Wilmarth Street, Attleboro

Garden To Celebrate 20 Years on Sept. 8

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The Attleboro Area Community Garden’s 20th Anniversary Celebration will be held on September 8, 2018 from 1 pm to 4 pm at the Garden on Hayward and Mechanic Streets in Attleboro, with a rain location at Murray UU Church, 505 North Main Street, Attleboro.

The afternoon program will include:

  • A workshop presented by Master Gardener Kathi Gariepy on “Preparing for Next Year’s Garden – Tips and Tools.” The workshop will explore how to put the garden to bed, looking at what went right this season, and how to improve the garden for next year.  In addition, a few tools will be shown that will help make next year a great and productive year in the garden.  The workshop is scheduled to begin at 1:00 pm.
  • Bloom Gardening for Good will host a garden-themed rock painting activity for children from 1:00 to 2:15.
  • At 2:30 a program honoring the Garden’s achievements and volunteers will take place.  Light refreshments and a cake will be served.
  • Donations of fresh produce and non-perishable food will be accepted during the afternoon and will be donated to the Murray UU Church Food Pantry.

For more information, contact Juliet Teixeira, [email protected], 508-222-2569 or visit the Attleboro Community Garden’s Facebook page.

Thanks, everyone!

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We have called on our pool of volunteers many times over the past year and they have come through every time, whether it involves stuffing envelopes, pruning trails, or doing some pretty heavy lifting.  We can always use more volunteers, so if you are not already in our volunteer pool, please send us your email address and we will add you to the list.

Roy Belcher, Russ Pray, Bob Martin, Ken Drucker, Jeff Lundgren, and Phil Boucher    Image credit: C Adler

Dick Cheyne, Jeff Lundgren, Bill Lewis, Ken Drucker, and Russ Pray installing a signpost at the Richardson Preserve, December 2, 2017.    Image credit: C Adler

ALT board member Hans Schaefer mowing the Upper Hayfield at the Richardson Preserve, June 2, 2018.    Image credit: C Adler

Bob Martin, Cecilia Walsh, Larry Woodbury, and David Hill clearing a trail at the Anthony Lawrence Wildlife Preserve on October 14, 2017    Image credit: C Adler

A Day of Celebration

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June 9th at the Deborah and Roger Richardson Nature Preserve was a day for education, recreation, and celebration as more than 200 visitors participated in walks, talks, games, geocaching, and expressing appreciation to those who made it all possible.

Following acquisition of the property in June, 2016, the event was two years in the making.  New trails have been marked and boardwalks have been installed.  Signage has been put up to recognize and thank the major donors.  Interpretive panels describe the site’s history, flora, and fauna.  A new split rail fence marks the west edge of the property.  The 18th century Barrows House has a new coat of paint and is enhanced with historically-appropriate plantings.  Years of untamed growth have been removed to reveal an expansive lawn dubbed The Glen.  More overgrowth has been removed to reveal hardy perennials not tended for decades in Deborah’s Garden.

Visitors participated in various guided walks–viewing vernal pools, wetlands, fields, forests, gardens, and foundations of farm outbuildings.  Children petted a visiting herd of alpacas and went on a nature scavenger hunt.  Local residents interested in the history of the site could hear a historical narrative by Bill Lewis and then view the evidence with their own eyes.  Geocachers sought their own treasures.  And those with energy to burn could circle the trails in either low or high gear.

The weather could not have been better–showing the preserve in a perfect light.

Opening ceremony in the Glen at the Richardson Preserve.    Image credit: C Adler

A sign recognizing the many significant donations and grants that made acquisition of the preserve possible.    Image credit: C Adler

Land trust president Roy Belcher with Richardson family friend Robin Pantuosco, dedicating a tree in memory of Deborah and Roger Richardson.    Image credit: C Adler

Ted Leach thanks Charlie Wyman, Mass Audubon Land Protection Specialist, for his key role in preserving green spaces in Attleboro.    Image credit: C Adler

Opening Celebration attendees took an inaugural walk of the Charlie Wyman Trail.    Image credit: C Adler

Peonies in Deborah’s Garden.    Image credit: C Adler

Deborah’s Garden is one of the last stops on the Charlie Wyman Trail.    Image credit: C Adler

A side trail passes by this vernal pool.    Image credit: C Adler

This eighteenth century tableau prepared by local historian Bill Lewis could be viewed by any visitors curious enough to peek into one of the front windows of the Barrows House on June 9th.    Image credit: C Adler

The owners of Happy Snowman Alpaca Farm in Attleboro kindly brought their alpacas and demonstrated wool spinning techniques to the delight of all.    Image credit: C Adler

Read more about this event in an article published in The Sun Chronicle.

Another Milestone Accomplished at Richardson Preserve

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Many hands combined to help the Attleboro Land Trust complete a new split rail fence on the Richardson Preserve just in time for the Opening Celebration on June 9.

With the support of Sensata Technologies of Attleboro, four Sensata employees managed to complete the installation of more than 400 feet of split rail fencing along the western boundary of the property on May 31.  This is yet another outstanding accomplishment in an ongoing partnership with Sensata.

Local businesses National Fence of Attleboro and Norton Equipment Rental were generous in their support of the project.  The Attleboro Conservation Commission provided funds to purchase the materials.

Even with a powerful auger, the team had to stop many times to dislodge some heavy boulders.    Image credit: C Adler

Community Garden News Update

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The Attleboro Community Garden, now in its 20th year, opened on April 7th. Although it was a cold and dreary day, about 30 gardeners took part in opening day activities that included cleaning the grounds and adding soil and compost to garden plots.  During the morning, gardeners also accepted a rest area and kiosk which were planned and built by Eagle Scout candidate Cameron Griswold.

Even with the unseasonably cool Spring, the Garden is starting to come to life.  On May 2, Attleboro Girl Scout Troop 4984 stopped by the Garden and gave gardeners garden buckets.  The Girl Scout troop took some of the proceeds they earned from cookie sales and made 60 garden buckets that they distributed to different organizations.  The buckets contained, garden gloves, tools, seeds and a decoration.

Upcoming activities at the Garden this year include a ladybug release, scheduled for June 22 at 5:30 pm; garden party and potluck lunch on June 23 from 10:30 am to 1 pm, and a 20th Anniversary Celebration tentatively scheduled for September 8th.

Richardson Boardwalks Completed

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Thank you, Sensata Team, for volunteering your skills and energies over two days of hard work to build three new boardwalks at the Richardson Preserve on October 12 and 19. Your efforts will enable us to open new trails that will be enjoyed by the public for years to come.

Sensata team constructs boardwalk at Richardson Preserve    Image credit: C Adler

Boardwalk construction in progress    Image credit: C Adler

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Community Gardeners Look Ahead After Productive Season

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The Attleboro Area Community Garden continues to be a hidden gem in Attleboro. All 62 plots, including 8 accessible plots, were leased out by the Garden Opening Day in early April. On June 28th, over 30 giggling adults and children helped release 9,000 ladybugs into the Garden. The educational and fun event was sponsored and presented by Bloom Gardening for Good. Gardeners and their families and friends learned about good bugs and bad bugs – ladybugs help keep the aphid population down.

Despite a late start to the growing season due to cool and wet weather during the spring, the Garden held Harvest Day events on July 29th and August 26th. On these days, gardeners gathered several boxes of fresh produce from their plots which were then donated to the nearby Hebron Food Pantry. Souza Family Farm in Rehoboth took part in the July Harvest Day and donated 2 bushels of summer squash.

The Community Garden is looking forward to a few enhancements over the next months. Garden committee members have been working with Eagle Scout candidate Cameron Griswold who is planning to build a rest area between the Garden and the 10-mile River. This will allow gardeners as well the general public to be able to sit and rest while enjoying the beautiful scenery. Cameron is also building a kiosk for the Community Garden to allow for posting of garden news and resources as well as information on local food pantries. Students at Attleboro High School are building a shed for the garden. The materials are being paid for by a grant the Garden received last year from the New England Grassroots Environment Fund.

The Community Garden is not only a place for gardeners who have plots to enjoy, area residents frequently walk through the garden with their families looking at what is being grown in each of the plots and looking for ideas for their home gardens.

A New Gift of Land

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On June 29, the Attleboro Land Trust received 36 acres of conservation land as a gift from Donald DesVergnes, Roger G. DesVergnes, and Marette & Sons, Inc. The land, to be named the DesVergnes Family Nature Preserve, is in two parcels located east of Lindsey Street. The larger of the two parcels (26 acres) has frontage on Lindsey Street and consists of undeveloped land between residential areas on Roadway A, Roadway B, and Colt’s Way. The smaller parcel (10 acres) lies between a residential area on Kennedy Drive and the Mansfield line. A utility easement allows power lines to cross the parcel. Future plans for the property include walking trails on the larger parcel off Lindsey Street. We are grateful to the DesVergnes family for this generous gift, which brings the total acreage protected by the Attleboro Land Trust in the city to 690 acres (490 owned and 200 under conservation restrictions which we hold).