Guided Forest Walk

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Saturday, October 20th at 1:00 pm (Burgess-Brown Farm at the end of Murray Lane, Harvard)

Experience the peace and tranquility of Harvard’s woodlands in a new way. Certified guide Pam Frederick leads this one hour introduction to Forest Bathing or “Shinrin Yoku.” The walk includes slow, mindful walking which helps us become present to the wonders of the natural world. Contact Pam Frederick for more information and to register. pwfrederick@gmail.com or 978-460-0781 or 978-456-3312.

Run for the Hills 2018: new course, live music, and more

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Please join us for the 9th annual Run for the Hills 5K trail race! Sunday October 21st; registration opens at 9:00 a.m. with 10:00 start.

New Location! Run starts and ends at Community Harvest Project orchard (115 Prospect Hill Rd) and traverses the scenic and challenging Prospect Hill Conservation area. As a less strenuous alternative, participants can register for a 2K “Orchard Walk” featuring some of the best views in Harvard.
Easy online registration at: https://www.lightboxreg.com/2018-run-for-the-hills-5k_2018. 5K registration fee is $30, with special rates for HCT members and early bird registration before 9/8, and youth ($20), orchard walk only ($20), and families ($60). Free T-shirt to all runners and walkers registered by Friday  October 5th.

All proceeds from the 5K trail race and orchard benefit the Harvard Conservation Trust!

Come One, Come All to Horse Meadows Knoll Opening Celebration

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Saturday, September 29th, 9:30 – 11:30 a.m. at Horse Meadows on Sherry Road in Harvard.

Come celebrate and explore the opening of Harvard’s newest conservation area.  Staff and Board members of the Harvard Conservation Trust and Sudbury Valley Trustees will be on hand to share the story behind their partnership to protect this ecological gem, as well as provide guided walks of the land with its rocky outcrops, varied terrain and natural communities, and active wildlife.

Pre-registration is requested but not required at: https://www.svtweb.org/calendar/grand-opening-horse-meadows-knoll-trails

Tonight! Presentation & Book Signing: “Natural World of Winnie the Pooh”

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Monday, Sept. 24, at 7 p.m. in Volunteers Hall, the Garden Club of Harvard and the Harvard Conservation Trust will co-host author and landscape designer Kathryn Aalto. Aalto will discuss her book, “The Natural World of Winnie-the-Pooh,” exploring the real landscapes of Pooh’s Hundred Acre Wood and the influence of landscape in shaping the classic tales of Winnie the Pooh.   Aalto was related to the late Erhart Muller, a long-time Shaker Road resident and Harvard Conservation Trust co-founder.  The presentation is free and open to the public; donations to HCT’s Muller Conservation Collaborative are encouraged; copies of The Natural World of Winnie the Pooh available for purchase.

Guided Mushroom Walk

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Guided Mushroom Walk
Saturday Sept 22, 2018 10:30

Amateur mycologists Al Ferry, George Davis and Joan Finger are leading the walk. This time of year can be ideal for the growth of mushrooms, and the recent damp weather may help push them into view.  This (mostly!) annual event is always a fun and interesting walk. Join a group of enthusiasts who head into the woods to discover, identify and learn about the mushrooms and fungi found in our woodlands.

We will gather in the driveway of 56 Stow Road in Harvard.  This event is open to all (no dogs, please), and will take place (light) rain or shine. Severe weather cancels. If in doubt call Abbe Alpert 508-479-3182

Help to Protect “John’s Field”!

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HCT has been working behind the scenes for the past two years on a project that would permanently protect a significant 10-acre parcel of land on Slough Road, known as John‘s Field.  This project is an outstanding conservation opportunity, and here’s why:

  • Connectivity!  Protecting land that links to other conserved land is critical for both wildlife habitat and outdoor recreation.  John’s Field is our best chance to create a greenway from Town center to the network of conservation lands around Great Elms.
  • Farmland and local food! John’s Field contains “prime” farmland soils and is cultivated by a local farmer.  Protecting land with prime agricultural soils is a goal of the Massachusetts’ Local Food Action Plan, and supports Harvard’s agricultural economy.
  • Iconic landscape!  John’s Field is about a mile from Town center at the highpoint of Slough Road.  All those who drive, bike, or walk this stretch of Slough Road experience its scenic beauty and openness.  It is places like this that define Harvard and the Nashoba region.

The cost of the John’s Field project is $350,000.  Thanks to funds available from HCT’s Muller Conservation Collaborative we needed to raise only half this amount; and thanks to several generous donations from neighbors, friends, and a Fields Pond Foundation grant we currently have $38,000 left to raise, and a September 21st deadline!  Please help us successfully complete this project by making your contribution today.  Give online through the Donation Page on this website, or by mailing a check to: Harvard Conservation Trust | P.O. Box 31 | Harvard, MA 01451.  Please write “Muller Conservation Collaborative” on your check or online gift so we can match your donation dollar-for-dollar.

Plein Air Art Reception

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Saturday July 7th, 3:00-5:00 pm.

Harvard Cultural Collaborative, 7 Fairbanks Street, Harvard, MA

This exhibit focuses on plein air art resulting from a series of 4 workshop sessions, produced by multiple artists who visited different Harvard sites each week.  We show the process, the freedom to test, experiment and play with ideas, and the freedom to be creative. On display will be studies, sketches, and value paintings, as well as any finished pieces ready by the opening.

Artists at the reception will be available to discuss the process, and to demonstrate use of materials. Learn about how artists select their site to paint. What is it that they look for?

Link to Harvard Press article with the story behind this event … https://harvardpress.com/Features/Feature-Articles/ArtMID/4525/ArticleID/17308/Preview-Collaborative-to-host-%E2%80%98Plein-Air-the-Process%E2%80%99

Photo by: Anne Gillespie

Harvard Environmental Forum: Climate Risk & Resiliency

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Harvard Town Hall | Thursday May 31,  7-9pm

Come hear from local committees, boards, organizations, and others working to protect and sustain our natural and municipal resources.  This year’s forum will focus on climate risks and resiliency.  Please come join the conversation and learn how you can get involved.

https://harvardconservationtrust.org/envforumflyer_2018/

Tree for All 2018

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HCT Trustees and Associates will distribute seedlings at the Transfer Station Saturday, April 28, from 8:00 am to noon, and on the Common across from the General Store Sunday, April 29, from 9:30am — noon. The seedlings are a Harvard Conservation Trust membership benefit and are also available to non-members for $5.00 each while supplies last. Please stop by the Transfer Station or Town Center to let us say thank you for your support!

 

Spring Walk Linking Three Great Conservation Properties

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Harvard Conservation Commission’s Land Stewardship Subcommittee is leading a hike on Sunday, April 8, meeting at 1:30 pm at the parking lot for Village Nursery School on Poor Farm Road in Harvard.

From our start, the full route includes three properties. We begin with a loop on the Harvard Conservation Trust’s scenic Ohlin Property down to the banks of Bowers Brook. We next swing through Harvard’s Town Forest and then cross over Rt. 2 on Poor Farm Road to traverse the Kaufmann land, taking in its striking cliffs. Finally, for the energetic, there’s an additional extension following the Kaufmann Trail to South Shaker Rd (dotted line on the map), and back.

Enjoy our public land and a great hike nearby. Moderate pace; about 3 hours on uneven terrain for full route. Drizzle/flurries ok; rain or much snow (ground or air) cancels. Well-controlled dogs OK. Personal tick protection suggested.

Contact Jim Adelson at jamesadelson@charter.net for more information.