HCT Blog – Page 4 – Harvard Conservation Trust

New Year’s Day Walk, 2023

December 29, 2023

Harvard residents, mark your calendars for a rejuvenating start to 2024! Join neighbors and friends for an invigorating New Year’s Day walk on the Rathore property—Harvard Conservation Trust’s (HCT) newest trail. The Rathore family worked with HCT to acquire a conservation restriction that protects the land from development, allows public access to a beautiful 27-acre parcel of land, preserving important wildlife corridors and providing easy access to other HCT trails. This walk will offer both long (1.2 miles) and short (8/10 of a mile) walk options. Please note: there is one steep section on the trail so moderate hiking skills are necessary.

Harvard Trust Annual Meeting, 2023

November 27, 2023

Join the Harvard Conservation Trust for an evening with Richard Primack. Primack will share his research, its application to Harvard, and what we can do to build climate resilience in our own backyards. Henry David Thoreau was a climate change scientist! For the past 22 years, Professor Richard Primack and his team have been using Thoreau’s records from the 1850s and other Massachusetts data sources to document the earlier flowering and leafing out times of plants, the earlier flight times of butterflies, and the more variable response of migratory birds. Plants in Concord are also changing in abundance due to

2023 Destination: Nature Juried Art Show

August 1, 2023

This year’s theme for Destination: Nature — “Perspective” — offers artists the chance to explore multiple frames of reference to reveal the intricate web of life in nature. Choosing from the perspectives of wildlife, trees, water, air or other elements captures the grandeur, the subtlety, and the profound interconnectedness of the world we all call home. Selecting an abstract perspective, an artist may inspire viewers to interpret nature’s essence through expressive brushstrokes and vibrant colors, conveying emotions and inner experiences rather than tangible forms. From a romantic viewpoint, an artist might immerse us in the beauty and harmony of natural

Coke Land Restoration

July 7, 2023

The HCT has been awarded a $19,956 grant from The Nashua, Squannacook, and Nissitissit Rivers Wild and Scenic Stewardship Council to finance large-scale invasive plant removal, native plant re-introduction, and wildlife habitat restoration on the Coke Newsham land. The area consists of 27 acres of conservation land owned by HCT and situated near Harvard’s Town Center. It also connects to several other areas of protected land, as depicted in the image below. HCT was motivated to submit this grant to support one of the primary land protection goals in the Nashua, Squannacook, and Nissitissit Rivers (NSNR) Stewardship Plan (https://www.wildandscenicnashuarivers.org/stewardship-plan.html) to “restore and

Be a part of something big!

July 5, 2023

Give to the Harvard Conservation Trust and double your impact For 50 years the Harvard Conservation Trust (HCT) has worked to preserve and protect the scenic beauty and rich wildlife that makes Harvard extraordinary. What started as a small group of concerned residents in 1973 preserving the first three-acre parcel of land has grown into a vibrant, non-profit organization that has acquired or placed conservation restrictions on more than 1,000 acres of land. The work of preserving and protecting our open spaces, particularly in an era of changing climate conditions, requires long-range planning, significant funding, and the collaboration of residents,

50th Anniversary Vernal Pool Exploration

May 23, 2023

When: June 4th Where: Barba’s Point Trails (park by the Bromfield tennis courts) Time: 12pm / 1 pm (registration needed. Link below) Join biologist Bob Douglas for an exploration of vernal pools at Barba Point. Discover how this essential ecosystem, brimming with plant and animal life, comes to life each year at this time for just a short period before going dormant again. This event is appropriate for anyone interested in wildlife, including most school age children and inquisitive preschoolers with their caregivers. This event has limited capacity; priority will be given to Harvard Conservation Trust members. Register now! 12

50th Anniversary Stargazing Event

May 5, 2023

The Harvard Conservation Trust continues to celebrate its 50th Anniversary. Join us for an enchanting evening of stargazing on May 18 with Professor Chuck Agosta! We will turn our eyes and telescopes toward the moon, planets, stars, solar system, and other objects in the night sky. Professor Agosta teaches physics and astronomy at Clark University in Worcester, MA, and will guide us in exploring the solar system from the pastoral Williams Land on Stow Road. Viewers of all ages are welcome. Consider bringing layers, blankets, chairs, hiking shoes, a telescope if you have one, and your curiosity! Date: Thursday, May

HCT 50th Anniversary Cider Hike

February 16, 2023

HCT 50th Anniversary Cider Hike Accompany Harvard Conservation Trust’s biologist and naturalist, Bob Douglas, on a family-friendly winter hike. Join Harvard Conservation Trust’s biologist and naturalist, Bob Douglas, for a family-friendly trail hike as we continue to celebrate HCT’s 50th Anniversary. Beginning and ending at Carlson’s Orchard, we will stroll through an avenue of peach and apple trees, travel woodland paths over small bridges, and walk through wildlife meadows. Bob will talk about winter woodland sights on the trail, including an active beaver pond, with its lodge and dam. The hike is less than a mile and takes about an hour. Weather permitting,