Thursday, November 16th, at the Harvard Historical Society meeting house, at 215 Still River Road, from 7:00 to 9:00 pm – Free and Open to the Public!

The evening will feature a presentation by Jim Levitt from the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, and co-author of a newly released report, Wildlands and Woodlands, Farmlands and Communities: Broadening the Vision for New England, from the Harvard [University] Forest.

Jim Levitt is the manager of land conservation programs in the Department of Planning and Urban Form at the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, and director of the Program on Conservation Innovation at the Harvard Forest, Harvard University, in Petersham, Massachusetts.  What is the Wildlands and Woodlands Vision?  Imagine …

“Forests blanket the region, even within thickly settled areas, but vary in striking ways to create distinctive landscapes, provide a rich array of habitats, and support a range of human experiences and valuable resources.  Farmlands provide healthy local food, diversify the region’s landscape, and enhance scenic beauty, plant and wildlife habitat, and biodiversity.  Robust rural economies enable the individuals and families who produce our local wood and food to share in the region’s prosperity.  In more densely populated areas, shade trees, urban gardens, and forested parks and greenways yield irreplaceable community and health benefits and help moderate the effects of climate change.  Forestland and open space protected in perpetuity mitigate climate change, help communities contend with extreme weather events, provide clean drinking water, and maintain healthy air quality.  Across the region, well-managed forests and farmlands, expansive wildlands, smart growth, and rural economic development are embraced as compatible, achievable, and mutually reinforcing.”

The presentation will be followed by light refreshments, including homemade gingerbread, fresh apple cider, and good cheer. Bring a friend!