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Friends of Myles Standish State Forest
meeting notices and notes
Helping those who help the forest!
Annual Meeting: Thursday, May 8, 20087:00 p.m. MSSF Headquarters
Friends of Myles Standish State Forest Turns One!
We have completed one full year!
Annual Meeting: Speakers Nick Holland, Land Stewardship, Inc., and James Rassman, DCR Management Forester, SE Region. Nick has recently completed a project for DCR in Myles Standish State Forest that included acquiring GPS coordinates for every trail (including illegal trails) in MSSF. Nick and Jim will lead a discussion on Nick's findings and how they will affect MSSF forest management.
PAST MEETINGS
Over but not forgotten.
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Kathleen Anderson
Bird Populations in the Fire-prone Pine Barrens.
Friends of Myles Standish will welcome Kathleen Anderson, founder of the Manomet Bird Observatory, which later became the Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences.
Ms. Anderson grew up in Carver, always fascinated by nature, especially birds. She became the Founding Director, Manomet Bird Observatory, now the Manomet Center for Conservation Services. She was the first President and one of founders of Plymouth County Wildlands Trust, now the Wildlands Trust of Southeastern Massachusetts. Ms. Anderson has served 25 years on MA Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Advisory Committee, last 5 years as Chairman. She was elected Fellow of the American Ornithologists' Union, received the Governor Francis W. Sargent Award by the MA Division of Fisheries and Wildlife and the George Haydock Award by the Lloyd Center for the Environment, Dartmouth, MA.
"The Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences is one of the nation's only independent non-profits dedicated exclusively to carrying out environmental research. Originally founded nearly 40 years ago as the Manomet Bird Observatory," reported the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation when announcing the largest grant ever awarded by NFWF to Manomet Center in December 2007. The NFWF funds will be matched two to one for a total investment of $2.2 million for conservation projects. All that because Kathleen cared.
Come and meet Kathleen. Hear what she has to tell you about Bird Populations in the Fire-prone Pine Barrens. She is a true local champion of birds and wildlife. Her presence is sure to inspire!
Read about the Manomet Center Award here: 
Wayne Petersen, Director of the Massachusetts Important Bird Areas (IBA) Project at the Massachusetts Audubon Society.
Thursday, March 27, 7:00 p.m. at the Barn, at the MSSF Headquarters.
The public is invited free of charge. No need to RSVP.
For information please call (508) 591-7533.
All bird loving people are invited to hear Wayne Petersen, Director of the Massachusetts Important Bird Areas (IBA) at the Massachusetts Audubon Society.In 2001 Mass Audubon initiated the IBA Program in Massachusetts to identify areas particularly important as bird breeding habitats. By working with knowledgeable birders, representatives from state and federal agencies, NGO organizations, and avian scientists, 79 IBAs throughout the Commonwealth were identified, nominated, and officially recognized. Myles Standish State Forest is among the sites listed as an IBA. Petersen's presentation will provide a summary overview of the IBA program. The program will also include a description of some of the more important Massachusetts IBAs, their habitats and special bird life, and the particular conservation problems existing at different sites. In addition, attendees will discover how local bird clubs can help advance the success of the IBA Program throughout the Commonwealth. Wayne Petersen is co-author of Birds of Massachusetts (1993) and co-editor of the Massachusetts Breeding Bird Atlas (2003), his knowledge of the habitats, distribution, and status of the Commonwealth's bird life is both extensive and wide-ranging. In 2005 Wayne was the recipient of the American Birding Association’s Ludlow Griscom Award for outstanding contributions in regional ornithology. Admission is free. The building is accessible and dessert will be served. |
Wednesday, February 27, 2008 at 7:00 p.m.
MSSF Headquarters “The Barn” at Myles Standish State Forest Headquarters
Cranberry Road, Carver
Archeology, Human History and Pine Barrens
Friends of Myles Standish State Forest is delighted to host speakers, Ms. Tonya Largy and Mr. Eugene Winter of the Robbins Museum of Archaeology, Middleborough, MA.
Ms. Largy is the President of the Massachusetts Archaeological Society (MAS), which maintains the museum. An archaeological consultant specializing in the analyses of both plant and animal remains from archaeological sites, Ms. Largy is on the staff of the Zooarchaeology Laboratory of the Peabody Museum, Harvard University. She has been active in Massachusetts archaeology since the late 1970’s. She has conducted excavations in the Sudbury/Assabet/Concord River basin and participated in excavations sponsored by the National Park Service. Mr. Winter is the Robbins Museum Coordinator and a wealth of information. Together they promise to deliver an outstanding slide show presentation on the extensive Robbins Museum collection, a collection that boasts over 80,000 artifacts! Friends MSSF has asked the pair to concentrate their remarks on human history in our own Pine Barrens.
The Robbins Museum is a gem. Please visit the Massachusetts Archaeology Society website for more information about the MAS and the Robbins Museum. Everyone is welcome, including students. Please come, especially if you have found an artifact that belongs in this museum! Dessert and hot beverages will be served.
October 25, 2007
Anyone living in or near Pine Barrens will want to attend the next Friends of Myles Standish State Forest meeting, Thursday,
October 25, 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at “the Barn”, MSSF Headquarters. The speaker will be Ron Aseltine, Plymouth County Fire Warden District II (in Myles Standish State Forest). Ron says Pine Barrens are the Nation’s third most dangerous area for out of control wildfires. With so many of us living in forested areas, we need
to prepare for the inevitable. Come and learn what our forest
managers and firefighters are doing to help prevent another wildfire
disaster; and just as important, learn what you can do to
protect your own property and the forest we all love. We urge you to attend this important meeting. (Bob Bale, The Nature Conservancy Fire and Restoration Manager, shows a map depicting wildfire burns since the 1950's.)
Also at this meeting, Friends will pay tribute to former MSSF Supervisor, Robert A. MacKenzie, who held MSSF together for over 17 years! The Department of Conservation and Recreation promoted Robert to District Supervisor of Blue Hills. Now DCR must find a replacement. Not an easy task! Everyone is welcome to Robert’s farewell celebration. (Robert MacKenzie received this photo from Helga and Kurt Stottmeier in thanks for Robert's 17 years of service as Supervisor of Myles Standish State Forest.)
Friends MSSF meets at Myles Standish State Forest in "the barn", across the street from the forest headquarters, Cranberry Rd., S. Carver.
To find the Barn, enter the MSSF forest. Follow the signs to Headquarters. We will have a large sign posted at the Barn. Please call FMSSF (508) 833-3588 for more information.
September 2007
Friends will set their agenda for the coming year, discuss projects and organize committees. Bring your suggestions for improving the forest! (Click here to view the 2007-2008 Priorities List).
Guest speakers: The Nature Conservancy SE MA Program Director, Robb Johnson, and Casey Shetterly, SE MA Program Coordinator. Robb and Casey conducted a power point presentation on "Pine Barrens". FMMSF is looking for ways to join forces with TNC. To see what The Nature Conservancy is doing in our area click here.
Environmental Police Officer Rob Akin addressed the FMSSF regarding their most pressing concern: the use of illegal off road vehicles in the MSSF. DCR Forester James Rassman, and DCR Forest Ranger Tony Sanders were on hand to offer their input. Out of the meeting came several suggestions to present to DCR and other organizations for consideration in dealing with this ever-growing problem in open space and forests. If you are interested in helping find solutions for ending ORV use where it doesn't belong click here.