News & Events

 
Wednesday, May 31, 2017 @ 7:00 PM

Presentation/Public Forum on Harvard's Environment, 5/31

Do you love Harvard’s waterways, conservation lands, orchards, trails, parks, and open spaces? Do you support sustainability in town/school policies and practice? Come to the Bromfield School library Wednesday, May 31, at 7 p.m. to hear from local committees, groups, residents, and students working to protect and sustain Harvard, and join in discussion on what we can achieve together!

200 Redbud seedlings wrapped and ready to go .  .  . 
scenes from HCT's annual Tree For All

Saturday at the Transfer Station

Sunday on the Common

Save the Date:  Saturday, May 6th/Sunday, May 7th

 Tree-For-All 2017—Cercis canadensis—Eastern Redbud

The Harvard Conservation Trust’s 37^th Annual Tree-For-All:
The Harvard Conservation Trust will distribute Eastern Redbud seedlings at the Transfer Station on Saturday, May 6^th from 8 AM to noon, and on the Harvard Common on Sunday, May 7^th from 9:30 AM to noon.

In early spring, their pink-purple flowers line the bark of their twigs, branches, and trunks, announcing the end of winter.  Redbud has uniquely heart-shaped leaves.  Many birds eat the seeds, and honeybees visit the blossoms. The shrubs are free to Harvard Conservation Trust members and are available to non-members for a $5.00 contribution.

 Saturday, May 6: Tree-For-All at the Transfer Station, 8:00 AM-12:00 PM
 Sunday, May 7:  Tree-For-All in the Town Center, 9:30 AM-12:00 PM

February 17,  at 7:30 PM

HCT Co-sponsored Warner Free Lecture:                                

These, too, are the sounds of nature . . .

Per tradition, HCT likes to ring in the New Year with a stroll among Harvard’s forests and fields.  Nothing sets the tone for the year ahead like a leisurely walk with friends and neighbors in the crisp rejuvenating air of January.  This year, in the spirit of cooperation and good company, we will join the walk being held at the Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge by the Friends of the Oxbow in collaboration with the Lancaster Community Center.  Meet at the parking lot of the main entrance to the refuge at the end of Still River Depot Road in Harvard; the walk starts at noon. Dress weather appropriate; in the event of hazardous weather, the walk will be cancelled.

For more information about the walk contact Rona Balco at:  978-779-2259; for location and directions visit:  http://www.friendsoftheoxbownwr.org/location-directions.html.

Happy New Year!

Harvard Conservation Trust Annual Meeting

HORSE MEADOWS KNOLL VOTE - CORRECTION!

Special Town Meeting, Cronin Auditorium at the Bromfield School, 14 Massachusetts Avenue, October 24, 7:30 PM

 Thanks again to those who came out for the Horse Meadows Knoll walk yesterday.  Please note the correct time and location below for tonight’s Special Town Meeting, which will include a vote to acquire Horse Meadows Knoll as conservation land.

Super Town Meeting starts at 7:00, which will then go right into Special Town Meeting.  BOTH take place in Cronin Auditorium at the Bromfield School, 14 Massachusetts Ave.  The Super Town Meeting could conclude early, and with Horse Meadows Knoll being Article 1 on the Special Town Meeting Warrant, this vote might happen before 7:30.  Please consider arriving by 7:00.   

Hope to see you tonight.

David Outman, Executive Director

Save the Date:   Mushroom Walk

October 1 at 11:00 AM. 56 Stow Road. 

HCT will host a mushroom walk Saturday, October 1, beginning at 11 AM at 56 Stow Road. Join mushroom enthusiast Al Ferry for a walk in the woods to learn about Harvard's fabulous fungi. The walk will take place rain or shine, except for a major downpour. Parking is available. For more information call Abbe at 978-456-6892.

September 11, 2016 at 10 AM.  Run for the Hills 5k race.  

Start and finish on the McCurdy Track with the primary sections of the course on scenic wooded trails and field paths. The trail footing is a combination of crushed pack, dirt, coarse grass with leaves, roots and rocks. There will be a water stop along the route. Thanks to the Town of Harvard and private landowners for use of the lands and open space on race day.

For a course map, go to www.runforthehills.org.

Register online at: www.running4free.com/RaceDetails.aspx?raceid=419

The hills of Harvard, whether it is the views from Prospect Hill, Bare Hill and Dean’s Hill or the landscapes of Holy Hill, Oak Hill and Pin Hill, are deeply appreciated by all who experience their scenery and terrain . . . even on the uphill!
It is true what they say in these parts, “good luck finding the flats to run on . . . ” Well, we might have done just that for this race. There’s no “Heartbreak” on this course. We are proud of both the running legacies in town and the protected land here.


2016 Open Space & Recreation Plan Survey

The Harvard Conservation Commission has begun the process of updating the Town of Harvard’s 2008 Open Space & Recreation Plan, and is requesting public participation in the process with a short survey. The updated plan will set the Town’s open space and recreation goals for the coming five years, and the public survey is critical for ensuring these goals accurately reflect community interests. This survey will be open from May 6 through May 26.

Please take a moment to complete the survey, which you can directly link to at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Harvard_MA_2016_OSRP_Survey

 Or, you can visit the Town website at: http://www.harvard.ma.us

If you prefer a paper copy of the survey please contact the Land Use Administrator, Liz Allard, at 978-456-4100 ext. 321 or lallard@harvard.ma.us.  Thank you!

The Harvard Conservation Trust’s 36^th Annual Tree-For-All:

Saturday, April 30
Tree-For-All at the Transfer Station, 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Sunday, May 1
Tree-For-All in the Town Center, 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM 

The Harvard Conservation Trust will distribute nannyberry viburnum seedlings at the Transfer Station on Saturday, April 30^th  from 8 a.m. to noon, and on the Harvard Common on Sunday, May 1^st from 10 a.m. to noon.  These nannyberry seedlings were grown from seed at the New Hampshire State Nursery.  Their flat-topped clusters of white flowers bloom in the spring and develop into fruits that turn bluish-black in the fall.  Its fruits can persist into winter and provide a sweet and edible food source for many species of birds, wildlife and people.   The shrubs are free to Harvard Conservation Trust members and are available to non-members for a $5.00 contribution.

Photo credits: top - USDA, NRCS. 2016. The PLANTS Database (http://plants.usda.gov); bottom - Keith Kanoti, Maine Forest Service, Bugwood.org

Join naturalist Wendy Sisson on a guided walk of one of Harvard's largest clusters of conservation lands.  You will also learn about a timely opportunity to add a key parcel to this wildlife rich cluster of natural lands.

HCT Co-sponsored Warner Free Lecture:                                

125th Anniversary of Frederick Law Olmsted's Emerald Necklace Park System
Friday, March 11, 2016– 7:30 p.m.

In the late 1800s, landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted (1822-1903) designed the park system that we now know as Boston's Emerald Necklace. Alan Banks, a park ranger from the Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site will discuss this historic park system. Stretching from Back Bay to Dorchester, this inviting green space connects people and nature, just as Olmstead intended more than 100 years ago.

Volunteers Hall at Harvard Public Library, 4 Pond Road  Free!

TRACKING WALK POSTPONED

TRACKING WALK POSTPONED DUE TO LACK OF SNOW!!!
NEW DATE:  Saturday February 13^th!!!

Due to the lack of snow we are moving the tracking program to Saturday February 13^th.  Mark your Calendars and see information below for details.

Saturday, February 13, 2016. 9:00 AM - 11:30 AM.

Location: Prospect Hill Conservation Complex, Harvard, MA. Park at DPW parking lot, next to soccer field parking lot, on Depot Road.
Suitability: Adults of all levels of experience.
What we'll do: A large, brushy wetland, a meandering stream, and mixed forests of a variety of age classes make this a wonderful place for winter tracking. Depending on conditions, we might find evidence of fisher, fox, coyote, bobcat, otter, mink, deer, and a variety of smaller mammals. We may see grouse snow roosts on this property. Dress in layers , wear warm, waterproof boots, bring snowshoes if necessary, and be prepared for bushwhacking.
Limit: Maximum of 10. Leader: Janet Pesaturo.
Level of difficulty: Usually moderate, but deep snow can make off-trail travel very difficult.

To register, please contact David Outman at
doutman@harvardconservationtrust.org or call the HCT office at 978-456-9292. 

And from our neighbors . . .

Registration for the Tom Denney Nature Camp Summer 2016 program opens February 1 at tdnc.boltonconservationtrust.org.  See website for details.

Thank you to all who joined us for our Annual New Year’s Day walk!  And a special thanks to the Community Harvest Project for co-sponsoring this year’s walk, and providing indoor space for cookies and hot cocoa.  (Click here for photos . . .) 

November 17, 2015

The Harvard Conservation Trust Annual Meeting took place at the Harvard Public Library, Volunteers Hall, and featured the presentation – A New England Food Vision: Conversations For Healthy and Thriving Communities (Click here to see photos...)

Mushroom Walk -- October 3, 2015  10:30 AM 

The Harvard Conservation Trust will host a mushroom walk and talk October 3, at 10:30, beginning at 56 Stow Road.  Join mushroom enthusiast Al Ferry for a walk in the woods to learn about Harvard’s fabulous fungi. The walk will take place rain or shine, except for a major downpour. Parking is available. For more information, call Abbe Alpert at 978-456-6892.

Saturday, September 26th from 9 AM to noon.

Help Pick Apples for Community Harvest Project!
Community Harvest Project is an organization that supplies food banks throughout Worcester County.  http://cts.vresp.com/c/?HarvardConservationT/2cc44df35c/e296bd85ca/2457bc04fd

Due to logistics, we are limited to 35 volunteers, and volunteers must be at least a high school freshman.  No prior apple picking experience is required.  If you are interested in helping, please reply to 
 info@harvardconservationtrust.org and let us know how many people will be volunteering.

We hope you will join us in supporting this very worthwhile cause.

Sunday, Sept 13, Start time: 10:00 AM

6th Annual Run-For-The-Hills 5K Trail Run
34 Lancaster County Road
Harvard Park and McCurdy Track
This is a fun and beautiful way to get out and enjoy our woods.

Registration information:  http://www.lightboxreg.com/2015-run-for-the-hills-5k 

"Greenway Heroes: Profiles in Land Conservation” will have a free showing Wednesday night, August 19th, 7 – 8 PM at Fruitlands Museum in the Wayside Room
as part of Fruitlands “Food for Thought Film Series.”

This 10 minute film produced by Pepperell resident Susan Edwards and co-directed by Westford resident Joy Reo tells the inspiring stories of three landowners who donated, sold or set up conservation easements to protect their family land for the common good.  The film features interviews with Harley Holden of Shirley, Tom Jarvela of Townsend and Leigh Hudson of Princeton.  For additional information about the film please view the web page - http://www.greenwayheroes.org/. 

Ongoing Events: 

Take our Trail Challenge and win a prize!
The weather is finally warm, the trails have been surveyed, and there are control punches and/or instruction cards in the appropriate places.  All is ready for people to take on the Challenge!

Recent Events:

Winterfest! Saturday, February 7
at Fruitlands Museum Read more here

The Trust’s Annual New Year’s Day Walk was held on the trails at Fruitlands Museum.   Click here for more

Annual Meeting - November 19.  Mary Holland returned as featured speaker.  See photos

Run for the Hills was held September 7 - our 5th year! Photos here 

News:

Introducing David Outman, HCT's New Executive Director
Click here to learn more 

Elizabeth May Hawthorn tree dedication - June 1, 2014