Events | 2005 Buzzards Bay Lectures Series

Join us in exploring important issues and challenges facing Buzzards Bay and our region. Lectures will take place at locations throughout the Bay area.


Admission is free to members of The Coalition for Buzzards Bay. $3.00 per lecture for non-members, paid at the door. Light refreshments will be served.

February 17 - River Herring Conservation
March 3 - Farming the SouthCoast
April 7 - Do-It-Yourself Conservation
April 9 - Buzzards Bay Saltmarsh Walk

River Herring Conservation
Thursday, February 17, 2005 ~ 7:00 – 9:00pm
Wareham Public Library, 59 Marion Road
           
River herring in Buzzards Bay are declining and exist at a small fraction of their historic populations. Other species once present in Buzzards Bay rivers such as shad, sturgeon and Atlantic salmon have been eliminated. Explore the significance of river herring with Dr. Martha Mather of UMASS Amherst, Department of Natural Resource Conservation. Dr. Mather will take us on a journey through the North Atlantic to discover why river herring stocks are dwindling both here in the Buzzards Bay watershed and throughout the Northeast. David Gould, Natural Resources Director for the Town of Plymouth, Dr. Robert Buchsbaum, Massachusetts Audubon Society, and John Dixon and George Funnell, Wareham Herring Agents – will describe local restoration efforts to restore river herring. Finally, learn how you can get involved with Tony Williams of The Coalition for Buzzards Bay who will describe CBB’s plans to begin a river herring monitoring program in Buzzards Bay.

Learn more about River Herring and
view presentations from this lecture [here]

Farming the SouthCoast
Thursday, March 3, 2005 ~ 7:00 – 9:00pm
CBB, 620 Belleville Avenue, New Bedford

We take pride in our community’s traditional cranberry bogs, vineyards, fisheries and shellfish harvests. Learn what is grown locally and how you can support our local agricultural economy with your purchase choices. Sarah Kelley, Executive Director of the Southeastern Massachusetts Agricultural Partnership (SEMAP), will discuss the importance of supporting local producers and how that support impacts the Bay watershed. Sue Guiducci, Apponagansett Vineyard, will describe a day on the farm growing grapes and inform you where you can buy local wines. Seth Garfield, Cuttyhunk Shellfish, will talk about shellfish harvests in Buzzards Bay and his oyster farm on Cuttyhunk. Wrapping up the lecture, Mike Mello of M&C Restaurant will demonstrate how you can incorporate local foods into your everyday menus.

Directions to The Coalition for Buzzards Bay: From the East: Take 195 West. Exit #17 (Coggeshall St.). Left off ramp, Right at first light onto Belleville Ave. 1 mile on right, brick building with blue banner, "Save Buzzards Bay." From the West: Take 195 East, Exit #16 (Washburn St.). Right off ramp. RIght at first stop sign onto Belleville Ave. Go through light. 1 mile on the right, brick building with blue banner "Save Buzzards Bay."

Do-It-Yourself Conservation
Thursday, April 7, 2005 ~ 7:00 – 9:00pm
Briarwood Center, 586 Shore Road, Pocasset

Spring is just around the corner and many of us are looking past the snow and imagining all the gardening and landscaping projects we want to take on. Join us for a fun, interactive lecture on Do-It-Yourself-Lawn and Garden Care. Hila Lyman (in conjunction with others) developed the highly-successful outreach program called the Falmouth Friendly Lawn Program. She will walk us through the highlights of the program as it pertains to being good stewards of our environment and still having a “green” lawn. She will also talk about ecological landscaping and how to choose the right native plants for our yard. Ms. Lyman will share photos of landscaping in our community and have native plants on display. Brad Stumcke, President, FACES (Falmouth Associations Concerned with Estuaries and Saltponds), will take you through a hands-on fertilizer tutorial. Mr. Stumcke will provide important information on how to tell if your lawn needs fertilizer, how to read those ever-confusing fertilizer labels, and will go over calculating proper amounts of fertilizer for your lawn.

Directions to Briarwood Center : From North - Over Bourne Bridge to Route 28 South to Wings Neck/Pocasset exit. From South - 28 North to Wings Neck/Pocasset exit. From Wings Neck/Pocasset exit: On Barlow's Landing Road, go through traffic light and at stop sign turn right onto Shore Road (St. John the Evangelist Church is on right). Go 1.2 miles, the entrance to Briarwood is on left. Parking is in the lot before the railroad tracks.

Buzzards Bay Saltmarsh Walk
Saturday, April 9, 2005 ~ 9:00 – 11:00am
Field Farm, 100 Mattapoisett Neck Road, Mattapoisett

Did you know that saltmarshes are among the most biologically productive ecoystems on Earth? Spend a morning on the Bay exploring one of Buzzards Bay's finest saltmarshes – Brandt Island Cove. Join local legend, Dr. John Teal, author of Life and Death of a Salt Marsh, for an exciting walk learning about the importance of wetlands and saltmarshes. Landowner and conservationist, William Field, will join the walk to provide insight on Brandt Island Cove.

Directions to the Saltmarsh: Take 195 to Exit #19A (Mattapoisett)
Bear onto North Street heading towards Route 6.
Turn Right onto US Route 6.
Turn Left onto Mattapoisett Neck Road - it will be just past The Nest Diner.
Drive for 1.6 miles.
On the right side of the road, there will be signs and orange cones marking where you should park. 100 Mattapoisett Neck Road, Mattapoisett

For more information please contact Michelle Frey, Communications and Outreach Coordinator, at frey@savebuzzardsbay.org or (508) 999-6363 ext.208.