Blackstone River Watershed Association In This Issue TIP OF THE MONTH BRWA NEWS 5th Annual Blackstone Valley Riverways Cleanup UniBank Blackstone River Valley Greenway Challenge BRWA Receives Community Bridging Award BRWA Annual Member Appreciation Event and Business Meeting CALENDAR IN YOUR COMMUNITY Public Input Needed for a Statewide Outdoors Survey OF GLOBAL INTEREST EPA Administrator Responds to Critics Rachel Carson Sense of Wonder Contest BRWA Online About the BRWA JOIN the BRWA Volunteer SUBSCRIBE TO THE BRWA NEWSLETTER Issue 21 September 2011 No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it’s not the same river and he’s not the same man. Herclitus TIP OF THE MONTH Reduce Packaging Waste of Cleaning Products Cut down on waste by opting for concentrated or refill versions of commercial cleaning products. Concentrated products provide the same cleaning capacity in smaller packages. Many products are available in refill versions that allow the consumer to reuse the original containers. See this Earth911.com article for more information. BRWA NEWS 5th Annual Blackstone Valley Riverways Cleanup Volunteers are needed for the 5th Annual Blackstone Valley Riverways Cleanup on Sunday, October 23, 2011 from 1:00 to 3:00PM. Tropical storm Irene came though the Blackstone Valley bringing with her lots of rain, downed trees and loss of power. Once the rivers, lakes and streams recede, there may be lots of trash on the shores of the waterways. High water picks up all the trash along the way and brings it downstream. Keep your eyes open for this and if you see an area that needs cleaning, notify the BRWA so that your suggestions can be added to the list of possible cleanup sites. You may even want to be a site leader for you site. It’s easy! BRWA will supply you with gloves and bags. Volunteers will be sent to your site and you will hand out the supplies. You will be told where to put the put the trash bags so that the respective towns can pick it up. Consider helping out this year by being a site leader. To volunteer for the cleanup, to be a site leader or to report a site that needs cleaning call the BRWA office at 508-278-5200 or email at info@thebrwa.org. top UniBank Blackstone River Valley Greenway Challenge New England's Premiere Adventure Race, the UniBank Blackstone River Valley Greenway Challenge, happens on September 24, 2011. Watch as athletes run, paddle and cycle through one of the most beautiful and historic sections of New England, the Blackstone River Valley. The 57 mile course begins at Lincoln Woods State Park and finishes in Douglas State Forest. Cheer on the participants along the course or come to the Beach at Wallum Lake in Douglas State Forest where there will be activities for both racers and families including: Children’s Challenge: 12:00 - 4:00PM Awards Ceremony: 4:30PM Food, Music, & Fun! The mission of the UniBank Greenway Challenge is to promote the recreational quality of life in the Blackstone River Valley. Working with partner organizations, the UniBank Greenway Challenge supports clean water campaigns, hiking and biking trails, wildlife projects, environmental education and development of waterway access. The BRWA is honored to have been chosen as this year’s Charitable Recipient by the Greenway Challenge’s Steering Committee. top BRWA Receives Community Bridging Award The Blackstone River Watershed Association is proud to share that was recently presented with a Community Bridging Award from Alternatives Unlimited, Inc. at their 35 Annual Thank You Reception, held at the Boxboro Holiday Inn. The recognition was for the partnership with their Blackstone Valley Green Committee to host a Clean and Green Fair in April. The event was held after the Earth Day Clean-up Event sponsored by the BRWA and Department of Conservation and Recreation at River Bend Farm. An estimated 200 volunteers and visitors took in a broad range of hands-on activities and demonstrations. Alternatives hosted tables where children could plant herb and vegetable seeds and visitors could learn about Terracycling’s juice box school recycling program. BRWA shared educational displays on eco-friendly topics at home such as composting and stormwater management. The BRWA is honored to receive this award from Alternatives and looks forward to continuing and expanding the partnership. The Whitinsville-based agency strives to enhance community connections for persons with disabilities and has a strong commitment to protecting the environment. top BRWA Annual Member Appreciation Event and Business Meeting The BRWA will host its Annual Member Appreciation Event and Business Meeting on Saturday, November 5, at 5PM, at the River Bend Farm Visitor’s Center in Uxbridge. We are excited this year to feature a Saw-whet Owl banding program by Strickland Wheelock and the Lookout Rock Owl Banders. This program will include a presentation introducing us to the smallest owl species in the northeastern US, the Northern Saw-whet Owl, and the contribution the banding project makes to better understand their movements and biology. Weather permitting, the program will continue with a banding demonstration at Lookout Rock. The evening will begin with a fall buffet followed by our always short business meeting and the Owl Banding program. A special mailing will go out soon with more information. A reminder that this event is for members only, so if you have not yet joined, visit our website to learn how you can sign up today! We hope you will join us for this special event. top CALENDAR OF EVENTS 9/19-9/25 National Pollution Prevention Week   info 9/24 Greenway Challenge   info 9/24 National Public Lands Day   info 9/24-10/1 Banned Books Week   info ---- October - National Energy Awareness Month   info 10/8 BRC Water Quality Sampling 10/13 BRWA Board Meeting 6:30pm 271 Oak St., Uxbridge   info 10/23 5th Annual Blackstone Valley Riverways Cleanup   11/5 BRWA Annual Member Appreciation Event and Business Meeting 5:00 PM   11/16 Blackstone River Summit - Alternatives, Whitinsville   top IN YOUR COMMUNITY Public Input Needed for a Statewide Outdoors Survey reprinted from MassWildlife News Anglers, bird watchers, hunters, trappers, hikers, naturalists, boaters, and other Bay State outdoor enthusiasts have an important opportunity to voice their recreational needs by participating in a statewide recreation survey. The Energy and Environmental Affairs Division of Conservation Services (DCS) is strongly encouraging Massachusetts residents to fill out an important survey that will help guide decisions on how state funding can be best used for the acquisition of conservation or park land, development of new parks, or renovation of existing parks and recreation facilities. DCS is conducting three surveys to gather data from state residents, land trust organizations, and community officials as part of updating the Massachusetts Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP). The SCORP outlines the state's priorities and unmet needs for conservation and recreational facilities and activities. Public input is a crucial component of the Plan and the surveys gather data about Commonwealth residents' preferences and needs for recreational facilities and activities. The deadline for completing surveys is October 31, 2011. "It is critical for us to hear from as many people as possible to guide how future LWCF funding could be spent most effectively in Massachusetts," said Melissa Cryan, DCS Grant Coordinator. "We also appreciate any efforts from sporting, and other conservation and outdoor recreation organizations to ask their members to fill out the surveys. Email blasts, newsletters, Facebook messages, or links on websites are great ways to help spread the word." Massachusetts residents fill out the User Survey at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/BL79V26. Spanish speaking residents of Massachusetts can visit https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/W7HDQ9K for a Spanish language User Survey. Para una encuesta de ciudadano en español visite: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/W7HDQ9K. Officers, board members, or employees of a Massachusetts land trust or related organization should fill out the Land Trust Survey link at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/BLWN7Q3. Community officials such as recreation directors, conservation agents, community planners, and open space committee members should fill out the Community Officials Survey at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/BLTJ92Q. For hard copies of surveys, send a self-addressed stamped envelope and a request for the appropriate survey to: SCORP Survey, EEA-DCS, 100 Cambridge Street, 9th Floor, Boston, MA 02114 or call 617/626-1171 and request a survey be sent to you. Please be sure to indicate which type of survey you wish to complete. The National Park Service requires the Commonwealth to complete a Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan every five years to remain eligible for funding from the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) grant program. Since 1965, when the LWCF was established, over $95 million of federal funding has been awarded to projects in every county in Massachusetts for the acquisition of public conservation/park land, development of new parks and recreation facilities, or renovation of existing parks and recreation facilities. Currently MA receives about $800,000 annually from LWCF, but if a proposal to fully fund the LWCF is passed by Congress that amount could increase significantly, perhaps up to $15 million. For more information about the surveys or SCORP, contact Melissa Cryan, LWCF Stateside Coordinator, at (617) 626-1171 or melissa.cryan@state.ma.us. top OF GLOBAL INTEREST EPA Administrator Responds to Critics In a recent Huffington Post article, EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson responds to “misleading claims about the EPA’s work”. In it, she takes issue with the idea that EPA policies and regulations are harmful to the economy and focuses on the role the agency plays in protecting the health and environment of American citizens. Click here for the full text of the article. top Rachel Carson Sense of Wonder Contest The finalists have been announced in the Rachel Carson Sense of Wonder Contest, Teams consisting of at least one young and one older person were asked to share their "sense of wonder" felt for some aspect of their natural surroundings. Click here to view the work of the finalists and vote for your favorites. The deadline for voting is September 30. top Views & opinions expressed in linked websites do not necessarily state or reflect those of the BRWA. Your input is crucial to this eNewsletter. If you have a local watershed-related story, information of interest to our subscribers, or comments about this publication, drop an email to the editor. The Blackstone River Watershed Association (BRWA) has a mission to engage, educate and advocate for improved water quality in the Blackstone River Watershed; its objectives are to: Engage the public in watershed stewardship activities, Educate members, supporters and watershed residents on watershed protection strategies, and Improve the water quality and esthetics of the Blackstone River Watershed’s water bodies. The BRWA eNewsletter is published monthly by the Blackstone River Watershed Association. BRWA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Editor: Michael Sperry mikes_brwa@comcast.net Mailing address: BRWA, 271 Oak Street Uxbridge, MA 01569 Phone: 508-278-5200  Web: www.thebrwa.org Click here for back issues.