Blackstone River Watershed Association In This Issue BRWA NEWS Free BRWA Member Paddles Smokey's Birthday Plant Pull CALENDAR THINK GLOBAL, ACT LOCAL Clean Water Act: Public Comment Period Bottle Bill MA Environmental Bond Bill Passed Mass Wildlife Hunting Season Snapshot Mystery SPOTLIGHT ON SCIENCE Red Maple FAMILY FOCUS Ready, Aim, Shoot (a picture)! BE GREEN Making Fall Green REFLECTIONS BRWA Online About the BRWA JOIN the BRWA Volunteer SUBSCRIBE TO THE BRWA NEWSLETTER Issue 48 October 2014 BRWA NEWS Free BRWA Member Paddles In June and August, the BRWA offered member paddle events on the Blackstone Canal at River Bend Farm in Uxbridge. The BRWA provided canoes that participants took out along this 1.25 mile historic waterway. The canal affords paddlers many enjoyable sights and sounds including painted turtles basking on logs, northern water snakes slicing through the water, songbirds calling from the shrubs and trees that overhang the canal, wildflowers growing along the banks filled with dragonflies and damselflies, and great blue herons gliding above the water on their way to a better fishing spot, hungry for sunfish, perch, or frogs. Nature I.D. kits were provided to participants to enhance the outdoor learning experience. The June 29th and August 9th paddle events coincided with an outdoor performance of the Blackstone Valley Community Concert Band and with Smokey's Birthday Celebration, respectively. Check us out next summer for more paddling events! top Smokey's Birthday The BRWA helped the Mass DCR celebrate Smokey's 70th birthday on August 9 at River Bend Farm in Uxbridge. It was one of the most beautiful days of the entire summer and over 100 attended the event including many children eager to meet Smokey in person. Peter Coffin with the Blackstone River Coalition demonstrated our interactive watershed model, while BRWA Board members helped participants with the canoes, informed people about our education, outreach, and advocacy efforts, and signed up new BRWA members! The canoes were provided by the Blackstone River Watershed Council/Friends of the Blackstone. But you don't have to wait for another event to join up! It's as easy as going to our website at www.thebrwa.org and clicking on "Make a Difference" ! top Plant Pull The BRWA had planned for two plant-pull parties this summer at Rice City Pond in Uxbridge to build on our success with previous removals. However, the lack of rain the area has experienced over the summer, and now into the fall, created such low water conditions that the events could not be held. The BRWA will resume its NIP program (no invasive plants) in 2015 and will be seeking volunteers to assist at that time. top CALENDAR OF EVENTS October 9 is National Leif Erickson Day. He was a fearless explorer from Greenland who came to North America during his many adventures. Many of us look forward to fall as a perfect time for our own explorations. The oppressive heat and annoying mosquitoes of late summer are gone; the snow and chilling rains of winter are not yet here; but the fields and woods are ablaze with color from deciduous trees and late season flowers. Birds that were quiet and reclusive during breeding season are now quite visible while seeking out food and water. Enjoy being outside during this fine season! Sundays in October: Canal Walks at River Bend Farm. Blackstone River and Canal Heritage State Park 1:00-2:00 p.m. Hear about the history of the Blackstone Canal and catch a view of local wildlife. 287 Oak Street Uxbridge MA Info: 508-278-7604 or e-mail blackstone.heritage@state.ma.us. Saturdays through October: Leisurely Bike Tours in R.I.'s Blackstone Valley. Participants enjoy a fun and relaxing way to experience culture, nature, history and recreation on the 4-hr tours, for all fitness levels. Info: http://www.cycleblackstone.com/leisurelybiketour.htm. Sundays through October: River Tours on the Blackstone Valley Explorer. Pawtucket, RI. 1:00, 2:00, 3:00, & 4:00 p.m. View river plants and animals and learn about the ecology of the river and surrounding wetlands along with the cultural history of the region. Info: http://www.rivertourblackstone.com/contact.htm. October 1 to 29: Quack, Quack! Junior Duck Stamp Traveling Art Exhibit, North Easton. The exhibit features top youth entries from the 2014 Massachusetts Junior Duck Stamp (JDS) Contest. The contest was initiated in 1991 to educate young people about the value of wetland habitats. Borderland State Park, 259 Massapoag Road, North Easton. 10/6 Central Mass Chapter Trout Unlimited Monthly Meeting. 6:30 p.m. 50 Elm Street, Auburn, MA   info 10/12 & 10/19 Foliage Hike to Lookout Rock. 9:00-10:30am. Blackstone River and Canal Heritage State Park. A 3-mile round-trip hike through the valley and Rice City Pond woodlands. Meet at the Rice City Pond parking area, 366 East Hartford Ave, Uxbridge.Info: 508-278-7604 or e-mail blackstone.heritage@state.ma.us. 10/15 Blackstone River Watershed Council Monthly Meeting. 6:30pm - 8:30pm. Lincoln RI.   info 10/18 & 10/25 Luminary Canal Walk at River Bend Farm. Blackstone River and Canal Heritage State Park 5:30-6:30pm. A lantern stroll and not so spooky walk at the water’s edge at sunset. Listen for wildlife, hear stories of the past and enjoy the season! 287 Oak Street Uxbridge MA Info: 508-278-7604 or e-mail blackstone.heritage@state.ma.us 10/23 BRWA Board Meeting. 6:45 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. 271 Oak St., Uxbridge.   info 10/29 Conservation Subdivisions in Action. 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Mass Audubon is offering this workshop designed to promote a "community-wide network of protected lands and trails” by partnering developers, town planners, and conservation advocates. Westford Police Training Facility. 53 Main Street Westford, MA. Contact: 781-259-2146.   info 10/30 "Biodiversity and land conservation at the Massachusetts Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Program". Patricia Swain, Ph.D., Natural Community Ecologist, Mass Division of Fisheries and Wildlife. The talk will focus on conservation through identifying, tracking, managing, and regulating rare species and identifying and mapping NHESP priority natural communities. Land use history, climate change, and other influences on native biodiversity will be part of the discussion. 12:00-1:00 p.m. Medford Campus Tufts University. Or watch online live at Tufts WebEx.   info 11/3 Central Mass Chapter Trout Unlimited Monthly Meeting. 6:30 p.m. 50 Elm Street, Auburn, MA   info 11/6 "Invasive species: Causes, consequences, and solutions” Rebecca Irwin, Associate Professor, Dartmouth College. 12:00-1:00 p.m. Medford Campus Tufts University. Or watch online live at Tufts WebEx.   info 11/15 Blackstone Canal Conservancy Work Day. 9am. Meet at Plummers Landing west parking area, Church Street, Northbridge. For info, contact Dave Barber 508-478-4918 or email DGBarber@cs.com. 11/19 Landscaping at the Water’s Edge- An Ecological Approach webinar. 1:00 - 2:00 p.m. Tune in to learn “simple storm water management strategies for residential properties that encourage infiltration of runoff on site, thus reducing pollutant loads to surface waters.   contact 11/19 Blackstone River Watershed Council Monthly Meeting. 6:30pm - 8:30pm. Lincoln RI.   info top THINK GLOBAL, ACT LOCAL Clean Water Act: Public Comment Period On October 20th, the U.S EPA will close the public comment period for the proposed "Waters of the U.S" rule developed this past spring by the EPA and U.S. Army Corp of Engineers. The rule was designed to clarify the scope of waters covered by the federal Clean Water Act. Prior to this proposed rule, smaller water bodies including headwater and intermittent streams, stream-side wetlands, and isolated wetlands were exempt from the CWA's regulations that prohibited discharge of pollutants into navigable waterways. Since the CWA's inception in 1972, scientists have garnered increasing evidence of these smaller waters' connectedness to, and therefore influence on, larger water bodies. It is this growing body of scientific research that led to the EPA's proposed rule. In the case of the Blackstone River, the headwater streams located in the greater Worcester area include Tatnuck Brook, Beaver Brook, Sewell Brook, Coal Mine Brook, Broad Meadow Brook, and Bummit Brook, to name a few. For more information on the proposed rule, go to http://www2.epa.gov/uswaters. To submit comments, go to http://www.regulations.gov/#!submitComment;D=EPA-HQ-OW-2011-0880-0001. Closing the existing gap in the definition of the waters of the U.S. will help protect the Blackstone River and its watershed! top Bottle Bill On November 4th, Massachusetts’s residents will go to the polls to vote on a ballot ("Question 2") to expand the bottle bill. The bill is designed to stop litter, increase recycling, and save municipalities money. The issue went to ballot when the Massachusetts House failed to even vote on it. Supporters of the ballot include Governor Patrick, the state senate, the Sierra Club, Mass Audubon, the Environmental League of Massachusetts, and the League of Women Voters. Sixty percent of the towns and cities in the state have passed resolutions in favor of it as well. In 1982, Massachusetts enacted its current bottle deposit law to cover primarily soda and beer bottles. It does not include non-carbonated drinks such as water, ice tea, juice, and sports drinks, which were not widely marketed back then. Thirty years later, however, it is apparent that the loophole in the state's law needs to be closed in order to reduce the tremendous amount of litter produced by these exempted bottles. One only needs to take a paddle in the Blackstone River watershed like Lake Ripple in Grafton or the Mumford River in Northbridge to see the debris piling up from these products. The same is true for hiking the trails such as West Hill Dam in Uxbridge, Purgatory Chasm in Sutton, or by the Gorge in Blackstone. The tremendous amount of litter collected during the BRWA's annual Earth Day Cleanup at River Bend Farm in Uxbridge and numerous other locations throughout the watershed is further indication of the need to address the failure to get these bottles out of the environment and into the recycling stream. The beverage industry, represented primarily by Coca Cola, Polar Beverage, and Ocean Spray, is spending nearly $8 million in a campaign to defeat the November ballot compared to the $145,000 spent by committees advocating for the expansion. The opponents favor curb-side recycling as the sole solution to the litter problem. However, only 47% of Massachusetts’s municipalities provide curbside recycling. And in general, non-deposit bottles are being disproportionately left out of the recycling stream. Figures indicate 80% of deposit bottles are redeemed or otherwise recycled compared with only 23% of non-deposit bottles. The proposed bottle bill will help keep that 77% from polluting the environment. For more information on this important opportunity to improve the quality of the Blackstone River Watershed, go to http://www.yeson2ma.org/wp/facts/. top Massachusetts Environmental Bond Bill Passed Late this summer, Governor Patrick signed into law the 5-year, $2.2 billion environmental bond bill environmentalists across the state have been strongly advocating for. It's a great victory for Massachusetts' valuable natural resources with over $350 million provided for land conservation programs, $117 million to improve coastal and inland waterways, and $75 million to assess and monitor waterways. This legislative effectively ties together efforts to protect and/or promote water quality, energy efficiency, and fish and wildlife resources across the state. top Mass Wildlife Hunting Season Hunting season for various wildlife species in Massachusetts begins October 18th and runs through November 29th. Hikers, paddlers, bikers, riders, and others should consult the state website ( http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dfg/dfw/seasons-summary-2014.pdf) for specific dates, and exercise caution when outdoors this season. top Snapshot Mystery In our June newsletter, we printed a photo of a tree overhanging a stream with an upper branch high above the current water surface stripped of bark. We challenged our readers to solve this mystery. One person suggested that a beaver, standing on snowpack, had stripped the bark back when the branch would have been accessible. Clever critters! Do you have a photo mystery you want us to help solve? If so, submit it to info@thebrwa.org. top SPOTLIGHT ON SCIENCE Why is the Red Maple Such a Noteworthy Success? By John P. Roche The red maple (Acer rubrum), also known as swamp maple or scarlet maple, is a common tree in New England, living on both dry upland areas and areas with moist soil, such as swamp borders and in forested wetlands known as red maple swamps. It is a fast-growing pioneer species that is characterized by the following traits: red, wind-pollinated flowers in early spring, paired fruit bodies called samaras that mature in late spring and are wind-dispersed, and red leaf buds in winter that open into dark green leaves on red stalks with opposite branching. The flowers and seeds serve as forage for insects, birds, and small mammals. And as the primary component of a red maple swamp community, the trees provide critical habitat to several species of plants and animals listed with the Mass Natural Heritage Program as special concern, threatened, or endangered. Red Maple. Photo from Cornell Sugar Maple Research & Extension Program website - http://maple.dnr.cornell.edu/index.html. Left: Red maple leaves in Fall. Right: Red maple fruit (samaras) Photos from Cornell Sugar Maple Research & Extension Program website - http://maple.dnr.cornell.edu/index.html. Red maples are extremely common in New England today, but red maples did not used to be so common. In pre-European days, red maples were a minor component of New England forests; in southern New England, oaks and pines were the dominant trees and in northern New England, sugar maple, yellow birch, beech, spruce, and fir were dominant. Then, in the 20th century, the red maple increased dramatically in abundance in the forests of Massachusetts, through much of the rest of New England, and in many other areas of the United States. Red maple swamps are now the most common type of forest wetland community found in Massachusetts. Why did the red maple increase so much in dominance? The answer may lie with two aspects of this species’ ecology. One factor favoring the red maple in the past 100 years is that the red maple is highly tolerant of a wide range of conditions, including very dry, and very moist, soil as well as soil with low nutrient levels. This allows it to colonize many areas where other trees would not thrive. The last one hundred years have been a time of many habitat disturbances, including abandonment of agricultural fields, logging, clearing of land, and outbreaks of insects such as gypsy moths and diseases such as chestnut blight. All of these disturbances can open up land for colonization by an opportunistic, condition-tolerant species such as the red maple. A second factor favoring red maples in the past 100 years is the trend toward fire suppression. Red maples are much more vulnerable to fire than many other New England tree species. In the pre-European era, fires in New England forests were more common, with fires originating naturally or being lit by Native Americans. In the past century, however, forest fires have been suppressed, supplying red maples with an added competitive advantage. Red maples do not dominate every habitat, however. For example, because of their tolerance to a wide range of soil quality, red maples do well in dry upland areas such as ridge tops and slopes, and in low, moist areas, where they often form almost monoculture stands in red maple swamps. But in what are called mesic soils, where moisture levels are intermediate, sugar maples outcompete red maples, and are thus more common. The expansion of the red maple provides an interesting insight into forest ecology under changing conditions, but it also provides another benefit—in autumn, red maples provide one of the most magnificent displays of color seen anywhere in nature. When you are out leaf peeping this fall, keep your eyes out for the splendid scarlet hues of the red maple, and marvel at this species’ success. top FAMILY FOCUS Ready, Aim, Shoot (a picture)! Autumn is a wonderful time to introduce children to nature photography. There is tremendous color in the trees and fall flowers, and the air is particularly crisp and bright. Animals that had been reclusive during the breeding months and hot weather are now displaying themselves in the air, on the ground, and in the waterways. Here are some tips for helping your kids explore the Blackstone River watershed through the lens of a camera. Use a durable, good quality camera that will produce good quality photos. Some cameras marketed for children produce really poor images, and the idea is to encourage a child's interest with fascinating results. Offer basic instruction about looking through the viewfinder, framing an image, holding still, and the importance of practice and patience. Encourage him/her to photograph a variety of subject matter: large and small, near and far, plants, animals, and non-living parts of nature like stonewalls and pools of water. Make it part of a game such as shooting images in a fall scavenger hunt, or telling a story with a series of images. Follow the outdoor photo shoot with an indoor research session to learn more about the subject matter. For example, Mass Wildlife has fact sheets online for many species of animals. Encourage your child to use the photography sessions as a stepping stone to conservation. For example, images of butterflies and birds on native plants could be used to encourage friends and neighbors to plant more native plants in their yard. More suggestions can be found at: http://www.nwf.org/news-and-magazines/national-wildlife/photozone/archives/2010/kids-photo-tips.aspx http://www.canadiannaturephotographer.com/kids_photography.html http://behavioralchild.com/10-expert-tips-for-nature-photography/ top BE GREEN Making Fall Green Here are several tips for making fall yard work kinder to the environment. Raked up leaves can be composted for future use around landscaped areas. This is a green alternative to bagging them up for trash pickup or burning them. When you go to fertilize your shrubs and perennial beds for the winter, use organic products that keep the watershed clean of excess nutrients. Planting shrubs, trees, and even grass this time of year conserves a tremendous amount of water that would otherwise be required during the hot dry months of summer. Info from www.earthshare.org. top REFLECTIONS “It is not half so important to know as to feel.” Rachel Carson We find ourselves in the fall of the year. We think of this as a time of slowing down and preparing for the solitude and quiet of winter. Nature, however, continues to be tremendously busy. Color bursts through leaves as chlorophyll stops being produced for photosynthesis. Trees are releasing mature nuts and fruits that are being actively consumed and stored by wildlife. Summer and fall flowers are setting seed. And then there's the water. It rarely slows down. Precipitating from the sky, moving over the landscape, flowing from tributary to main stem to estuary to ocean - tumbling over dams along the way. But this fall, where is the water? We watch the skies for rain knowing the plants are thirsty. The streams are running low or even dry. The waterfalls are quiet in many places. Perhaps a rain dance is in order? photo credit: Alexey Sergeev (2004). http://www.asergeev.com/pictures/archives/compress/2004/418/23s.htm. 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: Susan Thomas susan.thomas@thebrwa.org Mailing address: BRWA, 271 Oak Street Uxbridge, MA 01569 Phone: 508-278-5200  Web: www.thebrwa.org Click here for back issues.