Blackstone River Watershed Association In This Issue BRWA NEWS Fall Hike Honoring a Blackstone Advocate: Correction CALENDAR THINK GLOBAL, ACT LOCAL Microbeads Threaten our Waters and Health BE GREEN Winter Lighting is all a buzz! REFLECTIONS BRWA Online About the BRWA JOIN the BRWA Volunteer SUBSCRIBE TO THE BRWA NEWSLETTER Issue 59 December 2015 BRWA NEWS Fall Hike Over the river and through the woods to Stefans Farm we went. On Sunday, November 15, over 60 people attended a series of guided hikes organized by the BRWA at this 126-acre parcel of Upton Open Space. The hikers included dozens of cub scouts and their families from Upton Pack 132. The hikes were offered to raise awareness of Warren Brook, a tributary of the Blackstone River. The brook is part of a rich ecological complex that includes fields, upland forests, streams, and wetlands. Protecting this watershed, in part through public education, helps to protect and restore the water quality of the Blackstone River. Along the hike, we viewed evidence of the property's agricultural past, including a series of seven fields, stone walls, an old cart path, an abandoned hay wagon, an old stone dam, a stock pond, and an immense white oak "wolf" tree probably left intact over generations of farming to be used as shade for cattle on hot summer days. We immersed ourselves in the natural features of Stefans Farm including beech groves, quartz outcroppings, nesting areas of state-listed turtles, trees ripped open by insect-seeking woodpeckers, beaver dams, still-flowering witch hazel, and an abundance of acorns that rolled under our feet like marbles. The scouts especially enjoyed dispersing the white fluffy seeds of the milkweed plants that grow abundantly in the fields. As we hiked through the fields and woods, we gained a better understanding of the management challenges facing the Upton Land Stewardship Committee. As soon as farm fields stop being mowed or grazed, invasive plants move in. Sunday's hike took us past multiflora rose, Japanese barberry, glossy buckthorn, winged burning bush, autumn olive, bush honeysuckle, Norway maple, and the dreaded oriental bittersweet. At hike's end, everyone enjoyed cider, hot cocoa, and home-baked goods. People interested in assisting with stewardship of Stefans Farm should email uptonlandstewardship@charter.net. Watch the BRWA's website for future events including hikes, paddles, and our annual EarthDay Cleanup. Photos by Pieter DeJong. top Honoring a Blackstone Advocate: Correction In the previous issue (November 2015), we incorrectly identified Val Stegemoen as Park Manager at the Blackstone River and Canal State Park at River Bend Farm (RBF) in Uxbridge. For the past 5 or 6 years, Val served for DCR as Field Operations Team Leader for the Blackstone Complex, working not only at RBF but also at Purgatory Chasm, Upton State Forest, and Douglas State Parks and Forest. top CALENDAR OF EVENTS December 13 is National Violin Day. If you are lucky enough to know how to play violin, invite some friends over for an impromptu performance. If you can't play, maybe this is the time to learn something new! If you are not quite ready to become a virtuoso, at least find a recording of Vivaldi's Four Seasons to listen to. It will be the best 42 minutes of your day! 12/6 Hike to Goat Hill Lock. 1:00-2:30 p.m. Blackstone River and Canal State Park. Uncover interesting stories in stone and follows changes in the landscape along the Blackstone Canal. Meet at RBF Visitor Center. Info: 508-278-7604. 12/7 Trout Unlimited Central Mass Chapter Monthly Meeting. 6:00 -9:00 p.m. Auburn Sportsman's Club. 50 Elm Street, Auburn, MA.   info 12/12, 21, 28 Brown Bag Along the Blackstone. 12:00-1:00 p.m. Blackstone River and Canal State Park, Uxbridge. Bring a lunch, watch an episode or two of “Along the Blackstone”, an award winning series of videos by the NPS, and take an optional canal walk at 1:00. RiverBend Farm, Uxbridge. Info: 508-278-7604. 12/13 13th Annual Decorate a Tree for Wildlife and Grassland Hike. 2:00 p.m. West Hill Dam. Meet at Dam office. Uxbridge. Info: 508-278-2511. 12/16 Blackstone River Watershed Council Monthly Meeting. 6:30pm - 8:30pm. Lincoln RI.   info 12/20 Solstice Sunrise Walk. 7:00 - 8:00 a.m. Blackstone River and Canal State Park. Celebrate the lengthening of days by taking a guided sunrise walk and enjoy the landscape of the fields, canal and river at its seasonal best. Info: blackstone.heritage@state.ma.us or 508-278-7604. 12/22 Winter Solstice!!!!! 1/1 First Day Hike. 1:-00 - 3:00 p.m. Blackstone River and Canal State Park. Celebrate the new year with a walk along the canal, view the Blackstone River and signs of winter wildlife. Warm up after with cocoa and conversation. Info: 508-278-7604. 1/4 Winter Hike Grafton Land Trust. Location and time TBA: see our Facebook page or email info@graftonland.org. 1/4 Trout Unlimited Central Mass Chapter Monthly Meeting. 6:00 -9:00 p.m. Auburn Sportsman's Club. 50 Elm Street, Auburn, MA.   info 1/20 Blackstone River Watershed Council Monthly Meeting. 6:30pm - 8:30pm. Lincoln RI.   info 1/28 BRWA Board Meeting. 6:45 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. 287 Oak St., Uxbridge.   info top THINK GLOBAL, ACT LOCAL Microbeads Threaten our Waters and Health They are tiny; they are used by millions of people every day; and they are wreaking havoc in our freshwater and marine ecosystems. Microbeads, typically less than two millimeters in size, were patented 40 years ago but have only recently become a staple in consumer products. These highly durable bits of plastic are used in a wide range of personal care products including toothpaste, skin exfoliants, and makeup where they provide a texture that is gritty as needed yet smoother than that provided by pumice, apricot shells, and other natural alternatives. The most common plastics used in the manufacture of microbeads include polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and polymethlyl methacrylate (PMMA). Photo Credit: Alliance for the Great Lakes www.greatlakes.org/ Due to their size and durability, microbeads can pass through wastewater treatment plants and enter waterbodies unchanged. Research studies in the Great Lakes have found concentrations of up to 1.1 million beads per square kilometer. And NYU researchers measured a rate of 80,000 beads per day passing through each wastewater treatment plant. In their study, it was estimated that eight trillion microbeads are flushed into the waters of the United States on a daily basis. Even worse, that represents only one percent of microbeads that get washed down drains. The remaining amount becomes lodged in treatment plant sludge that may be used to fertilize agricultural areas—a known source of contaminated runoff. So what's the harm of these tiny plastic beads entering our streams, rivers, and oceans? There are two issues. First, they have a large relative proportion of surface area that allows them to act as sponges, absorbing PCBs, pesticides, flame retardants, and other persistent toxins. Second, they can be mistaken as food and taken in by plankton and fish. These organisms are then deprived of essential nutrients as well as becoming agents of bio-magnification for the toxins. Moving throughout the food web, other aquatic species and the humans that consume them can develop cancers and other ailments as they metabolize the compounds. Researchers, environmentalists, and political leaders are asking what can be done to stop our oceans from turning into more of a toxic plastic soup than it already has. Unlike many other forms of toxins, plastic microbeads are considered a relatively controllable problem that we can solve. Many states and countries are considering, or have adopted, legislation to combat the microbead crisis. The Netherlands, Canada, Australia, and Hong Kong all advocate an end to their use in cosmetics and other personal care products. Illinois was the first U.S. state to ban the manufacture and sale of products containing microbeads. Many states have enacted legislation that only allows biodegradable beads. However, the extent to which the plastic will break down not just in the lab but also in natural aquatic systems (lake beds, for example) has not been demonstrated. The U.S. Congress rejected a proposed bill banning microbeads in 2014, but is considering a reintroduced one this year (H.R. 1321). What can consumers do? Read labels of products before purchasing them. Look for polyethylene, polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate or polymethyl methacrylate. Support companies like L'Oreal, Johnson & Johnson, Adidas, The Body Shop, and Unilever that have pledged to phase out plastic microbeads from their products. Check out this list: http://www.beatthemicrobead.org/en/product-lists. Download the free "Beat the Micro Bead" app here. Send back your unused products with microbeads and let the company know why you won't be purchasing it any longer. Learn more microbeads at the following websites: http://phys.org/news/2015-09-microbeads-chance-oceans-aquatic-species.html#jCp http://storyofstuff.org/plastic-microbeads-ban-the-bead/ http://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdfplus/10.1021/acs.est.5b03909 http://ag.ny.gov/pdfs/Microbeads_Report_5_14_14.pdf http://www.nature.com/articles/srep03263 top BE GREEN Winter Lighting is all a buzz! Many cultural traditions this time of year, including winter solstice celebrations, involve lighting candles. Consider using bees-wax candles or soy-based ones in place of standard wax candles. The paraffin used in conventional candles is derived from petroleum, and is further treated with chemicals before reaching retail stores. Bees-wax candles, however, in addition to not releasing this petroleum/chemical mix into your home or work environment, actually help to clean the air of dust particles and other potential allergens according to some people. So even though we have to wait until next summer to see bees buzzing around our fields and gardens, we can still keep them close by, helping us keep the darkness of winter at bay. top REFLECTIONS “It is not half so important to know as to feel.” Rachel Carson stevetobin.com Steven Tobin is an artist who works in steel, bronze, clay, and glass. He has a series of pieces he refers to as waterglass. The ability of something as fragile as glass to capture the power of moving water is what makes this art. Millions of capillary tubes are repurposed to create these sculptures. 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 residents on watershed protection strategies, and Advocate to local residents, community leaders, non-profit partners, and state regulators to take actions that will help to ensure our waterways continue to provide healthy habitat and enjoyable recreational opportunities. 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.