Westfield River Wild & Scenic

Jim Caffrey, The Trustees of Reservations, discusses Garlic Mustard found at Glendale Falls

A group of conservation organizations and individuals working in the Westfield River watershed recently held a kick-off meeting to discuss establishing a Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area (CISMA) for the region.

“What is a Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area (CISMA)?”

The goal of a CISMA is to promote cooperative efforts to manage invasive species through an integrated approach of protecting or restoring desired native communities at the watershed level through education, early detection and eradication, and management.

“What do we want to achieve with an invasive species management area?”

• Heightened awareness of invasive species (including plants, pests, & pathogens – terrestrial and aquatic) – among partners, towns, governmental agencies, and the public
• Establish an early detection and rapid response framework/network/team
• Work with neighbors/partners to make control efforts more sustainable
• Provide more funding and support to invasive control efforts within the area
• Increase resiliency of our natural habitats to climate change

“What is the geographic area defined by this CISMA?”

The initial focus will be the Westfield River watershed, from the upper portions in the Hilltowns to the lower portions in Agawam and West Springfield.

The group has set up a Monkey Survey to help gauge the interest of other potential partner organizations and individuals in developing a Cooperative Management Area as well as to identify current interest and activities in invasive species monitoring & management within the watershed. The Monkey Survey should only take about 10 Minutes of your time and will be extremely helpful to inform the Steering Committee’s next meeting.

Click here to take the survey now: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/MHJSFPH

Responses due by Thursday, January 28th, 2010.

Our goal for the next meeting is to draft a workplan for the next few months, initiate some activities to get things rolling, and identify additional partners.

Thank you for your help!

Bee & Butterfly Sharing Sweetness

Recently, we were asked about what you could do to encourage bird and wildlife habitat in your yard.  If you have attended one of our volunteer trainings, you might recall our  “messy habitat” slide — where we talk about how creatures of every size like habitats with plenty of cover, hiding places, and sources of food.  Sounds like a kids messy bedroom might be a good place for some critters to live, though I suspect you would much prefer them out in the yard.  Well their are many landscaping techniques you can use to mimic the “messiness” without it really looking dingy.  In fact, using Nature’s main ingredients can take you a long way in encouraging birds and other wildlife to visit and use your yard.

The four basic needs of all wildlife include Food, Water, Cover, and Space.  Meeting these needs in your yard can be as simple as choosing native plants that offer fruits such as berries, seeds such as nuts or acorns, grains and nectar. Read the rest of this entry »

If you were to write a horror story set in the aquatic world, the main character might be the villainous Zebra Mussel.  Sure it does not have a jarring name like “Rock Snot” and in some ways sounds cute and fuzzy — as images of black and white striped zebras dance through your head.  However the stories of ecological and economic devastation stand out with this invasive. With destructive powers that lie in their sheer number and ability to attach to solid objects — water intake pipes, propellers, boat hulls, dock pilings, submerged rocks, and even other aquatic animals — these invaders surely can reign terror in the aquatic world. Read the rest of this entry »