Westfield River Wild & Scenic

Odonates, semi-aquatic insects, spend their larval (nymph) stage in clear, cold and rocky stream reaches before emerging into their flying adult stage to spend time feeding and maturing in the surrounding riparian and terrestrial habitat.

Dragonfly nymphs are voracious predators typically spending much of their time burrowed in the sandy substrate at the bottom of the stream habitat where they wait to ambush almost any animal of suitable size, including other insects, small fish and tadpoles. Nymphs will spend anywhere from 1-4 years in their aquatic environments before climbing the riverbank, exposed rocks or logs to emerge into their adult forms.

Dragonfly Emerging along East Branch Trail

When they first emerge, the adults are very soft and vulnerable – damage can be sustained from rain, falling debris and predators.  To elude this danger, many species will fly into the surrounding woodlands to find relatively safe shelter among leaves and branches. Feeding on mosquitoes and flies, some adult species will often travel far from the stream as the feed and mature. Once mature, the dragonflies will return to the stream habitat to mate, with males often seen patrolling the riverbanks or stream surface in search of females. Once a mate is found they will often again seek shelter by flying up high in the surrounding trees. Mating can take anywhere from less than a minute to over an hour depending on the species. Once mating occurs, females will fly over the surface of the water depositing their eggs.

The presence of these odonates is typically indicative of relatively good water quality and riverine habitat.   Water quality is the primary concern for these odonates as salt and road containments, siltation from construction and erosion, industrial and agricultural pollution, and other pollutants can significantly alter their habitat. As a lotic species, they are also vulnerable to alteration of natural flow regimes by dams and water diversion projects. Upland borders and habitat are also crucial to their well-being as they are critical for feeding, resting and maturation.

For photos and additional information about the common draognfly and damselflies found along the Westfield River check out:

http://www.dragonhunter.net/westfield_river_watershed.html

Title: Wild & Scenic Saturday
Location: Glendale Falls, Middlefield
Link out: Click here
Description: First Saturday of each month from June to October volunteers will gather to build a community sponsored,
rustic staircase down Glendale Falls — a property of The Trustees of Reservations, Middlefield, MA.
Join us one Saturday or all of them. Take the first step and bring your friends and family.
If you can’t join us you can sponsor one of the steps for just $10 or bring a treat for the hungry crew!

To volunteer, contact Meredyth Babcock, Vol. Coordinator, 413-623-2070 or volunteer@westfieldriverwildscenic.org.
Start Time: 9:00
Date: 2010-06-05
End Time: 13:00

Title: Wild & Scenic Saturday — Geology
Location: Chesterfield Gorge
Link out: Click here
Description: Third Saturday of each month from June to October
we will offer FREE workshops from 9am-1pm. Learn
about geology of Chesterfield Gorge and help us install our information kiosk!

Each session includes two hours of trail monitoring and maintenance where you get to apply your newly learned skills. Meet at Chesterfield Gorge, the start of
the dynamic East Branch Trail.

To sign-up, contact Meredyth Babcock, Vol Coordinator, (413) 623-2070 or volunteer@westfieldriverwildscenic.org.
Start Time: 9:00
Date: 2010-06-19
End Time: 13:00

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. Read the rest of this entry »

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 »