Lexington, Massachusetts

We completed about half of the landscape fabric installation to the long boardwalk on the Western Greenway Trail west of the Avalon at Lexington Hills housing complex this past Sunday. We are scheduling a second work date for this coming Sunday, April 28 to finish the work before the grass gets a head start this season. We will meet at 12:30
at the Cart Path Lane trail entrance off of Walnut Street in Lexington. Tools will be provided but if you have a hammer or staple gun, please bring it. Join us later in the afternoon if you can't meet us at 12:30. Contact Keith Ohmart with questions: kohmart@verizon.net.

Lexington's First Annual Bike Walk 'N Bus Week - May 5 to May 11

www.lexbikewalkbusweek.org

The Lexington Board of Selectmen have proclaimed the week of May 5 through 11 “Lexington Bike Walk ‘n Bus Week” to promote healthy and sustainable transportation options. During the week a variety of activities are planned to celebrate the many alternative transportation resources available in town. These events – including bike rides and walks for a variety of abilities -- are being organized by the Lexington Bicycle Advisory, Greenways Corridor and Safe Routes to School Committees in conjunction with Town staff. For a complete program of activities, see http://lexbikewalkbusweek.org.

Bird Walk in Dunback Meadow, Saturday, April 13, 8 – 10 AM
Meet at the Allen St. entrance to Dunback Meadow. In mid-April we can witness the beginning stages of the migrating birds coming through there. Species such as Eastern Phoebe, Tree Swallow, several early warblers and sparrows, and Golden- and Ruby- Crowned Kinglets are likely. Although the ground is slightly rough, the pace is slow so the walk is accessible to most. Children with adults and beginners are welcome. We will enjoy a varied habitat, including mixed woods, open fields, and a stream. Bring binoculars if you have them. Boots are recommended as the trails may be muddy. Rain or lightning will cancel the walk. Rain date is Sunday, April 14, 8 – 10 AM. Walk Leader: Bobbie Hodson (robertahodson@comcast.net; 781-861-9421)

Garlic Mustard Pull at Lincoln Park, Saturday, April 20, 1 - 3 PM
Meet at the bike path entrance on Worthen Rd. to clear garlic mustard plants from the area. This annual event, effective in early spring, has helped to slow the advance of garlic mustard plants in Lincoln Park. Garlic mustard is an aggressive non-native species that crowds out native plants. We will also pull out new invasive plants. Bring a digging tool and a plastic bag for depositing the plants in nearby trash barrels. Encourage your friends and neighbors to come, too. Heavy rain or lightning will cancel the event for that day. Rain date is Sunday, April 21, 1 – 3 PM. Walk Leader: Nell Walker (nelwalk@verizon.net; 781-862-6943)

Butterfly Walk at Arlington’s Great Meadow, Sunday, April 21, 10 – 11 AM
Participants will meet in the parking lot at Golden Living Center – Lexington, at 840 Emerson Gardens Rd. (off Maple Street) in East Lexington. The parking lot is on the right side of the facility, and drivers should park at the far end. This walk will be co-sponsored by Citizens for Lexington Conservation and the Massachusetts Butterfly Club. Butterfly enthusiast Tom Whelan will lead a walk to see two species of spring butterflies, Brown and Henry’s Elfins. These small, easily overlooked butterflies are found in many parts of the United States and Canada. Since these species overwinter in the chrysalis stage, their lives as adults begin early in the spring. We may also see Mourning Cloak and Spring Azure butterflies. If time permits, additional insects will be sought at adjacent Infinity Pond, a certified vernal pool. People of all ages are welcome; children must be accompanied by an adult. Please sign up for the walk in advance, preferably by email (tom@whelanphoto.com) or phone (781-863-1880). Walk Leader Tom Whelan will notify those who sign up if the weather requires cancelling the event.

Warbler Walk in Lower Vine Brook, Saturday, May 4, 8 – 10 AM
Meet at 116 Vine Street; call if you are lost. Check out the spring warbler migration in the Lower Vine Brook conservation area. Warblers are small, beautiful tropical birds that come north to breed. Many different species of warbler stop off in this sheltered area on their way to the forests in northern New England and Canada. Some stay, but as trees leaf they are more difficult to see. In the spring, depending on the weather and the foliage, you can sometimes find a dozen species in a morning. Children with adults are welcome. Bring warm clothes, boots if it’s wet, binoculars, and a bird book. No dogs. More than light rain or lightning will cancel the event. If the weather is uncertain call the leader. Leader: Harry West (hwest2020@gmail.com; 617-461-9500 mobile)

Spring at the Paint Mine, Sunday, May 5, 1:30 – 3 PM
Meet at the parking lot at Estabrook School. Come and experience nature waking up in the woods and wetlands of the Paint Mine conservation area. Explore the north-facing slope that provides habitat for uncommon Lexington tree species. Search for the purple fringed polygala, wild columbine, Jack-in-the-pulpit, and other spring blooms. Walkers should wear boots or other terrain footgear. Steady rain or lightning will cancel the walk. Walk Leader: Fran Ludwig (fludwig12@yahoo.com; 781-861-7231)

Pond Exploration at Parker Meadow, Thursday, May 16, 2 - 3 PM
This walk is geared for children in grades K – 5 accompanied by an adult. Meet at the Revere St. entrance to Parker Meadow. Limited parking is there; additional parking is available on neighborhood streets across Revere St. Join Emily Schadler for a prowl around Parker Meadow to look for signs of bugs, tadpoles, frogs and toads. We’ll dip a net into the water to see what kinds of critters are wriggling around below the surface. Bring rain boots if you have them, and be prepared to get dirty. If you have a small bug box or magnifier, bring it along. Rain or lightning will cancel the event. Walk Leader: Emily Schadler, Town of Lexington Conservation Stewardship Coordinator ( eschadler@lexingtonma.gov;781-862-0500 x 240)

Slow and Easy Nature Walk, Saturday, May 25, 10 - 11:30 AM
Meet at the trail entrance next to the Employee Parking Lot on the right side of Brookhaven (1010 Waltham St.). Are you worried about going on those walks in the woods that you used to enjoy so much? Here's your chance to take it slow and easy on the Brookhaven Nature Trail, following a winding path through the woods behind Brookhaven. There are six benches where walkers can sit and admire the birds, the flowers and the view over the pond, or the two vernal pools along the way. The surface of the path has been packed with a smooth layer of stone dust to make traveling with a cane or even a walker possible. Bring binoculars if you are a bird watcher. Steady rain or lightning will cancel the walk. Walk Leaders: Kate Fricker and Marie Roberts (kfricker@alum.swarthmore.edu; 781-640-1276)

Monday, April 29 – Citizens for Lexington Conservation Annual Meeting - Active and Engaged: Rare Species Conservation Inside Rte 495 with Bryan Windmiller, Grassroots Wildlife Conservation, Inc.

7:00 pm, Cary Memorial Library Meeting Room

In Massachusetts, the parts of the state "inside 495" are often regarded by conservationists as simply too urbanized and criss-crossed by roads to be of much conservation value. However, some of the most significant populations of rare wildlife in our state are still be found within 30 miles of Boston. Ensuring a long-term future for rare species in eastern Massachusetts will rarely be a passive affair of simply protecting habitat; it will often require long-term, sustained, and active management and will almost always involve the cooperation of private landowners and a variety of public agencies. We will learn about some ongoing conservation projects "inside 495", involving species as diverse as Blanding's turtles, little brown bats, bridle shiner fish, and Britton's violets.

Bryan Windmiller holds a PhD in biology and a Master's degree in Environmental Policy, both from Tufts University. He was the founder of an ecological consultancy, Hyla Ecological Services, and has worked as an ecological consultant since 1987, specializing in understanding the impacts of human infrastructure and development projects on populations of wild animal species, particularly amphibians and reptiles. Bryan teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in wetlands ecology, conservation biology, and herpetology and was a visiting scholar at James Cook University in Australia. Currently, Bryan is President of a newly-formed non-profit corporation, Grassroots Wildlife Conservation, which integrates hands-on educational programs into the conservation of rare animal and plant species.