Lexington Nature Speaker Series

A monthly webinar speaker series to help keep our volunteers and community engaged over the winter months and during Covid-19. See the following for recorded presentations and information on each of the speakers.

Please contact Amber Carr, Conservation Coordinator, with any questions at Email Amber Carr.

Shirley Sutton with a childWinter Tracks & Signs with Shirley Sutton

Watch recording for Winter Tracks and Signs.

Novice or expert, zoom in for an overview of interpreting what local wildlife left behind. Learn how to identify Massachusetts' many wildlife species by the tracks they leave in the mud and snow.

Common Tracks of the NortheastShirley Sutton is trained in wildlife and human tracking, is an independent educator, a Connecticut Master Wildlife Conservationist, a Massachusetts Bald Eagle Monitor, and a Growing Up Wild instructor. Shirley has been a member of the Northeast Wildlife Trackers group for a number of years, has attended and presented at their annual conferences, and serves as their host of the "It's a Mystery to Me" tracks and sign table.

Using Native Plant-Pollinator Systems as a Tool for Biodiversity Conservation with Dr. Robert J. Gegear

More than just the buzz

Watch the Recording.

Dr. Robert J. Gegear Ever wonder which bees benefit from your yard or how you can help rare species? Come learn about eastern North American plant-pollinator systems with Dr. Gegear. He will also highlight his Beecology Project, a citizen science project that uses eco-technology in order to collect data on 'at risk' plant-pollinator systems native to New England.

Dr. Robert J. Gegear is a Professor in the Department of Biology at University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. He has been studying the neuroecology and conservation of eastern North American plant-pollinator systems for over 25 years. He is also the founder the Beecology Project, a citizen science project that uses eco-technology in order to collect data on 'at risk' plant-pollinator systems native to New England.

Wicked Neat: Natural History of Vernal Pools with Matt Burne

Watch the Wicked Neat Recording.

Matt Burne showing animals to childrenJoin BSC Group's Senior Ecologist, Matt Burne, for an in-depth exploration of one of New England's neatest natural history stories - vernal pools. Discover some of the fascinating creatures that rely entirely on these small, temporary ponds and learn about the ecological interactions that make them so important to wildlife in the New England landscape.

Matt Burne was formerly employed by the MA Division of Fish and Wildlife's Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program as the Vernal Pool Ecologist and is currently the Vice-President of the non-profit Vernal Pool Association which works to promote the study, appreciation, and protection of vernal pools.

Bee City with Hannah Mullally

Watch the Bee City Recording.

Hannah MullallyCome celebrate Lexington becoming the first Bee City in Massachusetts! Ever wonder how to create habitat for pollinators in your backyard? Learn from Xerces Society's, Hannah Mullally, as she describes how to plan, design, install, and manage habitat for pollinators in urban settings.

As a Farm Bill Pollinator Conservation Planner and Partner Biologist with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Hannah provides technical assistance on pollinator and beneficial insect conservation in New England. Hannah also provides conservation planning support for the New England Pollinator Partnership in collaboration with NRCS, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and other partners. Hannah completed her master's degree in Wildlife and Fisheries at the University of Tennessee Knoxville, where she studied bee communities in the small openings created by group selection silviculture in southeastern forests.

Learn about the Xerces Pollinator Conservation Program.

Nibbling on Natives in Your Back Yard & Beyond with Russ Cohen

Watch the Nibbling on Natives Recording.

Russ CohenJoin Russ Cohen, expert forager and author of Wild Plants I Have Known…and Eaten, for a 60-minute slide show featuring at least two dozen species of native edible wild plants suitable for adding to your own landscape, or nibbling on as you encounter them in other locales. Keys to the identification of each species will be provided, along with edible portion(s), season(s) of availability and preparation method(s), along with guidelines for safe and environmentally responsible foraging.

Until his retirement in June of 2015, Russ Cohen's "day job" was serving as the Rivers Advocate for the Massachusetts Department of Fish and Game's Division of Ecological Restoration, where one of his areas of expertise was in riparian vegetation. He has set up a small nursery (in Weston MA) where he grows/keeps over 1,000 plants that he propagates from seed (some of which he collected himself), as well as obtains from other sources, such as the Native Plant Trust.

All About Backyard Birds with Michele Grzenda

Michele Grzenda Watch the All About Backyard Birds Recording.

Are you fascinated by all the visitors coming to your family's bird feeder? Join Michele Grzenda to learn skills to identify all those colorful feathered friends you admire. She will teach you common songs and calls of our backyard birds as well as some helpful mnemonic memorization.

Michele Grzenda is the Conservation Director for the Town of Lincoln where she blends the fields of environmental regulation, open space protection, and land management. However, Michele's real passion is sharing her love of birds with others and has led hundreds of birding programs for Mass Audubon, Appalachian Mountain Club, and several community education organizations. Those early observations sparked an interest that prompted her to study wildlife management and environmental conservation at University of New Hampshire.