Council News | Sanctuary Updates | Wellesley News
Proposed 2010 Board of Directors Officers
Directors
Advisory Member
Welcome to the New Board Member Ellen Underhill Ellen and her husband lived in Wellesley as newlyweds in the early 90’s and returned to Wellesley just last summer. They have two children in the Wellesley school system: Charlie (14) and Maddie (12). Ellen has her Masters in Education and although most of her teaching has been in the elementary grades, her most recent teaching was at Wellesley College in the Physical Education Department. New to the Council, she is looking forward to contributing to the process of conservation as well as helping to educate future generations on how to preserve our open spaces. FAREWELL Robin Keeler Robin was a member of our board for several years. She took on the responsibility of clerk and diligently turned out spectacular minutes each month. She was always available for last minute jobs like stuffing envelopes in order to get our newsletter out in a timely fashion, doing our public relations for all our events. Robin and her husband moved to Atlanta this winter - we miss her very much and wish her well. Laura Weatherall Laura joined our board a few years ago and has contributed unending advice on landscape architecture as it applies to our properties. This is Laura's specialty and we are very grateful to have been able to go to her for professional suggestions. Laura, we will miss your presence on the board in the future but as all our retired board members know, you are only a phone call away. Thank you and good luck. NOTE FROM THE PRESIDENT
My primary goal is to bring the revision of our book, Walks in Wellesley to completion within the next few months. The book committee consisting of Fred Fortmiller, Ingrid Carls and myself has been working feverishly to get this accomplished and are excited about the prospects of our new book. It will be more comprehensive as it will include all trails in Wellesley but still maintain the intimate personality of the original book which so many have grown to love. Look for it on our website, at the Wellesley Booksmith, or from any member of our board in the fall. Our open meeting will take place on Wednesday, April 28, at the Community Center. The meeting will begin at 7 PM at which time our new slate of officers will be voted on. Following this we are excited to have two speakers: Mike Francis from the Trustees of Reservations and Peter Rovick from the Wellesley Trails Committee. In May we are planning another Fairy House event during Wellesley Weekend and in early June we will hold our annual Cronk’s Open House. As always, we continue to welcome new members who are interested in land conservation to join our council. Please feel free to speak to any of our members who can provide you with background information on the Wellesley Conservation Council. Nancy L. Bagdasarian, President “WALKS IN WELLESLEY ” - A New Revised Edition Almost 40 years ago, the Wellesley Conservation Council published its first edition of Walks in Wellesley. Since then, four new editions and one extra printing have been published. Several years ago, more than ten years since the last printing, the Council decided to undertake a new, revised edition entitled Walks In Wellesley: Exploring Open Space and Trails. The first task was to walk the trails and actually explore Wellesley’s preserved open space with fresh eyes to revise the text of the old book. Members of the Council undertook this task. Then, last fall, a Book Committee was appointed to bring the new material together and publish a new revised edition. Publishing a new edition requires funds for professional assistance and printing. Quotes were obtained and a budget was established. We quickly realized that this venture would not have been possible without generous contributions that were provided by The Bailey Family Foundation, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care and members of the Wellesley Conservation Council. For this thoughtful support, the Council is indeed grateful. MINI-GRANT TO MIDDLE SCHOOL In support of our mission to promote the enjoyment of the natural environment through preservation, scientific study and education; the Wellesley Conservation Council is proud to provide the Wellesley Middle School Science Department with a grant of $250. The grant is being used to purchase jeweler's loupes (eye lenses with a 5x magnification) to be used by the seventh grade science classes for a new unit of study on ecology. Thank You Thank you to the Bailey Family Foundation which has been very generous in its grants to the council – the current one to be used for the revising and republishing of “Walks in Wellesley ”. Thank you also to Harvard Pilgrim Health Care (Community Spirit 9/11 Mini-Grants program) for its wonderful gift will also help us in the reprinting of the new revised edition of “Walks in Wellesley ”. Wellesley Garden Study Group Makes Donation The Wellesley Garden Study Group made a generous donation of $300 to the Council in May of 2008. Each year, this local club donates the proceeds of its annual fundraising auction to organizations that pursue gardening-related activities. The Conservation Council was delighted to receive this gift and it has been earmarked to purchase plant material for Cronk's Rocky Woodland Sanctuary. Cronk's is one of our pocket parks and neighbors from all over Wellesley enjoy walking its pathways through woods dotted with wildflowers and shrubs. To date, we have used these funds to purchase rhododendron bushes and witch hazel for Cronk's. This spring we hope to add a few native flowering trees to the sanctuary. We have just learned that the Wellesley Garden Study Group will be one of the sponsors of our spring meeting, featuring Maria Stella who will talk on sustainable landscape design. This donation will help defray the cost of speaker's fee. We are fortunate to have the support of this local garden club. Thanks so much to the Wellesley Garden Study Group for its generosityBailey Family Bench at Pickle Point
Wellesley Conservation Council dedicates a bench in memory of Nancy and Hamilton Bailey On a beautiful Sunday morning, October 14, 2007, a multigenerational Bailey Family gathered at Pickle Point along the shores of Morses Pond for the dedication of a bench in memory of Hamilton and Nancy Bailey. The Baileys were avid walkers throughout Wellesley 's reservations and sanctuaries. In later years one could meet Mr. Bailey often accompanied by his daughter, Ann Melanson, bringing a chair along for a well needed rest, making his way to Pickle Point, a peninsula along Morses Pond. Pickle Point was formed when the glacier retreated and this point we call Pickle Point remained. Maples, oaks, wild cherry, alder, dogwood, azalea and witch hazel are abundant and very different from other areas along Cochituate Aqueduct The Wellesley Conservation Council hopes that many weary walkers will find rest and renewal along the banks of Morses Pond, especially at Pickle Point. Click here to see a map of Pickle Point. Fairy House Event The next Fairy House event for elementary school age children will be on Saturday, May 22, 1-3 pm at Pickle Point Sanctuary. Meet at the Cochituate Aquaduct at Russell Rd./Kendall Rd. This event is free and families are welcome. Refreshment will be served. |
One aim of the council is to expose children to nature and its wonders while having fun. In celebration of our 50th Anniversary, the Wellesley Conservation Council branched out into the community where two local toy stores co-sponsored a " Fairy House Building " event. The first event was held in the spring at Magic Bean Toy Store on Linden Street during the Wellesley Weekend. Council members, children and their families later gathered at Pickle Point to make Fairy houses from natural materials found in the woods. We were enchanted by two beautiful swans, followed by 6 cygnets, which greeted us at the Morses' Pond. entrance! The second, more recent event, was held this September at LittleBits Toys on Washington Street. Again, members, children and their families gathered, this time, along Caroline Path, collecting natural materials for building their fairy houses next to an adopted tree. We had many children participate in these creative adventures which included natural art projects, games, a reading of Tracy Kane's Fairy House story and of course cookies and tea! Each board member has adopted a WCC sanctuary. Four times a year, the sanctuaries will be visited to clean-up trash and check the general condition of each sanctuary. We would appreciate it if you spot a problem in a sanctuary to let us know so that we can quickly remedy the situation. |
Cronk's Rocky Woodland Earth Day 2010 - Dedication of Flowering Dogwood Wellesley Conservation Council celebrates Arbor Day with planting a new tree at Cronk’s Rocky Woodland, the Council’s wildflower garden on Crown Ridge Road (across the Street from 21 Crown Ridge Road) on Friday, April 30 at 11:30 a.m. “The Garden Study Group” will participate in the ceremony and will help sponsor this tree panting event. This generous gift helps to beautify the sanctuary with a wonderful spring blooming tree. Earth Day 2009– Dedication of Halsia Tree at Cronk's Rocky Woodland
The Halesia Tree , a shrubby Carolina version ( halesia tetraptera ) is a spring blooming tree with big bunches of bell flowers blooming on last years bare branches. These bell flowers flutter gracefully in the breeze. The tree is known also as Carolina Silverbell Tree . It can grow in shady areas up to 40 feet.The attractive four winged seed pots turn from green to brown in the fall and show some interest when the leaves had fallen in autumn. Photo: Peter Rovick Oh, to be a tree Ingrid Carls, Earth Day, April 22, 2009 Many thanks to “ The Garden Study Group ” for their generous gift which helps beautifying the sanctuary with this Halesia tree. Thank you also for all who helped, Peter Rovick, Art Falvey and Nancy Halpern to give Cronk's Rocky Woodland hope in being part of reducing global warming. Pictured at the rained out tree dedication are: Nancy Halpern, Ingrid Carls, Robin Keeler, Chris Larsen, Nancy Bagdasarian, and Arthur Falvey. Rain Barrels Board members Kent Fox and Peter Rovick have adapted our rain Click here to see a link to a map showing how to get to Cronk's from Town Hall. Conserve Water, Time and Energy with “No-Till” Gardening With ‘no-till' gardening (also known as “lasagna gardening”), once a bed is established the surface is never disturbed. Items such as compost, manure, peat, lime and fertilizer are added to the top of the bed where watering and subsoil activities will allow them to be absorbed into the subsoil. Mulch is added to the top layer and therefore, weeding is not necessary. By adding material in layers, the underlying soil surface remains spongy, making it easy for the young roots of newly planted seedlings to work through the soil. This is similar to the way soil is formed in nature. Traditionally, gardeners turn over the top layer of soil before planting to get rid of weeds, and prepare for fertilization and planting. The act of tilling the soil is often the most arduous of a gardener's tasks. Digging into the bed can actually interfere with the natural symbiotic relationship that exists between the surface soil and the underlying micro-organisms. Tilling can also cause soil erosion and compaction and force dormant weed seeds to the surface where they will likely sprout. Benefits of no-till gardening are many: • Promotes natural aeration and drainage via the tunneling of worms • Saves water as the thick layers of mulch allow water to easily pass through and provides shade to the soil. • Reduces the need to weed since dormant seeds are not disturbed and exposed to light during tilling. • Helps soil retain carbon as nutrients are released in a slow and steady manner. • Helps to reduce soil erosion as topsoil and fertilizers used in traditional gardening are often washed or blown away. To get started, you will need to establish a good, fertile soil structure by removing all rocks, roots and any such obstructions. Once the soil has been cleared, organic items such as peat, lime and compost may be added. A thick layer of mulch is essential to keep the soil from drying out and crusting over. If you plan to adopt the no-till gardening method there are many detailed online resources that will be of assistance. Resources: http://www.no-dig-vegetablegarden.com/no-till-gardening.html |
Guernsey Sanctuary Vernal Pools
Vernal pools are small temporary ponds, with no inlet or outlet. They hold water for only part of the year and contain no fish. They are essential for a healthy ecosystem because certain amphibians must live in a vernal pool for some part of their lives. These species include wood frogs, spadefoot toads, spotted salamanders, and fairy shrimp. Other animals may use vernal pools but can live in other habitats as well. There are many vernal pools hidden around Wellesley including one in WCC's Guernsey Sanctuary. To find a vernal pool in your neighborhood, click here to look at the Wellesley Wetland map.
Yellow/blue spotted salamanders, spring peepers, fingernail clams, caddisfly larva, and dragonfly nymphs were all found in the Guernsey vernal pool. |
Walker Woods As part of his duties for the Wellesley Trails Committee, Jim Eliott has been monitoring the Sudbury Path which runs adjacent to the Walker Woods. Jim notified us of dumping on the property and later returned with Peter Rovick to remove Christmas trees as well as glass and metal objects. Peter also visited some of the neighbors on Fuller Brook Road to ask for their help in preventing dumping and promoting protection of the Walker Woods natural state. |
Wellesley Conservation Council celebrated Earth Day with planting a new tree at Cronk's Rocky Woodland, the Council's wildflower garden on Crown Ridge Road . 
Last year
the Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences studied our Guernsey Sanctuary pond as part of its Vernal Pool Project in the Charles River and Taunton River watersheds. We are pleased to report that Manomet gave the Guernsey vernal pool a good report card. 
Morses Pond Visit the Morses Pond web site at www.morsespond.org. Natural Resources Commission Visit the Natural Resources Commission web site to find out more information on Wellesley's parks, conservation, recreation, and open spaces. Wellesley's Pesticide Awareness Campaign WPAC - Find out how to eliminate or reduce pesticide use on your lawn, see listings of local events relating to environmental health, sign up for email updates on talks, research articles and legislation relating to pesticide reduction in Massachusetts, discover many good books and references and related links. Wellesley Trails Committee The Wellesley Trails Committee sponsors a series of free, guided trail walks. Enjoy some of Wellesley's beautiful open spaces and discover new trails that will expand your recreational options. Visit the Wellesley Trails Committee web site to find out more information about the walks and new trail projects and to download maps and guides to the Wellesley trails. |
Last Revised April 19, 2010 |
