Proposed 2009 Board of Directors

Officers

• President - to be determined
• Vice President - Fred Fortmiller
• Treasurer - Kent Fox
• Clerk - Robin Keeler

Directors

• Nancy Bagdasarian - term ends 2010
• Ingrid Carls - term ends 2010
• Laura Weatherall - term ends 2010
• Arthur Falvey - term ends 2011
• Susan Loveland - term ends 2011
• Gail Mann - term ends 2011
• Peter Covo - term ends 2012
• Christine Larsen - term ends 2012

Advisory Member

• Peter Rovick
  

Voting on the proposed board will take place at the May 6th meeting at the Wellesley Community Center at 7 p.m.

Welcome to the New Board Members

Christine Larsen

I have lived in Wellesley since 1990.  My husband and I have raised two sons, both educated in the Wellesley school system.  Our decision to move to Wellesley was based on the belief that it was a community strongly committed to the education of its youth and to the overall quality of life for all of its citizens.  I have found Wellesley to be a very easy place to live.  I was delighted to learn of its years of designation as a Tree City USA , an urban forestry award. Since the first Earth Day celebration I have been interested in the environment and its conservation and protection.   My educational background is in geography and horticulture.  My interests are organic farming and organic gardening.  I look forward to participating in the Wellesley Conservation Council's efforts to help maintain the protected lands we have here in Wellesley.

Peter Covo

lI have been a resident of Wellesley since 1995 with my wife, Susan and our two young daughters, Ruth (9) and Martha (6).  I have my own law practice where I specialize in the areas of Real Estate Law and Trusts and Estate matters.  In addition to my professional life, I have been very active in Youth Hockey, having coached in the Wellesley Youth Hockey program, assisting at Wellesley High School and coaching teams at both Winsor School and Dana Hall. Having grown up in Mexico City , I have experienced first hand the issues that arise when land conservation and environmental issues are not carefully monitored.  I believe that conservation matters are of great importance to the maintenance of  our community for future generations and look forward to working with the Wellesley Conservation Council.

Farewell to Ellen Zientara

Thank you for your dedication and commitment to preserve and protect Wellesley 's open spaces and for organizing fairy house events.

NOTE FROM THE PRESIDENT

In stepping down as the president of the WCC I will be leaving an opening on the board of Wellesley 's private land trust to be filled hopefully within the next year

Besides the many years as a supporting board member, my 5 year commitment to help shape Wellesley 's private land trust as president, maintaining our sanctuaries and Wellesley 's environment for future generations, has been very fulfilling. We now have signs placed on all our conservation properties and we can now be found on the web! This will bring needed community awareness to the Council's mission.

In continuing to stay on the board I will actively encourage the appreciation of Wellesley 's natural history and promote educational programs on conservation topics for young and old. The updating and revising of “Walks in Wellesley ” will take priority in my involvement with the Council.

My great passion for gardens has also prompted us to look at our own garden “Cronk's Rocky Woodland”, a wildflower garden on Crown Ridge Road . The garden is kept in a natural state to preserve its wildflowers, plants and trees. Presently, we are in the process of rejuvenating this sanctuary. Much help is needed!

We are all confronted with climate change and it is very appropriate for the WCC to bring this topic of long-term conservation plans in a global warming environment to the forefront of discussion. What direction this change in our weather patterns will take is still unclear to the scientists addressing this global warming pattern.

Our next public program ” Responsible Gardening for the 21 st Century: The Sustainable Landscape” on Wednesday, May 6th at 7:00 p.m. at the Wellesley Community Center, 219 Washington Street, Wellesley will guide us to establish a long-term conservation plans for our garden and our sanctuaries.

The Wellesley Conservation Council has just celebrated its 50 th anniversary and hopes for continued interest in land preservation in our town. We all recognize that we need natural open spaces for walking and observing wild life and biodiversity, and as places where our children can feel free and become more connected with our natural world.

Ingrid Carls, President

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 generosity

Bailey 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

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! 

The next Fairy House event for elementary school age children will be on Saturday, May 16 from 1-3 p.m. 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.

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