Follow us!
Wellesley Conservation Land Trust
  • Home
    • WCLT News
  • About
    • Officers and Directors
    • Our History
  • Sanctuaries
    • Guernsey Sanctuary >
      • Directions to Guernsey Sanctuary
      • Map of Guernsey Sanctuary
    • Susan Lee and Heyl Sanctuaries >
      • Directions to Susan Lee and Heyl Sanctuaries
      • Map of Lee and Heyl Sanctuary
      • History of the Susan Lee Sanctuary
    • Lienau Memorial Sanctuary >
      • Directions to Lienau Memorial Sanctuary and Carisbrooke Reservation
      • Map of Lienau Memorial Sanctuary and Carisbrooke Reservation
    • Pickle Point >
      • Directions to Pickle Point
      • Map of Pickle Point
    • Cronk's Rocky Woodland >
      • Directions to Cronk's Rocky Woodland
      • Map of Cronk's Rocky Woodland
    • Coveside Bank >
      • Directions to Coveside Bank
      • Map of Coveside Bank
    • Patch of Woods >
      • Directions to Patch of Woods
      • Map of Patch of Woods
    • Cold Spring Brook >
      • Directions to Cold Spring Brook
      • Map of Cold Spring Brook Sanctuary
    • Walker Woods >
      • Map of Walker Woods
    • Conservation Easements
  • Programs
    • Upcoming Events
    • Woodland Troll and Fairy House Building
    • Bird Walks
    • Past Programs
  • Join Us!
    • Become a Member
    • Renew Membership
    • Volunteer
  • Donate
  • Contact Us
  • Resources
    • Publications
    • Books about the Wellesley Area
    • Birders' Resources
    • Wellesley Geology and Rock Resources
    • Native Plant and Pollinators
  • Legal Documents
  • Visit Our Friends!
  • Walks In Wellesley Map
  • Guernsey Vernal Pool Path

"Wellesley's Changing Wildlife" Lecture - Thursday, December 1st

11/14/2016

0 Comments

 
Wellesley Conservation Council and Wellesley Free Library present:
Peter Alden
WELLESLEY'S CHANGING WILDLIFE
Picture
Thursday, December 1, 2016
Main Library Wakelin Room
7:00 PM

How are climate, habitat, hunting, and invasives changing Wellesley birds and mammals? Climate change is upon us and there is a shift of southern species northwards. Invasive alien plants from other continents escaping from horticulture and our gardens are impacting many habitats. Birds from overseas are competing with native species. Learn about these newcomers and how they are affecting our backyards and wild lands. Peter Alden is the author of 15 books including the National Audubon Society Field Guide to New England.

Free and open to the public. Sponsored by the Wellesley Conservation Council and the Wellesley Free Library.
Like this event on Facebook

Additional info: The wildlife in our gardens, woodlands, fields and marshes has changed radically over time. What had been forests with small Indian patches of corn, beans and squashes was transformed in the colonial era. Ninety percent of New England south of the White Mountains was transformed into grazing pastureland for cows, horses and sheep along with orchards, vegetable and grain fields. Timber was used for houses, barns, shops, firewood and railroad ties.
Most men and boys trapped and/or had shotguns and blasted away at all sorts of wildlife as food, vermin or target practice. Birds and flowers from the Midwest and Great Plains flooded into newly open habitats while some larger mammals and birds were wiped out in the 1800’s. Henry Thoreau never saw a White-tailed Deer, Black Bear, Moose, Wild Turkey or Beaver although he did see the last flocks of the Passenger Pigeon.
By the 21st century the mix of species has been profound. We have seen the return of forests and the loss of most manmade grasslands. Most of our state listed rare species are Midwestern species that were not even present here when the Pilgrims arrived. With over a hundred years of hunting and trapping regulations, re-introductions and captive breeding, and habitat restoration many of our larger herbivores and raptors are again common.
Climate change is upon us and there is a shift of southern species northwards already happening. Invasive alien plants from other continents escaping from horticulture and our gardens are impacting many habitats. Birds from overseas are competing with native species. Learn about these newcomers and how they are affecting our backyards and wild lands.

Peter Alden of Concord, Mass. will present this entertaining and colorful power point program. He is the author of 15 books with sales nearing three million copies including the National Audubon Society Field Guide to New England (with 1,000 animals and plants in color). That along with some great little binoculars will be available at the talk. Peter ran the world’s first Biodiversity Days with Dr Edward O. Wilson and 100’s of field biologists recording 2,700 species within 5 miles of Walden Pond. He organized the first government-sponsored Biodiversity Weeks in 300 towns for the Mass. Executive Office of Environmental Affairs.
For 50 years he has led and/or lectured on over 300 land tours, safaris, private jet tours and cruises to over 100 countries on all seven continents and the seven seas. These have been with such groups as the Massachusetts and National Audubon Societies, Harvard Museum of Natural History, Overseas Adventure Travel, Thomson Safaris, Lindblad Travel (a former V.P.), National Geographic, Road Scholar and a dozen cruise lines.
0 Comments

    Archives

    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    December 2020
    September 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    December 2018
    March 2018
    December 2017
    October 2017
    June 2017
    March 2017
    January 2017
    November 2016
    March 2016
    January 2016
    September 2015
    July 2015
    April 2015
    June 2014
    April 2014
    January 2014
    October 2013
    August 2013

    Categories

    All
    Newsletter

    RSS Feed

 P.O. Box 81129  •  Wellesley Hills, MA 02481
info@WellesleyLandTrust.org  •  Phone: 781-591-7020
​Like us on Facebook