Vineyard Conservation Almanac

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In This Issue:

Local News:
Why Moshup Matters

Feature:
Winging to Washington

Calendar:
The Martha's Vineyard Rod and Gun Club Fly tying Program;
Local Food Dinner;
Moonrise Meanders

Save The Date:
2009 MASS. LAND CONSERVATION CONFERENCE;
International Symposium on Integrating Offshore Renewable Energy Systems & Aquaculture

Climate Change:
Drought threatens Amazon, speeds global warming: study;
The Sword of Damocles

Wildlife Update:
Obama Restoring Endangered Species Act Provision

Energy Update:
Future Dim for Nuclear Waste Repository;
Cape Light Compact receives EPA awards

Sustainable Update:
Army Corps hears Martha's Vineyard aquaculture plan

Waste Update:
"Plastic in the Ocean" Interview with Capt. Charles Moore

Pass The Word!

The second annual Lights Out Martha’s Vineyard will be happening in coordination with Earth Hour 2009 on March 28, from 8:30-9:30 PM. Please plan on flipping the switch and enjoying a cozy candlelight hour in support of the planet. The number of countries and cities that have committed to turning off their lights are growing daily. The count is now 931 cities and towns and 80 countries, plus our island! Our planet just might get an energy rest after all. Please spread the word. Our Earth deserves our respect especially when you consider that she bats last.

LOCAL NEWS

Why Moshup Matters
By Brendan O’Neill, Executive Director of VCS

The Legend of Moshup is an ancient creation story from the Wampanoag oral tradition. It tells of the giant Moshup, the personification of the immense forces of nature, deciding to settle here after a long journey, and dragging his foot to separate Martha’s Vineyard from the mainland and plow up the Cliffs of Gay Head. Scraps from his dinner table are the fossilized bones and teeth of ancient life forms found there. The vast appetite of his cook fires is evidenced in the layers of petrified wood and coal visible in the cliffs and the treeless expanse that is Moshup Trail.

Go to the Land Conservation Section for the rest of the article

Feature

Winging to Washington
04 Mar 2009

WASHINGTON -- European ministers are flocking to Washington drawn by the new administration's pledge to help lead the fight against climate change, an issue largely put on ice for eight years here.

Ministers from across Europe as well as Canada are taking part in a whirl of meetings here this week to gauge prospects of Congress adopting key climate-change legislation ahead of a major U.N. climate conference in December.

http://www.grist.org/news/2009/03/04/
Washington/index.html?source=daily

Fireplaces generate a lot of air pollution. Wood smoke contains carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NOx), and fine particulates that can aggravate asthma, allergies, and other health conditions. Several options are available for upgrading your fireplace so you can cozy up to a fire while actually increasing your home’s energy efficiency and reducing pollution: Wood stoves. Units certified by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) generate between two and five grams of particulate matter per hour of operation compared with the 40 to 60 grams per hour generated by a conventional fireplace. They also operate at 80 percent efficiency—similar to other home heating sources. Pellet stoves. Instead of wood logs, these stoves burn small pellets made from compressed wood and other plant waste, and produce so little pollution that they do not require EPA certification. Pellet stoves do require electricity (about 100 kilowatt-hours per month under normal usage) Gas fireplace inserts. Natural gas- or propane-fueled inserts offer the warmth and ambiance of a fire without the need to load wood (or pellets) or dispose of ash. Gas inserts are up to 80 percent efficient and generate low levels of pollution.

Calendar

The Martha's Vineyard Rod and Gun Club Fly tying Program

Mon, March 9, The Martha's Vineyard Rod and Gun Club Fly tying Program is at the Anchors in Edgartown from 7 to 9 p.m. Cost is $15 for the first class, and $5 for each additional class. Open to fly fishermen of all ages and abilities. For details, call 508-627-3909.

Local Food Dinner

Mon, March 9, Local Food Dinner 6 pm, Culinary arts dining room, Martha's Vineyard Regional High School, Oak Bluffs. Island Grown Initiative and Martha's Vineyard Regional High School dinner benefits culinary arts program. $25 (SBS, Cronig's Vineyard Haven). noli@islandgrown.org.

Moonrise Meanders

Tue, March 10, Moonrise Meanders, 6:15 pm Felix Neck shines under the moonlight! Join us to greet the full moon rising over Sengekontacket Pond as the sun sets over the marsh and fields. Felix Neck's trails provide the views and Suzan Bellincampi will be your guide on this brisk early evening walk. Dress for the weather and bring a flashlight. Members: $4, Nonmembers: $8 per person.

Spring Community Meeting for Island Grown Schools

Tues, March 10, Spring Community Meeting for Island Grown Schools, to discuss plans for school gardens, partnerships between farms and schools and other topics, is from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Island Co-Housing Common House in West Tisbury, off Stoney Hill Road. For details, email noli@islandgrown.org.

Martha's Vineyard/Dukes County Fishermen Assoc.

Wed, March 11, Martha's Vineyard/Dukes County Fishermen Assoc. 5 pm, Katharine Cornell Theatre, Vineyard Haven. Meeting. 508-696-3840.

Book Discussion

Wed, March 11, Book Discussion: Menu for the Future from the North West Earth Institute, dealing with issues of food, agriculture, and global warming, is at the Vineyard Haven library at 7 p.m. Sign up at the front desk to order a workbook, or call 508-696-4211.

Martha's Vineyard Surfcasters Association Meeting

Wed, March 11, Martha's Vineyard Surfcasters Association Meeting 7 pm, VFW Hall, Oak Bluffs. Attend if interested in becoming a member. 508-693-3360.

Alpaca Farm Open House/Workshop

Sat, March 14, Alpaca Farm Open House/Workshop 12 noon-4 pm, Island Alpaca Company, Oak Bluffs. Meet alpaca; refreshments; easy lace scarf workshop ($45). Pre-register for class: 508-693-5554.

Squibnocket Point Walk

Sunday, March 15, Squibnocket Point Walk 1 p.m. – 3 p.m Squibnocket Point Conservation Restriction, Chilmark Two miles of scenic shoreline and over 140 acres of dunes and maritime habitat have been protected by a conservation restriction. Join us for this rare opportunity to visit Squibnocket Point. No dogs allowed. Reservations are required, as space is limited. Free to members of The Trustees of Reservations; $15 for non-members. Reservations required please call (508) 693-7662 Call for directions.

Save The Date

2009 MASS. LAND CONSERVATION CONFERENCE

Worcester, Saturday, March 28, 2009, 8:00 am - 4:00 pm
Worcester Technical High School, Worcester, MA
$38 if you register by Mar 14; $58 after Mar 14; lower rates for MLTC members (Box lunch available for additional $12)
Sponsored by the Massachusetts Land Trust Coalition and The Trustees of Reservations’ Putnam Conservation Institute Registration and Details:
http://www.thetrustees.org/pages/
38698_massachusetts_land_conservation_conference_2009.cfm

More than 30 workshops on all aspects of land conservation work, including a full-day "Boot Camp" specifically for land trust board members.

JUST ADDED! A special field trip to see the impact of the Asian Longhorned Beetle on Worcester's landscape.

This year's workshop tracks: Land Conservation Fundamentals, Funding & Fundraising, Stewardship: Land Management & Conservation Restrictions, The Art & Science of Conserving Land, Particularly Legal Matters, Emerging Issues, Organizational Development, The Community Preservation Act (CPA), Finding Common Ground: Land Conservation & Civic Engagement Last year's conference was sold out; sign up now to guarantee your space! Conference brochure and registration forms at http://www.thetrustees.org/pages/
38698_massachusetts_land_conservation_conference_2009.cfm

International Symposium on Integrating Offshore Renewable Energy Systems & Aquaculture

http://seagrant.gso.uri.edu/baird/2009

8th Annual Ronald C. Baird Sea Grant Science Symposium*
November 2 to 4, 2009, Newport, Rhode Island

Registration Form*
http://seagrant.gso.uri.edu/baird/
2009/registration_form.pdf

Sponsorship Opportunities *
http://seagrant.gso.uri.edu/baird/2009/sponsors.html

The development of offshore renewable energy systems is a international priority driven by the need to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and decrease human impacts on global climate. At the same time, the increasing demand for high-quality foods worldwide is accelerating the development of marine aquaculture. The purpose of this international symposium is to develop opportunities and document progress toward a new vision of permitted, designed, offshore aquaculture ecosystems that are compatible with renewable energy systems and provide mutual benefits for many uses including commercial and recreational fisheries and other users of the marine environment. For more information, please visit:
http://seagrant.gso.uri.edu/baird/2009

Climate Change

Drought threatens Amazon, speeds global warming: study
Thu Mar 5, 2009

PARIS (AFP) – Drought is killing off trees in Brazil's fragile Amazon rain forest and depleting the region's carbon reservoirs -- an ecological double-whammy with devastating implications, according to a study published Thursday.

The Amazon's lush vegetation in a typical year absorbs nearly two billion tonnes of carbon dioxide, one of the chief culprits causing climate change.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/
20090305/sc_afp/climatewarmingbrazilamazon

The Sword of Damocles
By Dr. James Hanson

Over a year ago I wrote to Prime Minister Brown asking him to place a moratorium on new coal-fired power plants in Britain. I have asked the same of Angela Merkel, Barack Obama, Kevin Rudd and other world leaders. The reason is this – coal is the single greatest threat to civilization and all life on our planet.

http://www.columbia.edu/%7Ejeh1/mailings/
2009/20090215_Damocles.pdf

Wildlife Update

Obama Restoring Endangered Species Act Provision
Tuesday 03 March 2009
by: Juliet Eilperin, The Washington Post

In an address to the employees of the Department of Interior, President Barack Obama moved to restore the Endangered Species Act.

Today President Obama will restore rules requiring U.S. agencies consult with independent federal experts to determine if their actions might harm threatened and endangered species, according to an administration official who asked not to be identified, marking yet another reversal of President Bush's environmental legacy.

http://www.truthout.org/030309R

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/04/
science/earth/04species.html?_r=1

Energy Update

Future Dim for Nuclear Waste Repository
By MATTHEW L. WALD
Published: March 5, 2009
NY Times

WASHINGTON — President Obama’s proposed budget cuts off most money for the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste project, a decision that fulfills a campaign promise and wins the president political points in Nevada — but raises new questions about what to do with radioactive waste from the nation’s nuclear power plants.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/06/
science/earth/06yucca.html

Cape Light Compact receives EPA awards
March 05, 2009
Cape Cod Times

BARNSTABLE — The Cape Light Compact has received two awards from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

The local agency's work with the EPA's Energy Star program will be formally recognized at an awards ceremony March 31 in Washington, D.C., according to a press release from the Compact.

http://www.capecodonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/
article?AID=/20090305/NEWS/903050314/-1/NEWS01

Sustainable Update

Army Corps hears Martha's Vineyard aquaculture plan
By Nelson Sigelman
March 5, 2009
MV Times

The US Army Corps of Engineers is accepting public comment on a proposal that would set aside three 25-acre sites for the purposes of aquaculture projects in waters off West Tisbury, Chilmark and Aquinnah.

Around the world aquaculture has become an important component of local fishing economies, and in some cases it has supplanted the harvest of naturally occurring stocks. If a project now on the drawing board goes well, someday locally raised mussels will be added to Martha's Vineyard's fishing economy.

http://www.mvtimes.com/marthas-vineyard/news/
2009/03/05/marthas-vineyard-aquaculture-plan.php

Waste Update

"Plastic in the Ocean" Interview with Capt. Charles Moore

From The World Without Us, by Alan Weisman
Chapter, "Polymers Are Forever."

Since 1997, Captain Charles Moore of Long Beach, California, has been studying the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre also known as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. "For a week, Moore and his crew found themselves crossing a sea the size of a small continent, covered with floating refuse. It was not unlike an Arctic vessel pushing through chunks of brash ice, except what was bobbing around them was a fright of cups, bottle caps, tangles of fish netting and monofilament line, bits of polystyrene packaging, six-pack rings, spent balloons, filmy scraps of sandwich wrap, and limp plastic bags that defied counting."

Go to the Sustainability section for the rest of the story

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsezwSydCzo

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