important conservation bill on tap at statehouse

News from the Friends of the Blue Hills

As we know from the Lantana Land Swap, it is far too easy for developers to work with legislators to obtain public land for private purposes. Senate bill No. 2388, the Public Lands Preservation Act would protect the Blue Hills and all public open space from the caprices of legislators and developers by allowing exchanges only when there is no feasible alternative and if replacement land of equivalent acreage and market value is provided.

The bill doesn't prohibit sale or development of public conservation land, but requires compensation at least equivalent to what a private owner would receive, and thereby removes the temptation to treat such land as low-hanging fruit.

Dozens of local conservation commissions and environmental organizations have endorsed the legislation. It passed the Senate and is now awaiting action in the House Ways and Means Committee, where it died in the last session.

Please help us prevent the destruction of future parkland by calling your representatives and ask them to talk to the Chairman of Ways and Means, Robert A. DeLeo, and also to Speaker Salvatore DiMasi in support of this bill. If you don't know who your representative is or need contact information, go to

www.wheredoivotema.com

More details and background of the PLPA, including existing supporters and a link to a copy of the bill, are available at:

www.protectmassenvironment.org/public_lands_preservation_act.htm

public meeting on Neponset River Wednesday night in Dorchester

News from the Friends of the Blue Hills

The 30-mile Neponset River meanders through the Reservation alongside the popular Burma Road trail in the Fowl Meadow. Long ago this portion of the river filled with herring and shad migrating upstream from the ocean in April to spawn.

Restoring these fish runs via removal of the two remaining dams downstream of the Meadow would have a greater positive ecological impact on the Reservation than nearly any other action.

Therefore please consider attending the meeting announced below by Ian Cooke of the Neponset River Watershed Association and sponsored by the state's Riverways program. It will include a presentation of testing results for PCB's in sediments behind the dams by the US Geological Survey, as well as a discussion of remediation and restoration alternatives.


Dear Friend of the Neponset,

Over the last several years, you have undoubtedly read about the River Restore project in NepRWA's outreach materials. This project would restore the Neponset River's historic herring and shad runs by removing the two most downstream dams on the river and cleaning up sediments contaminated with toxic PCBs.

If you live in Foxborough or Dorchester - or anywhere in between - you should care about this project. But this project involves change, and we all know how hard it is to change anything in Massachusetts.

Please attend the key public meeting being held by the state about this project. Get out this January 9 and literally make your voice heard!

This project will only go forward if knowledgeable and impassioned people like you stand up and ask for it. The public meeting on January 9 will be the first real test of support for the River Restore project. If the public response expressed at the meeting is perceived as negative, it may well be the end of the road for the 40-year dream of a clean, accessible, beautiful, free-flowing Neponset River.

So, please make a New Year's resolution to turn your environmental ethic into action by doing 3 things:

1) Let us know what you think by taking a quick survey at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=VqH12fxlQSFTKQWWu7dVpQ_3d_3d
2) Visit www.neponset.org to learn the basics about this project, and
3) Most importantly, plan to attend the Riverways meeting on January 9 at 7PM at St. Gregory School's auditorium, 2214 Dorchester Ave., Dorchester, MA.


MEETING DETAILS:

TIME & DATE: 7-9PM, Wednesday, January 9, 2008
LOCATION: St. Gregory School's Auditorium, 2214 Dorchester Ave., Dorchester, MA
SNOW DATE: Tentatively Wed., Jan. 16, at the same time and place. For finalized snow date information, visit www.neponset.org.
RSVP: To Carly: rocklen@neponset.org, 781-575-0354.

upcoming events

News from the Friends of the Blue Hills

Board and Volunteer Potluck
Saturday, January 5, 6:00 pm
Please join us for an informal potluck to chat with other FBH volunteers and celebrate the good news about Lantana land swap. Whether you're a longtime volunteer or still just good intentioned -- we'd love to see you! For location and to RSVP contact: Melinda Collins: melcollins@att.net or 617-696-6052.

New webpage: Wind Turbines in Blue Hills?
We posted this page to feature some of the documents we have received, including the UMASS feasibility study released in November and Mass Audubon's comment letter regarding same:
http://www.friendsofthebluehills.org/turbines/turbines.htm

Shaping the Future of Your Community: Lecture
Tuesday, January 15, 7:30 - Moose Hill Audubon Sanctuary, 293 Moose Hill St., Sharon
Interested in land protection, but don't know how to begin? Then join Heidi Ricci, Senior Policy Analyst for Massachusetts Audubon, for this free presentation. She will focus on Mass Audubon's new citizen's guide to involvement in community planning, land protection, and project review in Massachusetts.

Brookwook Community Farm Annual Meeting & Potluck 1/26/08
Saturday, January 26, from 3pm to 6pm
A celebration of local food and community farming.

At the Bradley Estate (Trustees of Reservations) 2468 Washington Street Street in Canton -- less than a mile from Brookwood. (Heading south on route 138 from the Blue Hills, take the first driveway entrance on the right just past RT.95/128, Look for the Trustees of the Reservation sign)

For CSA members, wanna-be CSA members and those who have been or want to be involved in Brookwood Community Farm.

The cost is a $25 farm membership. This cost is already included in a CSA membership, but allows others to become part of the farm and support our efforts to preserve agriculture at Brookwood. ALL members can get involved in farming on the land, decision making in the organization and outreach efforts to surrounding communities. ALL members will receive the BCF newsletter and information about activities at the farm, such as workdays and educational workshops to be held in 2008.

The winter get-together will include an annual meeting to share feedback from the 2007 growing season (including results from the CSA survey), get member input for farm improvement, and provide information about planting, distribution and programing plans for 2008. It will also include a pot-luck dinner, music and great conversation with an amazing community of people. We will provide activities for kids during the business meeting so adults can participate.

RSVP to me at judy.lieberman@gmail.com no later than January 12:

Even if you can't make it, you can still support Brookwood Community Farm by becoming a member with a $25 donation (or more).

Pay at the door, or send membership dues to:
Brookwood Community Farm
18 Capen Street
Milton MA 02186

Thank you, and Happy New Year,

Judy Lieberman