Register Now for the 6th Annual Berkshire Natural History Conference

"The Sixth Annual Berkshire Natural History Conference, featuring presentations by local and regional naturalists and acclaimed authors, will take place on Saturday, October 1 from 9 am to 3:30 pm at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, located at 375 Church Street in North Adams, Massachusetts. Highlighting topics that range from rare birds to tiny organisms that live within the layers of a leaf, the event includes several renowned speakers and exhibitors. It is open to the public, and students of all ages and disciplines are especially encouraged to attend. General admission tickets are $25; student tickets are $15 and include forum credit. To purchase tickets, visit www.berkshirecc.edu/bnhc or call (413) 236-2127. [...] 'This event brings natural history home to the Berkshires,” said Berkshire Community College Professor of Environmental Science Tom Tyning, a lead organizer of the event. “We are excited to gather programs and like-minded people together to help understand and appreciate the deep natural heritage that surrounds us.'" Read More + Detailed Schedule & Registration

350MA–Berkshires Meeting Tonight at 6 PM

"Are you concerned about our changing climate? Want to take action? Please come to the next monthly meeting of 350MA-Berkshires on the 3rd Wednesday of the month, September 21st, at 6:00 pm. The meeting will be online. In addition to our regular updates, our topic this month will be choosing campaigns for next year. Contact Susan at [email protected] for Zoom info." Learn More About 350MA

Statewide LWG Survey and Meeting Announcement

Natural Resources Conservation Service| USDA

"On September 29 at 12:00 noon, the NRCS will host a statewide Local Working Group meeting over Zoom. Please note: even if you cannot attend the meeting, you can make your voice heard by filling out the NRCS survey, linked below. Answers to this survey will not only structure the LWG meeting, but will also guide our work going forward. This survey and meeting are an opportunity to provide input on natural resource priorities for the NRCS and the state conservationist. Agricultural producers, owners/operators of nonindustrial private forest land, professionals representing agricultural and natural resource interests, and individuals representing a variety of disciplines in the soil, water, wetland, plant, forestry, and wildlife sciences are all welcome. For more information on local working groups, see What are Local Working Groups. Please fill out this survey at least one week prior to the meeting (September 22 deadline). This survey will help us structure the meeting so that it responds to your needs. A list of definitions of the resource concerns listed in the survey can be found here. Again, even if you cannot attend the meeting, please fill out this survey—answers to this survey will guide our work beyond the statewide Local Working Group meeting. To receive the link to the meeting, please RSVP by emailing Austin Miles at [email protected]." Read More

Switching to renewable energy could save trillions – study

Jonah Fisher | BBC News

"Switching from fossil fuels to renewable energy could save the world as much as $12tn (£10.2tn) by 2050, an Oxford University study says. The report said it was wrong and pessimistic to claim that moving quickly towards cleaner energy sources was expensive. Gas prices have soared on mounting concerns over energy supplies. But the researchers say that going green now makes economic sense because of the falling cost of renewables. [...] The report's findings are based on looking at historic price data for renewables and fossil fuels and then modelling how they're likely to change in the future. The data for fossil fuels goes from 2020 back more than 100 years and shows that after accounting for inflation, and market volatility, the price hasn't changed much. Renewables have only been around for a few decades, so there's less data. But in that time continual improvements in technology have meant the cost of solar and wind power have fallen rapidly, at a rate approaching 10% a year. The report's expectation that the price of renewables will continue to fall is based on "probabilistic" modelling, using data on how massive investment and economies of scale have made other similar technologies cheaper. [...] Wind and solar are already the cheapest option for new power projects, but questions remain over how to best store power and balance the grid when the changes in the weather leads to fall in renewable output. Back in 2019 Philip Hammond, then Chancellor of the Exchequer wrote to the prime minister to say that the cost of reaching net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 in the UK would be more than £1tn. This report says the likely costs have been over-estimated and have deterred investment. It also says predictions by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) that the cost of keeping global temperatures rises under 2 degrees would correspond to a loss of GDP by 2050 were too pessimistic. The transition to renewables was, it says, likely to turn out to be a 'net economic benefit'." Read More

Registration open for 2022 Northeast Wildlife Trackers Conference 

"Join wildlife trackers, conservation professionals, educators, wildlife photographers, and other interested naturalists for the 14th annual Northeast Wildlife Trackers' Conference! to share, learn, and connect around wildlife tracking. From inspiring words to hands-on field sessions, this conference has something for everyone--whether you're new to tracking, interested in learning more, seeking practical skills, or keen on connecting with other educators/professionals working in tracking-related fields. 'Tracking is life. So great to get together with others to continue the inspiration and learning.' - Anonymous [...] Day One is filled with keynote and concurrent speakers, workshops, and opportunities to network with others. Day Two features optional fee-based, immersive field sessions with skilled wildlife-tracking educators. Our conference is the perfect opportunity to meet your local community of wildlife enthusiasts to learn new skills or dive deeper into the field of wildlife tracking, animal behavior, wildlife conservation, and current scientific research in these areas." Detailed Schedule & Registration

A utility project on Lenox Mountain in Richmond left trails and woodlands scarred. Now the DCR is poised to repair the damage

The Berkshire Eagle

"A utility project on Lenox Mountain in Richmond left trails and woodlands scarred. Now the DCR is poised to repair the damage." Read More

To clean up rivers, EPA will require private property owners to manage stormwater runoff

Barbara Moran | WBUR

"The Environmental Protection Agency will require that certain private properties within the Charles, Mystic and Neponset River watersheds — an area encompassing much of Greater Boston — obtain permits to mitigate stormwater pollution. The move comes as stormwater runoff carrying nutrients, dog feces, gasoline and other detritus has emerged as the leading cause of pollution in local rivers. The Charles River, for instance, suffers toxic algae blooms almost every summer, fed by hot sunny days and stormwater runoff, especially phosphorus. [...] Properties in the watersheds with one or more acres of parking lots, roofs, roads or other 'impervious surfaces' will have to manage the stormwater that runs off their property. The permitting requirement will cover 'thousands' of properties, including office parks, shopping malls, hospitals and private colleges and universities, according Ken Moraff, director of the water division at EPA's New England Regional Office. He estimates that large commercial and industrial properties contribute 70% of the runoff from private properties in the watershed. [...] Moraff said landowners could be required to maintain their properties differently — cleaning their parking lots more thoroughly to remove debris, for instance. The EPA may also require physical changes, like installing rain gardens to filter stormwater." Read More

Egypt accused of thwarting environmental groups ahead of COP2

Al Jazeera

"Egypt’s government was accused of severely restricting the work of environmental groups, leaving activists fearful of publicly scrutinising authorities ahead of the country hosting a crucial global climate summit. Egyptian authorities have imposed 'arbitrary funding, research, and registration obstacles that have debilitated local environmental groups, forcing some activists into exile', New-York based group Human Rights Watch (HRW) said in a report released on [September 12]. [...] The UN’s annual Conference of the Parties (COP) involves nearly 200 countries with hundreds of observers, NGOs and, often, mass demonstrations designed to ramp up pressure on political leaders to tackle climate change. Egypt will host this year’s event, COP27, in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh in November. Some of the individuals interviewed by HRW said it was impossible to secure research permits, or interview people about environmental issues, for the fear they or those they speak to could be arrested. HRW said it spoke to 13 activists, academics, scientists and journalists involved in climate action in Egypt, who all spoke on condition of anonymity for security reasons. Egyptian authorities have lately championed concerns that rich countries – the biggest emitters of greenhouse gasses – have fallen short in helping developing African nations tackle climate change effects – for which the continent shares little blame. However, for one environmentalist cited by Human Rights Watch, this is 'because this intersects with their interests, like the need for more funds'. Human rights groups have repeatedly condemned Egypt’s record under President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, who removed former President Mohamed Morsi in 2013 before becoming head of state the following year. HRW noted that interviewees pointed to a 'recent expansion of official tolerance for environmental activities that are easily reconciled with government priorities'. But the rights group said activists were fearful of drawing attention to issues including industrial pollution and the military’s involvement in 'destructive forms of quarrying', as well as big infrastructure projects. Leading environmental organisations in Egypt 'have been weakened severely by government restrictions and a pervasive sense of fear and uncertainty', HRW said, citing several insiders within such entities." Read More