Regular Monthly Meeting of the Conservation Commission

$15 BEEC members/$20 non-members. Please pre-register: Send a message to bonnyvale@gmail.org with your name, phone number, and the number in your party or call 257-5785.

Ben Kilham has spent the past seventeen years in the woods with black bears. He has pioneered techniques for raising bear cubs and helping them transition to lives as wild bears, and in the process has learned about New England’s black bears in a way few have ever had the opportunity to—on their territory and on their terms. One of his cubs, Squirty, is now a fifteen-year-old matriarch with a few generations of daughters sharing her territory.

As a keen observer o

September is the month when asters and goldenrods put on their show. Every meadow, pasture, and roadside is painted in complimentary yellows and purples. These flowers are a diverse group, and may be daunting for wildflower enthusiasts to identify, but several common species make up the large part of the display. On this stroll through BEEC’s pastures, Patti Smith and Pat Jaquith will introduce you to the common species and help you recognize the characteristics that make each distinctive. Following the walk, we will gather in the courtyard to look at some of the asters and goldenrods not seen on the walk, and talk about the ecology of these very successful plants.

Free. Please pre-register: Send a message to bonnyvale@gmail.org with your name, phone number, and the number in your party, or call 257-5785.

Reading the Forested Landscape

“It is wonderful to know nature through one-on-one encounters with other organisms, but it is perhaps more empowering to gain a fuller understanding of the patterns that have shaped its landscapes.  Through some knowledge of history and the broader view of seeing a forest and not just its trees, we begin to see the forces that shape a place.  This new way of seeing creates reverence, respect, a sense of inclusion and accountability.  Reading the landscape is not just about identifying landscape patterns; more importantly, it is an interactive narrative that involves humans and nature.  For those interested in enhancing their sense of place, I know of no better way than by becoming intimately acquainted with their local forests and the fascinating stories they tell.”   Tom Wessels   1997



This program is based on Tom’s book, “Reading the Forested Landscape, A Natural History of New England”.  It introduces people to approaches