Buds, Twigs, and Bark: How to Identify Trees and Shrubs in Winter

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Join Chelsey Simmons of Berkshire Environmental Action Team (BEAT) for the February Berkshire Green Drinks virtual event to explore the buds, twigs, and bark of common trees seen in the New England landscape. 
 
It may be surprising, but winter is actually an excellent time to learn how to identify woody plant species. The absence of leaves allows for the opportunity to take a closer look at the characteristics that are often overlooked, like the subtle features of a twig, the arrangement of buds, and the overall form and structure of a tree. Chelsey will go over the steps to tree identification, break down twig morphology, and give helpful hints on remembering one species from another — all of which will aid in tree and shrub identification year-round.
 
The presentation will be live-streamed via Zoom at 6 PM on Wednesday, February 14. Registration is required to receive the meeting link. Register at: http://tinyurl.com/Feb2024-Berks-Green-Drinks
 
Chelsey Simmons is the programs director for Berkshire Environmental Action Team, a nonprofit based in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. As part of her work for BEAT, she leads numerous naturalist walks throughout Berkshire County year-round. For the past few years, she's been working on an identification book of trees and shrubs found in western Massachusetts, meticulously drawing and painting each page by hand and sharing those pages with the public through BEAT's "Tree of the Month" series with the hope of getting people excited about trees and interested in the native species found in our region.
 
Berkshire Green Drinks (formerly Pittsfield Green Drinks) is an informal gathering that takes place once a month. A guest speaker talks for about 30 minutes beginning at 6 PM, and the presentation is followed by a discussion and Q&A. These nights are free and open to everyone with any environmental interest. 

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'Together for Our Warriors' Seeks to Bridge Gaps in Veteran Services

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — For many veterans, finding resources can be a struggle because of fragmentation among veteran services. 

 

New nonprofit Together for Our Warriors Inc. is trying to streamline that search by creating a central source for information about the services available to them.

 

Veterans can find themselves struggling to navigate available services resulting in some deferring help or falling through the cracks of the system that provides a broad range of services that are stretched thin, said Director Kyle Kuffel. 

 

Veteran resources are available throughout the region, but information about those services is often fragmented among government agencies, nonprofits and other organizations that do not always communicate with one another, said Bernard Tremblay, the nonprofit's board and operations president.

 

The nonprofit was incorporated in March, and its 501(c)(3) status was officially approved on May 12, Kuffel said. 

 

They eventually hope to produce a printed resource guide that can be distributed at veteran events and resource fairs, Tremblay said. 

 

As the organization continues to expand, Kuffel said he hopes it can eventually hire its own Veteran Services Officer accredited by the state and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. 

 

The position would help veterans navigate and file claims while easing pressure on an already overburdened system, he said. 

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