MCLA: Residential Landscaping to Support Pollinators

08:11AM / Thursday, March 03, 2022Print Story | Email Story

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — U.S. Forest Service Research Ecologist Dr. Susannah Lerman will give a talk titled "Residential Landscaping to Support Pollinators," at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 9 at the MCLA Feigenbaum Center for Science and Innovation, Room 121.

Part of MCLA's Green Living Seminar series, this event is free and open to the public. Masks are required in all buildings on MCLA's campus.

About Dr. Susannah Lerman

Dr. Susannah Lerman is a research ecologist with the USDA Forest Service in the Communities and Landscapes of the Urban Northeast unit. She earned her B.A. in American History from the University of Delaware in 1994, an M.S. in Conservation Biology from Antioch University in 2005, and a Ph.D. in Organismic and Evolutionary Biology from the University of Massachusetts in 2011. Her research explores the links between human management of urban green spaces (e.g. yards, neighborhood parks and open space) and the health and success of native wildlife populations, and how these impacts subsequently feedback to influence people due to the role of biodiversity in delivering ecosystem services.

Dr. Lerman translates the application of scientific information into management tools and integrates a citizen science approach with the ultimate goal of improving the sustainability of urban environments for birds, bees and other wildlife, and advancing human well-being through reconnecting people with nearby nature. Her research has identified key mechanisms driving biodiversity patterns through the design of experimental field studies that manipulate management behaviors and predation risk to test hypotheses and address research questions. Susannah's research emphasis is on private lands, which provide opportunities for the public to participate in science, conservation, and shared stewardship. She seeks opportunities to explain scientific findings to varying audiences while trying to facilitate connections between the public's personal lives and the urban ecosystem. This includes presentations to the scientific and management community (e.g. urban foresters, wildlife biologists), birding and gardening clubs, and she regularly contributes to popular media including Science Friday, Scientific American, Audubon and the National Wildlife Federation.

MCLA's annual Green Living Seminar Series continues through April, presenting a series of lectures on the theme of "Greening the City." Every semester, the Green Living Seminar Series centers around a different topic, timely and relevant in current sustainability issues. Seminars take place on Wednesdays at 5:30 p.m. until April 20.

The series is a presentation of the MCLA Environmental Studies Department and MCLA's Berkshire Environmental Resource Center.

Presentations will also be broadcast on Northern Berkshire Community Television Channel (NBCTC) 1302 at the following times:

Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m.

Fridays at 4 p.m.

Saturdays at 3:30 p.m.

Sundays at 11:30 a.m.

Mondays at 5:30 p.m.

Recordings will also be available on the College's YouTube channel.

For more information, visit www.mcla.edu/greenliving or contact Professor of Environmental Studies Elena Traister at (413) 662-5303.

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NAHA Board Accepts Director's Resignation, Unlocks Tenants Association Office

By Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff
03:33PM / Friday, October 16, 2026

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The North Adams Housing Authority Board of Commissioners officially accepted the resignation of Executive Director Jennifer Hohn and restored access to the Tenants Association office.

The board held a special meeting Thursday to vote to accept Hohn's resignation and determined that there are currently no plans to replace her.

"We didn't make any final determinations in terms of the executive session so we will schedule another meeting at another time," Chairwoman Leigh Uqdah said after returning from more than an hour session. "Day-to-day operations will continue to be managed as normal by staff."

Per their bylaws, board member Marie Harpin will continue to handle finances, and Uqdah will manage contracts.

Hohn stepped down on Oct. 8 after 24 years leading the agency. Her resignation followed rising tension between her and the NAHA Tenants Association, culminating in the scheduling of a formal grievance hearing between both parties.

The boiling point was the locking of the association's office this summer. Tenants alleged the lockout was retaliation for posting a video on social media depicting improperly functioning door alarms. Hohn claimed the office was locked for tenant safety and to stop the spread of misinformation.

Tenants Association President Corey Fortin asked if Hohn's security access had been removed. Uqdah confirmed her credentials were revoked the day she resigned, meaning she can no longer monitor security cameras remotely.

Jennifer Barbeau, a former city councilor who was liaison to the Housing Authority, asked when the board met to discuss Hohn's severance package. Uqdah stated that Hohn did not have one.

The board also accepted the resignation of Commissioner Richard Lavigne, though they will vote officially on the matter at their next meeting.

The open portion of the meeting was brief, with nearly an hour and a half spent in executive session. Before entering executive session, the board opened the floor to tenants.

"The tenants requested an opportunity to talk to the board," said Uqdah. "It has been quite a while, but we have decided to honor that."

Fortin, who posted the original video to social media, was the first to speak. He was clear in his request: unlock the office door.

"Let's cut straight to the chase tonight. The former resigned Director Jennifer Hohn ordered the office locked," he alleged. "She is gone. The lockout is a direct violation, and the board has a duty to end that tonight."

He cited federal and state laws that mandate the tenants association be provided with office space, including computer and network access.

"We are here with a direct administrative demand. We demand that the board vote tonight to unlock the doors," he said. "Do not let a resigned director's illegal action remain the board's ongoing liability. Open our door tonight, and let us get back to work."

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