MCLA Environmental Studies Department 2025 Green Living Seminar

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NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — MCLA's annual Green Living Seminar Series returns with a series of lectures on the theme of "Rewilding Our World." 
 
Presentations occur every Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. in the Feigenbaum Center for Science and Innovation (FCSI) Room 121.  
 
Every semester the Green Living Seminars center around a different topic, timely and relevant in current sustainability issues. The series, which runs through April, will kick off on Jan. 29 with Chief Scientist of Conservation Science, Inc. Dr. Reed Noss and his talk "What is Rewilding?"  
 
Future Green Living Presentations include: 
 
January 29: What is Rewilding?; Dr. Reed Noss, Conservation Science, Inc., Chief Scientist (via Zoom) 
 
February 5: Urban Rewilding; Sarah Greenleaf, Massachusetts DCR Greening the Gateway Cities Program, Urban Forester 
 
February 12: Restoring Forests to Reduce the Spread of Disease; Dr. Paula Prist, Forest and Grasslands Unit, IUCN, Senior Programme Coordinator (via Zoom) 
 
February 19: Rewilding in an Unlikely Landscape: The Recovery of the Northern Forest of the Northeastern United States; Jon Leibowitz, Northeast Wilderness Trust, President and CEO 
 
February 26: The Future of Wolves in the Northeast Renee Seacor, Project Coyote, Carnivore Conservation Director 
 
March 5: Restoring Old-Growth Characteristics to the Forest in New England, Paul Catanzaro, University of Massachusetts, Professor and State Extension Forester 
 
March 12: Land Conservation for Wildlife in Massachusetts; Andrew Madden, Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, Western District Supervisor 
 
March 26: Land Protection from the Indigenous Perspective; Paula Peters, Native Land Conservancy, Communications and Programs Coordinator (via Zoom) 
 
April 2: Restoring Rivers and Rewilding Wetlands in Massachusetts; Beth Lambert, Massachusetts Division of Ecological Restoration, Director 
 
April 9: Green Roofs: Rewilding our cities; Mark Winterer, Recover Green Roofs, Co-Founder and Owner 
 
April 16: Rewilding for Pollinators; Amy Meltzer, MA Pollinator Network Steering Committee, Co-Chair 
 
April 23: Rewilding to Combat Climate Change; Dr. Os Schmitz, Yale School of the Environment, Oastler Professor of Population and Community Ecology 
 
Each presentation is free and open to the public. Podcasts will be posted online following each presentation.  
 
All lectures will be recorded and can be replayed on the MCLA ENVI Youtube Channel and 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 p.m. 
  • Mondays at 5:30 p.m.  
Community members can find up-to-date information about the schedule at mcla.edu/greenliving

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North Adams Council OKs Funds for Ashland Street Project Easements

By Tammy Daniels iBerkshires Staff
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The City Council on Tuesday approved an appropriation of $256,635 from the Land Sales Account for easements and takings related to the Ashland Street project.
 
A second roll call vote approved the easements and takings during a meeting lasting nearly three hours.
 
"This is a construction project that has been in the works for probably, like eight years, coming down the pipe in conjunction with MassDOT," said Mayor Jennifer Macksey. "And what we are asking tonight is permission for appropriation for us to pay for some permanent and some temporary easements to complete this work."
 
The mayor noted the use of "eminent domain" in the legal language but assured the council and audience that no one's home or driveway were being taken.
 
The temporary construction easements will terminate after six years; the permanent roadway easements will give the city rights to access those areas for purposes of repair or public construction. 
 
The takings are the city's contribution to the $11.4 million Complete Streets project, being funded by the state Department of Transportation through the 2026 Transportation Improvement Program. The account has $463,000, leaving a balance of $207,000 after the appropriation.
 
Macksey said this is similar to what was done for the Brayton School safe routes project but the appraisals were much higher.
 
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