Presentation on Benthic Macroinvertebrates to be Held at Williams College

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WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — The Hoosic River Watershed Association, Williams College Center for Environmental Studies, and the Zilkha Center for the Environment will host a presentation titled "Turning Stones: a Presentation on Benthic Macroinvertebrates" with aquatic ecologist Declan McCabe on Tuesday, April 29, from 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM in Griffin Hall Room 3 at Williams College.

The program is free and open to the public, and families with children are welcome.

During the presentation, Declan McCabe will use a slide show and live aquatic macroinvertebrates to discuss several topics, including:

  • The properties of water that support life.
  • The differences in the characteristics and inhabitants of flowing and standing water ecosystems.
  • Adaptations of organisms that live on the water's surface.
  • Non-toxic methods for reducing mosquito populations near homes.
  • Low-cost ways to study macroinvertebrates locally.
  • Simple actions to protect watersheds and improve water quality.

Registration for this free program is required and can be completed by clicking the provided link.

Declan McCabe is an aquatic ecologist and a professor of biology at Saint Michael’s College. His book, Turning Stones: Discovering the Life of Water (2024, Down East Books), examines the biodiversity found in rivers. Mr. McCabe has experience communicating biological concepts to students and has also worked with high school audiences. His writings are featured in "Northern Woodlands" and "Connecticut Woodlands" magazines, as well as "The Outside Story" natural history series.

 

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2025 Year in Sports: Mount Greylock Girls Track Was County's Top Story

By Stephen DravisiBerkshires Staff
Mount Greylock Regional School did not need an on-campus track to be a powerhouse.
 
But it did not hurt.
 
In the same spring that it held its first meets on its new eight-lane track, Mount Greylock won its second straight Division 6 State Championship to become the story of the year in high school athletics in Berkshire County.
 
"It meant so much this year to be able to come and compete on our own track and have people come here – especially having Western Mass here, it's such a big meet,"Mounties standout Katherine Goss said at the regional meet in late May. "It's nice to win on our own track.”
 
A week later at the other end of the commonwealth, Goss placed second in the triple jump and 100-meter hurdles and third in the 400 hurdles to help the Mounties finish nearly five points ahead of the field.
 
Her teammates Josephine Bay, Cornelia Swabey, Brenna Lopez and Vera de Jong ran circles around the competition with a nine-second win in the 4-by-800 relay. And the Mounties placed second in the 4-by-400 relay while picking up a third-place showing from Nora Lopez in the javelin.
 
Mount Greylock's girls won a third straight Western Mass Championship on the day the school's boys team claimed a fourth straight title. At states, the Mounties finished fifth in Division 6.
 
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