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Walk/Talk
Walk: Spring Is for Birds
Cooke Avenue Entrance to FLCA (former Moose Lodge) 196 Cooke Avenue, northampton, MA, United StatesWalk/talk with Mike Locher Spring is the ideal time to go out birding, as residents and returning migrants alike busy themselves with the urgent task of finding mates and building nests. Join Hampshire Bird Club’s Mike Locher as we walk through forest and wetland habitats and continue on to the more open spaces of the
Walk: Amphibians of Fitzgerald Lake
North Farms Road entrance to FLCA 61 North Farms Road, northampton, MA, United StatesWalk/talk with Brad Timm Learn about the fascinating species of amphibians at Fitzgerald Lake Conservation Area in this morning hike. Join Brad Timm, who has conducted amphibian research in New England for 15+ years, as we walk the trails and learn about the natural history and conservation of the amphibians that dwell in the streams,
Walk: Amphibians of Fitzgerald Lake
North Farms Road entrance to FLCA 61 North Farms Road, northampton, MA, United StatesWalk/talk with Brad Timm Learn about the fascinating species of amphibians at Fitzgerald Lake Conservation Area in this morning hike. Join Brad Timm, who has conducted amphibian research in New England for 15+ years, as we walk the trails and learn about the natural history and conservation of the amphibians that dwell in the streams,
Walk: Forest for the Birds
North Farms Road entrance to FLCA 61 North Farms Road, northampton, MA, United StatesWalk/talk with Jeff Ritterson Jeff is a field ornithologist at Mass Audubon, where his focus is on working landscapes and forest management, including the coordination of the Foresters for the Birds program. Originally from Delaware, Jeff attended graduate school at UMass Amherst, and remained in Massachusetts for the vibrant conservation community and magnificent forests. Jeff
Walk: Forest for the Birds
North Farms Road entrance to FLCA 61 North Farms Road, northampton, MA, United StatesWalk/talk with Jeff Ritterson Jeff is a field ornithologist at Mass Audubon, where his focus is on working landscapes and forest management, including the coordination of the Foresters for the Birds program. Originally from Delaware, Jeff attended graduate school at UMass Amherst, and remained in Massachusetts for the vibrant conservation community and magnificent forests. Jeff
Walk CANCELLED: Ticks and Their Environment
North Farms Road entrance to FLCA 61 North Farms Road, northampton, MA, United StatesCANCELLED Walk/talk with Nolan Fernandez Join Nolan Fernandez, the outreach coordinator for the Laboratory of Medical Zoology at UMass Amherst, for an informative talk about ticks and the diseases they can transmit, including Lyme disease, babesiosis, and a number of newly emerging pathogens. He will describe ticks’ life cycles and preferred habitats as well as
Walk CANCELLED: Ticks and Their Environment
North Farms Road entrance to FLCA 61 North Farms Road, northampton, MA, United StatesCANCELLED Walk/talk with Nolan Fernandez Join Nolan Fernandez, the outreach coordinator for the Laboratory of Medical Zoology at UMass Amherst, for an informative talk about ticks and the diseases they can transmit, including Lyme disease, babesiosis, and a number of newly emerging pathogens. He will describe ticks’ life cycles and preferred habitats as well as
Walk: Wildflowers
Cooke Avenue Entrance to FLCA (former Moose Lodge) 196 Cooke Avenue, northampton, MA, United StatesWalk/talk with John Burns After the spring ephemerals and before the late bloomers of fall, there are the glorious flowers of summer. John Burns, of Burns Environmental in Cummington, will lead participants along Boggy Meadow Rd., past the beaver pond, and out to the dam in search of midseason wildflowers. Bring a hand lens and
Walk: Wildflowers
Cooke Avenue Entrance to FLCA (former Moose Lodge) 196 Cooke Avenue, northampton, MA, United StatesWalk/talk with John Burns After the spring ephemerals and before the late bloomers of fall, there are the glorious flowers of summer. John Burns, of Burns Environmental in Cummington, will lead participants along Boggy Meadow Rd., past the beaver pond, and out to the dam in search of midseason wildflowers. Bring a hand lens and
Walk: Insect Tracks and Signs
North Farms Road entrance to FLCA 61 North Farms Road, northampton, MA, United StatesWalk/talk with Charley Eiseman Insects are extremely specialized in their habits, and because of this it is often possible to learn which ones are around us just by noticing the characteristic patterns and objects they create as they go about their lives. Participants will search for signs such as egg cases, cocoons, webs, burrows, droppings,
Walk: Insect Tracks and Signs
North Farms Road entrance to FLCA 61 North Farms Road, northampton, MA, United StatesWalk/talk with Charley Eiseman Insects are extremely specialized in their habits, and because of this it is often possible to learn which ones are around us just by noticing the characteristic patterns and objects they create as they go about their lives. Participants will search for signs such as egg cases, cocoons, webs, burrows, droppings,
Walk: Fungal Partnerships at Fitzgerald Lake
North Farms Road entrance to FLCA 61 North Farms Road, northampton, MA, United StatesWalk/talk with Pat McDonagh Mushrooms are visible outgrowths of fungal networks that make our forest ecosystems possible. Take a walk in the woods to learn about the essential role that mushrooms play as recyclers and symbiotic partners to other forest life forms. Collecting edible mushrooms will not be a major focus of this walk, but
Walk: Fungal Partnerships at Fitzgerald Lake
North Farms Road entrance to FLCA 61 North Farms Road, northampton, MA, United StatesWalk/talk with Pat McDonagh Mushrooms are visible outgrowths of fungal networks that make our forest ecosystems possible. Take a walk in the woods to learn about the essential role that mushrooms play as recyclers and symbiotic partners to other forest life forms. Collecting edible mushrooms will not be a major focus of this walk, but
Walk: History of Land Use at Fitzgerald Lake Conservation Area
Cooke Avenue Entrance to FLCA (former Moose Lodge) 196 Cooke Avenue, northampton, MA, United StatesWalk/talk with Laurie Sanders From colonial times to the damming of Broad Brook in the late 1980s that created Fitzgerald Lake, the 850 acres of FLCA have undergone momentous changes. Laurie Sanders will lead a walk along Boggy Meadow Rd. to the dam and Cooke’s Pasture, focusing on the economic, social, and environmental history of
Walk: History of Land Use at Fitzgerald Lake Conservation Area
Cooke Avenue Entrance to FLCA (former Moose Lodge) 196 Cooke Avenue, northampton, MA, United StatesWalk/talk with Laurie Sanders From colonial times to the damming of Broad Brook in the late 1980s that created Fitzgerald Lake, the 850 acres of FLCA have undergone momentous changes. Laurie Sanders will lead a walk along Boggy Meadow Rd. to the dam and Cooke’s Pasture, focusing on the economic, social, and environmental history of
Autumn Tree Walk with Bob Leverett at FLCA
North Farms Road entrance to FLCA 61 North Farms Road, northampton, MA, United Statesby Bob Leverett Join Bob Leverett, co-founder of the Native Tree Society, for a walk through the Fitzgerald Lake Conservation Area to learn about our eastern woodlands. The leaves may have mostly fallen, but trees can still be identified by their bark, their buds, their shape, and their habitat. And once identified, each species tells
Autumn Tree Walk with Bob Leverett at FLCA
North Farms Road entrance to FLCA 61 North Farms Road, northampton, MA, United Statesby Bob Leverett Join Bob Leverett, co-founder of the Native Tree Society, for a walk through the Fitzgerald Lake Conservation Area to learn about our eastern woodlands. The leaves may have mostly fallen, but trees can still be identified by their bark, their buds, their shape, and their habitat. And once identified, each species tells
Spring Bird Walk
North Farms Road entrance to FLCA 61 North Farms Road, northampton, MA, United StatesLed by Marcia Merithew and Betsy Higgins (rain date Sun. 4/28) Meet at North Farms Rd. entrance Spring is in the air –time to get out and go birding! At this time of year residents and returning migrants alike are bursting with song as they busy themselves with the urgent task of finding mates and
Spring Bird Walk
North Farms Road entrance to FLCA 61 North Farms Road, northampton, MA, United StatesLed by Marcia Merithew and Betsy Higgins (rain date Sun. 4/28) Meet at North Farms Rd. entrance Spring is in the air –time to get out and go birding! At this time of year residents and returning migrants alike are bursting with song as they busy themselves with the urgent task of finding mates and
Walk: Beavers at Nightfall
Cooke Avenue Entrance to FLCA (former Moose Lodge) 196 Cooke Avenue, northampton, MA, United StatesLed by Laura Beltran (rain date Sun. 5/5) Meet at Cooke Ave. entrance Early evening is the ideal time to observe beaver activity. We’ll meet at the Cooke Ave. entrance (former Moose Lodge parking lot) and take a walk along Boggy Meadow Rd., with a short off-trail segment, to a place where beavers have recently built
Walk: Beavers at Nightfall
Cooke Avenue Entrance to FLCA (former Moose Lodge) 196 Cooke Avenue, northampton, MA, United StatesLed by Laura Beltran (rain date Sun. 5/5) Meet at Cooke Ave. entrance Early evening is the ideal time to observe beaver activity. We’ll meet at the Cooke Ave. entrance (former Moose Lodge parking lot) and take a walk along Boggy Meadow Rd., with a short off-trail segment, to a place where beavers have recently built
Vernal Pool Walk
North Farms Road entrance to FLCA 61 North Farms Road, northampton, MA, United StatesLed by Brad Timm Saturday, May 11 Meet at North Farms Rd. entrance Fitzgerald Lake Conservation Area is fortunate to contain several confirmed vernal pools just a short walk in from the North Farms Rd. entrance. Join biologist Brad Timm as we visit these pools and discover their truly unique ecology. We’ll learn about the wide
Vernal Pool Walk
North Farms Road entrance to FLCA 61 North Farms Road, northampton, MA, United StatesLed by Brad Timm Saturday, May 11 Meet at North Farms Rd. entrance Fitzgerald Lake Conservation Area is fortunate to contain several confirmed vernal pools just a short walk in from the North Farms Rd. entrance. Join biologist Brad Timm as we visit these pools and discover their truly unique ecology. We’ll learn about the wide
Walk: Trees and the Forest
North Farms Road entrance to FLCA 61 North Farms Road, northampton, MA, United StatesLed by Bob Leverett Meet at North Farms Rd. entrance Forests may feel timeless as you walk through them, but they are complex, dynamic ecosystems, and each has its own distinct history. Join Bob Leverett for an examination of the New England forest as represented in the Fitzgerald Lake Conservation Area. We’ll learn to identify individual
Walk: Trees and the Forest
North Farms Road entrance to FLCA 61 North Farms Road, northampton, MA, United StatesLed by Bob Leverett Meet at North Farms Rd. entrance Forests may feel timeless as you walk through them, but they are complex, dynamic ecosystems, and each has its own distinct history. Join Bob Leverett for an examination of the New England forest as represented in the Fitzgerald Lake Conservation Area. We’ll learn to identify individual
Walk: Improve Your Nature Photography
North Farms Road entrance to FLCA 61 North Farms Road, northampton, MA, United StatesLed by Michael Jacobson-Hardy Meet at North Farms Rd. entrance A walk in nature is always inspiring, but capturing that feeling with a camera is not always so easy. Join photographer and film teacher Michael Jacobson-Hardy on a walk at the Fitzgerald Lake Conservation Area to learn techniques for taking better pictures outdoors. Michael will
Walk: Improve Your Nature Photography
North Farms Road entrance to FLCA 61 North Farms Road, northampton, MA, United StatesLed by Michael Jacobson-Hardy Meet at North Farms Rd. entrance A walk in nature is always inspiring, but capturing that feeling with a camera is not always so easy. Join photographer and film teacher Michael Jacobson-Hardy on a walk at the Fitzgerald Lake Conservation Area to learn techniques for taking better pictures outdoors. Michael will
Walk: Butterflies
Cooke Avenue Entrance to FLCA (former Moose Lodge) 196 Cooke Avenue, northampton, MA, United StatesLed by Tom Gagnon Meet at Cooke Ave. entrance Join naturalist, birder, and butterfly enthusiast Tom Gagnon in search of the rare DION SKIPPER and other butterflies around Fitzgerald Lake. We will meet at the Cooke Ave. entrance (the Moose Lodge parking lot) and hike along Boggy Meadow Rd. to the dam, where grasses and wildflowers
Walk: Butterflies
Cooke Avenue Entrance to FLCA (former Moose Lodge) 196 Cooke Avenue, northampton, MA, United StatesLed by Tom Gagnon Meet at Cooke Ave. entrance Join naturalist, birder, and butterfly enthusiast Tom Gagnon in search of the rare DION SKIPPER and other butterflies around Fitzgerald Lake. We will meet at the Cooke Ave. entrance (the Moose Lodge parking lot) and hike along Boggy Meadow Rd. to the dam, where grasses and wildflowers
Walk: Forest Shrubs and Plants of the Forest Floor
North Farms Road entrance to FLCA 61 North Farms Road, northampton, MA, United StatesLed by Molly Hale Meet at North Farms Rd. entrance We naturally tend to look up when we’re in a forest, toward the grandeur of the canopy, but there’s an interesting and often overlooked world at our feet as well. Join naturalist Molly Hale for a tour of the forest floor, where a rich variety of
- North Farms Rd. entrance is off Bridge Rd., N. off Mountain St. or N. Maple St. in Florence.
- Cooke Avenue entrance is off Hatfield St., which runs behind the WalMart/Big Y shopping center, to the end of Cooke Avenue (former Moose Lodge). Park only on the right side.
- Coles Meadow Road entrance is on the eastern end of FLCA, about 0.7 miles from North King Street (Routes 5/10). Park carefully on the street.