tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43001926794677071842024-03-19T05:41:08.615-07:00Meadow MakingMeadow Makinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12199287029811802602noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4300192679467707184.post-18889385946223459922015-11-20T18:47:00.001-08:002015-11-20T18:47:24.578-08:00There is something about these birds…While working through a pile of writing assignments, I find myself easily and cheerily distracted by the bird activity just outside my window.
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Until recently, I never had a bird feeder and rarely did I stop to watch these feathered creatures being, well um, birds. Now I enjoy noting their personalities and habits. The sparrows are greedy and aggressive, flapping other birds off the feeder, the chickadees are stealthy and energetic, flitting in and out with seeds to hide away for winter, and the cardinals wing their way in, or often come around late in the day (about thirty minutes before dusk) to bulk up before bedtime?
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Yesterday, two <a href="http://www.fcps.edu/islandcreekes/ecology/downy_woodpecker.htm" target="_blank">downy woodpeckers</a> stopped by for water, a few bugs and sunflower seeds. I wonder where they will settle this winter? From what I’ve read, they look for dead tree trunks into which they excavate their nests.<br />
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I assume the <a href="https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Northern_Cardinal/lifehistory" target="_blank">cardinals</a> will stay near here; Belmont is filled with tall evergreens and hedgerows and in the past a pair nested in my hemlocks.<br />
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Two <a href="https://www.nasw.org/users/nbazilchuk/Articles/chickadee.htm" target="_blank">chickadees</a> are nesting in a birdhouse next door, but I’m not sure where the other half dozen who visited today hang out. I hope they will stay in the neighborhood this winter; they certainly have the capacity to withstand the cold, although last year’s winter was pretty brutal.<br />
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As for other backyard visitors, the squirrels have grown less annoying, now that months have passed since they ate all my peaches, and I hope the chipmunk is still around, preparing to bed down deep under the lawn for the winter.
Then there are the neighbors' cats. For the sake of my feathery friends, I hope they either pass through my yard or take out a few mice, who tend to find a way into my nearly century-old, porous house at this time of year!
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Now back to work on rounding up future meadowmakers and hopefully bird, butterfly, bee, insect and mammal supporters!
Meadow Makinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12199287029811802602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4300192679467707184.post-79599422505256164492015-08-21T11:34:00.001-07:002015-11-20T18:52:08.795-08:00Healing the Earth - One Meadow at a Time<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: large;">Last summer, Waltham students and Meadowscaping staff replaced a tough turf lawn at 750 Main Street, Waltham MA with a sunny native plant meadow to: a) attract pollinators and provide wildlife habitat, b) educate youth about biodiversity and the seven other pillars of meadowscaping, and c) heal the Earth one meadow at a time. Since then, we have been photo-documenting the seasonal evolution of our urban meadow. Notice that the native perennials in this 500 sq. ft. plot are already twice as tall as last year!</span>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoTRyajYvM2RO1M3053qikOh9_lqDieGFhTaT-9yjlyFaZiy5Shwt7hlAVwiVFS3Et0xjR_MzCUqp6IFAVRop0N3BhbNGs-BLsdRVOJLhaZ1irCBnjWhFWfReqKhd4TZjxxJLhQs37-CI/s1600/Aug2014.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoTRyajYvM2RO1M3053qikOh9_lqDieGFhTaT-9yjlyFaZiy5Shwt7hlAVwiVFS3Et0xjR_MzCUqp6IFAVRop0N3BhbNGs-BLsdRVOJLhaZ1irCBnjWhFWfReqKhd4TZjxxJLhQs37-CI/s200/Aug2014.png" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>August 2014</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBG6Nk0G8_GVSNd0eQGFm7QDvPDn16jXPz-uja4L4bYguqjEh5G1b4fXc9fJZxiT6pyETwPr17oHlZqmBmUENxcavo0LXGMkueJSTdplilfOqCidDxwWgGfCNhpYwPDmHYXQEYT7KfQU4/s1600/Feb-2015-Snow.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBG6Nk0G8_GVSNd0eQGFm7QDvPDn16jXPz-uja4L4bYguqjEh5G1b4fXc9fJZxiT6pyETwPr17oHlZqmBmUENxcavo0LXGMkueJSTdplilfOqCidDxwWgGfCNhpYwPDmHYXQEYT7KfQU4/s200/Feb-2015-Snow.png" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>February 2015</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtRKVa0UUB7_fxjdJrnIjMyinnxQ0aPWrMNF5URkW33vqMaPMwu_AHOCBDRM1d6-pUhKmLNxuDQyXlYU1KgjLuWPUegQuVUFmt-j15aOQel7TtT9CHZnGBp7-EbCHIA3kGgQjzaUzUFcw/s1600/July2015.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtRKVa0UUB7_fxjdJrnIjMyinnxQ0aPWrMNF5URkW33vqMaPMwu_AHOCBDRM1d6-pUhKmLNxuDQyXlYU1KgjLuWPUegQuVUFmt-j15aOQel7TtT9CHZnGBp7-EbCHIA3kGgQjzaUzUFcw/s320/July2015.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>July 2015</b></td></tr>
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We are pleasantly surprised by the beauty and scale of this year-old meadow bursting with variety and color—Aster, Bee balm, Boltonia, Coreopsis, False Indigo, Joe Pye Weed, Swamp Milkweed, and 20 other flowers, shrubs, and grasses! And while most plants grew larger in the areas where we placed them last year, the progeny of several varieties, particularly the Echinacea, Black-eyed Susan, and Vervain have popped up all over the place!
Passersbys are pleased by the aesthetics and allure of this place, while wildlife, including insects, pollinators, birds, and bunnies are thrilled by its function!
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGE_t1pmrnQzsV1KwxI3qLMVT36GZih_NiPn466inmH-FH0FQLCEDzqj7-8Lr6GtgVVGpgXmvXOvkKrgs5Bqf6p04rHC6yJTV2NDzX2aZQDgbYHTCf6-XaedH-A1tr_9-7w1_7ZL2kdVo/s1600/OneYrHence.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGE_t1pmrnQzsV1KwxI3qLMVT36GZih_NiPn466inmH-FH0FQLCEDzqj7-8Lr6GtgVVGpgXmvXOvkKrgs5Bqf6p04rHC6yJTV2NDzX2aZQDgbYHTCf6-XaedH-A1tr_9-7w1_7ZL2kdVo/s320/OneYrHence.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A Living Laboratory</b></td></tr>
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This meadow is a living lab that is changing all the time. Each week, we observe and record site conditions, measure plant changes, and identify and record visiting pollinators, noting which flower appeals to which pollinator, and for how long. To date, we have tracked at least five types of bee/wasp pollinators: Bumblebee; Honey Bee; Black and Yellow Mud Dauber; Yellow Jacket; and Paper Wasp. We have seen several flies other than the house variety: Deer Fly, Bee Fly, Hover Fly. We have overturned several soil lovers: earthworms, wireworms, wood lice, centipedes. And we have discovered beetles, fireflies, and caterpillars. Of all the visitors, my current favorites are the butterflies! A few types started to arrive in the third week of July: Cabbage Butterfly, Red Admiral Butterfly and, yes, an Eastern Tiger Swallowtail!
Have a look! Enjoy!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPsmEqT4Fr8CzIfDBpvGcBwAaqc7Z9_G9Or5hstNX5Y2CRb6dbA9G7KT1uQQGu6sqc8a73_jmmIf6MkouSbJ1TzqSjaJdyTxaep2Uqe5lu_7xalQ39QNx0CWnIZwx5rf0JfMTmpVw8x7A/s1600/bee-resized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPsmEqT4Fr8CzIfDBpvGcBwAaqc7Z9_G9Or5hstNX5Y2CRb6dbA9G7KT1uQQGu6sqc8a73_jmmIf6MkouSbJ1TzqSjaJdyTxaep2Uqe5lu_7xalQ39QNx0CWnIZwx5rf0JfMTmpVw8x7A/s400/bee-resized.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Bumblebee on Echinacea</b></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKZpfiQSlmJII92ZSdimzsSE9DeUuHpdL5VL8L2O6DlBVOMLQsp6dFydCrvjryOF8-m6jUEc5yXYplD7By_LEY-jaffv4JWdfQrufINxMY2LNEbKsOn-8LnHGeBPQ4X0TOG62JotgxvHg/s1600/paperwasp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKZpfiQSlmJII92ZSdimzsSE9DeUuHpdL5VL8L2O6DlBVOMLQsp6dFydCrvjryOF8-m6jUEc5yXYplD7By_LEY-jaffv4JWdfQrufINxMY2LNEbKsOn-8LnHGeBPQ4X0TOG62JotgxvHg/s1600/paperwasp.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Paper wasp</b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhXzshTL5b1lFKVjCdMmxI4cYBkfB7EMpBEGAMIjLvIeU53ECfau_w3AVi3ziKrFXfyT5hyphenhyphenKMe-_2emAwdMilO9LueV7EVfPcU8VpF90UFG49QolWVb0gYHFqhfcM0dlVTzn0oW4nz3Ns/s1600/BabyYellowjacket.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhXzshTL5b1lFKVjCdMmxI4cYBkfB7EMpBEGAMIjLvIeU53ECfau_w3AVi3ziKrFXfyT5hyphenhyphenKMe-_2emAwdMilO9LueV7EVfPcU8VpF90UFG49QolWVb0gYHFqhfcM0dlVTzn0oW4nz3Ns/s400/BabyYellowjacket.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Baby Yellow Jacket on Vervain Leaf</b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivWlcJx1kw2DwpanlWatnhGcvfu4l2bO1khCGjLPrPX-ctcuduPKhCEbOeizyOIEIPYn-N74sFd5yUBhzg2EBXffS5J5jzE7fy7ACenJD6X_4317R_em2lc5YbW6FV8ShUukRUKB2_U78/s1600/worm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivWlcJx1kw2DwpanlWatnhGcvfu4l2bO1khCGjLPrPX-ctcuduPKhCEbOeizyOIEIPYn-N74sFd5yUBhzg2EBXffS5J5jzE7fy7ACenJD6X_4317R_em2lc5YbW6FV8ShUukRUKB2_U78/s400/worm.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Earth worm</b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPA8PRrk1scN10Iu57u5kzdLTgBfdHaL9qKNCYI6mQ39vbILyQRGhr7b-ID8pr4TiNWoQVkfPUtm4x-HiEPRTbSRMKR6J88zVWxlA-FNgogR7_3-JYOnGTjmWACe9-R6ZdgvhLU2YbPo0/s1600/WoodLice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPA8PRrk1scN10Iu57u5kzdLTgBfdHaL9qKNCYI6mQ39vbILyQRGhr7b-ID8pr4TiNWoQVkfPUtm4x-HiEPRTbSRMKR6J88zVWxlA-FNgogR7_3-JYOnGTjmWACe9-R6ZdgvhLU2YbPo0/s400/WoodLice.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Wood Lice</span></b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjet3jHaF7FzIFfki2DsmwgDW231jJawrHX0GkMy5v1GuKLtUCphwhgTbl89nv2qy9TP4znck3JvtvuPRtp3ZlGFe1K1viM3ziEgdbIBuqZJjYGjxMs247REBK2qI8YAtOb7Aesosscx7s/s1600/caterpillar-table.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjet3jHaF7FzIFfki2DsmwgDW231jJawrHX0GkMy5v1GuKLtUCphwhgTbl89nv2qy9TP4znck3JvtvuPRtp3ZlGFe1K1viM3ziEgdbIBuqZJjYGjxMs247REBK2qI8YAtOb7Aesosscx7s/s400/caterpillar-table.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Caterpillar. Winter Moth?</b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidU8ftP1occMBaVB5dCPSFkwOCaLWzI8DDVCUW-PfJN3e-ucSVXZ-rExYBDdrvRk_pCsCMM5oVGCwE1rO0Bdj4VOcrJZNkURiAUlOGPI6jmcVhMA_pAPFOu6nXIfyP2CM45Ha_Kh26YaQ/s1600/RobinBath.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidU8ftP1occMBaVB5dCPSFkwOCaLWzI8DDVCUW-PfJN3e-ucSVXZ-rExYBDdrvRk_pCsCMM5oVGCwE1rO0Bdj4VOcrJZNkURiAUlOGPI6jmcVhMA_pAPFOu6nXIfyP2CM45Ha_Kh26YaQ/s400/RobinBath.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Robin bathing</b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJV7n_pk-J2kBI5TY4JxXn6_AEMovINW7EBxMaM5dcjmHbv2DTyOmJEvLo622R87B8L5f9qbyw8mcxIaQcF35Mz9V8ixcoWQHvptpFUuAw0odVMbjm78LpuzW8qj4XkDEY5Yorrm53WfQ/s1600/EasternTiger.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJV7n_pk-J2kBI5TY4JxXn6_AEMovINW7EBxMaM5dcjmHbv2DTyOmJEvLo622R87B8L5f9qbyw8mcxIaQcF35Mz9V8ixcoWQHvptpFUuAw0odVMbjm78LpuzW8qj4XkDEY5Yorrm53WfQ/s400/EasternTiger.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Eastern Tiger Swallowtail on Blue Gian Hyssop</b></span></td></tr>
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Meadow Makinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12199287029811802602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4300192679467707184.post-5397794174902640262015-04-01T01:03:00.002-07:002015-04-01T01:06:44.231-07:00<h4 style="font-family: 'Gill Sans MT', 'Bradley Hand ITC', 'Broadway Bold', verdana, arial; margin-left: 20px; margin-right: 20px; margin-top: 10px; text-align: center;">
MEES 2015 Conference</h4>
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<b><i>Meadowscaping's</i></b><i> Jean Devine and Barbara Passero presented a workshop, "Soil Smorgasbord" at the <a href="http://www.massmees.org/" style="color: #004940; font-family: 'Gill Sans MT', 'Franklin Gothic Book', Arial, helvetica; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">2015 MEES Conference</a> at Holy Cross College in Worcester, MA, on March 11, 2015.</i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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<b style="background-color: white;"><i>MEES participants get dirty while experimenting with soil below:</i></b></div>
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<b style="background-color: white;"><i><br /></i></b></div>
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<img src="http://www.meadowmaking.org/soilexperiments7.jpg" height="200" width="150" /> <img src="http://www.meadowmaking.org/soilexperiments2WEB.jpg" height="175" width="200" /> <img src="http://www.meadowmaking.org/soilexperiments6.jpg" height="200" width="163" /> </div>
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<img src="http://www.meadowmaking.org/soilexperiments5BWEB.jpg" height="198" width="200" /> <img src="http://www.meadowmaking.org/soilexperiments8AWEB.jpg" height="200" width="198" /></div>
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<b style="background-color: white;"><i>Meadowscaping's soil tunnel intrigues participants who are on a scavenger hunt for items above, below, and on the surface of the soil. Trying to avoid ant burrows, earthworms, and all kinds of tiny creatures, they take turns going through the tunnel.</i></b></div>
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<b style="background-color: white;"><i><br /></i></b></div>
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<img src="http://www.meadowmaking.org/soiltunnel12SHREWWEB.jpg" height="216" width="320" /> <img src="http://www.meadowmaking.org/soiltunnel13WEB.jpg" height="177" width="200" /> </div>
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<img src="http://www.meadowmaking.org/soiltunnel12WEB.jpg" height="150" width="200" /> <img src="http://www.meadowmaking.org/soiltunnel14WEB.jpg" height="252" width="320" /></div>
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Meadow Makinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12199287029811802602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4300192679467707184.post-18085790095372226482014-10-30T11:46:00.000-07:002014-10-30T11:46:24.735-07:00Restoring the Past to Ensure Our Future...An Environmental Education Program that’s Good for the Earth plants its Roots in Waltham, Mass.<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; mso-para-margin-bottom: .01gd; mso-para-margin-left: 0in; mso-para-margin-right: 0in; mso-para-margin-top: .01gd;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">This
summer, we launched the pilot of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Meadowscaping
for Biodiversity</b>, an outdoor, environmental education program for youth, on
the east lawn of Christ Church Episcopal, 750 Main Street, Waltham, MA. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Candara; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Meadowscaping is simple in its vision for the next
generation and elegant in its solution for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">their</i>
earth. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Candara; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Our vision is to inspire</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> and empower youth to be stewards of the earth while teaching them
how to heal <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">her</i> one meadow at a
time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Our
solution, (using a curriculum built on project-based learning), is to transform
sections of monoculture lawns into biodiverse meadows that provide food and
shelter – habitat – for bees, butterflies, birds and other wildlife. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">These
meadows contain native plants and shrubs, sources of the essential diet/breeding
ground that native species of insects and pollinators are challenged to find in
urban developments and landscapes overrun with nonnative and invasive plants.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Here’s
a picture:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmM2xfQi8kJq9f3IPpt9GognyvUkDywJkKa3-vKPnc_4CyKI9OWosg-FMApj7x41XdYH_NtzyLcRfEhdThZdD0tlgH5RsT9H-V6U55_SWo5BJyk3XJs_xLfG-O08ko-Z_CQXLM-wYsOZo/s1600/meadow2014-09-20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmM2xfQi8kJq9f3IPpt9GognyvUkDywJkKa3-vKPnc_4CyKI9OWosg-FMApj7x41XdYH_NtzyLcRfEhdThZdD0tlgH5RsT9H-V6U55_SWo5BJyk3XJs_xLfG-O08ko-Z_CQXLM-wYsOZo/s1600/meadow2014-09-20.jpg" height="300" width="400" /> </a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Our meadow is not an abandoned lot filled
with tall grasses and runaway vegetation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Rather, it is a beautiful sunny garden. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">We’re
very lucky – maybe blessed – to have started Meadowscaping <u><a href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/Christ+Church+Episcopal/@42.376192,-71.240037,15z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0x1a84a86c0cdc685c">here</a></u>.
Why? Because our sunny meadow buzzes with activity! Since July, hundreds of
bees and pollinators have found their way</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">here: </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">It also soothes the soul in the midst of a
busy spot in Waltham.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, this
meadow is just across the street from the public library, a few paces from the
post office, a UPS store, cafes, the local Boys and Girls Club, and an active
Yoga studio. Being along the main commuter route and abutting an active bus
stop, this special garden garnered a lot of thumbs up, “what a beauty” “glad
you did this” and “now I understand” from passersby.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Best of all, this spot is a place of pride
for our students, who, every time they pass or stop in to water and measure the
plants, exclaim “that’s our meadow.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">So how did we do this? In this blog, we’ll
share some highlights from the 2014 Meadowmakers:
Barbara, Jean, Steve, Omar, Adam, Alessio, Lisa, Julie, Jim and Laura.</span></div>
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Meadow Makinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12199287029811802602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4300192679467707184.post-1110757813187475112014-07-24T05:02:00.001-07:002014-07-24T05:04:14.032-07:00<b style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 20px;">Meadowscaping for Biodiversity</b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 20px;">(Meadowscaping) is an outdoor, project-based, </span><a href="http://www.naaee.net/what-is-ee" style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: 'Gill Sans MT', 'Franklin Gothic Book', Arial, helvetica; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 20px; text-decoration: none;">environmental education program</a> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 20px;">that provides middle school youth with real-world experiences in STEAM learning (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math), while inspiring and empowering them to address </span><a href="http://www.meadowmaking.org/challenges.html" style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: 'Gill Sans MT', 'Franklin Gothic Book', Arial, helvetica; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 20px; text-decoration: none;">challenges</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 20px;"> to the environment and human society.</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.plantanative.com/biodiversity.html" style="color: black; font-family: 'Gill Sans MT', 'Franklin Gothic Book', Arial, helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Without biodiversity</a>--defined as the range of organisms present in a particular ecological community or system--the earth lacks the foundation to support a variety of insects (including bees), birds, flora and fauna that, in their collective, diverse chain of relationships, contribute to our planet's food, air, and water--elements necessary to sustain all living creatures on Earth.</div>
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<img align="left" src="http://www.meadowmaking.org/frog.jpg" height="125" hspace="3" vspace="3" width="125" /></div>
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<a href="http://www.sandpipercreative.com/learning.html" style="color: black; font-family: 'Gill Sans MT', 'Franklin Gothic Book', Arial, helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Creative programs</a> taught by master educators provide student participants with hands-on learning methods that are practical tools for understanding the world. MEADOWSCAPING offers a meaningful, empowering opportunity for youth to get outside, develop environmental literacy, and apply knowledge and experience to solving problems affecting their local community.</div>
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Middle school students have the opportunity to work together outdoors on real-life research studies. Graduate students in STEAM subjects from local universities, landscape designers and architects, local gardeners, and professionals from related fields will serve as educators/mentors/role models and sources of information about STEAM environmental careers.</div>
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<b>We say that the MEADOWSCAPING program builds "citizen </b><b>scientists" and "stewards of the Earth."</b> Children who spend little time outdoors may value nature less than children who spend time outdoors in free play. Similarly, children who feel part of something bigger than themselves may be right-sized--they don't feel separate from or more important than nature. They understand their dependence on a clean environment and know that they are responsible for caring for the Earth as their home. These children may maintain the feeling of responsibility when they grow up and have to make political and personal decisions on environmental matters.</div>
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At the same time, children who are aware of climate change and its serious effects on their lives may worry about the future, but they may feel powerless, thus frustrated and angry, especially at the adults who left them this second-class environment. Participating in this program will give them a simple yet effective way to feel that they are helping to improve their world.</div>
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<a href="http://www.meadowmaking.org/">Meadowscaping for Biodiversity</a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span>Meadow Makinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12199287029811802602noreply@blogger.com0