MASSLAND E-NEWS
The Newsletter of the Massachusetts Land Conservation Community
February 26, 2015
Volume 15, Number 04
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Items of interest to the Massachusetts land protection community.
For more news and information, go to <http://www.MassLand.org>
Please send items of interest to <Info@MassLand.org>
You may reproduce any or all of MassLand E-News free of charge for non-commercial use only, with the
appropriate citation to MassLand and/or cited sources.
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“Today we woke up to a revolution of snow, its white flag waving over everything, the landscape vanished,
not a single mouse to punctuate the blankness, and beyond these windows / the government buildings
smothered, schools and libraries buried, the post office lost under the noiseless drift, the paths of trains softly
blocked, the world fallen under this falling.” – Excerpt from Snow Day, by Billy Collins (22 March 1941- ) born
William James Collins, Poet Laureate of the United States from 2001 to 2003 -__________________________________________________________________________________________
Important Dates:
Friday, February 27, 2015 – MLTC Steering Committee Meeting – 12:00 – 3:30 pm at DFW Headquarters,
1 Rabbit Hill Road, Westborough
Saturday, March 21, 2015 - Massachusetts Land Conservation Conference – Registration discount ending!
Revised Schedule for Kinder Morgan/Tennessee Gas NED Pipeline Open Houses
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MLTC News – Early Registration Ends March 7th For Mass Land Conservation Conference!
MLTC News – Volunteer For The Mass Land Conservation Conference!
MLTC News – Mass Land Trust Coalition Steering Committee Meeting February 27
News – March 1st Is Deadline To File Form 3-ABC
News – Grants Awarded To Communities For Water Supply Protection Projects – New Grant
Announced
6) News – Valley Gives Senators An Earful
7) Nature News – Cicada Killers And The Bigger Picture
8) Events – Hundreds Of Bird Enthusiasts, Conservationists Expected To Flock To Annual Gathering
9) Events – North America's Shale Gas Resources: Energy And Environmental Perspectives
10) Events – UMass Extension Pollinator Symposium
11) Events – MACC'S Annual Environmental Conference Saturday!
12) Events – UMass Community Tree Conference: Preserving Trees And Landscapes In A Changing
Environment
13) Conferences – Local Environmental Action Conference
14) Conferences – The Pursuit Of Sustainable Living Conference
15) Conferences – Save The Date! The Future Of Water In Southeastern MA
16) Trainings – Free Quickbooks Lessons Taught By A CPA!
17) Trainings – UMass Extension Invasive Plant Management Certificate Program
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18) Resources – Social Media: Latest Developments
19) Resources – Webinars From The Land Trust Alliance
20) Resources – GrantStation Online Education Offerings
21) Resources – Notes From Steve Small
22) Resources – New From Techsoup!
23) Resources – Free Fundraising Guide And More From The Society For Nonprofits
24) Jobs – Seasonal Park Ranger – Town Of Brookline
25) Jobs – Environmental Educator – Lowell Parks & Conservation Trust
26) Jobs – Mass Audubon Is Hiring!
27) Jobs – The Trustees Of Reservations Has Numerous Job Postings
28) Jobs – Project Manager - Greenway Links Initiative
29) Jobs – GIS Intern – Student Conservation Association
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MLTC News
1) EARLY REGISTRATION ENDS MARCH 7TH FOR MASS LAND CONSERVATION
CONFERENCE!
Looking for the latest information on land conservation and stewardship? This year’s conference, “Gaining
Ground: Conserving Our Common Wealth” takes place in Worcester on Saturday, March 21, 2015. Our plenary
session will feature US Congressman James McGovern and EEA Secretary Matt Beaton. We are offering 36
exciting workshops and presentations, and this is a great chance to network with the conservation community.
Register before March 7th for the early registration discount. This is an opportunity to meet and learn from
colleagues and clients – you can’t afford to miss it! Read the conference brochure here. Exhibitor space is full.
A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words: Share your conservation successes with other attendees. Contribute a
PowerPoint slide with photo and caption to the pre-plenary slide loop. Email your slide to:
masslandconference@gmail.com. Thanks!
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2) VOLUNTEER FOR THE MASS LAND CONSERVATION CONFERENCE!
Looking for a great volunteer opportunity or know someone who may be interested in volunteering? We’d love
your help as we prepare for the 2015 Mass Land Conservation Conference. This conference is organized by the
conservation community for the conservation community, and relies on the help of many volunteers before,
during and after the conference. We still need a few extra hands assembling conference folders on March
12, setting up workshop rooms on March 20 and assisting our presenters as "Meeting Managers" on March 21.
Not only is this a wonderful way to network and support a great cause, you can also attend the conference for
FREE if you volunteer 6 hours or more. For more information, click here or email Miriam Scagnetti. Thanks!
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3) MASS LAND TRUST COALITION STEERING COMMITTEE MEETING FEBRUARY 27
All MLTC members and friends are invited. See the Draft agenda here. The meeting will be held at the Richard
Cronin Building, DFW Headquarters at 1 Rabbit Hill Road, off North Drive, Westborough in Room #108.
Please arrive at 12:00 if you’d like to tour the new DFW Zero Net Energy building.
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News
4) MARCH 1ST IS DEADLINE TO FILE FORM 3-ABC
Property Tax Exemption Form 3-ABC is due by March 1, 2013 for all Massachusetts tax exempt organizations
that hold real or personal property. Forms are to be filed with the assessor's office for the city or town in which
the property is located. The form must be accompanied by the organization's most recently filed Attorney
General Form PC (which also includes the IRS 990 and audited financial statements). Download the form here.
Don’t forget to check with your tax or legal advisor, as appropriate.
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5) GRANTS AWARDED TO COMMUNITIES FOR WATER SUPPLY PROTECTION PROJECTS –
NEW GRANT ANNOUNCED
The Baker-Polito Administration has awarded nearly $755,000 in grants to help 12 communities with projects
designed to meet water supply needs and ensure healthy waterbodies. The funding is provided through the
Sustainable Water Management Initiative (SWMI) Grant Program. This grant announcement is the third round
of funding made available to communities over the past several years. Read more here.
In addition, MassDEP is issuing a Request for Responses for a new grant program to assist local communities
with planning for their water infrastructure. This program, which resulted from new water legislation passed in
2014, will provide grants of up to $30,000 to subsidize Comprehensive Wastewater Management Plans,
Integrated Asset Management Plans and Green Infrastructure Plans. Further details on this program, including
how to apply for funding, can be found here.
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6) VALLEY GIVES SENATORS AN EARFUL
- by Paul Tennant, Eagle Tribune, Tuesday, February 15, 2015
One-third of the Massachusetts Senate – 13 senators – visited Lawrence on Monday night and heard Merrimack
Valley residents speak their minds on public safety, income inequality, the Kinder Morgan gas pipeline, health
care and other issues. Hundreds of people attended the town hall-style meeting. Read the article.
Four of the eight “Commonwealth Conversations” remain. To get time and locations as well as comprehensive
info on regional forums click here. To read about the first sessions, click here. Written comments to the senators
can be submitted here.
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Nature News
7) CICADA KILLERS AND THE BIGGER PICTURE
- Posted on February 23, 2015 by Charley Eiseman
Not far from where I live is a place that seems as if a chunk of Nantucket or the New Jersey Pine Barrens was
dropped in the middle of western Massachusetts. In contrast to the surrounding landscape’s rocky
soil, supporting forest with a mixture of oak, hickory, maple, ash, hemlock, and other trees, the Montague Sand
Plains are an expanse of dry, sandy habitat with an abundance of pitch pine and scrub oak. The habitat is
extensive enough that it supports populations of a variety of plants and animals that are considered rare and of
conservation concern in Massachusetts… The Montague Plains are now facing another assault, this time from
Kinder Morgan, which proposes to put a major natural gas pipeline through at least 148 “permanently
protected” parcels across Massachusetts. Read the rest of Charlie’s musings on protected lands threatened by
gas pipelines here.
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Events
8) HUNDREDS OF BIRD ENTHUSIASTS, CONSERVATIONISTS EXPECTED TO FLOCK TO
ANNUAL GATHERING
When: Saturday, March 7, 8:30 am – 4:00 pm
Where: Bentley University in Waltham
Mass Audubon’s 23rd Annual Birders Meeting will bring together hundreds of birders and others who care
about nature to learn the latest in the field, make new birding companions—and look forward to exploring fields
and forests in search of their favorite species. This year’s event will focus on managing habitats for suites of
birds, or specific species, that were identified in the State of the Birds 2013 report as needing stewardship
efforts in order to effectively sustain their habitats, or to reverse negative trends that may be threatening their
populations in Massachusetts. See the schedule of presentations here. Discounted registration through March
28th; register online here.
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9) NORTH AMERICA'S SHALE GAS RESOURCES: ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL
PERSPECTIVES
When: Tuesday, March 10, 2015, 6:00pm
Where: Geological Lecture Hall, 24 Oxford Street
Free parking is available at the 52 Oxford Street Garage.
This Harvard Museum of Natural History lecture is free and open to the public.
Over the last decade, natural gas extracted from shale rock formations (shale gas) has become an important
source of energy in North America. Natural gas is also the lowest-emission fossil energy option available today.
However, like other energy options, shale gas development has potential adverse impacts on our environment.
John Shaw, Chair of Harvard’s Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, will discuss where and how shale
gas resources are found, the geologic processes responsible for their formation, and the economic and
environmental impacts associated with their extraction and use.
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10) UMASS EXTENSION POLLINATOR SYMPOSIUM
When: March 26, 8:45 – 4:00 pm
Where: Campus Center Auditorium, UMass Amherst
An exciting full day educational program of research based information about native bees, honey bees and
protecting pollinator health. Experts from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, the University of Maine,
and the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station will share their expertise and latest scientific research on
pollinator health, designing pollinator support plantings, neonicotinoids in agriculture and landscapes, and beefriendly landscapes. Read more here.
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Conferences
11) MACC'S ANNUAL ENVIRONMENTAL CONFERENCE SATURDAY!
When: February 28, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Where: College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, MA
Join more than 750 conservation commissioners and agents, environmental officials, consultants, attorneys,
students, and others at the conference. Hear keynote speaker Matthew Beaton, the new Massachusetts Secretary
of Energy and Environmental Affairs. Attend your choices from among 27 workshops and 9 Fundamentals for
Conservation Commissioners training units. Meet people from across New England working on wetlands and
open space protection; visit some 45 exhibitors’ tables; buy books. Advance registration through 2/26; walk-in
registrations are welcome for an additional $10.
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12) UMASS COMMUNITY TREE CONFERENCE: PRESERVING TREES AND LANDSCAPES IN A
CHANGING ENVIRONMENT
When: March 10, 2015, 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Where: Stockbridge Hall, UMass Amherst
The theme of this year’s conference will involve perspectives relating to the care of mature/vintage trees and
their affiliated landscapes, in a time of climatic, regulatory and environmental change. Read more here.
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13) LOCAL ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION CONFERENCE
When: March 15, 9:00 am – 6:00 pm
Where: Northeastern University, Curry Student Center, Boston
The Local Environmental Action Conference, now in its 28th year, is a chance to join community leaders,
environmental advocates and activists from across New England for an exciting day of skills training,
networking, and inspiration. Whether you have been to every conference or are attending for the first time, be
sure not to miss this amazing opportunity to connect and grow our grassroots movement. Learn more here.
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14) THE PURSUIT OF SUSTAINABLE LIVING CONFERENCE
When: April 16th, 8:00 am – 4:30 pm
Where: Devens Common Conference Center, Devons, MA
The annual Sustainable Communities and Sustainable Campuses Conference connects stakeholders from
municipalities, college campuses, government, businesses and nonprofits. Everyone wanting to learn more
about best practices, current trends, and resources will find this conference timely, practical and informative. In
2015 we’re merging the two conferences for an even more valuable experience. See the schedule at a glance.
Register here. Discounted registration ends March 18th.
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15) SAVE THE DATE! THE FUTURE OF WATER IN SOUTHEASTERN MA
What: The Future of Water in Southeastern Massachusetts, a one-day conference organized by Watershed
Action Alliance in partnership with Plimoth Plantation.
When: Friday, April 24 from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Where: Plimoth Plantation, 137 Warren Ave., Plymouth, MA in the Peabody Pavilion
Professionals and volunteers working on or interested in water conservation, sustainable water management and
river restoration will convene to learn about critical water issues and to network with people working on these
issues throughout the region. Sessions include the four big areas in water conservation: stormwater, drinking
water, recreational water and wastewater, as well as three crucial topics in nonprofit endeavors: fundraising,
outreach, and science and data collection. For session descriptions and panelist biographies, click here. To
register, click here. For more information, click here. To register your display or poster for the Exhibit Hall,
click here. For questions and comments, please email the conference coordinator: dorie.stolley@jhu.edu
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Trainings
16) FREE QUICKBOOKS LESSONS TAUGHT BY A CPA!
These webinars run from 2:00 – 3:30 pm, and are FREE!
Register here to learn QuickBooks! TechSoup invites you to join the CPA founder and instructor of
QuickBooks Made Easy, Greg Bossen, for two FREE 1.5-hour webinars on how to use QuickBooks to
automate financial tasks like expense tracking, donation reporting, allocating expenses, and many others:
February 26: Gregg will cover a variety of fundamental topics from setup to basic budgeting
March 5: Dig deeper into advanced topics such as reporting, managing donor data, tracking restricted grants
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17) UMASS EXTENSION INVASIVE PLANT MANAGEMENT CERTIFICATE PROGRAM
The first class for UMass Extension's Invasive Plant Management Certification 2015 Series begins on March
3rd. This 4-day program is intended to help participants meet these challenges when attempting to develop an
invasive plant management program as part of their business. For more information click here.
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18) SOCIAL MEDIA: LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
When: March 19, 2015
Where: Boston Center for Adult Education, 122 Arlington Street, Boston
Cost: $135
The new media landscape is changing. As it changes, your social media strategy needs to change with it. This
session from the Center for Nonprofit Success will explore the latest social media developments and recent
demographic trends to help you figure out the best places to invest your social media resources. Read more and
register here.
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19) WEBINARS FROM THE LAND TRUST ALLIANCE
All webinars run from 2:00-3:30 pm and cost $55 in advance, $65 the day of the webinar. LTA webinars are
available to members and to non-members who are part of the LTA database. Non-members can click here to
create an account.
March 3: Introduction to Income and Estate Tax Issues for Donations of Easements
March 5: Stewardship Technology Update
March 11: Accepting Non-Conservation Properties
March 19: Creating a Communications Strategy to Raise Friends and Money
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20) GRANTSTATION ONLINE EDUCATION OFFERINGS
All webinars run from 2:00 - 3:30 pm and cost $89.00 per person, $150.00 per site.
March 4: Building a Powerful Grants Strategy for 2015
Cynthia Adams, CEO of GrantStation, will discuss how to design and adopt a Grant Decision Matrix before
beginning the process of building a specific grants strategy for each project. All participants will receive
worksheets that will help them build an overall grantseeking strategy.
March 5: Writing Federal Grants
Alice Ruhnke will cover how to identify federal grant opportunities, and the major elements of grant
applications required by most federal agencies. Resources to help your organization through the government
grant seeking process will also be discussed.
March 19: How to Track Restricted Grants in QuickBooks
Working directly in QuickBooks, Gregg S. Bossen, CPA, will demonstrate how to set up a restricted grant,
enter the grant budget, mark checks and bills as being paid out of the grant, point payroll to the grant, and how
to create a report to see how dollars have been spent compared to the grant budget.
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Resources
21) NOTES FROM STEVE SMALL
Steve Small is writing a series of “Notes” about current issues in the land conservation business. Steve calls
them recommended reading for those of us in the business. You can see all the “Notes” here, under
“Articles.” Here is a link to the current Note #11, “Claiming a Deduction for Donating a Conservation
Easement (or a Gift of Land). As Steve states: “The purpose of this Note #11, and Note #12 to follow, is to help
you think about what it is you need to file, along with your tax return, to increase the chance that your
conservation easement donation will not be audited, or, if you are audited, so that you will have a better chance
of a better audit result.” If you want to be on Steve’s regular mailing list for the Notes, please email
info@stevesmall.com.
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22) NEW FROM TECHSOUP!
QuickBooks: Time to get your finances in order! Automate bill paying, expense tracking reporting donations
and many other financial tasks. Explore the newest features in QuickBooks 2015: an improved dashboard,
enhanced reports, and a new shared folder for collaborating with your accountant. Get QuickBooks here!
Box: the secure online file-sharing and content management solution. Accelerate collaboration through an easyto-use interface that provides instant access to files stored in the cloud--centralize your files for use from
anywhere on any device. Structuring projects into folders speeds up tasks, like reporting and grant submissions,
in a clear, organized way. Collaborate within Box: Add comments, tag files, assign tasks, and check document
version history. Share files with anyone, internally or externally — you control the permissions.
Streamline your organization's content sharing with 10 perpetual user licenses that automatically renew with no
additional charges for your organization. Click here to get 100 GB of storage today!
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23) FREE FUNDRAISING GUIDE AND MORE FROM THE SOCIETY FOR NONPROFITS
The Society for Nonprofits has developed a ten-part fundraising guide that offers a detailed strategy for
assessing your organization’s readiness for fundraising, developing a fundraising strategy, considering available
grants, and more. Click here for details. Part 2, “Are You Ready for Fundraising?” can provide a valuable
reality check as you plan this year’s fundraising.
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Jobs
24) SEASONAL PARK RANGER – TOWN OF BROOKLINE
The Town of Brookline is seeking qualified candidates for the temporary, seasonal position of Park
Ranger. This position will assist with park stewardship, park patrols, volunteer outreach and will serve as a
positive presence in the Parks and Sanctuaries. Ideal candidates will also have a strong interest and skill set
needed to increase park visitation and engagement through creative means and outlets. Position availability
varies seasonally and depending on need. Read the job description here.
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25) ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATOR – LOWELL PARKS & CONSERVATION TRUST
The position of Environmental Educator will provide programming, logistics, and support for our after-school
program, working with elementary to high school aged youth at several locations in Lowell. Read full job
description here. Or view as PDF.
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26) MASS AUDUBON IS HIRING!
Mass Audubon has their warm weather jobs posted. There are opportunities for field researchers, camp directors
and staff, staff openings at the sanctuaries, internships and more. Click here for a complete listing.
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27) THE TRUSTEES OF RESERVATIONS HAS NUMEROUS JOB POSTINGS
The Trustees of Reservations manage properties throughout Massachusetts, and there are exciting job openings
in every region. Full-time, part-time and seasonal opportunities are listed here.
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28) PROJECT MANAGER - GREENWAY LINKS INITIATIVE
The LivableStreets Alliance, in Cambridge, MA, seeks a highly motivated and talented Project Manager to
provide effective coordination and implementation of the Greenway Links Initiative work plan. The Initiative
advances the vision of a seamless 200-mile ‘emerald network’ of multi-use greenways across the urban core,
from the Mystic River to the Neponset River, to create an urban recreational and transportation system. Read
the job description here.
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29) GIS INTERN – STUDENT CONSERVATION ASSOCIATION
This position is expected to run from June 8, 2015 to June 5, 2016, at the Charles River Natural Valley Storage
Area. You will locate Corps boundary and easement lines and property markers; gather data and enter into
database for export into ArcGIS version 10.0; scan and geo-reference survey related documents; create maps
using raster data sets and shape files, provide contractor with complete data package for boundary maintenance
work; assist with additional GIS and mapping assignments as needed. You will also assist in marking property
lines with signs, flagging, and paint where needed. Training will be provided. The Charles River Natural Valley
Area is located in 17 towns along the Charles River west of Boston. Read more about Position ID PO-00653092
here.
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Edited by Amy Janovsky, Kathy McGrath, and Mary Griffin
Enews@MassLand.org Tel: 978-443-2233
MassLand E-News is a service to the Massachusetts land conservation community.
To subscribe to MassLand E-News click here. Past issues are available on our website:
http://www.massland.org. On the home page, click on “Programs and News”, and then on “E-News” for a list of
past issues.
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