FRSTPP


What's NEw



Bike Paths and walks





​There is an active Bike Path Commission in Fall River and it is exciting to think about the vision they present! To connect bike paths, city parks and Fall River’s waterfronts with functioning and safe bike paths for all to use is wonderful Urban planning!


Here is the list:

The Quequechan Rail Trail with an extension into Westport, the Mount Hope Bay Greenway with a connection along the shore line of Kennedy Park, which will become a 22 mile bike path from Taunton to Newport, along with the South Wattupa Pond Greenway, the Taunton River Greenway and the Cook Pond Greenway are all being developed.


It shows how planning and public input yields action. And all these paths will need TREE COVERAGE!


TOWER HILL Botanical Gardens is offering an URBAN TREE SYMPOSIUM IN FEBRUARY. We are signing up! Also 15 acres of Gardens at Tower Hill as of November 1 will be illuminated daily from 4-10 PM for NIGHT WALKS 2021 with fire pits for warming, s’mores and hot cocoa. Registration is on their website at www.towerhillbg.org


For early risers, SUNRISE STROLL, NOVEMBER 10 FROM 6-7 AM AT OCEAN VIEW FARM VIEWING PLATFORM WITH KENDRA MURRAY. CONTACT DNRT.ORG. ANY FAVORITE THANKSGIVING STROLLS?



Trees in the news





Monumental trees, what are they?

A trip to Italy (we can wish) would show us, the importance of biodiversity! A national registry has been developed to identify ancient trees of about 22,000 specimens within Italy, protecting them “as immovable things that have remarkable characteristics of natural beauty.” This includes an 800-year-old cypress tree located in a northern Franciscan convent.


Has anyone been following a National Geographic trek called “Out of Eden Walk” beginning out of Ethiopia’s Rift Valley in 2013? Following the footstep of early migration to walk across the world, it is being described as a global record of human life - and climate change - and habitat. The journalist is Paul Salopek and so far he has walked 11,000 miles out of a 24,000 journey.

If inspired, walk the Tattapan Trail, an easy family walk off of Wilson Road in Fall River with interesting signage about the history of the area. Some of tree plantings were part of a CCC project. Explained as young unemployed men during the depression “the C’s” men of 'the C’s’ created camping areas and hiking trails in State and National Parks, built roads, fought forest fires, constructed dams, and planted 2.3 billion trees — half of the trees ever planted in the U.S. — all for $1 a day.


Earlier this year, President Biden proposed a modern day version of this effort with his Civilian Climate Corps proposal that would put thousands of young people to work addressing the threat of climate change and restoring public lands. This would help many a municipality support and maintain a healthy urban forest.

So it has inspired the FRSTPP to start planning TREE BENEFIT WALKS. Do you have a walk that you can recommend in Fall River? We will start off with Oak Grove Cemetery and North Park. We welcome suggestions.



do you like to draw?





DCR’s annual 5th grade calendar contest theme is announced:

Be a Cool Community, Plant Trees!


This is a perfect theme for Fall River Fifth Graders to participate in by creating a drawing that matches the theme. Each school in Fall River may enter the contest with one entry. Entries are due in March 2022.


Contest Instructions and Activities can be found at: https://www.mass.gov/guides/annual-arbor-day-poster-contest



be on the lookout





ALERT!!!


The Spotted Lanternfly Has Arrived in Massachusetts
The MA Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) announced on September 28, 2021, that a small, established, and breeding population of the invasive Spotted Lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) was detected in Worcester County, MA, in the city of Fitchburg. There are several good webpage articles, especially Penn State, on what a spotted lantern fly looks like. Click Here to visit their website
We all need to be alert to this invasive pest it can be quite destructive.



Tower Hill Botanic Garden





Two of Kathy Connolly’s webinars are occurring this week. The first one is about how to prepare a garden space for a new usage. An example would be changing turf lawn to a perennial bed, That second webinar is about how to rethink our common autumn garden/lawn practices. An environmental practice that is gaining traction is to manage your leaf litter differently to increase soil health and support wildlife. There are usually very useful handouts.


Check out www.towerhillbg.org or call 508 869-6111 x101


Wednesday Sept 29th: Site Preparation for Garden Transformation

Thursday Sept 30th: Leave the Leaves



five Million trees





​A national campaign by the Girl Scouts of American is taking place around trees. The Girl Scout National Pledge is a goal to plant 5 million trees in five years. In October and November when we have tree planting sessions we are inviting Girl Scout Troop 1514 and their parents to join us. Locations will include Oak Grove Cemetery and North Park. Liz McKinley is completing an inventory at both Oak Grove Cemetery and North Park.



fall river bioreserve event





Save October 23rd for a “Walk, Run or Ride” in the Fall River Bioreserve!


A fundraiser for the United Way of Fall River’s Annual 2021 Campaign it will include a 1.1 mile walk, a 10k, a 20k run, or or a 12/22 mile bike ride. It will be a delightful way to explore Fall River’s outer ring of forest.


See www.uwgfr.org to register!



board position available



The Lloyd Center





​The Lloyd Center for Environment in Dartmouth is looking for two students 18 or older to join its board of directors for the 2022 academic year. It is a chance to learn how Board meetings make decisions and there will be a choice of a committee to serve on. To apply send the following description of your yourself and your interests, two letters of recommendation to Dr. Kathryn Kavanagh at kkavanagh@umassd.edu



Bee-ology





We will be hosting a Beeology Project in our Tree Farm Property, Spring ’22 with the help of Bianca Pires who is going to be creating one as a senior project for her Natural and Life Science major. Come see one that has been established at Hefland Farm on Saturday October 2 at 11 am.

The location is Hefland Farmis is at 318 on Chase Road in Dartmouth (easily accessible) and the 'Bee Walk' is about native plants, hosted by Professor Robert Gegear. Registration is through the Dartmouth Natural Resource Trust at 508 991-2289! There are community gardens to admire and several other walks in the area. You will be able to pick up a brochure of other walking trails maintained by DNRT. (NO COST)



BEE-OLOGY





Welcome to the newest FRSTPP member, Bianca Pires. Bianca who’s senior project at Southeastern Regional Technical High School in the Natural and Life Sciences Program is going to be our Bee-ology Project Manager.


She is preparing for April ’22 plantings that will be from Dr. Gegear UMass Dartmouth. Bianca is preparing a rototilled an 8 by 20 foot bed for a cover crop of buckwheat that will be turned back into the soil this fall as an admendment. There will be time for one more cover crop and then a layer of compost. Bianca’s goal is to improve the soil conditions for the shrubs and native plants Dr. Gegear will give to build a healthy and sustainable pollinator plot, good for trees and bees!



COMPOSTING





John Perry has donated to the Tree Farm two compost bins we can use to start a composting project. We would not be recycling food but green weeds and brown leaves. One idea is to collect seaweed and coffee grounds to add to the bins.


Scout Troop 1514 will be studying composting. Cornell University has created a science and engineering curriculum around the pH, moisture, temperature and microbes found in composting. Let’s see what we can establish at the Tree Farm!


Feedback Needed!


CONTACT US




Fall River, MA 02720
508-123-4567



Fall River Street Tree Planting Program