Monthly Archives: February 2013

Winter Discovery: Snowshoeing

Posted on February 26, 2013 by Mass Audubon

What’s one of the best ways to make the most of all the snow we’ve been getting across the state? Snowshoeing, of course!

Wandering out into the woods to quietly look or listen for birds and other signs of wildlife is a winter experience that can be quite spectacular, whether you are with a group or on your own. Not only is it fun, but snowshoeing offers a fantastic low-impact workout.

How to Snowshoe

The first snowshoers were undoubtedly inspired by nature’s own snow-ready creatures such as wolverines, mountain lions, wolves, penguins, and, of course, snowshoe hares. These creatures have long, wide feet that support them even on deep snow, allowing them to travel quite a distance for food or shelter, if necessary.

So how do they work? Physics! Snowshoes are designed to disperse your weight across a greater surface area, which give you the ability to walk on top of several inches (or feet) of snow.

Once you have the snowshoes strapped on, you’ll use a motion similar to walking with a few modifications. You will want to lift your knees while widening and lengthening your stride to make sure not to step on the frames. Some snowshoers opt for poles, which can help increase your stability and add upper body involvement.

Where to Snowshoe

Nearly all of Mass Audubon’s wildlife sanctuaries welcome snowshoeing. Several offer equipment to rent or borrow as well, including Boston Nature Center, Broad Meadow Brook in Worcester, Oak Knoll in Attleboro, Pleasant Valley in Lenox, and Wachusett Meadow in Princeton. We recommend calling ahead to check on availability.

And when there is snow, sanctuaries offer guided snowshoe programs.

Got a great snowshoe location of your own? Share in the comments!

– by Emma Evans

First Impressions

Posted on February 19, 2013 by Henry

HenryIt’s been a little over a month since I started as the new president of Mass Audubon. During this time, I have had the opportunity to visit several wildlife sanctuaries, including Wellfleet Bay and Long Pasture on the Cape, Habitat in Belmont, and Worcester’s Broad Meadow Brook.

I’ve also met with more than 100 staff members as well as longstanding volunteers, donors, members, and our dedicated Board of Directors. Everyone has been welcoming, patient, upbeat, and extremely informative. In addition, I have discovered the people of Mass Audubon show great professionalism, focus, insight, and pride in their work.

I was pleased to see that my first impressions are right on target: this is a highly mission-driven organization. Our staff, volunteers, and Board  of Directors do not take Mass Audubon’s mission for granted. They go well beyond the “three legs of the stool” of conservation, advocacy, and education to integrate the parts of the mission in order to create exciting and dynamic synergies.

In just a short period of time, I’ve seen examples of this at places like Drumlin Farm in Lincoln, which has created a successful working farm and thriving business as part of a beautiful and ecologically significant landscape.

And at Wellfleet Bay, where sanctuary director Bob Prescott and his staff are doing cutting-edge research on—and actively protecting—rare species of sea turtles. By enhancing these wildlife sanctuaries, our staff and volunteers have created rich, fascinating, and complex teaching vehicles for the thousands of people who participate in our programs each year.

The next opportunity and challenge at Mass Audubon will be to increase other sources of funding that support a range of key mission priorities, including ecological management that anticipates and adapts to climate change, conservation science, increased scholarships to our camp programs, etc.

It’s very important that we not lose a step in the transition from Laura Johnson’s leadership to mine. And I am looking forward to the months and years ahead, when together we make Mass Audubon stronger than ever.

— Henry Tepper