Yearly Archives: 2014

Our Lead is Shrinking!

Posted on March 17, 2014 by Hillary T.

Barn Swallows copyrigh Richard JohnsonThe Boston Globe has extended the deadline to April 1 for their GRANT (Globe Readers and Nonprofits Together) program. The nonprofits with the highest voucher dollars awarded will win much needed free advertising in the Globe.

Because of our loyal members and supporters, we have remained on top of the leaderboard for some time. But, there are still two weeks to go, and our lead is shrinking.

If you are a Boston Globe subscriber (print or digital) or know someone who is, you can help us stay at the top!

How to Help

Option 1: If you received a silver envelope that says “Gift voucher for your favorite nonprofit enclosed” pull out the voucher and write Mass Audubon, 208 South Great Road, Lincoln, Massachusetts, 01773. Mail the check back to The Boston Globe using the envelope provided by April 1.

Option 2: Didn’t get the envelope? No problem. Just email [email protected], write that you are a Globe subscriber (you may need to provide your billing address) and you want your voucher dollars to go to Mass Audubon, 208 South Great Road, Lincoln, Massachusetts, 01773.

Option 3: Already did Option 1 or 2? Spread the word by sharing this post with your family and friends.

Why Choose Mass Audubon?

By designating us as your preferred nonprofit, you can help us spread the word about the vital work we are doing in the fields of:

  • Land conservation (for people and wildlife to enjoy)
  • Wildlife protection (relocating snowy owls, tracking monarchs, creating habitat for spadefoot toads)
  • Nature education (kids playing outside while learning at the same time)
  • Environmental advocacy (protecting endangered species, planning sustainable development)
  • And more!

Thank you for considering us!

Your friends at Mass Audubon

Seeing Chipmunks?

Posted on March 10, 2014 by Stu

chipmunk_Justin MielWhile it’s only a matter of weeks before we will be seeing chipmunks scurrying about, it’s not unheard of to see one before spring sets in. Unlike woodchucks and bears, chipmunks are not true hibernators.

Animals that hibernate spend the months leading up to winter bulking up on high fat foods. They can then live off of their body reserves for months on end. Since chipmunks don’t have the ability to put on enough extra fat to last them through the winter, they cache seeds and nuts underground in their burrows.

Every seven or eight days, chipmunks wake up and munch down some of their food stash to keep them going through the winter. This irrupted state of hibernation is known as torpor. Torpor is a restless sleep that can last for days where animals lower their body temperature, heart rate, and oxygen consumption to conserve energy.

This might sound like a life of luxury, sleeping and eating the time away until winter passes, but it’s quite physiologically taxing for the chipmunks. It is a life or death balance between storing enough food and conserving enough energy.

Come late March, early April, chipmunks emerge from their burrows ready for spring. When they do, you’ll have a new appreciation for their survival knowing how they struggled through the winter (or how hard winter was).

Photo © Justin Miel