Author Archives: Mass Audubon

In Response to News About Paris Climate Accord

Posted on May 31, 2017 by Mass Audubon

A message from Mass Audubon’s President, Gary Clayton. 

I am extremely disappointed at the news that President Trump is considering withdrawing from the Paris Climate Accord, which is a massive step backward from confronting the greatest environmental threat to the planet.

As the world’s second largest emitter of greenhouse gas emissions, the U.S. should be setting an example for the world in combating increasing global temperatures and the devastating impacts it will cause such as catastrophic weather events, sea-level rise, and rampant disease.

Abandoning the Accord would put America alone with Syria and Nicaragua (the only countries not officially participating in the deal). More disturbing, it turns our back on 194 other nations that remain steadfast to ensuring the Earth’s health and geo-political stability.

Mass Audubon, founded more than 120 years ago by a pair of women who pledged to speak out on behalf of the environment and biodiversity, today honors their legacy in re-asserting our commitment to protect the nature of Massachusetts and America for people and wildlife.

President Trump’s disheartening action will only inspire us to re-double our efforts at the state and local levels of government to combat the ill-effects of climate change.

But we need your help.

Talk about climate change with your friends and family, get involved in your communities, protect open space, and stand with Mass Audubon to advocate on behalf of the environment.

UPDATE: On June 1,  2017 President Trump officially withdrew from the Paris Climate Accord.

How Farm Day Came To Be

Posted on September 28, 2016 by Mass Audubon

FarmDay

On the third Saturday of October, more than 3,000 people visit Daniel Webster Wildlife Sanctuary in Marshfield to attend Farm Day, a beloved South Shore fall festival. Guests of all ages enjoy hayrides, live music, games, farm animals, educational presentations, demonstrations of modern and colonial crafts, and much more on this stunning grassland property.

Farm Day is a wonderful way to enjoy a treasured outdoor space, and also a major fundraiser for Mass Audubon’s South Shore Sanctuaries. But many do not know that this event’s roots reach back to 1980 when the future of the land, then known as Dwyer Farm, was in jeopardy.

Save the Farm

Edward Dwyer decided to sell his dairy farm in the mid-1970s. With its extensive pastures bordered by woodlands, the parcel was considered the most ecologically significant piece of open land on the South Shore, and it carried a hefty price tag of $500,000. Purchase attempts were made by the Massachusetts Division of Fish and Wildlife, and then the Marshfield Conservation Commission, but neither group was able to secure the necessary funding.

Meanwhile, town residents were becoming increasingly concerned about the Farm’s fate. The land had caught the attention of developers, and its neighbors hated the thought of this gorgeous property and its rich history being covered by houses. Marshfield’s Dorothea Reeves led the charge to form The Committee to Preserve the Dwyer Farm, a group of 12 citizens dedicated to raising community awareness about the Farm’s importance, and funding to support its purchase.

SavetheFarmFlag

The original Save the Farm flag, which still hangs in the barn at Daniel Webster Wildlife Sanctuary.

In 1980, the Committee held the first “Save Dwyer Farm Day,” a fundraising event in the adjacent cemetery featuring jitney rides, hot air balloons, and tours of the Farm. This income, in conjunction with individual donations from over 600 residents from a dozen South Shore towns, brought the total to $200,000.

Dorothea Reeves approached David Clapp, director of the newly opened South Shore Regional Office of Mass Audubon. Through lots of hard work and some strokes of good luck, The Committee and Mass Audubon succeeded in negotiating a purchase agreement, and Daniel Webster Wildlife Sanctuary was established. This special place is enjoyed by people and wildlife year-round, and its environmental importance as both rare habitat and flood protection cannot be overstated.

Carrying on the Tradition

Farm Day continues as an annual celebration of this incredible community success story, as well as a fundraiser for the land’s stewardship. We hope you will check out the site to enjoy the trails and revisit its history, and of course, join us on October 15, 2016, for our 36th annual Farm Day.

– Emily Simmer, Office Manager, Mass Audubon’s South Shore Sanctuaries