Author Nate Schweber at the DeVoto Memorial Cedar Grove in Idaho’s Clearwater National Forest.
Award-winning author Nate Schweber brings to life the story of two remarkable environmental warriors and former Lincoln residents Avis and Bernard DeVoto in the next Bemis Free Lecture on Thursday, Oct. 5 at 7 p.m. in Bemis Hall. The DeVotos’ decades-long battle to protect public lands and save our national park system is chronicled in Schweber’s latest book, This America of Ours: Bernard and Avis DeVoto and the Forgotten Fight to Save the Wild. Lecture immediately followed by book sales and signing with the author. Hosted by the Bemis Free Lecture Series with Friends of Minute Man National Park, Lincoln Historical Society, Lincoln Land Conservation Trust, and Walden Woods Project.
Limited seating; click here for reservations. The event will also be available via livestream and will remain available on the Bemis Free Lecture Series website.
Veteran environmental writer Douglas Chadwick will present ideas from his most recent book Four Fifths A Grizzly: A New Perspective on Nature that Just Might Save Us All. He will present examples of successful recoveries of species and habitats, with the thought that “we really can save a whole lot in a hurry.” Doug will be introduced by Kim Davitt from the Vital Ground Foundation, a land trust working to protect and connect wildlife habitat in the West. Click here to register. Donations to the Vital Ground Foundation gladly accepted.
This fall, it couldn’t be easier to support pollinators, provide overwinter shelter for amphibians, nurture the soil, improve water retention, and drawdown carbon. Join us on the first day of fall for “Leave the Leaves: A Zoom Introduction & Conversation on Soil & Climate Benefits” by Lincoln soil microbial ecologist Dr. Rachel Neurath to learn about the benefits of leaving the leaves on Thursday, Sept. 21 at 8 p.m. And save the date for the Lincoln Garden Club’s public meeting on November 7. Kathy Connolly will give a presentation entitled “Leave the Leaves, Save the Stems.” Organized by Lincoln Common Ground and the Lincoln Land Conservation Trust in collaboration with the Lincoln Garden Club and Codman Community Farms. Click here to register.
The Lincoln Land Conservation Trust will hold its annual meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 3 at 6:30 p.m. at St. Anne’s-in-the-Fields Church. After LLCT’s business meeting, science and conservation educator Gwyn Loud will give a presentation on her observations of 50 years of changing landscapes, flora, and fauna in Lincoln. Weaving together anecdotes gathered from her own experiences and those of her network of wildlife observers, she will impress us with Lincoln’s biodiversity and remind us why conservation matters.
Reading Circle participants will read “The Wellfleet Oysterman” from Thoreau’s Cape Cod and come together for discussion with Walden Woods Project Curator of Collections and resident Thoreau Scholar Jeffrey S. Cramer. “The Wellfleet Oysterman” as well as discussion questions will be provided upon registration. “The Wellfleet Oysterman” (as well as the full Cape Cod text) is available to read on this Walden Woods web page.
The Reading Circle is an event in association with the Thoreau’s Cape Cod Readathon, a first-of-its-kind event sponsored by the Barnstable Land Trust, the Walden Woods Project, the town of Concord, and other partners in Concord and on Cape Cod. The Readathon will be held October 7 and 8 at Fuller Farm in Marstons Mills as well as live-streamed. Find out more here.
Induction stoves, long popular in Europe and Asia, are more efficient than gas or standard electric stoves. Some chefs and home cooks are making the transition to induction cooking, whether motivated by a desire for cleaner air or a lower carbon footprint. Join MetroWest Climate Solutions (of which the First Parish in Lincoln is a part) for a webinar on Thursday, Oct. 19 at 7 p.m. to learn more. Speakers are Jonathan I. Levy, chair of the Department of Environmental Health at Boston University, and Steve Sheinkopf, CEO of Yale Appliance. To register, visit metrowestclimatesolutions.org.
Join us for a reading, presentation, and Q&A with Lincoln’s Lawrence Buell about his forthcoming book Henry David Thoreau: Thinking Disobediently, the first concise account of Thoreau’s life, thought, and impact in more than half a century. Buell is the Powell M. Cabot Professor of American Literature Emeritus at Harvard University and has written and lectured worldwide on Transcendentalism, American studies, and the environmental humanities. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. for a wine and cheese reception. The book will be available for purchase at the event (address provided upon registration).
Don’t put your costume away just yet! deCordova is celebrating Halloween with a wild, quirky, outrageous Gay Christmas Dance Party inside the museum for both the LGBTQ+ community and enthusiastic allies. Featuring music by DJ Dayglow, a costume contest with prizes, a cash bar, and spotlight performances by a circus and drag artists. Open to all 21+. Creative and fabulous costumes encouraged, but not required. Click here for details and registration.
Lincoln resident Alex Chatfield of Stop Private Jet Expansion at Hanscom or Anywhere will speak at an open meeting of the Lincoln Democratic Town Committee on Saturday, Nov. 4 at 10 a.m. in Bemis Hall (coffee and sign-in start at 9:45 a.m.). HE will share the latest information on the proposal to build more private jet hangars at Hanscom Field, the implications for Climate Change, progress to date and next steps. There will be ample time for questions and answers and a short video of the October 2 State House rally.
Join us for a smashing good time at the third annual Great Pumpkin Smash at Codman Community Farms on Sunday, Nov. 5 from 10 a.m.–2 p.m. This family-friendly event is all about having fun while also making a positive impact on our planet. Bring your jack-o’-lanterns and decorative gourds to smash and feed to the Codman Farm pigs. Enjoy a Codman Farm breakfast sandwich or scoop of ice cream from Reasons to Be Cheerful and live music with Risa Lavelle and the Honeysteelers. Get tips on how to get started with composting in your home.
Prepare your pumpkins for composting by removing any stickers, candles, and other decorations, and please leave your painted pumpkins at home. Suggested donation of $1 per pumpkin. Want to make this event even greener? Arrive with your pumpkins by bike to receive prizes.
The Lincoln Garden Club presents “Leave the Leaves, Save the Stems” with landscape designer, writer, and educator Kathy Connolly on Tuesday, Nov. 7 at 7 p.m. at Bemis Hall. Why are fallen leaves and dead stems important? What are the practical concerns? How can we keep properties attractive? Organized by the Lincoln Garden Club in collaboration with Lincoln Common Ground and the Lincoln Land Conservation Trust. Also available via Zoom; click here to register.
Are you planning to reduce your home energy costs or buy an electric car this year? Larry Chretien, Director of the Green Energy Consumers Alliance, will review 2024 state and federal incentives offered through the Inflation Reduction Act in a Zoom talk on Tuesday, Jan. 16 at 7 p.m. Presented by Lincoln CFREE, a working group of the Lincoln Green Energy Committee. Click here to register.
Ed Begley Jr. will talk about his book, To the Temple of Tranquility… And Step On It! on Wednesday, Jan. 17 from 7–8 p.m. in a free online event sponsored by the Walden Woods Project. An audience Q&A will follow the conversation. Begley, a star of “St. Elsewhere” and many films, is equally well known for his environmental activism. He is also the author of Ed Begley Jr.’s Guide to Sustainable Living: Learning to Conserve Resources and Manage an Eco-Conscious Life and Living Like Ed: A Guide to the Eco-Friendly Life. Click here to learn more and register.
Join Lincoln Conservation Director Michele Grzenda for a Zoom presentation on the Conservation Commission’s six-part mission on Thursday, Feb. 22 from 7–8 p.m. This talk will focus on how ConCom, along with Lincoln Land Conservation Trust, protects land, manages open space, and educates residents. Michele will share some tips on how residents can help protect the open spaces and wildlife habitat in their backyard. RSVP here. Sponsored by the Lincoln Public Library.
Are you wondering how to keep the lights on when the sun’s not shining? Jay Turner, an environmental studies professor at Wellesley College, will draw on his recent book Charged: A History of Batteries and Lessons for a Clean Energy Future and his experiences retrofitting his home in Natick to be net energy positive to discuss the big picture and fine details of electrification on Wednesday, March 6 at 7 p.m. Click here to register and receive a Zoom link. This series is hosted by CFREE, a working group of Lincoln’s Green Energy Committee.
The Lincoln Land Conservation Trust invites residents to help out on Stewardship Work Days starting on Friday, March 15 at 1 p.m. Join volunteers and staff from LLCT and LCD to pull non-native plants from conservation land. Tools and snacks will be provided. Click here to sign up.
The Lincoln Land Conservation Trust will host a movie night to welcome spring and continue our focus on both pollination systems and the importance of dark skies for wildlife by screening “Bat Man of Mexico,” a 50-minute PBS episode about the lesser long-nosed bat, a crucial pollinator of agave plants, on Thursday, March 21 at 7 p.m. in the LLCT office (145 Lincoln Rd, Suite 102A).
According to NASA, turf grass lawn covers more of the U.S. than any other irrigated crop. Lawns are resource-heavy, requiring mowing, irrigation, fertilizer, and pesticides to thrive in New England. Learn why you should “kill your lawn” and how to replace it with beautiful and environmentally friendly gardens. Transitioning your yard to incorporate native plants in the lawn or gardens helps to mitigate floods, heat waves, sea level rise, and the mass extinction of species.
This free session will be presented by Mark Richardson, Director of Horticulture for New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill. and is sponsored by MetroWest Climate Solutions (a growing partnership between First Parish in Wayland, First Parish Church in Weston, First Parish in Lincoln, the Congregational Church in Weston, Energize Wayland, Sustainable Weston Action Group, and other communities and individuals). To register, visit metrowestclimatesolutions.org.
How much is your old water heater costing you? It accounts for about 18% of your home’s energy usage. Replacing an electric resistance water heater with a heat pump water heater can save you money. Join us on Tuesday, March 26 at 7 p.m. to learn from Larry Chretien, CEO of Green Energy Consumer’s Alliance, about super-efficient heat pump water heaters — how new models are much quieter and how 120V models can replace gas water heaters without expensive electric upgrades. Best of all – find out how really strong rebates reduce the cost enormously. Click here to register for the Zoom link.
The Lincoln Garden Club presents “Native Lawn Alternatives” on Tuesday, April 2 at 7 p.m. in Bemis Hall and on Zoom with Alexis Doshas, nursery manager at the Native Plant Trust’s Nasami Farm. Rethinking your lawn? Replace some or all with native ground covers to create a healthier ecosystem. Alexis will cover techniques for land transformations and refer to specific ground covers for various conditions. Co-hosted by the Lincoln Land Conservation Trust and Lincoln Common Ground.
In-person social time starts at 7 p.m. and the Zoom meeting begins at 7:15 p.m. To register for the Zoom link, click here.