The Lincoln Land Conservation Trust will host a virtual program on backyard biodiversity, climate change, and solutions to a looming ecological crisis on Thursday, Dec. 8 from 7–8:30 p.m. Headlines about global insect declines, the impending extinction of one million species worldwide, and three billion fewer birds in North America are a bleak reality check about how ineffective our current landscape designs have been at protecting the plants and animals that sustain us. The night’s focus will be on how to create backyard biodiversity in Lincoln, connect habitats throughout town, and increase resilience against climate change. A Zoom link will be sent to all participants who register here.
Tallamy is a Professor of Agriculture in the Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology at the University of Delaware. His award-winning books include Bringing Nature Home, Nature’s Best Hope, and The Nature of Oaks.
All are invited to celebrate the holiday season with conversation on Friday, Dec. 9 from 11 a.m.–1 p.m. at Bemis Hall. There will be piano music by Ken Hurd, a free light lunch and desserts, and two special guests: Town Administrator Tim Higgins and Select Board member Jennifer Glass. Bring your phone and capture the moment in our special photo booth. Sponsored by the Friends of the Lincoln Council on Aging & Human Services.
Grab your flashlight and search for hundreds of candy canes hidden around Pierce Park on Friday, Dec. 9 from 6–7 p.m. Participants will start off the event by decorating a candy cane bag while music and hot cocoa are available. Then we’ll get our flashlights and head into the park to hunt for candy canes. Keep your eye out because you may even find a special candy cane with a prize-winning ribbon! Bring your own flashlight. Free, but online preregistration with the Parks and Recreation Department is required.
All are welcome to join LincFam for a special Parents’ and Caregivers’ Night Out on Friday, Dec. 9 from 7:30-9 p.m. in the Codman Community Farms kitchen for wine, cheese, and snacks. Tickets are $20 (cash or Venmo @LincFam). If cost is a barrier, reach out to info@lincfam.org and we’ll handle the rest. Registration required; click here.
LincFam (the Lincoln Family Association) will host a New Year’s dance party on Friday, Dec. 30 from 4–6 p.m. at the First Parish in Lincoln’s parish house (the stone church) with family-friendly dance music, crafts, and pizza. Free for LincFam members, $10 for others. Click here to RSVP or email info@lincfam.org.
Gov. Maura Healey will join the crowd when Ms. G, the official groundhog of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, makes her annual prediction at the Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary in Lincoln for Groundhog Day on Thursday, Feb. 2. Families and children attend the popular event each year, eager to watch Ms. G emerge from hibernation and explore her special enclosure, which includes groundhog treats like fresh veggies.
Beginning at 9:30 a.m., attendees can learn how animals, including Drumlin Farm’s sheep, keep themselves warm and healthy in cold weather. Ms. G will make her appearance at 10 a.m., with Mass Audubon President David J. O’Neill and State Sen. Michael Barrett, a leading voice for climate change and renewable energy on Beacon Hill, welcoming the governor and attendees. Participants will then be encouraged to enjoy other event-related programs from making groundhog crafts to meeting live animal ambassadors and learning how they adapt to winter as the climate changes.
“The impacts of climate change and loss of biodiversity in New England are already clear,” O’Neill said. “They can only strengthen our resolve to find policy- and nature-based solutions to the major environmental challenges of our times.”
Free with admission. To learn more, visit massaudubon.org/groundhogday.
See “Winter Carnival kicks off this Friday” for details on activities.
See “Winter Carnival kicks off this Friday” for details on activities.
See “Winter Carnival kicks off this Friday” for details on activities.
The Lincoln Girl Scouts will host a Kindergarten Daisy Launch on Monday, Feb. 13 from 6:15–7:15 p.m. in the Lincoln Public Library Tarbell Room. At this free session, your kindergartener will have fun exploring the magic of space and creating a rubber-band-powered Daisy Cup Launcher while adults discuss when and where the troop will meet, parent involvement, and the goals for the year as well as fill out required paperwork. Click here to learn more and confirm your attendance.
“How to Improve the Envelope of your Home,” the first presentation in the Getting to Zero series, will be led by Rachel White CEO of Byggmeister Design/Build, on Tuesday, Feb. 21 at 7 p.m. via Zoom. Learn how to make the walls, floors, roof and windows of you house more energy efficient. Click here to register. Other presentations in the series:
- Upgrading Your Windows (February 28)
- Go with Solar (March)
- Getting to Zero: The Historical Home, presented by FoMA (March)
- Install Heat Pumps (April)
The Getting to Zero series is presented by CFREE, a working group of Lincoln’s Green Energy Committee, to help residents affordably achieve energy-efficient, electrified, comfortable and healthy homes.
Buildwave is a high-energy creative building event using over a dozen different building materials. The workshop features animations and music that guide kids through different building waves. Intended for kids in grades 1+. Registration required; email dleopold@minlib.net
Join LincFam for an upcoming coffee meetup at Twisted Tree on Saturday, Feb. 25 from 2-3 p.m. Little ones are welcome. LincFam is eager to update their New & Expecting Parents list of families with children under 2 or expecting a child. If you’d like to join the list for information on future events and meetups, please click here.
The second installment in the Getting to Zero series, “Upgrading Windows,” will take place on Tuesday, Feb. 28 at noon. Lincoln resident Patrik Muzila, president of European Architectural Supply in Acton, will talk about the benefits of upgrading your home’s windows, tax incentives, and what options to look for. Click here to register for the Zoom link.
The series is presented by CFREE, a working group of Lincoln’s Green Energy Committee, to help residents affordably achieve energy-efficient, electrified, comfortable, and healthy homes. They will record the event and posting it to the GEC website for later viewing. Those who register for the lecture will also be sent a link to the video.
MetroWest Climate Solutions, of which First Parish in Lincoln is a founding member, is offering a webinar on “Backup Power: Battery Storage for Homes & Businesses” on Tuesday, Feb. 28 at 7 p.m. Onsite battery storage systems are seeing a spike in interest to power homes during blackouts and/or to make the most of an existing solar system. These battery systems often provide backup for 10 to 20 hours and can be charged either by solar panels onsite or electricity from your utility. In this session, Matt Honkonen of East Coast Solar will provide an overview of issues to consider when installing battery storage systems in your home and/or business, including cost. The session will also discuss the often-overlooked human rights abuses associated with cobalt/lithium mines in Africa. Two local residents will also share their experiences in evaluating vendors and installing battery storage systems in their homes. Click here to register.