Friday, November 22, 2013

Radon Testing

Radon Testing: The administration of the Greenwich Public Schools would like to provide you with notification that radon-in-air testing will be  conducted beginningDecember 2,2013 and continuing until December 13, 2013. According to Connecticut General Statute 10-220(d), schools are required to inspect and evaluate the indoor air quality of school buildings by March, 2014. This required inspection and evaluation of indoor air quality includes  evaluation of radon in the air and  water. Facility Support Services, LLC, will conduct the radon testing. To test for radon in air, small canisters containing charcoal will be placed in each of  the occupied rooms that are in  contact with the ground. These canisters will be left in place for three school days. You will be informed of radon test results and interpretations as soon as possible. ln the event that high radon levels are  found, steps will be taken to correct the  problem using  methods suggested by the  United States  Environmental Protection Agency.

Please contact John Frangione, at 203-622-7838, or the Greenwich Department of Health at 203-625-7451, if you have any questions.

From CMS Friday Notes

Food Garden Projects

Please share with schools or sites developing gardens. -- roger doiron  founding director Kitchen Gardeners International

Sow It Forward: Emerging Funding Source for Food Garden Projects on Track to Double its Giving in 2014

The Maine nonprofit Kitchen Gardeners International (KGI) is pleased to announce that it is once again accepting applications for its Sow It Forward garden grants program. Sow it Forward offers $300-$500 grants of cash, seeds, supplies, educational materials and online garden planning software to groups wishing to start a new food garden project or sustain an existing one. Last year's grantees included schools, food banks, community gardens, libraries, colleges, senior groups, tribal organizations, prisons and other nonprofit causes interested in the health and sustainability of their local communities. 

The program is expanding this year and will be offering twice as many grants as last year. All applicant groups will be given web pages for their projects which they can use for their own communication purposes. Applications are due by 5 January 2014 and must be submitted via KGI's online application form located here: SowItForward.org. Although there is no paper version of the application, there is a prep form that can be downloaded and printed (Word, PDF) to familiarize applicants with the questions and application procedure. There are no geographic restrictions as to which groups can apply. 

About KGI:  
Kitchen Gardeners International is a 501c3 nonprofit founded in Scarborough in 2003. Its membership includes over 32,000 people from 120 countries who are growing their own food and helping others to do the same. It is best known for having led the successful online campaign urging the Obamas to replant a kitchen garden at The White House. 


Professional Development and $1000 Educator Academy Scholarships

Even if you are unable to attend such an opportunity, there is a great list of current EE instruction tools for formal and informal educators:  Please see description below, thanks!

 

Hello,

We are celebrating 21 years in the Amazon and offering PD for teachers, complete with syllabus and scholarships available.  Here is a summary and at the end please find a colorful release to share through your social media outlets.

 

Apply for $1000 Professional Development Scholarships  (March 1, 2014 deadline)

http://www.amazonworkshops.com/educators--naturalists.html  (case sensitive)

 

2014 Educator Academy in the Amazon Rainforest + Machu Picchu

The July 1-11, 2014 Educator Academy is a cross-curricular professional development workshop for K-12 formal and informal educators to learn and use:

  • 21st Century Instruction:  5E Lesson Design, Inquiry-Based Exploration, STEM Problem-Based Learning
  • Inquiry Protocols:  Project Learning Tree, GLOBE, Cornell Lab's BirdSleuth
  • Global and Cultural Perspectives:  Service Learning, Sustainability, Global Education

 

Join Dr. Mo Walters, ASU; Al Stenstrup, Project Learning Tree (PLT); Jennifer Fee (BirdSleuth), and Christa Dillabaugh, Amazon Rainforest Workshops; and work side-by-side with scientists Dr. Steve Madigosky, Widener University; and Randy Morgan, Curator/Entomologist, Cincinnati Zoo.  The Amazon experience is a real world lens through which to view global issues as -- sustainable development, global health, energy, population, water, quality of life and the meaning of service. Experience:

  • a 1/4-mile Rainforest Canopy Walkway and research on Weather and Climate
  • interactions with Indigenous Yagua, Riberenos and a Village Service Project
  • ReNuPeruEthnobotanical Garden and problem solving inspired by Biomimicry
  • Monkey Island Conservation Project

 

PLT Certification, BirdSleuth and GLOBE training and PD Hours included. Academic Credit and Machu Picchu Extension optional.  Land cost is $2140, plus air.  $1000 scholarship deadline March 1, 2014.  Land cost is $1140 for scholarship recipients. Space is limited! Register early to secure your spot! See Syllabus on Webpage:  http://www.amazonworkshops.com/educators--naturalists.html  (case sensitive).  Contact christa@amazonworkshops.com or 1-800-431-2624.

 

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We appreciate your camaraderie in making these opportunities available to educators.

 

Warmest regards, 

 

-- Frances
Frances Gatz,
Ph.D., Director
ENVIRONMENTAL EXPEDITIONS, 9335 Fraser Ave, Silver Spring, Maryland  20910
Phone:  800-669-6806

Email: frances@ee-link.net

http://www.amazonworkshops.com

 

IF THE LINKS BELOW DO NOT DISPLAY CORRECTLY, VIEW THIS RELEASE IN YOUR BROWSER:

http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs159/1108552320218/archive/1114888687764.html

 

Join a cadre of scientists and spirited teacher educators in Peru

July 1 to 11, 2014 for the

EDUCATOR ACADEMY IN THE AMAZON RAINFOREST

PD Hours, Graduate Credit, and Scholarships available! 

 

Download the Syllabus and Get the Details

 

 

2014 Educator Academy in the Amazon Rainforest

is a cross-curricular professional development workshop for educators to use and learn innovative instructional approaches and protocols, and work side by side with scientists while exploring one of the world's most important natural resources -  the Amazon Rainforest.

 

Small group field study includes:

 

21st Century Instruction:

5E Lesson Design ~ Inquiry-Based Exploration ~ STEM

 

Inquiry Protocols and Resources:

Project Learning Tree ~ GLOBE ~ Project Noah

 Cornell Lab of Ornithology: BirdSleuth K-12

 

Global and Cultural Perspectives:

Service Learning ~ Sustainability ~ Global Education

 

Rainforest Topics:

Rainforest Plants and Ecology ~ Medicinal Plants

Biodiversity in the Tropics ~ Biomimicry

Camouflage and Adaptation

Field Research ~ Reptiles and Amphibians 

 Canopy Walkway ~ Forest Level Comparisons

Amazon Watershed  ~ Sustainability  

Rainforest Conservation and Climate Change 

2013 Educators at the base of a giant ceiba tree

  2013 Academy Educators at the base of the giant Ceiba Tree

 

 

Looking forward to seeing you in the Amazon! 

null 

           Christa Dillabaugh         &       Dr. Molina Walters

     Amazon Rainforest Workshops            Arizona State University

 

and the 2014 Educator Academy Team including

Dr. Steve Madigosky, Widener University

Randy Morgan, Cincinnati Zoo

Al Stenstrup, Project Learning Tree

Jennifer Fee, Cornell Lab's BirdSleuth

"The instructor led activities were exceptional. The extensive knowledge of the guides and other members of the Amazon Workshop faculty was incredible. Linking those things with the wide range of backgrounds and experiences of the other participants in the program, made it the absolute best program with which I have ever been involved."

- Ken Goree, 

2013 Academy participant 

 

 

Find Out More

Click HERE for all the details, syllabus, scholarship, and registration instructions

   

Share

 

 

1/4 mile canopy walkway

 

 

Contact Us

Christa Dillabaugh

Academy Program Coordinator

christa@amazonworkshops.com

1-800-431-3634

 

Academy sponsored by

  

 

 


_______________________________________________
Connecticut Outdoor & Environmental Education Association



Current Trends in Environmental Education

Interested in the history of Environmental Education?  It's a very positive story, and there are many ways to connect students to current global efforts.

This is an excellent classroom field guide for anyone wishing to link their lessons to the environment. Check it out for links and reviews of existing EE programs/resources and inspiring stories from around the world.


http://www.naaee.net/sites/default/files/publications/eebook/EEebook_download.pdf


Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Solarize Workshop - Nov 21


Solarize Greenwich Is Here! Next workshop Nov 21 Cone Room Town Hall -
11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

We are very excited to announce that the Town has been accepted into the
Solarize program by the State of CT Clean Energy Finance and Investment
Authority (CEFIA). This is being coordinated by the Conservation
Commission as part of our Clean Energy Community program.

What does this mean for town residents?

CEFIA, through an RFP process and working with the Town, has preselected a
single installer that will offer discounted rates for solar panels to
residents that sign up by February 18, 2013. Additionally the installer
will handle all the paper work for the State rebate program. This is a
great opportunity for residents looking to lower energy bills and support
Greenwich's Clean Energy initiative - all at discounted rates! The program
includes both opportunities for purchase or lease of a PV system for your
home.

Renewable Resources of Stamford is our selected installer. They will do a free evaluation, including a shade analysis, of your home to determine if solar will work for you.

We are holding a series of workshops for residents to learn more about the
program. The workshops will go over the Solarize program, how solar works,
information on financing, and how this might work for your home.

Our next workshop is tomorrow: Thursday, November 21, 2013 11:30 a.m. to 1
p.m. in the Cone Room, Greenwich Town Hall, 101 Field Point Road, Greenwich

If you can't make it, we will hold another workshop: Wednesday, December 4,
2013 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Audubon Greenwich, 613 Riversville Road, Greenwich

For more information, go to the Conservation Commission's Clean Energy
Community website (see link below) and click on Solarize Greenwich (on the
side bar).
http://www.greenwichct.org/Government/Commissions/Conservation_Commission/Cean_Energy_Community/
or directly to Solarize Greenwich at
http://solarizect.com/our-towns/greenwich/

Renewable Resources of Stamford is our selected installer. They will do a
free evaluation, including a shade analysis, of your home to determine if
solar will work for you.
You can sign up for the free Solarize evaluation online or at the workshop.

Hope you will join us at one of our workshops to learn more about the
program and meet our installers.

Denise Savageau
Conservation Director
Town of Greenwich
Phone: 203-622-6461
denise.savageau@greenwichct.org

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GREENWICH-STAMFORD ENVIRONMENT  (GSEnvironment) is a free email distribution list, established in 2001 on behalf of the Greenwich Environmental forum, to facilitate networking and information-sharing among environmental leaders in Greenwich and Stamford.  If you received this message from a friend and would like more information about the list or how to subscribe,  write to GSenvironment-owner@yahoogroups.com.  <mailto:GSEnvironment-owner@yahoogroups.com>.

.

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Friday, November 8, 2013

LOCAL EVENTS: Live Animal Show & Family Breakfast @ Audubon Greenwich (9:30 am) + SIT SPOT class (1:00 pm)


Audubon Greenwich Programs & Events
Sunday, November 10 ~ Saturday, November 16

Sunday, November 10
E4C: Family Breakfast & Live Animal Show
9:30-11:30 am at Audubon Greenwich
Bring the family for a kid-friendly breakfast event & live animal show with Critter Caravan! Enjoy breakfast and fun in the gallery to start and then soon the live animal show will begin. Critters will include rabbits, lizards, turtles and more! Suitable for All ages. $25/family. SPACE LIMITED ~ RSVPs required. Call Jeff Cordulack at 203-613-8813 to sign up and pay over the phone.
* * * * *


Sunday, November 10
Sitting on PURPOSE: an introduction to the art of Sit Spot
1:00-2:30 pm
The ancient practice of Sit Spot is a form of daily meditation that takes a person out of their head and puts them into their senses. Unlike other forms of meditation, Sit Spot along with its associated core routines of awareness is done outside, where nature becomes the Master and thus draws forth the Master within.  In this live, 90 minute program, participants will be given the inspiration and key elements to integrating this life changing practice into their everyday living so they may:
·         experience a greater sense of peace
·         feel more connected to the natural world than they ever have before
·         feel healthier, more alive and more connected
·         discover a profound sense of gratitude

Program suitable for adults (18& up). $5 current Audubon members/$10 future-members. Pre-registration recommended to Lynn@sagefireinstitute.com or 914-396-7674. Registration begins at 12:30 pm.

NOTE: This program takes place outside and you will be sitting on the ground for a portion of it.  Please dress appropriately for the weather and provide for your personal level of comfort. This may mean bringing a blanket or camp chair to sit on. For more information visit our website: www.SagefireInstitute.com
* * * * *


Wednesday, November 13
Importance of Biodiversity and Pollinators in Farming & Gardening
With Kelly Gill, Pollinator Conservation Specialist for The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation & Partner Biologist for USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
6:00-9:00 pm at Audubon Greenwich (Snow date: Nov. 14)

As humble bumble bees and other insects go about their lives, their simple act of flower pollination provides major benefits both working farmlands and natural landscapes. Sadly, despite their valuable pollination services, a growing body of evidence suggests both managed honey bee colonies and wild bee populations are in decline due to urbanization, outdated agricultural practices, and unhampered pesticide use across the nation.  But gardeners and farmers are actively changing that by retaining and/or restoring native wildflower habitat for native pollinators on agricultural and in suburban and urban areas in Connecticut and across the nation.

Join the National Audubon Society in Greenwich & Connecticut Chapter of the Northeast Organic Farming Association (CT NOFA) when they host Kelly Gill for a dynamic workshop and discussion designed to provide the latest science-based approaches for farmers and gardeners to identify, protect, and improve habitats for these vital native insect pollinators. Kelly Gill's presentation will discuss:

·         Understand the importance of pollinators
·         Ability to identify ways of increasing and enhancing pollinator diversity on the land
·         Ability to design and implement habitat improvements, such as native plant restoration and nest site enhancements
·         Knowledge of the current best management practices that minimize land-use impacts on pollinators
·         Overview of the Farm Bill pollinator conservation provisions and how to implement those provisions through USDA programs

Kelly Gill is the Pollinator Conservation Specialist in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic Regions for The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation. She is also a Partner Biologist with the USDA, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Mid-Atlantic and Northeast Regions. Kelly's position provides technical support for planning, installing, and managing pollinator habitat. A Pennsylvania native, Kelly completed her Master's Degree in Entomology at Iowa State University. There, she conducted small plot and farm scale research, collaborating with organic and conventional farmers, on the development of best practices for conserving beneficial insects in agricultural landscapes.

RSVP INFO: Pollinator Workshop:
·         $20 for member of CT NOFA or National Audubon Society
·         $30 for non-members
OR CALL:  Stephanie Berluti at (203) 308-2584

MORE ABOUT NOV 13: Native insect pollinators are increasingly being appreciated as an important resource for 21st century agriculture.  In fact, Xerces Society research shows that if farmers and gardeners created small native pollinator habitat plots around croplands, the free pollination services can enhance yields, improve crop quality, and even help farmers forgo the need to lease domesticated pollinators.

XERCES SOCIETY FACT SHEETS & RELATED INFORMATION

* * * * *


Saturday, November 16
BIRD SCIENCE: Behavior, Feeding and 'Project Feederwatch'
2:00-3:30 pm at Audubon Greenwich

The 2013-14 FeederWatch season starts November 9! Join us to get better acquainted with our winter bird neighbors and learn how you can host them both with native plant foods and bird feeders. Also learn how your family can be 'Citizen Scientists' and count birds all winter long and report your sightings to scientists at Cornell University. All ages. RSVP to Ted at 203-869-5272 x230.

# # # # #

Regular program fees include admission to the Kimberlin Nature Education Center, the Oppenheimer Gallery at Audubon Greenwich and access all trails. Unless indicated otherwise, program fees are as follows:
-          National Audubon Members:  Adults $3.00/Children & Seniors $1.50
-          Non-members:  Adults $5.00/Children & Seniors $3.00

NATIONAL AUDUBON SOCIETY MEMBERSHIP: Learn about Audubon membership benefits online at:  http://greenwich.audubon.org/about-audubon-greenwich-membership. Audubon Memberships ($35) can be started in the Nature Store at Audubon Greenwich or simply print an application and send it to Audubon Greenwich via regular mail.
# # # # #


AUDUBON GREENWICH'S NATURE STORE:
Shop to Support Audubon Greenwich. Visit the shop for bird seed, coffee, gifts & more!
·         Birding Optics ~ Binoculars & Spotting Scopes
·         Organic 'bird-friendly' coffee & local honey
·         Bird Feeders and More……
·         Delightful, Nature-inspired Gifts
·         Fun Educational Gifts for Kids
·         The Latest in Nature Guide Books

Open Tuesday to Saturday from 9:00 am-5:00 pm and from 12:00 noon -5:00 pm on Sundays. For store-related questions, contact Gigi Lombardi at 203-869-5272 ext.221 or x223 / glombardi@audubon.org
* * * * *


TAKE A HIKE … AUDUBON GREENWICH SANCTUARIES
~Audubon Greenwich & The Kimberlin Nature Education Center (613 Riversville Road, Greenwich)
~Fairchild Wildflower Garden (North Porchuck Road, Greenwich)
~Gimbel Sanctuary (Sherwood Avenue, Greenwich)
~Oneida Drive Sanctuary (Oneida Dr. & Indian Harbor Drive, Greenwich)
~Mildred Caldwell Sanctuary of Walden Woods (Bible Street, Cos Cob)
~Wood Duck Swamp (Carissa Lane, Greenwich)

For locations and trail maps, see "Walking Trails in Greenwich and Surrounding Areas" available in the Audubon Nature Store.
Also, see the maps located in the Kimberlin Audubon Center lobby. View the list of Audubon Greenwich Sanctuaries online.

NATURE SANCTUARY ADMISSION
Members: No charge
Nonmembers: Adults $3.00/Students & Seniors $1.50
(Please pay in the store)

OTHER "AUDUBON CONNECTICUT" CENTERS & SANCTUARIES
For a list of all Audubon Connecticut centers and sanctuaries, click here: http://audubonct.org/Centers_Sanctuaries.html
*****


Now open in Kiernan Hall at Audubon Greenwich

"Audubon's Birds of Prey - in Watercolor"
Now on display from September 19 ~ December 31, 2013

The Oppenheimer Gallery at Audubon Greenwich new exhibit features 28 raptor watercolors by J. J. Audubon.

The Oppenheimer Gallery in Kiernan Hall is located inside the Kimberlin Nature Education Center at Audubon Greenwich, 613 Riversville Road. Visiting hours are 9:00 am to 5:00 pm on Tuesday- Saturday and from 12:00 noon to 5:00 pm on Sundays.  To make a private appointment to visit the gallery, please call Jeff Cordulack at 203-869-5272 x239.

FOR INVITATIONS TO GALLERY EVENTS: Please provide your contact information (mailing address &/or email address) for Special Event announcements about the new Oppenheimer Gallery at Audubon Greenwich. Contact the Communications Manager at 203-869-5272 x239 / greenwichcenter@audubon.org.

30% percent of the proceeds benefit the Audubon Greenwich Center & its Sanctuaries. All Oppenheimer prints can be purchased with or without a frame. For images of the artwork and more information, visit the Gallery website:  http://greenwich.audubon.org/oppenheimer-gallery-kiernan-hall or http://www.audubonart.com/greenwich.asp 

MORE ABOUT OPPENHEIMER GALLERIES: Established in 1969, the fine art galleries of Joel Oppenheimer, Inc. in Chicago and Charleston offer a stunning array of natural history art from the seventeenth to nineteenth centuries, as well as fine art framing, and complete conservation and restoration services.  As a natural history art gallery, Joel Oppenheimer, Inc. is dedicated to the connoisseurship of collecting and preserving the art of natural history and celebrating the contributions of the explorers who recorded the flora and fauna of the past three centuries.  Joel Oppenheimer, Inc. strives to provide collectors with an unsurpassed selection of the finest examples of prints and paintings from the golden age of natural history art including rare works by John James Audubon, Pierre-Joseph Redouté, Dr. Robert Thornton, John Gould, Basilius Besler, and many others.  
* * * * *




Audubon Greenwich, 613 Riversville Road, Greenwich, CT 06831 http://greenwich.audubon.org / (203) 869-5272

###

*** HELP AUDUBON ~ PASS THE WORD ***

MESSAGE SENT BY:
Jeff Cordulack
Events & Communications Manager
203-869-5272 x239
203-613-8813 (cell)


Audubon Connecticut is the state office of the National Audubon Society. Our mission is to further the protection of birds, other wildlife and their habitats through science, education, advocacy and conservation, for the benefit of humanity and the earth's biological diversity.

We envision a Connecticut with a rich and diverse natural heritage, where there is ample habitat for birds and other wildlife, where a majority of its people appreciate and participate in their natural environment, and whose children are educated and motivated to become the conservation leaders of tomorrow.

Friday, November 1, 2013

oyster fishing family day | Sunday Science at Greenwich Point

9:00 am - 11:30 am

First Sunday Bird Walk at Greenwich Point

Bring binoculars. Meet at main concession stand in Greenwich Point Park. This is a leisurely walk of about 2 miles to view birds in their habitats. Held in collaboration with Bruce Museum, Wild Wings and Audubon Greenwich. Free. For information, call weekdays 203-413-6756.


1:30 pm - 4:00 pm

First Sunday Science at the Seaside Center:  Oyster Fishing Family Day First Sunday Science at the Seaside Center:  Oyster Fishing Family Day

Held at the Seaside Center in Greenwich Point Park, Old Greenwich, in partnership with the Greenwich Shellfish Commission and the Health Department. Experience hands-on oyster fishing with members of the Town of Greenwich Shellfish Commission. Learn about the habitat and natural history of the oyster with in-depth explorations at the Seaside Center. Come take a close up look at this amazing bivalve! All activities are free and suitable for people of all ages and abilities. For more information call 203-413-6740.  (No park pass is needed.)