By Caleb Leonard When we think of lawns, most people envision short, green grass. However, few idealize the ecological expense of maintaining that type of yard. It’s time to rethink traditional lawns and opt for healthier landscapes that protect our coastal ecosystems. Gas-powered lawn equipment and greedy land developers are creating heat islands, while stormwater…
There is hope for the bees when there’s clover in the lawn. Researchers discovered that lawns in Springfield Massachusetts when cut every three weeks instead of weekly resulted in as many as 2.5 times more lawn flowers, mostly clover and dandelions, and a great diversity of 93 species of bees. Thursday, May 20th is the…
We are the Jerry’s Pond Preservation Society God save red-tailed hawks, black ducks, and goslings We are the Great Blue Heron Appreciation Society God save song birds and all the different varieties Preserving the pond life from being abused Protecting the wildlife, for me and for you What more can we do? We are…
Lake Erie, (photographed above in June 2018) the 2nd smallest of the great lakes which borders Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York is facing another summer of serious algal blooms. The algae is capable of shutting down water systems, closing beaches, and disrupting the tourist economy. Although this summer’s bloom isn’t predicted to be as serious…
Metacomet Pond in Belchertown, MA, is experiencing a massive algal bloom which has transformed the beloved swimming hole into a bacterial stew. The recent heatwave has warmed the water to 85 degrees fahrenheit, and the recent lack of rainfall has kept the pond stagnant. These factors, combined with excess nutrient runoff from nearby wastewater treatment…
Indian Lake, also known as North Lake, sits in northern Worcester by Assumption College. Once a summer favorite for fishing, swimming, and lounging, the lake has been struggling with blooms of toxic blue-green algae for the past few years. In 2014, the lake was closed in early July and stayed closed for the remainder of…
Bartlett Pond, a 33 acre pond in Plymouth that flows into Cape Cod Bay, is another Massachusetts water body suffering from a toxic cyanobacteria algal bloom this summer. What makes this pond different than the multitudes of other with a visible pea-soups sludge of blue-green algae is that in Bartlett, the cyanobacteria isn’t visible. The…
Route 58 in Halifax, MA separates Monponsett Pond into two water bodies. East Monponsett Pond is picturesque and lovely. West Monponsett Pond not so much. In the summer, the gas-like stink emanating from the pond causes locals to call the fire department to make sure there aren’t any dangerous gas leaks. According to Cathy Drinan,…
