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Save The Date!
VCS ANNUAL MEETING
Tuesday, June 28, 5:30 pm
at the Wakeman Conservation Center off of Lambert's Cove Road
At this year's meeting, Jeremy Houser PhD., will be giving a
presentation on his research about the local effects of global climate
change. Appetizers and wine will be served. All are welcome. FREE
Quote of the Week
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Anyone who says sunshine brings happiness has never danced in the rain. |
VCS Achievements
OPEN SPACE PERMANENTLY PROTECTED with VCS support
Farm Fields & Meadows, West Tisbury Village Environs
Waskosims Rock
Mill Brook Watershed
Morning Glory Farm
Katama Farm
Native Earth Teaching Farm
Mermaid Farm
Eastville Beach
Sailing Camp Park
Nip ’n’ Tuck Farm
Allen Sheep Farm
Frances Newhall Woods Preserve
Polly Hill Arboretum
Lobsterville Moors
DEVELOPMENT BLOCKED
through VCS advocacy
NO golf course in the Southern Woodlands
NO 50,000-sq.ft. mall at Tashmoo Overlook
NO sewer plant in the West Chop Woods
NO sprawling subdivisions at Katama
NO new building at Moshup Trail (litigation continues)
PROJECTS LAUNCHED
with VCS facilitation
First Island Recycling Center
Steamship Authority Recycling
Energy Resource Group
New Agricultural Society Fairgrounds
Martha’s Vineyard Water Alliance
Vineyard Lawns Initiative
Conservation Partnership
This is just a sampling of VCS initiatives from the last 40-plus years.
Conservation Calendar
Best of Small Flowering Trees
May 24, 10-11 am
Polly Hill Arboretum, West Tisbury
In modern day landscapes small flowering trees have an essential role
in providing year-round interest without growing so big to dominate
them. Increasingly, gardeners have sought out trees for foundation
plantings or focal points that fit the scale of the garden and form the
basis for a dynamic, beautiful, and diverse landscape. Join Tim Boland
10-11 am for an illustrated review of a wide assortment of small
flowering trees that provide the right fit for your landscape needs. $5.
Free for PHA members.
Wee Farmers
Saturdays, May 7 - May 28
9:30 - 11 am. The Farm Institute
Farming for the little ones! It's time to visit your animal friends and
help take care of the garden at The FARM Institute 9:30- 11 am. Children
may pat the bunny, hold a baby chick, feed the piglets or plant in the
Wee Farmer garden plot. Children must be accompanied by a parent or
caregiver; one child per adult. $15/session. To register, email:
education@farminstitute.org
Used Book Drop-off Day
Oak Bluffs Library, May 28
Noon - 3 pm.
Drop-off your used books for the Library Friends July Book Sale. Help by donating your slightly used books, DVDs, & CDs.
National Trails Day
June 4th, Norton Point, Edgartown
The shores of Martha’s Vineyard can be a trap for all kinds of marine
debris, and we need lots of help to keep it clean. Join Trustees staff
at Norton Point to help make these “beach trails” safe and beautiful for
the birds, and people too! Event is free. With spring in full bloom and
summer upon us, what better to way to kick off the season than to get
outdoors and celebrate National Trails Day (NTD)? Email: capepoge@ttor.org for more information.
In Season Recipes
Stuffed Bluefish (or Bass)
by DAVID NASH
This recipe was from my Grandmother and is a great way to feed bluefish
to people who otherwise might not touch it. The slightly larger blues
also work perfectly with this recipe. It also works real well with
Striped Bass. Don’t hesitate to make plenty because not only will it
disappear faster than you thought it would but it also warms up well.
Ingredients and preparation:
Two good sized bluefish or bass filets; skinned and dark meat removed (unless those you are feeding like it).
Stuffing mix (enough to make a layer about 3" thick between the two filets)
Lightly saute 3 cups coarsely chopped onions and 1 cup chopped celery in olive oil. Toss in 2-3 cloves minced garlic and a handful of parsley when nearly cooked. When done melt ½ stick butter and add the entire mixture to a prepared stuffing mix.
I usually use Pepperidge farms cornbread stuffing mix because the
flavors don’t have an overwhelming poultry seasoning flavor. (If you
make the bread mix from scratch, just do the regular toasted and cubed
bread thing and season with salt and pepper). Add a dash of salt, a few good shakes of black pepper, a dash of cayenne pepper, and 1 tsp. sugar and mix everything together. Have a can of chicken stock on hand to moisten the stuffing mix until it just holds together.
Place several strips of bacon in the large baking dish
you will be using to cook the fish and place in oven while it preheats
to 350 degrees. Remove when the bacon just begins to melt so that it
will be just slightly precooked and fully cooked when the fish is done.
Thinly slice one lemon, and have another one halved for juice.
Assembly:
Place one filet in a baking dish. Press stuffing mix together with your
hands and set on top of the filet down the whole length about 3"
thick. Set the other filet on top heading in the same direction.
Sprinkle with lemon juice and place the bacon strips diagonally across
the top of the filet; add the lemon slices on top. Sprinkle with a
little paprika.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 to 40 minutes depending on thickness of fish.
Remove from oven, let cool for a few minutes, then slice diagonally and serve.
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May 23, 2011
LOCAL NEWS
RAIN ANYONE?
What do we do in the
rain? ...get wet! Harper and Hoffman Hearn take their first plunge of
the season in Katama Bay (near the breach) on a rainy day in May.
by JEREMY HOUSER PhD.
It's been a wet, dreary week, with only the occasional glimpse of sun
passing so fast I never found the time to switch from boots to sandals.
Coming out of an April that saw 5.23 inches of rain (an inch more than
the average April), it seems reasonable to think about how – or if –
this rain is related to climate change. Climate and weather are
distinct, yet deeply connected. Since the weather is such a large
presence in normal life (humans have surely been talking about the
weather since the dawn of language), it's only natural that for most
people, questions about unusual weather are the most common entrance to a
discussion of climate change. Though it's not always welcome: Last
night during a TV broadcast of a baseball game one announcer rather
whimsically wondered whether the weather had anything to do with global
warming, to which his partner replied, approximately, “Don't go there!”
Well, why not go there? Some thoughts on two questions: Click HERE to read the full article.
NEW TAX INCENTIVES
Mya O'Neill, looking
over a West Tisbury field that will never be developed thanks to forward
thinking and generous property owners.
The decline in recent years in the number of donations of Conservation
Restrictions on Vineyard land has to do in some measure with the
failure of the tax code to keep pace with current land valuation
realities. That is, IRS rules historically limited a landowner’s
deduction on a gift of a CR to just 30% of their declared income in the
year of the gift, with an ability to carry forward the balance of the
deduction for only five successive tax returns. So a landowner earning
an average income would never be able to “use up” the tax deduction
generated by a six or seven figure conservation gift.
That has finally changed, with new rules making it easier for a
landowner to take full advantage of their deduction. The new rules,
recently extended by Congress, raise the deduction for conservation
giving to 50% of adjusted gross income per year, and extend the
carry-forward period up to 15 years. For qualifying farmers (individuals
or corporations) the deduction can be taken up to 100% of the donor’s
adjusted gross income in the year of the gift, with a 15-year
carry-forward. Most donors should now benefit fully from their
contribution. Let’s hope this offers an incentive for Vineyard
landowners to consider a gift of a CR on their land. Contact us if you are interested!
Imagine mowing much less frequently, saving gallons of water, and not needing lawn care chemicals...
When Vineyarders look at a bright green, weed free, turf lawn, many of
us don’t find it beautiful. That’s because the chemical fertilizers and
pesticides necessary to prop up an artificial lushness are poisoning
our island ponds and contaminating shellfish beds. Chemicals quickly
leach through our sandy soils, into groundwater that replenishes our
ponds. The nitrogen in fertilizers causes overgrowth of plant matter
that chokes the delicate system. Pesticides poison pond species. They’re
not good for kids, pets, or wildlife either.
The alternative is a Vineyard Lawn. Start by preserving as many of the
shrubs and trees on your property as you can. The root systems of these
plants bind the soil and prevent silty run off. Make the grass area
as small as possible and plant a mix of seeds-- fescue, rye and clover
are much hardier and more drought-resistant than fussy bluegrass.
Without herbicides, up to 50 species of plants and lichens can flourish
in your Vineyard lawn. Left alone to flower and seed naturally,
they’ll provide habitat for butterflies, fireflies, bees and other
wildlife and reward the eye with a variety of colors and textures.
Have you ever looked objectively at a dandelion or a clover blossom?
Their shapes and colors are lovely. Just ask the bees and butterflies.
Resist lime: Vineyard soil is naturally acidic and mosses thrive in
it, adding rich cushions of emerald. Don’t over water your grass;
summer dormancy is normal and the golden-brown shades of August will
refresh to green with September’s natural rainfall. Keep mowing to a
minimum, never cutting lower than three inches, and let the clippings
fall where they may--they’re a great natural fertilizer. In fall, spread
a little organic compost and scatter a few native grass seeds (Blue
Eyed Grass and Little Blue Stem are spectacular choices). In spring,
your Vineyard lawn will reward you.
OTHER NEWS
BEAUTY AND BRAINS?... A RAIN GARDEN!
What is a rain garden?
A rain garden is a garden of deep rooted native plants, grasses and
shrubs that is designed to absorb storm runoff from a roof, road or
parking lot. Rain gardens are constructed by filling a basin in a
low-lying area with a special soil blend, hearty plants, mulch and
sometimes a layer of gravel.
Why should I make a rain garden?
Besides being beautiful, rain gardens prevent polluted storm water from
entering our streams, ponds and bays. Rain gardens also help replenish
our single source aquifer and our ponds by recharging rainwater into the
ground rather than the storm drains. In fact, rain gardens absorb 30%
more water than the same size area of lawn!
What should I plant?
Native plants that can stand a lot of water do best. Here are some recommendations:
Plants for sun: Marsh Milkweed, New England
Aster, Marsh Marigold,Tussock Sedge, Turtlehead, Joe Pye Weed, Boneset,
Butterfly weed, Bee Balm
Plants for shade: Cardinal Flower, Foam
Flower, Bleeding Heart, Solomon’s Seal, Columbine, Royal
Fern, Maidenhair Fern, Ostrich Fern, Sensitive Fern
Shrubs: Red Twig Dogwood, High Bush Blueberry, Inkberry Winterberry, Pussy Willow, High Bush Cranberry, Black Elderberry
Where can I find a rain garden near me?
Tisbury Waterways Inc. recently planted a beautiful rain garden near the parking lot of the Vineyard Haven Yacht Club.
IS GLOBAL WARMING LINKED TO SEVERE WEATHER?
As Earth warms, powerful storms are becoming the new normal.
From the Union of Concerned Scientists
Overhead, tall, dense clouds are poised to burst, their presence a sign of an imminent deluge.
These cumulonimbus masses are a reminder of the destructive floods
that are occurring around the globe, which, taken together, are potent
signals of one of the greatest environmental challenges of our time: global warming.
Powerful rain and snow storms—and, ironically, intense drought periods—are a well-known consequence of a warmer planet.
Click HERE to read more.
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