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| This week in conservation JANUARY 7 - 13, 2008 |
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| Calendar | ||||||||
| Farm to School Meeting | ||||||||
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| Winter at Felix Neck! Creature Feature Series: Animals in Winter | ||||||||
 Wed, Jan 9 Winter at Felix Neck! Creature Feature Series: Animals in Winter For Children ages 3-6 with a parent/friend Fee: $6 Members, $9 Non Members per child/per class Series Discount*: $15 Members, $24 Non Members per child for all 3 classes. * Must register for all 3 classes by January 9, 2008 These programs offer young naturalists an opportunity to discover what some of the native Martha's Vineyard animals do in winter. Programs may include a story, song, craft, and short walk. Squirrels: January 11, 10 - 11am January 12, 10 - 11am |
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| Children's Nature Program | ||||||||
 Fri, Jan 11, Children's Nature Program, Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary, Edgartown-Vineyard Haven Rd., Edgartown. "Animals in Winter;" nature walk, craft, story, song. Also Jan. 12. Creature Feature: Squirrels from 10 to 11 a.m. for children ages 3 to 6 with a parent/friend at Felix Neck Wildlife. For details, call 508-627-4850.Monthly through March. $9; $6 for members; $24; $15 for series. Pre-register: 508-627-4850. |
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| Farmers in Training program | ||||||||
 Fri, Jan 11, Farmers in Training program for ages 10 and up offered after school at the FARM Institute. Call 508-627-7007, extension 106 for details. |
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| Children's Nature Program | ||||||||
| Sat, Jan 12, Children's Nature Program 10-11 am, Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary, Edgartown-Vineyard Haven Rd., Edgartown. See Jan. 11. |
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| Thimble Farm | ||||||||
 Sun, Jan 13, VCS Winter Walk to Thimble Farm, Vineyard Haven/Edgartown Rd. Oak Bluffs, 1:30 PM Meet at the Barn, Refreshments provided, free, call 508-693-9588 with questions |
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| Save The Date | ||||||||
| Starfish and the number five | ||||||||
 Fred Hotchkiss, director of the Marine and Paleobiological Research Institute (MPRInstitute.org), will speak on “Starfish and the number five” at the January 15th meeting of the Tuesday Conversations Group at Howes House in West Tisbury from 9:30 to 11:00 a.m. A sampling of starfish from the Institute’s collections will be available for examination. This MPRI lecture is funded in part by a grant from the Martha’s Vineyard Cultural Council in collaboration with the Massachusetts Cultural Council. Contact Fred Hotchkiss, Director 508-693-3122 hotchkiss@MPRInstitute.org with questions |
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| Opportunities | ||||||||
| NOAA’s Stellwagen Bank/ /National Marine Sanctuary | ||||||||
| NOAA’s Stellwagen Bank/ /National Marine Sanctuary is seeking applicants to fill two primary seats and two alternate positions on its advisory council, which ensures public participation in sanctuary management and provides advice to the sanctuary superintendent. Council member application packages are available at the sanctuary’s Web site, http://stellwagen.noaa.gov, or by calling 781-545-8026 ext. 201. Completed applications must be submitted to Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, 175 Edward Foster Road or by fax at 781-545-8036. Applications must be received by close of business Jan. 10, 2008. | ||||||||
| 2008 Coastal Management Fellowship (CMF) program | ||||||||
| NOAA's Coastal Services Center has announced its 2008 Coastal Management Fellowship (CMF) program. The program matches postgraduate students with state coastal zone programs to work on projects proposed by the state and selected by the fellowship sponsor, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Coastal Services Center. Complete fellowship information can be found at http://www.csc.noaa.gov/cms/fellows.html.Applications are due to Woods Hole Sea Grant by January 28, 2008. Sheri DeRosa,Woods Hole Sea Grant,193 Oyster Pond Road, MS #2,Woods Hole, MA 02543-1525 (508) 289-2398 sderosa@whoi.edu |
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| Island Plan | ||||||||
| Identifying Island Plan Priority Initiatives | ||||||||
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| Conservation Update | ||||||||
| 11,000 acres are protected in 2007 |
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| Conservation Tax Law Has Few Takers on the Vineyard |
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| About 130 acres of land on the Vineyard was permanently protected from development under new conservation restrictions in 2007, according to state government figures. The relatively disappointing result was in spite of generous tax incentives — which expired at year’s end — and in sharp contrast to figures for the state as a whole. http://www.mvgazette.com/article.php?14996 |
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| Energy Update | ||||||||
| Of Two Minds on Polar Bears |
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| Solar Cell Production Jumps 50 Percent in 2007 |
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| Production of photovoltaics (PV) jumped to 3,800 megawatts worldwide in 2007, up an estimated 50 percent over 2006. At the end of the year, according to preliminary data, cumulative global production stood at 12,400 megawatts, enough to power 2.4 million U.S. homes. Growing by an impressive average of 48 percent each year since 2002, PV production has been doubling every two years, making it the world’s fastest-growing energy source. http://www.earthpolicy.org/Indicators/Solar/2007.htm |
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| Climate Change Update | ||||||||
| Japan to lead climate debate as head of G8 rich club | ||||||||
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| Sustainability Update | ||||||||
| Seed controversy sprouts |
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 While the federal government doesn't usually endorse products, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has struck an unusual arrangement with agribusiness giant Monsanto Co. that gives farmers in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa and Minnesota a break on federal crop insurance premiums if they plant Monsanto-brand seed corn this spring. http://www.thecampaign.org/forums/ showthread.php?t=970 |
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In a clear sign of a cooling real estate market here, revenues at the Martha’s Vineyard Land Bank fell in 2007 for the second straight calendar year. The total number of real estate transactions also was down last year, for the third year in a row.
SAN FRANCISCO — California sued the federal Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday, challenging its recent decision to block California rules curbing greenhouse-gas emissions from new cars and trucks.
Tues, Jan 8, Farm to School Meeting 7-8:30 pm, Island Co-housing, Stoney Hill Rd., West Tisbury. Island Grown Initiative's program to use local products in school lunches. 413-281-6013. 
On December 1, the Island Plan Steering Committee and Work Group Cores participated in a half-day workshop to sort through the 28 Promising Initiatives presented to the public in a series of forums last summer, as well as 16 initiatives identified since then. The aim was to identify those initiatives that could be undertaken soon, without waiting for further work on the Island Plan. 
Tax benefits cited as huge incentive
Two agencies in the Department of the Interior are nearing significant yet contradictory decisions that will affect the fate of one of America’s iconic animal species, the polar bear.
TOKYO (AFP) — Japan took over the presidency of the Group of Eight club of the world's leading economies Tuesday, with Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda vowing to put a focus on climate change and environmental issues.