Tues, June 17 Deciduous Azaleas in the Spotlight, The Polly Hill Arboretum 10am – 11am Time to take more notice of deciduous azaleas! Slumbering for years in the shadow of flamboyant, show-off rhododendrons, these little-known but more-than-deserving flowering shrubs give off intoxicating fragrances, bloom in a rainbow of colors, and collectively flower for more than half the year. Join collections and grounds manager Tom Clark for this tour of the collection as he sheds some light on these splendid garden plants deserving of wider appreciation. $5/free to PHA members

A VCS and Polly Hill Arboretum sponsored talk by Paul Tukey. Tues, June 17 on Channel 13 at 5:00 PM and Thurs, June 19, at 6:00 PM Paul Tukey, is founder of SafeLawns.org, an international coalition promoting environmentally friendly lawn care

At Flatpoint Farm in West Tisbury, Vineyard chef Chris Fischer explains the nutritional benefits of locally raised and grazed meat. Then he and his cousin Emily, co-owner of the farm, host an old-fashioned lamb roast featuring local chickens, goat milk and lamb.

http://vineyard.plumtv.com/videos/edible_island_-_local_lamb

Capuchins can appreciate the purchasing power of tokens such as poker chips.

Capuchin monkeys can use tokens to 'buy' their favourite food, and can decide whether to trade for one piece of tasty food, or many pieces of a less appetizing snack.

http://www.nature.com/news/
2008/080610/full/news.2008.882.html

Simple Things You Can Do

To improve groundwater recharge:

• Reduce the size of your lawn.
• Replace with trees or native shrubs and ground covers.
• Install a gravel or porous pavement driveway.

To reduce stormwater runoff from your property:

• Create rain gardens and other infiltration features to process runoff from roofs and driveways.
• Reduce non-point source pollution of surface waters.
• Maintain and enhance vegetated buffers on shorelines and stream banks.

To reduce use of public water supply resources:

• Water lawns and gardens only when needed.
• Install smart irrigation systems.
• Install flow restrictions on showers and faucets.
• Find and fix leaky faucets.

To reduce volume of wastewater:

• Install low flow toilets, shower heads, and faucet flow restrictors.
• Separate roof drains from the sewer system.

The Union of Concerned Scientists states that, “New state-of-the-art research shows that if global warming emissions continue to grow unabated, Massachusetts can expect dramatic changes in climate over the course of this century, with substantial impacts on vital aspects of the state’s economy and character. If the rate of emissions is lowered, however, projections show that many of the changes will be far less dramatic. Emissions choices we make today – in Massachusetts, the Northeast, and world-wide- will help determine the climate our children and grandchildren inherit, and shape the consequences for their economy, environment, and quality of life.”

The Conservation Almanac is beginning a series entitled, “Be Prepared!” which will provide practical and helpful information on how each of us can adapt to the likely changes to come. This is part of a broader initiative in which VCS is partnering with colleagues at The Nature Conservancy to highlight the importance of thinking now about local adaptation to the likely impacts of global warming.

The following Hurricane and Flood Map & Affected Buildings map was created by Chris Seidel, Cartographer/GIS Coordinator, Martha's Vineyard Commission.

For the next few weeks we will be displaying some very powerful art pieces. The work is done by Seattle artist, Chris Jordan. Here is part of his artist statement:

Running the Numbers
An American Self-Portrait
Running the Numbers looks at contemporary American culture through the austere lens of statistics. Each image portrays a specific quantity of something: This project visually examines these vast and bizarre measures of our society; in large intricately detailed prints assembled from thousands of smaller photographs. Employing themes such as the near versus the far, and the one versus the many, I hope to raise some questions about the role of the individual in a society that is increasingly enormous, incomprehensible, and overwhelming.

Plastic Cups, 2008 60x90" Depicts one million plastic cups, the number used on airline flights in the US every six hours.