This Tuesday, June 30, the Vineyard Conservation Society’s annual meeting will be held at the Wakeman Conservation Center off Lambert’s Cove Road in Vineyard Haven at 5:30 p.m. The society will have an opportunity to preview the New Views of Ocean Life Census of Marine Life program, a highly ambitious endeavour that began in 2000 and involves thousands of scientists from more than 80 nations.
A light dinner will be served. For details, call 508-693-9588.
The Vineyard Conservation Society, at its annual meeting on June 29, voted to approve the nomination of four new directors: former Martha’s Vineyard Commissioner Mimi Davisson; Richard Toole, who currently serves on the Oak Bluffs conservation commission and the zoning board of appeals; marketing and nonprofit management consultant Alan Ganapol; and Julie Anne McNary, professional fundraiser.
It’s been raining for like 40 days and 40 nights. But the sun is bound to come out sometime and when it does, time to head outdoors. Looking for a little hand-holding, though, to bring you back to the wild? Then you’re in luck. On Sunday, Nov. 14 the Vineyard Conservation Society is leading a walk out to Norton Point Beach on Chappy.
Anyone interested should meet at the Chappy Ferry parking lot at 12:45 p.m. If already on Chappy, meet at the Wasque TTOR gatehouse at 1 p.m.
Often lost in the debate about the pros and cons of developing new sources of energy production is the critical importance of conserving our existing energy reserves by promoting conservation and altering personal consumption habits. Energy conservation — increasing the efficiency of energy use to produce more output for the same consumption — must be part of the conversation if we are to overcome the unprecedented energy challenges we face globally and locally.
When it comes to climate change, coastal habitats are among the most vulnerable. Perhaps that’s why there was a full house at the Vineyard Conservation Society’s annual meeting Tuesday evening for a presentation on climate change habitat impacts. That and the fact that the Vineyard Conservation Society works hard to educate the Island community about climate change.
Ponds in Peril, a forum to follow last summer’s successful event sponsored by the Vineyard Conservation Society, will be held on Wednesday, July 21 starting at 7 p.m. at the Sailing Camp in Oak Bluffs. The featured speaker will be Michael D. Giggey, a principal at Wright-Pierce Engineering. Mike will address water quality and wastewater management and infrastructure issues associated with growth and development on the Vineyard, presenting case studies of Sengekontacket Pond, Lagoon Pond and Lake Tashmoo.
Last summer the Vineyard Conservation Society succeeded in convincing Islanders that their ponds were indeed in peril. At this year’s Ponds in Peril forum, Islanders learned what they could do about it.
At 8:30 p.m. tomorrow, the Island will go dark. Lights will be turned off, the ambient hum of computers will go silent. Candles will be lit, and people will sit back to enjoy the blaze from the fireplace. For one hour, for the third year in a row, the Vineyard will join with some 800 cities across the globe in flipping the switch, suspending, if only for a short time, our ever-growing energy use.
