Lloyd Center Announces Schedule of Free Walks

SOUTHCOAST ALL TAXA BIODIVERSITY INITIATIVE: BIODIVERSITYWEEK 

From June 11 – June 15, scientists and naturalists will leadwalks and conduct “collecting” trips within the local watershed. Walks are opento the public free of charge.

To learn more about these events or to register,call Lloyd Center Research Director Mark Mello at 508-990-0505 ext. 22 or register from the Calendar page. Pre-registration is required. All walks are limited to 10 participants. 

The FLORA PEIRCE TRAIL AND PASKAMANSETT RIVER HEADWATERS WALK will be led by Lloyd Center Research Director Mark Mello and will take place on Monday, June 11 from 9am –noon. Minimum age is ten (children 10 – 16 years old must be accompanied by an adult). Participants will be sampling aquatic animals in the boggy pond and in the upper reaches of the Paskamansett River, identifying and photographing wildflowers along the trail, turning over rocks, and listening for birds. If time permits, participants will also do some sampling in Turners Pond. Knee-high boots (at least) are recommended. In addition to the aforementioned footwear, long sleeved shirts and pants (not shorts) and a hat are recommended, as mosquitoes could be active. The Lloyd Center van will transport people to the field site. 

The LLOYD CENTER BIRDWALK will be led by Lloyd Center Research Associate Jamie Bogart on Tuesday, June 12 from 7am – 9 a.m. Minimum age is ten (children 10 – 16 years old must be accompanied by an adult). The walk will begin with bird observations at the Lloyd Center Headquarters where many songbirds may be seen along the forest edges and on the Center’s bird feeders. Participants will then walk through the forest, past the Kettle Pond, where additional forest birds may be observed. Participants will continue along the trail to the Slocum River then cross over Potomska Road to the trail to Little River. Binoculars, hiking shoes, longsleeved shirts and pants (not shorts) and a hat are recommended, as mosquitoes could be active. 

The ACUSHNET CEDAR SWAMP WALK will be led by Lloyd Center Research Director Mark Mello onTuesday, June 12 from 9am – 1pm. Minimum age is ten (children 10 – 16 years old must be accompanied by an adult). Designated as a National Natural Landmark in1972, the Acushnet Cedar Swamp is one of only eleven such designations in Massachusetts. It is arguably the largest and finest example of an AtlanticWhite Cedar swamp north of New Jersey. This is a wet walk, so hip boots or (mypersonal preference) old shoes and pants that you don’t mind getting wet andmuddy are recommended.   Participants will be walking along an old logging road into the heart of the swamp to a small upland called “Holly Island” where trilliums and both pink and yellow lady’s slippers were reported in the early 1970′s. Participants will be concentrating on collecting invertebrates, identifying and photographing wildflowers, and collecting samples of leaflitter to later be examined in the lab. In addition to the aforementioned footwear, long sleeved shirts and pants (not shorts) and a hat are recommended,as mosquitoes could be active. Water and a snack might also be a good idea. The Lloyd Center van will transport people to the field site. 

The KNOWLES PROPERTY– HEAD OF LITTLE RIVER WALK will be led by Lloyd Center Research Director Mark Mello on Wednesday, June 13 from 9am – noon. Minimum age is ten (children 10 – 16 years old must be accompanied by an adult). At this site you will traverse many different habitats from oak, beech and holly forests to a smallstream, and eventually to the upper reaches of Little River. Participants will be listening for birds, identifying and photographing wildflowers, collecting leaf litter, and sampling for aquatic invertebrates in the stream and in some of the seeps we pass along the trail. Binoculars, hiking shoes, long sleeved shirts and pants (not shorts) and a hat are recommended, as mosquitoes could be active. The Lloyd Center van will transport people to the field site. 

The DESTRUCTION BROOK WOODS WALK will also be led by Lloyd Center Research Director Mark Mello on Thursday, June 14 from 9am – noon. Minimum age is ten (children 10 – 16 years old must be accompanied by an adult). Formerly part of the Hill Estate, the Dartmouth Natural Resources Trust, The Trustees of Reservations, Massachusetts Division of Fisheries & Wildlife, and many generous donors collaborated to save over 600 acres spanning the western banks of the upper Slocum River to the Destruction Brook watershed. Participants will be birding, identifying and photographing wildflowers, and sampling for aquatic invertebrates where the trail and Destruction Brook intersect. Knee-high boots or hiking shoes are recommended footwear, and long sleeved shirts and pants (not shorts) and a hat are recommended, as mosquitoes could be active. The Lloyd Center van will transport people to the field site. 

The GIDLEY WOODS BIRDWALK will be led by Lloyd Center Research Associate Jamie Bogart on Thursday, June 14 from 7am – 9am. Minimum age is ten (children 10 – 16 years old must be accompanied by an adult). The walk will traverse Gidley Woods down to the Paskamansett River where many songbirds may be seen along the forest edges and on the Center’s bird feeders. Participants will then walk along the sewer easement between the stone bridge and Friend’s Academy where both forest and wetland birds may be observed. We will then loop around to the pond on the way back to the van. Binoculars, hiking shoes, long sleeved shirts and pants (not shorts) and a hat are recommended, as mosquitoes could be active. The Lloyd Center van will transport people to the field site. 

The BIOBLITZ will be held from 9am on Friday, June 15 through Saturday, June 16, 5pm.  A 32-hour “Bioblitz” is planned, where scientists and naturalists document as many species as they can by Saturday afternoon at various locations throughout the watershed (maps will be available at the Lloyd Center). Mello has added a new wrinkle in that specimens identified during the week will be part of the “list”.  Material (plants, invertebrates) collected, but not identified to species on the weekday trips and classes, will be presented to the appropriate scientists/naturalist for final identification.

Scientists and naturalists with expertise in specific groups of plants or animals are needed. We also welcome members of the public interested in helping discover the plant and animal life that inhabit our watershed. For questions and to sign on our team, contact Mark Mello at markmello@lloydcenter.org or (508) 990-0505 x 22.

Presentations: Members of the public are encouraged to visit the Lloyd Center on Saturday (no pre-registration necessary; no age limit) to observe scientists at work and hear short presentations on the week’s discoveries. A schedule of formal presentations will be posted at the Lloyd Center on Saturday, but anyone who is interested should feel free to go to the center to wander around and ask questions. The day will end with a roll call of the cumulative numbers of species by major group (birds, butterflies, etc.) identified from the week’s activities. 

The meeting place for all events and walks is the Lloyd Center’s Headquarters, located at 430 Potomska Road in Dartmouth. 

This program is supported by Mass Cultural Council, Motorola Solutions Foundation and Dominion Foundation.