One Week Until MLT Program: How Are Your Local Birds Doing?

Hope to see you in Upton next Thursday, June 26th at 6:30 pm!

View this email in your browser Dear Neighbor, We hope to see you in person on Thursday, June 26th, for Metacomet's annual business meeting and program!  We will gather at 6:30 p.m. at the Upton Community Center, 9 Milford Street (Rte 140). Our program will be on the state of Massachusetts birds, including visitors such as this beautiful Yellow Breasted Chat, which was banded and released at a preserved property in Uxbridge last fall. Prior to the meeting, please take a few moments to read our Annual Report which is now available on our website at this link: 2025-MLT-Annual-Report.pdf Our membership meeting is an important part of our annual governance. We encourage you to attend, ask questions about our progress and recent activities, and vote on the key motions to allow the Trust to fulfill our governing by-laws. But if you can't attend in person, please consider sending your proxy in ahead of the meeting so that we can reach a quorum of our voting membership. The proxy form is the at the bottom of the first page of the report at the link above. Email a photo of your signed proxy to info@metacometlandtrust.org by June 25th. If you would like to volunteer to serve on the Board or other committees, please contact me for more information at Lisa.Mosczynski@metacometlandtrust.org. In Conservation, Lisa Mosczynski President Board of Directors Membership Donations, Gifts of Land or Conservation Restrictions, or donations of items to be auctioned are deductible on the Federal 1040. Our Federal Tax-Exempt ID is: 04-3020897.  How Are the Birds?       Metacomet will host Brandi Van Roo, Ph.D. and Beth Milke for a presentation on the health of our wild bird populations when they speak at our annual meeting on June 26th. The program will be held at the Upton Community Center at 9 Milford Street (Rt. 140) in Upton.      Brandi Van Roo is a professor of wildlife biology at Framingham State University. Her research includes bird breeding behavior as well as migrant bird banding for conservation purposes. She trains undergraduate students at banding stations in Ashland, Uxbridge and Douglas.      Beth Milke has lived in Uxbridge for 35 years, since her husband Paul retired from the military.  She grew up in suburban Philadelphia, PA and her early background included business education and mass communications. Her reincarnation as a nature lover began after spotting bluebirds in her yard shortly after moving in and then meeting an experienced local birder.  This meeting led to a 12-year stint banding songbirds and small owls at local parks. Most recently, Beth serves as a Volunteer-in-Parks with the National Park Service, leading birdwalks and maintaining River Bend Farm's Pollinator Garden for Blackstone Heritage Corridor, Inc.     A silent auction with wild bird-focused items, refreshments and information on land preservation will also be offered. If you would like to contribute an item to our fundraiser, please write to susan.speers@metacometlandtrust.org. We Love Where We Live -- And We Know You Do, Too! Copyright © 2025 Metacomet Land Trust, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: Metacomet Land Trust P.O. Box 231 Franklin, MA 02038

Audio recording of the FHA Appreciation Event held Monday, June 9, 2025 (audio)

FM #1468 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 1468 in the series. 

This session shares audio recording of the Appreciation Event celebrating the collaboration that returned a single family home to Franklin housing stock. State Representative Jeff Roy hosted the event on Monday, June 9, 2025

 

Audio link -> https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1468-fha-appreciation-event-06-09-25/

--------------

Video recording by Steve Sherlock (Franklin Matters/Franklin Public Radio)

Video link -> https://youtu.be/lXcfc3-nNbI

Front row (L-R) Nayda Sanchez-DeJesus, Mark Lanigan, Larry Rettman, Maurice Coleman, Jeff Roy, Chris Feeley, Mike Doherty, George Danello, Paul White; Back row: Lisa Mosczynski, Lisa Audette, Susan Speers

-------------

We are now producing this in collaboration with Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) or 102.9 on the Franklin area radio dial. 

This podcast is my public service effort for Franklin but we can't do it alone. We can always use your help.

How can you help?

• If you can use the information that you find here, please tell your friends and neighbors

• If you don't like something here, please let me know

• And if you have interest in reporting on meetings or events, please reach. We’ll share and show you what and how we do what we do

Through this feedback loop we can continue to make improvements. I thank you for listening.

For additional information, please visit Franklinmatters.org/  or www.franklin.news 

If you have questions or comments you can reach me directly at shersteve @ gmail dot com

The music for the intro and exit was provided by Michael Clark and the group "East of Shirley". The piece is titled "Ernesto, manana"  c. Michael Clark & Tintype Tunes, 2008 and used with their permission.

I hope you enjoy!

------------------

You can also subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters audio on iTunes or your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"

Appreciation Event celebrates the collaboration that returned a single family home to franklin housing stock (video)

State Representative Jeff Roy hosted the event on Monday, June 9, 2025. 

Video recording by Steve Sherlock (Franklin Matters/Franklin Public Radio)

Video link -> https://youtu.be/lXcfc3-nNbI

Front row (L-R) Nayda Sanchez-DeJesus, Mark Lanigan, Larry Rettman, Maurice Coleman, Jeff Roy, Chris Feeley, Mike Doherty, George Danello, Paul White; Back row: Lisa Mosczynski, Lisa Audette, Susan Speers

Event background:

The Franklin Housing Authority has acquired the ‘long-time vacant’ property located at 813 Summer Street, Franklin. The beautifully renovated three-bedroom home will be leased to an income eligible family and the property will remain in the Town’s affordable housing stock through perpetuity.   

The process of obtaining the property took many years and has involved much assistance from several local officials, agencies and advocates.

 

Supporters included: State Representative Jeffrey Roy, Jamie Hellen, Town Administrator, Lisa Mosczynski, President, Metacomet Land Trust (MLT) and all of MLT’s Board of Directors including Treasurer Susan Speers, Attorney Michael Doherty, Attorney Richard Cornetta, Chairman Christopher Vericker, Franklin Municipal Affordable Housing Trust (MAHT) and all MAHT’s Trust Members including Christopher Feeley, Bank of America, Dean Bank, George Danello, Chairman of the Franklin Housing Authority (FHA) and all FHA Board Members.

Read full article: 

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2023/08/franklin-housing-authority-preparing-to.html

Save The Date! Metacomet Land Trust Annual Meeting June 26th!

Hope to see you in Upton on Thursday June 26th

View this email in your browser Dear Neighbor, Please join us on Thursday, June 26th, for Metacomet's annual business meeting and program! We will gather at 6:30 p.m. at the Upton Community Center. Our program will be on the state of Massachusetts birds, including visitors such as this beautiful Yellow Breasted Chat, which was banded and released at a preserved property in Uxbridge last fall. Prior to the meeting, please take a few moments to read our Annual Report which is now available on our website at this link: 2025-MLT-Annual-Report.pdf Our membership meeting is an important part of our annual governance. We encourage you to attend, ask questions about our progress and recent activities, and vote on the key motions to allow the Trust to fulfill our governing by-laws. If you would like to volunteer to serve on the Board or other committees, please contact me for more information at Lisa.Mosczynski@metacometlandtrust.org. In Conservation, Lisa Mosczynski President Board of Directors   Recent gifts receipt:  $25 on 03/22/2019.  Please renew your membership if your last gift was prior to December 1st, 2024. Membership Donations, Gifts of Land or Conservation Restrictions, or donations of items to be auctioned are deductible on the Federal 1040. Our Federal Tax-Exempt ID is: 04-3020897.  How Are the Birds?       Metacomet will host Brandi Van Roo, Ph.D. and Beth Milke for a presentation on the health of our wild bird populations when they speak at our annual meeting on June 26th. The program will be held at the Upton Community Center at 9 Milford Street (Rt. 140) in Upton.      Brandi Van Roo is a professor of wildlife biology at Framingham State University. Her research includes bird breeding behavior as well as migrant bird banding for conservation purposes. She trains undergraduate students at banding stations in Ashland, Uxbridge and Douglas.      Beth Milke currently serves as a Volunteer-in-Parks with the National Park Service, leading bird walks and maintaining River Bend Farm's Pollinator Garden for Blackstone Heritage Corridor, Inc.     A silent auction with wild bird-focused items, refreshments and information on land preservation will also be offered. If you would like to contribute an item to our fundraiser, please write to susan.speers@metacometlandtrust.org. On a personal note... It's appropriate here to reflect that it is entirely due to the conservation ethic of Ann and John Hanscom, whose beautiful Foxfire Farm hosts both Brandi and Beth during their bird banding work, that so many birds have a place to stop on their fall and spring migrations....thus adding to our appreciation for the habitat, actively used by so many creatures, and for landowners such as Ann and John, who made the choice in 2020 to permanently preserve their property -- 25 years ago this fall. -- Susan Speers, Board of Directors   We Love Where We Live -- And We Know You Do, Too! Our mailing address is: Metacomet Land Trust P.O. Box 231 Franklin, MA 02038

Summer Nights at White Barn Farm August 29th: Gather to meet and greet with the Metacomet Land Trust

Fresh produce, fresh flowers, and Friendly Faces at White Barn Farm

View this email in your browser Please Save the Date and Come Out to Meet Us at White Barn Farm!   Metacomet Land Trust at White Barn Farm in Wrentham Thursday August 29, 2024 Come and join the Metacomet Land Trust at "Summer Nights at White Barn Farm" on Thursday, August 29th. We will be at the farmstand from 4:30 to 8:00 and invite you to enjoy the scene at White Barn Farm, a beautiful local farm in on South Street (Route 1A) in Wrentham. This summer-long series of early evening gathering is a wonderful way to support a local farm! The farmstand will be open and there will be live music as well as pick-your-own flowers, pizza and local brews available to purchase. Please come out to say hello to MLT members and supporters as we enjoy a summer night in a beautiful setting. Feel free to bring a lawn chair and hang out in our "land trust lounge" area by the farmstand.   Summer Nights at White Barn Farm | Facebook   Membership Donations, Gifts of Land or Conservation Restrictions, or donations of items to be auctioned are now deductible on both Federal and Massachusetts tax returns! Our Federal Tax-Exempt ID is: 04-3020897.  We Love Where We Live -- And We Know You Do, Too! Copyright © 2024 Metacomet Land Trust, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: Metacomet Land Trust P.O. Box 231 Franklin, MA 02038 Telephone: (508) 271-7131

Support Metacomet Land Trust with a Community Shopping Bag when shopping at the Big Y Market!

Heads up if you shop for groceries in Franklin!

During June, Metacomet Land Trust will receive a small donation if our members and friends purchase a reusable "Community Shopping Bag” at the Big Y Market, 348 East Central Street. If you're in the vicinity -- or have family or friends who shop in Franklin -- please support MLT’s mission of land conservation in this way. Each large, sturdy bag costs $2.50 with $1.00 going to the Land Trust.

Big Y has helped over 1,900 local charities since 2019 through this program. Every month, leadership at each store location chooses a local nonprofit to be the default beneficiary from the Community Bag Program. This is the first time Metacomet has been chosen by the store’s leadership. Look for MLT’s name to be posted on the reusable bag rack during June.

Also, please plan to join us for our Annual Membership Meeting, which will be Thursday, June 13th in Upton! Our speaker will be Meghan Crawford, a MassWildlife community engagement biologist, who wrote a fascinating article on coyotes in the most recent issue of the Massachusetts Wildlife. Link here: "Living With the Eastern Coyote" 

Thanks to our generous Board members who are often inspired to share creative gifts and books they've loved, we will once again have a small Silent Auction of crafted items, a gift certificate to Rushford & Son brew pub, a wildlife photograph or two, and books on environmental topics. Refreshments will also be offered.

Support Metacomet Land Trust with a Community Shopping Bag!