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The following was submitted by Prassede Calabi:
2024 has been a remarkable year for the Fast Forest. From groundbreaking in September 2023 to extra mulching on Dec. 19, the project went from a gleam in our eye to a fully planted forest. All volunteer efforts. All your efforts. What a year. What a project. Thank you!
And while the initial work might be done, the learning, community engagement and the forest growth are still to come!
Here please note some highlights of the past year, and appreciate yourselves!
We raised money for some 1,100 plants, and for unexpected materials like silt sox and a bodacious bunny-deer-squirrel-groundhog-bear-proof fence (though we don’t expect bears). The FF received generous donations small and large, one-time and repeat. Many folks honored loved ones by putting their names on the permanent FF honor roll.
Folks also donated hoses, shovels — and I still have someone’s trowel. Please get in touch if it might be yours!
Epic rains postponed our initial planned planting in March.
But we regrouped and Sept. 21 was the actual planting. About 96 people signed in and planted, and at least 17 more planted without signing up. Despite steady rain and a lotta mud.
And everyone was so effective that we finished hours early. In fact, folks who signed up for later shifts did not get to plant. Sorry! We hope you'll get a chance at a next forest.
The FF was featured on WBZ radio for two blitzes — the Valentine’s Day fundraiser and the planting day notice.
Eagle Scouts, Silver Award Scouts, Scout leaders and many Scout families helped with money, planning and planting, tents and goodies on planting day, and even a prize-winning elementary school curriculum.
Several faith congregations donated money, other resources and planting.
The FF was awarded several grants from local groups.
WHS students held a bake sale.
The WHS Environmental Science classes laid out the plants onsite for planting. Now those classes are engaged in a multi-year curriculum studying FF ecology and plant growth.
And there’s so much more! Above are just a thumbnail of all the wonderful folks and remarkable efforts involved in our Fast Forest.
It was astonishing, heartwarming. Community building. Good for Winchester. Good for the planet.
A nifty bit of habitat protected in perpetuity.
Thank you everyone for all your support, hard work, sweat equity and great spirits.
Please join our January potluck to look back and think ahead. There’s so much yet to come. We hope to see you there.
We wish you and yours a happy solstice, and all good things in the new year.
The January potluck will be held on Saturday, Jan. 25, from 5:30 p.m. Where? That is still to be determined.
For the mulching — THANK YOU Rick, Paul, Tracy and Alan for a some 24 hours of shoveling, schlepping, moving and mounding on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday! Though each day was 12 degrees colder than the previous one, it all got it done and in time.
