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The following was submitted by Prassede Calabi:
What’s going on at WIN Fast Forest? Check out the following:
Fast Forest second birthday
On Saturday, Oct. 24, Fast Forest will celebrate its second birthday with a potluck dinner at the Wright-Locke Farm barn, 82 Ridge St., from 4:30-6 p.m.
Sign the petition
As you might know, the Conservation Commission is working to acquire nearly 14 acres of natural land at Forest Ridge and protect it for conservation in perpetuity. For us all and especially for future generations.
We need to sign the petition BELOW to tell our Town Meeting, Select Board and other boards that we think this acquisition is a great idea.
Why save the land? Because its undeveloped, high quality habitat. And the global balance between developed and undeveloped land is way off. We’ve built far more than we’ve preserved.
Natural land cleans our air, cools our neighborhoods, absorbs storm water and shelters the pollinators we depend on. As our weather grows more extreme, we need more natural land, not less.
For more on the parcel and its ecology, please see the petition text here and see the FAQ here.
One parcel won’t save the planet, but every bit helps. Protecting this parcel also shows our young people we care about their future. Their entire lives have been under the cloud of climate change. It affects their outlook, hopes and expectations. Many doubt they’ll ever own homes, fear bringing children into an ecologically dysfunctional world, and suffer eco-anxiety. We owe it to them to address the issue and to show that we’re doing so.
If you support saving this land, please join us and sign this simple statement here.
“I support Winchester’s Conservation Commission in its acquisition, protection and preservation in perpetuity of the 13.7 acre Forest Ridge property owned by the Shannon Investment Trust.”
And then, please send this message to your friends and neighbors.
Questions? Please contact me or Conservation Commission Chair Tracy Olson, at tolson3469@gmail.com or see the FAQ here.
The WIN Fast Forest in September 2024, left, versus October 2026. COURTESY PHOTOS/PRASSEDE CALABI
WHS students at the Fast Forest
Twenty-three nimble-fingered Winchester High School students and their environmental science teachers replaced some 300 too-tight plant tags. Fabulous weather and students’ radiant goodwill made for quick work with laughter and blondies, and even some competition as to who replaced the most tags. The record was upwards of 30.
The forest is “doing its thing,” providing habitat as well as education. We saw baby garter snakes, toads and frogs as well as several birds’ nests.
It’s also part of the WHS environmental science curriculum, with both field lab and in-class material. Students measure plant growth, mortality and longevity, and study ecosystem services.
