MCLA Kicks off 2024 Green Living Seminar

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NORTH ADAMS, Mass.—MCLA's annual Green Living Seminar Series returned in January and continues through April presenting a series of lectures on the theme of "Greening in New England." 
 
Presentations occur every Thursday at 5 p.m. in the Feigenbaum Center for Science and Innovation (FCSI) Room 121.
 
The series kicked off on Jan. 25 with the presentation "Advancing Sustainability in Urban Residential Neighborhoods of Massachusetts" led by Urban Foresters Samantha Eanes and Sarah Greenleaf from the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) Urban and Community Forestry Greening the Gateway Cities Program. The program is designed to reduce household heating and cooling energy use by increasing tree canopy cover in urban residential areas. 
 
Future Green Living Presentations include:
 
February 8: Nature Based Solutions for River Restoration and Flood Resilience in New England, Erin Rogers, Western New England Project Manager, Trout Unlimited
 
February 15: WD Cowls- Sustainability is Our Purpose: Perspectives From Massachusetts' Largest Private Land Owner, Arthur Haskins, Vice President, Real Estate & Community Development, WD Cowls, INC. Land Company
 
February 22: Land As Climate Solution for the Berkshires, Jenny Hansel, President, Berkshire Natural Resources Council
 
February 29: National Forest in New England: Management for Climate Resilience That Incorporates Sociopolitical and Economic Pressures, District Ranger Martina C. Barnes, US Forest Service, Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests, Manchester Ranger District
 
March 7: Regenerating Bioregional Food Systems, Hannah McDonald, Northeast Organic Farming Association, Massachusetts Education Events Manager
 
March 21: TBA
 
March 28: Making Energy More Sustainable in Massachusetts, Christopher Mason, Western Massachusetts Regional Coordinator, Green Communities Division, Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources
 
April 4: Regulatory Framework for Wetlands Protection in Massachusetts, Sarah LaValley, AICP, Assistant Director, Northampton Office of Planning and Sustainability
 
April 11: Ensuring Everyone Can Enjoy the Outdoors in New England's Sustainable Future, Rachel Hailey, Founder and Transformationalist, DEI Outdoors
 
Each presentation is free and open to the public. All lectures will be recorded and can be replayed on the MCLA ENVI Youtube Channel and broadcast on Northern Berkshire Community Television Channel (NBCTC) 1302 at the following times:
  • Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m.
  • Fridays at 4 p.m.
  • Saturdays at 3:30 p.m.
  • Sundays at 11:30 a.m.
  • Mondays at 5:30 p.m.

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RFP Ready for North County High School Study

By Tammy Daniels iBerkshires Staff
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The working group for the Northern Berkshire Educational Collaborative last week approved a request for proposals to study secondary education regional models.
 
The members on Tuesday fine-tuned the RFP and set a date of Tuesday, Jan. 20, at 4 p.m. to submit bids. The bids must be paper documents and will be accepted at the Northern Berkshire School Union offices on Union Street.
 
Some members had penned in the first week of January but Timothy Callahan, superintendent for the North Adams schools, thought that wasn't enough time, especially over the holidays.
 
"I think that's too short of a window if you really want bids," he said. "This is a pretty substantial topic."
 
That topic is to look at the high school education models in North County and make recommendations to a collaboration between Hoosac Valley Regional and Mount Greylock Regional School Districts, the North Adams Public Schools and the town school districts making up the Northern Berkshire School Union. 
 
The study is being driven by rising costs and dropping enrollment among the three high schools. NBSU's elementary schools go up to Grade 6 or 8 and tuition their students into the local high schools. 
 
The feasibility study of a possible consolidation or collaboration in Grades 7 through 12 is being funded through a $100,000 earmark from the Fair Share Act and is expected to look at academics, faculty, transportation, legal and governance issues, and finances, among other areas. 
 
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