Blog 15

On Tuesday, Will, Liam, and I went with Ramona one final time to the Crane Estate to help with our third seventh grade field trip. Sadly, the weather was not nearly as warm or sunny as on our previous visits to the property; however, we would have to deal. After hearing Ramona speak for the third time about the many facts and benefits of the salt marsh, I was surprised at how much even I as a senior in high school had learned and memorized about the marsh that I did not know before my time with the Trustees. When out on the marsh today, the three of us (Will, Liam, and I) stuck together and all helped run the same station: the animals of the marsh station. To none of our surprises, this again seemed like the most popular attraction for all the kids. Having set a harmless net the day before, the Trustees had caught many of the small local fish living around the marshlands. The students were able to observe these and an abundance of crabs in a bucket as one of the Trustee Educators described the different species. What made the station interesting this time was the discovery of four separate, living horseshoe crabs. These interested me probably just as much as the other kids. We held up these fascinating creatures for the children to see while the educator explained the various functions of the different parts of the animal. When time on the marsh was up, we helped to carry all of the learning materials back that were used at the stations. It was another great day outside with the Trustees. 

Blog 14

On Monday, Will, Liam, and I made our way over to the Long Hill property in Beverly to work with Beth Dow, a part time employee for the Trustees. To start off the day, we brought wheelbarrows left on a different part of the property during the previous weekend’s plant sale to the location where we would be working. Once this was done Beth outlined what she aimed for us to complete before leaving. This consisted of covering some of the walking paths between rows of plants with wood chips that were all in a huge pile. This functioned as a way to make the walking paths look nicer and block out the sun from reaching any weeds that may be attempting to grow. Will and I did this for the larger walking path while Liam worked next to us on a similar project. Once this was done, the three of us used shovels to fill wheel barrows with compost dirt and spread this nutrient-rich dirt over the soil where new specimens would be planted. While this was all going on, Beth was working with us so she was able to answer any questions we had about Trustees or land conservation. She explained some of the benefits of agricultural land while also teaching us many important farming techniques. Furthermore, she taught us about the side of the Trustees that is less hands on, such as the financial and economic planning that the organization must complete, in addition to all of the advertising used to gain more members. She was very nice and gave us lots of insight to help us with our papers. 

Blog 13

On Friday, Liam, Will, and I again accompanied Ramona to the Crane Estate to help with another seventh grade field trip. Although the exact same agenda was planned as from the other day, this trip to the Crane Estate turned out to be quite different. This was mostly because it was a much more lively and interactive group of kids. For one, they completed the stations with what seemed like a much more engagement in their own learning. Additionally, unlike the first group which was somewhat shy around us, these kids were just the opposite. They were very outgoing and fun to joke around with. Also making the day different was, instead of helping with the stations, our primary job at the salt marsh investigation was to take pictures of the various groups of kids learning on the salt marsh. Will, Liam, and I took our camera duties quite seriously, and made sure to get a bunch of shots that the Trustees will likely put in one of their membership publications. We even got in on a bunch of the pictures after being convinced by all the kids, who were continuously interacting with us the entire day. After lunch we again went on the tour of the mansion at Crane, with the responsibility of keeping the kids in line and off the historic furniture. It is a really cool place and I am extremely jealous of the kids who grew up there. Once again, the day ended with a trip to the roof to sneak a peak of the stunning view. 

Blog 12

With the dreaded AP exams finally over, our new wide open schedules afforded Will, Liam, and I the time and opportunity to help Ramona over at the Crane Estate in Ipswich. We were to be helping her and other Trustee educators conduct a field trip for seventh graders from Ipswich. The first part of this field trip was a salt marsh investigation, in which Ramona taught the students about the benefits of the salt marsh as we walked out to the location on the marsh where three stations were held. One of these stations dealt with salinity testing at different locations on the salt marsh, a second dealt with the plant life, and the final and most interesting station was focused on teaching kids about the living animals of the salt marsh. To start, I helped Ramona at the salinity station. This consisted of students using a refractometer to test salinity levels and a demonstration to show that items float better in water with higher salinity. After this, the three of us worked together to help at the animal station, which the kids definitely liked the best. After the “investigation” was over, we all headed back to eat lunch. We could not help but laugh as one of the students carried back an enormous mud ball he made from mud in the marsh, which he seemed quite proud of. After lunch we partook in a tour of the Crane Estate, with the grand finale being the ability to go up onto the roof. This was pretty awesome due to the amazing views of the ocean and the rest of Castle Hill. 

Blog 11

Thursday, Liam and I reported to Ravenswood where Ramona left us a few simple tasks to complete for the day. The first of these tasks was to fill out a couple bundles of brochures Ramona was planning on handing out to visitors of the Trustees properties. We were simply filling in identification numbers and other simple information; this took us just under an hour or so to complete. Returning later that day from school, all that was left for us to do was some trail maintenance work on a couple of the trails we had not yet visited. Yet again, the weather was beautiful, making it a great day to venture out onto the trails. We basically just went for a walk, as these trails had very limited obstructions. Friday was more of the same, with Will and I walking the entire Magnolia Swamp trail and clearing any obstructions or hazards that may be in the way of walkers and their enjoyment of the environment. However unlike the day before, there were a couple serious hazards that Will and I needed to clean up. The first we came upon was a tree where clearly, a beaver had been gnawing, and it seemed like a fall of the top portion of the tree was imminent. So that it would not fall on any unassuming walkers or onto the walking boards on the swamp that the tree may break if it fell, we sawed the tree down and gave it a controlled push off to the side. We also worked hard to remove a giant dangling branch that was threatening crashing down into the trail. I am very content with this type of work, as I am able to enjoy the nice weather outside. 

Blog 10

Today was a little different compared to previous days at SCORE. Although Ramona was not at Ravenswood, she had us report there to help a fellow Trustee volunteer run a kindergarten field trip on the children’s trail. The children all went to kindergarten in Gloucester and were in the same class. Our job was to stay in the back as the children made their trek through the woods and make sure that none go astray from the group. This ended up be quite easy as there were many other adult chaperones there to help keep the kids in line. Basically all we ended up doing was help to prod the stragglers at the back of the group along so that they would not fall too far behind or miss any of the information the trail guide was attempting to tell them. What made the day interesting was how humorous it was to observe some of the absurd actions and questions that would only be made by a young child. For example, each child was given a plastic bag to collect any items of interest they may find in the forest. Well, two groups of girls were incredibly fascinated by everyday rocks and leaves, continually stopping to pick up nearly every rock they could find until their bags were too heavy for them to carry. I could not imagine a time when I would be so excited about a rock but hey, the whole goal of the Trustees is to get people excited about the environment. It was enjoyable to see just how excited all the kids got over getting the opportunity to explore the forest. 

Blog 9

On Wednesday Liam, Will, and I did work around the center at Ravenswood for Dan. We were accompanied by Sam and Alex, two of the men who do much of the landscaping for the Trustees under Dan. Our primary job for the day was to rake a bunch of the areas covered with leaves on the property. Although this type of work is not enjoyable to any of us, we usually only need to do it once or twice a week whenever Ramona has her days off. It is also quite easy. To pass the time, we simply joked around and mad conversation between us three as well as with Sam and Alex. We took turns filling the wheelbarrow with raked leaves and trudging into the woods with the wheelbarrow to dump them. We worked as hard and efficiently as possible to get the job over with as fast as humanly possible. The next time back at Ravenswood, Ramona was there and had us help to plant new seedlings where we had cleared off some of the leaves and churned up the soil. She gave us advice on how to effectively allow the young root systems to grow and prosper in its new environment as well as going through the various other processes that must be completed in order to successfully plant a new seedling. Our work was slowed by the fact that some of the soil looked very dry and was lacking in nutrients; Ramona decided it was best to water these areas extensively before trying to get anything to grow there. 

Blog 8

Today our work was with Ramona at the Ocean Lawn. Our first job was the eradication of the invasive Japanese Knotweed species. We learned the detrimental effects caused by invasive species to the other species that are in their natural location and the harm they may cause. This is because they take away many of the nutrients and resources from species that need them for survival. Ramona stressed the importance of the eradication of this type of species, and explained that invasive species removal is a large component of maintaining the health of many of the Trustee properties. For the Japanese Knotweed in particular, Ramona stressed that they must be eradicated while just beginning to grow, so that their root systems do not become too advanced in the soil and make them harder to remove. When grown to full capacity, this invasive plant resembles a type of bamboo due to its hard chutes that come out of the ground. Once they reach this point, they are quite difficult to remove. This is why Ramona had us removing as many of this type of plant as we could find by the root so there was no chance of it re-sprouting in the area around the Ocean Lawn parking lot. After this job was done, Will, Liam, and I were asked to make a quick trip up one of the trails at the Ocean Lawn to pick up pieces of trash in addition to some already burned pieces of firewood so that further man-made fires would not be encouraged on the property. 

Blog 7

Today at SCORE, Will, Liam, and I each constructed a birdhouse for local bluebirds. We were each given the precut pieces necessary for one birdhouse, with one already finished to model ours after. Using just a hammer and nails to get the birdhouses completed turned out to be much harder than it looked as we frequently found ourselves splitting the wood and needing to hammer inefficiently at awkward angles. Eventually, we decided the job would be much easier using a screwdriver. This allowed us to make much quicker progress after we figured out a logical order to how we would put the pieces of wood together to come up with a finished project. I must admit, none of us three would make great carpenters. However, after some time we were all able to finish our individual birdhouses with all three ending up looking great. Ramona seemed just as pleased as we were with the finished products. Later, we followed Ramona over to white beach to hang the birdhouses on the telephone poles there. She explained that the old birdhouses there (or those that still remained) were not fit for the bird species they were aimed to house because the wood had either rotted or another species had chewed the entrance hole until it was too large of an opening to adequately shelter the birds living inside. Before attaching the birdhouses, Ramona had us each write our initials on the one we built so that we can see it and know we built it whenever we happen to drive by the area. This work at the Trustees was a fun change of pace and I enjoyed being able to see the finished product of my work so clearly. 

Blog 6

On Tuesday and Wednesday it was back to working with Dan at the Ocean Lawn property. For one of the days, our job was to rake all the leaves surrounding one of the enormous trees. Although not too strenuous, the work was quite monotonous. We raked all the leaves into enormous piles much too big for the wheel barrow; we needed to move them using giant tarps. Will, Liam, and I took turns raking the leaves into piles, raking the piles onto the tarp, dragging the tarp over to the dumping zone (about a hundred yards away), and heaving the leaves onto the pile. It is great having Liam and Will also working for the Trustees as it makes the job much more entertaining when otherwise the manual labor may get unbearably boring. I am really not a fan of the jobs we do with Dan as they are not as fruitful to write about for SCORE, teach us as much, or are as enjoyable as the work we do for Ramona. This is most likely related to the job title each holds at the Trustees. Ramona is an “educator and interpreter” while from my viewpoint, Dans responsibilities seem much more concentrated around maintaining the properties and landscaping the properties for the public. On Wednesday with Dan, our work continued at the Ocean Lawn, where the three of us removed grass on areas near the driveway to make way for mulch. In this same location, we also helped with the construction of a stone curb to finish off the day.

Blog 5

On Monday, Liam, Will, and I were asked by Ramona to do a sweep of the trails at Ravenswood and scout for fallen trees or other obstructions. It was nice because all we had to bring was a map to help us get around and mark places where large trees fell, and we did not have to do any actual chopping down or sawing. Although very little other work was involved besides walking, this took up our entire day because we went all over the park to the farthest trails possible, making for a significant hike. Overall, we walked around eight miles, checking out trees and marking our maps along the way. This was split up into two separate treks, which were separated by both classes and lunch at 12. Yet again, the weather was incredibly sunny and warm, making the work day even better. I love this type of work because it allows us to get exercise and be outdoors in the nice weather, as opposed to looking out the window at the weather in a typical school setting. It is a great way to get a tan started too! I also like the freedom and responsibility we are given by Ramona. Although she often comes with us on our journeys into the woods, she just as often allows us to go alone to do the job by ourselves. This shows that she trusts us and I like the feeling of us needing to find our own way on even the most obscure trails with the help of the map. After marking on our maps everything we needed to mark, we headed back to the Ravenswood center and ended our day. 

Blog 4

Today Will, Liam, and I reported to Ramona at the Ravenswood property in the morning for a little while before classes. We did some quick and easy trail maintenance work, which is much better than the physical labor we have had to do for Dan. After lunch and psychology class, Liam and I were given the job of clearing some fallen trees in the trails of the Agassiz rock property. We were given a variety of saws and brought these out into the woods to get to work. I must say, I feel as though we should have Trustees shirts or something to wear just so other people walking on the trails do not think we are participating in destructive teenage shenanigans. I got this idea after we received some curious looks when we were walking through the trails with a bunch of saws in hand. On another note, it was a perfect day for the job assignment, with the weather being warm and sunny. This is the type of thing I was looking forward to with SCORE at the Trustees: enjoying the nice weather at the many great properties held by the trustees. On the trails, Liam and I removed four or five significant trees that were obstructing the paths of walkers on the trails. In particular, one of these trees took a significant amount of effort. Not being allowed to use chain saws, we were stuck sawing this huge tree by hand. This got very tiring and required multiple turns by Liam and I. With some of the other larger trees, we were either able to drag them out of the way or snap them somehow. Although tiring at times, today was a great day at SCORE. 

Research Paper Rough Draft

Taylor Ketchum

5/4/13

SCORE Research Paper

Rough Draft

The Benefits of Land Preservation

Ever since the start of the Industrial Revolution over 200 years ago, human activity has had a detrimental effect on the health of our earth. With the dramatic increase in population came    a strong dependency on limited resources, an enormous output of waste leading to mass pollution, and a surge in the development of natural land for commercial use. It was not until the early 1960s when people finally showed concern for our environment, and realized that humanity would be well served to attempt to reverse as much of the devastation that has already been caused as possible. A significant means of doing this is by conserving and protecting natural locations that are home to a variety of plant and animal species. Now more than ever, as increasingly more land and wildlife is constantly being destroyed to make room for commercial counterparts, the preservation of natural land and open spaces is crucial as it holds outstanding economic, recreational, cultural, and ecological value. Organizations such as the nonprofit Trustees of Reservations work hard to display this value by maintaining natural parks and wildlife reserves for the benefit of our current communities and our futures. They are able to do this with the aid of “green technology” and with the efforts of those who care enough to give their time to volunteer with no monetary reward. If the entire population follows the example set by these conscientious organizations and volunteers to preserve the natural properties of our earth, then a much brighter future will be in store for us all. 

Monetarily speaking, there is much to gain from land preservation. Watching over our forests, beaches, working farms, and other natural lands leads to significant cost savings and financial returns to both the government and individuals. According to conservation economics studies conducted by the Trust for Public Land, conservation returns anywhere from $4 to up to $10 for ever dollar invested! Clearly, the general idea that conservation is an expense if incorrect; just the opposite, it is a sound investment that promotes economic growth. For one, according to the proximate principle (verified to be legitimate by numerous scientific studies), the market values of properties located near a park or open space frequently are higher than those of comparable properties located elsewhere. More specifically, this means an increase in home values for the many local residents who live near properties held by organizations like the Trustees of Reservations. At the same time, park and open space lands can play a role in reducing taxes. When open space is transformed into homes, the taxes of existing residents invariably increase because while development generates tax revenue, the cost of providing public services and infrastructure to that development is likely to exceed the tax revenue emanating from it. According to studies on this topic in 21 states, the median cost per dollar revenue raised to provide public services in residentially developed areas is $1.16; this was overwhelmingly higher than the $0.35 in farm, forest, or open space areas (John L. Crompton in The Economic Benefits of Land Conservation). The numbers prove that it is more cost effective to preserve than to develop. 

The economic advantages of conservation extend themselves to farmland properties, such as Appleton Farms (owned by the Trustees) and natural forests, which aid in protecting vital water sources. Productive farmland is a fiscally sound type of land development and its protection leads to both a viable agricultural industry with employment opportunities as well as local and national food security. The produce of these farm properties also helps to stimulate local economies. Then, in a 2002 research study by the Trust for Public Land and the American Water Works Association, it was concluded that, “The cost of treatment for plants using surface water supplies varies depending on forest cover in the source area: the less forest cover, the more expensive the water treatment” (Trust for Public Lands). This is because the destruction of forest leads to a lowering in the quality of water, which increases treatment and capital costs, not to mention the fact that it is a threat to public health. On the other hand, protection of forest lands reduces erosion and sediment, improves water purity, and in some cases captures and stores water. The most cost-efficient way to provide clean drinking water is by simply saving the forests, which many land preservation organizations are attempting to do. Clean and affordable water supplies are vital to sustaining a flourishing community and to the economic health of our country. 

Out of the many economic advantages stemming from land conservation, the most prevalent is that it helps to boost tourism, an enormous industry in the United States and specifically along the coastline of New England where many of the Trustee properties are held. The natural protected locations attract thousands of visitors annually not residing in the local area, who spend money in local restaurants, shops, and hotels. This puts mass amounts of additional money into local economies. In Massachusetts alone, over $10 billion a year is brought in as a result of outdoor recreation, with visits to the preserved outdoor parks being a top ranked reason why residents in the rest of the United States come to visit Massachusetts (mass.gov). Preservation provides visitors with the beautiful properties they come to see; developing these places for commercial use would only lead to a decrease in the tourism industry, and a decrease in income to our region as a result. On the other hand, extending land protection efforts to new areas, a continuous goal of the Trustees of Reservations, will lead to a boost in tourism that will greatly benefit the local economy. 

Not only is land conservation a sound investment fiscally, but it is essential to the ecological health of our environment. The homes of numerous plant and animal species are being destroyed as a result of commercial development, as much of the population is unaware or unconcerned of the devastation people are causing to wildlife species. Preserving natural properties and open spaces ensures that rare or endangered species have a safe place to live and breed, allowing them to recover in number instead of continuing to decrease in population.  A specific example of this deals with the piping plover shorebird population, which just a few years ago was headed towards extinction. To fix this, the Trustees of Reservations began a program to help this species, which was made possible by the lands they work to preserve on the shoreline of Massachusetts, as this is where these birds like to live. By preserving the natural habitat of the piping plover, the population for this bird has had a much needed recovery. Twelve percent of this federally threatened shorebird species can now be found on Trustee properties (The Trustees of Reservations). There are many other species that desperately need this same type of help, which would not be possible with the absence of land conservation. While saving native species and habitats, an element of land preservation is also protecting against invasive species, which harm the local environment by growing rampant and using up many of the local resources and nutrients needed by other organisms to sustain life. Eradicating invasive species during the process of maintaining natural properties is extremely helpful and necessary to the local wildlife. 

Land preservation is a necessity for local biodiversity, which is the variety of life in a particular habitat or ecosystem, and more generally, our earth. A biologically diverse ecosystem is often a marker of the health of our environment, and is necessary if we want to sustain a healthy way of life in the future. The plants and animals in a diverse ecosystem are what we use to develop important medicines: the more plants, animals, and microbes that exist, the better the chances of finding treatments for a wide range of diseases and conditions. At the same time, biodiversity helps in agriculture to reduce weakness to disease and to improve overall hardiness and crop performance. It also helps industry, as various living organisms provide base materials used in manufacturing. Maintaining biodiversity, which can be done through land conservation, is what allows scientists to discover the most effective ways to utilize our surrounding environment to benefit the human race. Apart from these direct advantages of land conservation and biodiversity is the fact that most ecological systems that humans need to survive also rely on a biologically diverse ecosystem to operate. For example, water purification, the recycling of nutrients in soil, and the pollination of flowers among other things depend strongly on biologically diverse ecosystems. It is extremely difficult and expensive for people to properly replicate the intricate ecosystems of a natural environment with biodiversity with man-made alternatives. Truly, all life on earth, specifically humans, benefits from biodiversity, something that is not possible without the preservation of natural environments. 

Why exactly does biodiversity depend so much on land conservation? In Massachusetts, the two biggest threats to biodiversity are the destruction and fragmentation of wildlife habitats as a result of development and the previously mentioned introduction of invasive non-native species. Land conservation directly works to combat these problems, therefore significantly boosting biodiversity. In our state, the percentage of rare or threatened species includes the following: 13% of mammals, 15% of birds and flowering plants, 29% of amphibians, and 53% of reptiles (mass.gov). These alarming numbers can only be lowered by boosting biodiversity, a principle benefit of land preservation. 

A third general benefit of land conservation is the recreational value it holds. The scenic properties protected by conservation organizations are what allow local residents, families, and tourists to experience nature firsthand. These properties provide visitors with a unique and memorable outdoor experience, prompting individuals to better appreciate the value of the natural world. These beautiful natural areas are aesthetically pleasing, with individuals flocking to the properties to see the amazing views nature provides. At the same time, these preserved properties allow individuals to escape from all the technology and stressful commotion of everyday life. People are able to relax and spend time in an inexpensive way that is also healthy. As many of these outdoor properties are used for athletic outdoor activity, they are promoting wellness and health to a population struggling with issues such as obesity. People may go for a run at places such as Ravenswood park, or play catch at the Ocean Lawn property of the Trustees of Reservations. For more large-scale recreation trails and bike paths, preservation helps to prevent fragmentation, which makes can make it nearly impossible to utilize these paths for recreational use. Finally, many of the land preservation efforts are centered around the coastline, which is appreciated and enjoyed by millions of people every year. It is the hope of The Trustees of Reservations and other conservation organizations that allowing people to experience the recreational benefits of the natural world first hand will help to garner recognition of the importance of land preservation.

A final reason why land should be preserved is the cultural value it holds. The conservation of natural properties preserves historical sites and landmarks that may otherwise be forgotten, thus protecting the character of our community. It is natural landscapes that helps us to learn and delve into the times of the past, a necessity if we want to see how we got to where we are today. Many properties have historical aspects, such as the stone walls of colonial farmers on many of the Trustee properties, which help us to see what our ancestors lived like in the past and how we have transformed into who we are now as a society. Preserving natural lands is what allows us to preserve the past, as they are constant reminders of where we come from. 

There are numerous organizations dedicated to promoting and participating in land preservation for the good of our planet. A reputable conservation organization in our area is the Trustees of Reservations, who maintain and protect 96 scenic properties in Massachusetts, comprising over 23,000 acres. They also monitor 285 Conservation Restrictions, thus protecting an additional 16,700 acres of natural land. Some of the properties include the Crane Estate (Cranes Beach and Castle Hill), Ravenswood Park, the Ocean Lawn, Appleton Farms, and Misery Island. Founded in 1891, they are a non-profit organization with the following being their mission statement: “The Trustees of Reservations preserve, for public use and enjoyment, properties of exceptional scenic, historic, and ecological value in Massachusetts” (The Trustees of Reservations). Being a nonprofit organization, the Trustees work tirelessly to recruit members as both a source of financial income in order to cover costs as well as to promote to these people the many benefits of preserving natural properties inhabited by wildlife of all forms. By demonstrating the beauty of nature through their exceptional properties, the Trustees are advocating for the concentrated effort of land conservation. Over the last ten years, the organization has grown rapidly in membership (up 113%) and has added 15 new reservations, or properties. Overall, the Trustees of Reservations is composed of 180 year-round employees in addition to many more seasonal employees, who are supported by over 40,000 members and an incredible amount of volunteers willing to donate their time to aid the great cause of the organization. Without organizations like the Trustees, making strides in land conservation would not be possible. 

In order to efficiently achieve their goal of preserving land and helping the environment, organizations such as the Trustees depend on the use of “green” technologies and methods. Green technologies are the development and application of products, equipment, and systems used to conserve the natural environment and resources, which minimizes and reduces the negative impact of human activities on the environment. Different types of green technologies include: water and air purification devices, recycling of resources, renewable energy, and waste management. All of these help to eliminate pollution and help promote the wellness of our environment. Specifically, renewable energy sources are particularly vital in helping to reduce the greenhouse effect on earth and provide us with a more promising and sustainable future. Numerous examples of this type of technology is found on Trustee properties. At the Appleton Farms property alone, there are two-solar panel arrays which supply sustainable energy, biomass heating systems used to heat the farm buildings, and an extensive compost operation. These systems all serve to help the Trustees eliminate the carbon footprint at their properties. 

It is absolutely necessary that we focus on preserving the natural lands of our environment. Individuals must continue to help outstanding organizations such as the Trustees of Reservations with informing the general public on the economic, ecological, recreational, and cultural value these properties hold. There are still many who do not understand just how important these efforts are. Additionally, research must continue to be done to further develop and improve modern green technologies so that we can become completely sustainable for the future. Even more importantly is the need to implement these technologies in as many locations as possible. Everyone must work together to promote the preservation of natural lands, while simultaneously spreading awareness of the benefits held by protecting these types of natural spaces in place of commercial development. Our future depends on it. 

Blog #3

Monday, Will, Liam, and I met with Ramona at Ravenswood. Our assignment for the day was trail maintenance. More specifically, we had to replace an old post which marks the “Magnolia Swamp” trail while also clearing away a giant tree that had fallen onto a location typically plentiful with many wildflower species. The worry was that this tree would prevent any of these natural flowers from sprouting up for the year. We cleared the tree as quickly as possible to allow the buds to hopefully recover and grow. It is quite evident that Ramona cares deeply for the environment and is also extremely knowledgeable when dealing with the many different species that thrive in our area. She taught us about a few of the plants which grow at Ravenswood, including the “Lady Slipper” wildflower. This plant is endangered in some areas, partly due to its slow growth, which is exactly why Ramona thought it was important to remove the tree that had fallen over one of the species’ annual growth locations. To install the new post, we learned how to use the post-hole digger tool, which helped us to efficiently dig a hole of around four feet deep. The only obstacle with this was getting through all of the roots, which were plentiful as the post was being placed right in the center of the woods. After the hole was dug, we simply had to drop in the post and pack it down tight with dirt so that it was sturdy. To finish off the job, we simply had to nail the sign for the trail onto the post. This type of work with Ramona, which has a greater focus on education, is both more fun than the manual labor of the first few days and more fruitful for my looming SCORE paper. I am hopeful that it will continue as Ramona will be in charge of determining the work for we do for our internship more often than not. 

Blog #2

After two days of intensive manual labor with Dan, we have finally completed our first day of SCORE under the supervision of Ramona Latham. Having already both volunteered and worked with Ramona before, it was easy to get on the same page and right to work. Both Will and Liam agree that Ramona is both a great asset to the Trustees and to us as she often goes out of her way to help educate us or answer any questions that we may have about the environment or the Trustees as an organization. For this first day with Ramona, we met at the Ravenswood property, which is home to many popular trails in the woods for dog-walkers and hikers. Our primary job for the day was to go out to all of the vernal pools on the trails and nail “On Leash” signs for dogs at each location. As I had classes in the morning, Will and Liam did the first part of the job. After, Liam and I went out in the pouring rain to hang the rest of the signs. After being out on the trails for about an hour, the rain began to come down too hard and we decided we would finish the job later in the day. When the weather finally cleared up, Liam and I walked a few miles to put up signs at the vernal pool located farthest away from the center at Ravenswood.  Using the map Ramona provided us, we efficiently completed the job, walking the necessary five miles in the process. 

Blog #1

With our primary SCORE advisor Ramona out on Tuesdays and Thursdays, Will, Liam, and I reported to Dan Gove at the Great Lawn property for the first couple days on SCORE. The Great Lawn is one of the more scenic properties held by the Trustees of Reservations, comprised of a huge grass lawn overlooking the ocean which contains enormous beach trees scattered about that are over 100 years old. Sadly, we were not able to enjoy the great scenery as Dan put us straight to work. I must admit, the beginning of our work with the Trustees was a little tougher and more labor intensive than we expected. On day one, our job was in the parking lot of the property, which we had to extend in order to make room for a handicap spot. To do this, we had to first clear out the space for the spot. Once this was completed, we were instructed to fill the space with gravel, brought over in the Trustees truck from the Ravenswood property. Afterwards, the most difficult task proved to be outlining the parking space. With the rest of the parking lot outlined by large rocks, Dan and Alex agreed that we should do the same for the outside of the handicap spot. So, for each rock that would be used in the wall we had to dig through roots until there was a big enough hole to place the incredibly heavy rocks into. This needed to be done so the entire outline was even. The hardest part of all then was getting the rocks in place. With the combined efforts of Alex, Will, Liam, and I, we were able to roll, lift, and slide all of the rocks necessary to complete the wall. However, this was incredibly frustrating and difficult as the rocks were often much too heavy to lift, and getting them perfectly in place in their holes often took multiple attempts. Although the work was hard, it was rewarding to see the outcome as a job well done. 

Taylor's Outline

Taylor Ketchum

3/13/13

SCORE Outline and Thesis

Thesis: In a time when increasingly more land is constantly being developed for commercial use, the conservation of natural properties is crucial as it holds outstanding economic, recreational, cultural, and ecological value. Organizations such as The Trustees of Reservations work hard to display this value by maintaining natural parks and wildlife reserves in order to help save our environment for the benefit of our communities and our futures. They are able to do this through the use of  “green technology” and with the efforts of those who give their time to volunteer with no monetary reward. 

P1: Overview of the Trustees of Reservations as an organization.

• Non-profit organization.
• Mission Statement: “The Trustees of Reservations preserve, for public use and enjoyment, properties of exceptional scenic, historic, and ecological value in Massachusetts.” 
• Founded in 1891.
• Care for 96 properties which comprise over 23,000 acres and monitor 285 Conservation Restrictions protecting an additional 16,700 acres.
• Have grown rapidly in membership (113%) and added 15 reservations over the past 10 years.
• 180 year-round employees supported by over 40,000 members. 

P2: The value that comes with conserving the environment and maintaining natural properties. 

• Economic

• Conservation returns $4 to $10 for every dollar invested. 
• Helps to boost tourism, which over $10 billion annually is due to outdoor recreation related activities.
• Local economies are stimulated by produce of farm properties.
• Preservation of properties leads to increased value of surrounding homes.
• Creates jobs
• Decreases the amount of money the government has to spend on things such as ways to provide clean water sources

• Recreational

• Allows local residents, families, and tourists to experience nature firsthand.
• Promotes wellness and health.
• Provides beautiful natural areas and views that are aesthetically pleasing.
• Allows individuals to “escape” from all the technology and the stressful commotion of everyday life. 
• Inexpensive and healthy way to spend time.
• Prevents fragmentation, which makes "large-scale" recreation trails, bike paths, and other uses more difficult to connect and preserve.
• Supports the preservation of coastline. 

• Cultural

• Preserves historical sites and landmarks that would otherwise be forgotten. 
• Historical aspects of this properties such as the stone walls of colonial farmers help us to see what people lived like in the past and how we have transformed into who we are today.
• Preserving natural landscapes helps us get a look into the times of the past.

• Ecological

• Ensures rare or endangered species have a safe place to live and breed, allowing them to recover as a species. The Trustees protect 12% of the federally threatened piping plover shorebird population in Massachusetts.
• Important for biodiversity and the health of wildlife habitats. 
• Protects against and eradicates invasive species, which are harmful to the natural environment and species. 
• The planting of trees and protection against deforestation allows for increased production of clean oxygen. Just one acre of trees can produce enough oxygen to support 18 people.
• Allows for a healthier and more promising future. 
• Protects against global warming. 

P3: The use of “green technologies”

• Used by organizations like The Trustees of Reservations.
• Defined as: The development and application of products, equipment, and systems used to conserve the natural environment and resources, which minimizes and reduces the negative impact of human activities on the environment. 
• Renewable energy sources help to reduce the Greenhouse effect on earth and provide us with a more promising future.
• Types of green technologies include: water and air purification, recycling of resources, renewable energy, and waste management. These all help to eliminate pollution.
• Spread awareness of how necessary it is to conserve the environment. 

Works Cited 

"Conservation Tools." Conservationtoolsorg Whats New RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Mar. 2013. 

"Economic Benefits of Land Conservation." â   Land Trust Alliance. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Mar. 2013. 

"Land Conservation Benefits." Land Conservation Benefits. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Mar. 2013. 

Madrigal, Alexis. Powering the Dream: The History and Promise of Green Technology. Cambridge, MA: Da Capo, 2011. Print. 

"Protecting & Celebrating Land in Massachusetts | The Trustees of Reservations." Protecting & Celebrating Land in Massachusetts | The Trustees of Reservations. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Mar. 2013. 

"Why Planting Trees Is Cool." Planet Aid Post [Elkridge, MD] n.d.: 1-8. Print. 

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