NRWA AUCTION 2012

Saturday evening, March 31st
at the Sheraton Four Points Hotel in Leominster, MA

It only happens once every two years and the time is now! NRWA Auction 2012 is just around the corner! Join us on Saturday, March 31st, at the Sheraton Four Points Hotel in Leominster, MA for a festive evening with dinner, a Live Auction, and a Silent Auction with hundreds of great items. This major fundraiser supports our water and land protection projects and education programs in our 32 watershed communities.

We’ll also be running an Online Auction beginning March 1st through March 30th at www.biddingforgood.com/NashuaRiverWatershed. You can go to the Online Auction website now to sign up for auction updates by email, or use the links there to invite your friends to participate.

We’re currently seeking auction donations. What makes a good donation? Something you’d like to buy: professional sports tickets, high tech items, professional services, or a fun experience. This is a great opportunity for businesses to promote their products by donating an item or by considering our business sponsorship opportunities. Our donation deadline is March 1st.

These great items already in: a week in beautiful Santa Fe, New Mexico; an exciting dog-sledding day trip with Mahoosuc Guide Service in Maine; a wild game dinner for eight served in a lovely historic home; a case of mixed wines; Red Sox and Patriots tickets; and much, much more.

How can you help? Donate an item or service… plan to bid online… save the date to attend the Live Auction… support the vital work of the NRWA in your community! If you’d like to make a donation, learn about business sponsorship of the auction, or you have other questions, please contact Pam Gilfillan, NRWA Development Associate at (978) 448-0299, or email Pam Gilfillan.

Basic Animal Tracking Skills Workshop
Note: Full to Capacity- Call to be Placed on Waitlist

POSTPONED to Saturday, January 28, 2012, from 1:00 to 3:30 p.m. in Groton

Animal tracking is a popular tool for understanding wildlife. We can open a window into their world by examining both obvious and subtle clues that animals have left behind and the winter months are ideal for reading their “stories”. The public is invited to join NRWA River Classroom Director Stacey Chilcoat and naturalist George Moore for this skill building workshop to be held at the NRWA and on one of Groton’s premier conservation properties. Learn how gate patterns, habitat, scat, foot print shape, size, and other details assist the tracker and the backyard naturalist alike with proper identification. The workshop is appropriate for ages 11 to adult.

Snowshoes are encouraged but not required. The cost is $8/person or $24/family for NRWA members, and $10/person or $30/family for non-members. Pre-registration is required. Space is limited so register early! To pre-register, please contact Stacey Chilcoat at (978) 448-0299, or email Stacey Chilcoat.

Let’s Talk Turkey: Turkey Ecology

Thursday, February 2, 2012, at 7:00 PM
at the Nashua Public Library, 2 Court Street in Nashua, New Hampshire

Dewlap…caruncles…snood…we’re talking turkey! If you’d like to learn about the natural history, habits and habitats of the Eastern wild turkey, the Nashua River Watershed Association (NRWA) and the Nashua Public Library invite you to join us for this free presentation at the Nashua Public Library. Mark Ellingwood, game programs administrator with NH Fish and Game, will talk about basic turkey biology, as well as New Hampshire’s successful restoration and management of their wild turkey population. New Hampshire is on the northern fringe of turkey range, and that fact poses some interesting challenges for the birds, particularly during their long cold winters.

Mark is a certified wildlife biologist (CWB) with The Wildlife Society. After completing his Bachelor’s degree at U-Conn, he received his Master’s degree in wildlife management from West Virginia University. His graduate thesis focused on the breeding ecology of the American woodcock. Mark worked for five years as a deer research associate in New York and nine years as a deer biologist in Connecticut. He has been with NH Fish and Game for nearly 18 years, where he administers their deer, moose, bear, turkey, small game, furbearer, and wildlife damage control programs.

This program is free and open to the public. Pre-registration is requested. You may register online, or call Carol at the Nashua Public Library, (603) 589-4610. The library is located at 2 Court Street in Nashua. For directions and information on parking.

NRWA February Vacation Programs for Youth

February vacation is a great time to get outside and get some fresh air…and it’s a time for some fun! Come explore the winter world with naturalists at the Nashua River Watershed Association. We’re offering two engaging outdoor programs for children ages 6 to 12 during February vacation week:

“Science of Winter” Program for 6-8 Year Olds
Monday, February 20 and Tuesday, February 21
from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Investigate winter’s scientific wonders! Try experiments indoors, and spend time each day hiking outdoors and trying some science in the field. Young scientists will be able to create their own experiments!

“Winter Survival” Program for 9-12 Year Olds
Thursday, February 23 and Friday, February 24
from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Want to learn how to build a shelter? Find your way home? Cook over a fire? Then come join us for two great days of outdoor adventure focusing on winter survival-based activities.

Both programs are based at the NRWA River Resource Center, 592 Main Street in Groton. The fee for each program is $35/day for NRWA members and $45/day for non-members. Space is limited; pre-registration is required. To register, contact Mary Marro, NRWA Environmental Education Director, at (978) 448-0299, or email Mary Marro.