Northwest FRAMINGHAM's RURAL LANDSCAPE BENEFITS

WINTER NEWSLETTER THE WREN February 2012

Northwest Meet Our New AmeriCorps MassLIFT Framingham’s Rural Members Landscape Benefits SVT would like to introduce the two new AmeriCorps MassLIFT (Massachusetts Land Initiative for from Harrington Tomorrow) members that joined the SVT team last September for an Conservation 11-month service term. Ashley Davies is serving as a Regional Conservationist Restriction for the Land Protection program, and Audra Valaitis is serving as a Land By Christa Collins, Director of Land Protection Steward for the Stewardship program. Ashley is from Dartmouth, George and DD Harrington of Framingham are familiar faces Massachusetts and is now a permanent around SVT, in part because George is a past board member and resident of Northborough. Ashley president, and now serves as a regular office volunteer; in part studied Law, Policy, and Society at Ashley Davies and Audra because the number of conservation donations they have made are Northeastern University and has a J.D. Valaitis: SVT appreciates almost too numerous to count on one hand. from Roger Williams University School the experience, knowledge, Between 1983 and 2000, the Harringtons donated three parcels of Law. Ashley has worked at and vol- and conviviality that they unteered with several environmental and bring to our Wolbach of land along scenic Edmands Road in Framingham, now known Farm office. as Harrington Fields. In 2007, the Harringtons made a gift of a land conservation organizations, includ- conservation restriction on their 80-acre Baiting Brook Meadow ing the Aquidneck Land Trust, MA Department of Environmental Farm on Nixon Road, where they grow and sell Christmas trees. Protection, and the Buzzards Bay Coalition. Ashley’s main focus (continued on page 4) is getting to know the communities in the Sudbury, Assabet, and Concord watersheds and assisting towns, local land trusts, and Sudbury Valley Trustees in their land conservation efforts. Audra has a Master’s degree in Environmental Management from Duke University and studied Environmental Science and Anthropology at the University of Notre Dame. She has worked throughout New England and the U.S. on a wide variety of wildlife monitoring and management projects, including work with several declining or endangered bird species. During her year at SVT, Audra is focusing her attention on land stewardship and management. She will be completing management plans, baseline documentation, and monitoring activities on a number of different properties. She will also facilitate regional meetings and land management initiatives for the West Suburban Conservation Council. Both Ashley and Audra have contributed articles to the cur- rent edition of The Wren. Our readers can look forward to hear- ing more about what they are working on in the months ahead. The Harrington land includes pastoral views such as this, as well as wooded wetlands. Board of Directors Colin Anderson, Sudbury, President Iryna Priester, Wayland Vice President NOTES FROM RON Bruce Osterling, Sudbury, Treasurer Susan Crane, SVT Staff, Clerk Jamie Bemis, Concord Brian Clew, Framingham Sherill Cline, Sudbury I joined Sudbury Valley Trustees in 1985 when Allen Morgan was Executive Director. Richard Dinjian, Shrewsbury The people I met through this organization reinforced the impression I had from its Marylynn Gentry, Wayland Chris Jenny, Wayland publications, that SVT stood for something important to me. True, SVT was willing to Richard Johnson, Concord roll up its sleeves to find workable ways to protect key parcels of natural land in Concord Robert Kamen, Sudbury River Basin communities. And SVT was serious about taking good care of its properties. Peter Martin, Northborough This twin core of our mission remains fundamental to our decisions and underlies our Deirdre Menoyo, Sudbury strategic plan. But there has always been something else in the air here. I notice it every Arthur Milliken, Concord day in my interactions with volunteers and staff members. It’s the belief that contact with David Moore, Framingham Richard Perkins, Stow nature is important to people. Pam Resor, Acton It is fitting that SVT should be that way. Here we are, at the heart of New England. Stephen Richmond, Sudbury Our service area includes the Old Manse, beside the Concord River where Emerson Stephen Winthrop, Wayland wrote Nature. When Thoreau remarked that he had “travelled extensively in Concord,” STAFF he meant that he had taken a close look at, and measured with his feet, the land that we Ron McAdow and others work to conserve. Executive Director Yes, Sudbury Valley Trustees is a land trust, staffed and governed as professional land Ellen Byrne trusts across the country are staffed and governed, and subject to the rigors of our nation- Business Manager al Standards and Practices. Yes, our day-to-day concerns are with the practical challenges Christa Hawryluk Collins Director of Land Protection of saving land that ought to be saved and looking after land under our responsibility. Susan J. Crane And yes, when we request support, we point to our achievements in land protection and Land Protection Specialist stewardship to make our case. That said, I think our joint loyalty to SVT stems from a Ashley Davies shared deep feeling for the beauty and comfort of nature. We want to preserve the diver- AmeriCorps Member sity of our plants and animals, not just for their own sake but also for ourselves, our chil- Nancy Hallen dren, and our neighbors. We’re glad there is a Sudbury Valley Trustees because that gives Office Manager us a way to achieve a purpose dear to our hearts. As Emerson wrote: Ellie Johnson Office Assistant Every rational creature has all nature for his dowry and estate. Not the Laura Mattei sun or the summer alone, but every hour and season yields its tribute Director of Stewardship of delight; for every hour and change corresponds to and authorizes a Michael Sanders different state of mind, from breathless noon to grimmest midnight. Director of Membership To the attentive eye, each moment of the year has its own beauty, and Dan Stimson Assistant Director of Stewardship in the same field it beholds every hour a picture which was never seen Audra Valaitis before and which shall never be seen again. The tribes of birds and AmeriCorps Member insects, like the plants punctual to their time, follow each other, and Chris Wilson the year has room for all. Caretaker As we begin yet another new year, we at SVT wish you all the best and look forward to The Wren fostering our shared commitment to the natural and nurturing beauty that surrounds us. Nancy Hallen, Editor Joyce Dwyer & Gordon Morrison, Illustrators Jason Fairchild, The Truesdale Group, Designer

Sudbury Valley Trustees Ron McAdow, Executive Director 18 Wolbach Road Sudbury, MA 01776 Tel: 978/443-5588 • Fax: 978/443-2333 E-mail: [email protected] Sudbury Valley Trustees is a regional land trust, founded Website: www.svtweb.org in 1953. For over 50 years, SVT has been dedicated to conserving land and protecting wildlife habitat of the Concord, Assabet, Sudbury river basin. This is one of the most scenic, culturally rich, and historically significant regions in the United States. Guided by a well thought-out strategic plan, SVT carries out its mission for the benefit of present and future generations.

2 / SUDBURY VALLEY TRUSTEES / WINTER 2012 Monitoring Our Lands and Our Deer By Audra Valaitis, AmeriCorps Land Steward With greater public attention to issues native species, such as lady’s slippers such as Lyme disease, forest and land- and trilliums. These plants have the scape overbrowsing, and vehicle colli- bad luck of being very palatable to sions, our region’s deer population has Puliafico Dawn deer. When deer numbers are low been in the spotlight in recent years. to moderate, the plants can afford Much of the focus has been on the to lose some of their flowers to deer impacts of a growing deer herd – but every spring. But as the deer popu- with just how many deer do we share lation grows, enough of the flowers our watershed? Currently deer densi- can be bitten off that the plants ties in SVT’s service area are estimated have trouble keeping up their num- to be from 10 to 30 per square mile bers. Ultimately, the area grows – but biologists from MassWildlife, less diverse. the state wildlife agency, recommend Wildlife communities are also a target density of six to eight deer per impacted when deer populations square mile, a level that is based on the grow large. For example, some of land’s physical carrying capacity as well our native songbird species tuck their as minimizing conflicts with humans. nests into vegetation on the ground Why is the deer herd growing? One reason is a lack of predators, or in low-growing shrubs and tree saplings. A habitat that has been and another is an increase in suitable habitat. Historical checks on “mowed” of its low plants by a large deer herd can leave these birds the deer population included wolves, mountain lions, and human with fewer places to nest. Thrushes and ovenbirds are particularly hunters. With the elimination of those native predators, and a vulnerable to this impact. decline in the number In the coming months, SVT will strive to develop a program to of people who hunt monitor deer impacts on our properties. As stewards of the land, in Massachusetts, we want to stay informed about what’s going on in our fields

Ron McAdow Ron deer in some areas are and forests. Are our plant and wildlife communities showing the now kept in check impacts of too many deer? If so, can we get a sense of how exten- by factors such as the sive the problem is? amount of food they There are several can find, disease, and possible ways that we collisions with vehicles. can begin to observe Many areas that were deer impacts. One is

once forest have been Grezenda Michele by monitoring indi- transformed into sub- vidual plants that are urban backyards, where Lady’s slipper orchid known to be palat- deer are sheltered from able to deer, such as hunting and where homeowners’ landscape plantings provide deer lady’s slipper flowers. with food even during lean times of year. Given good nutrition, a Monitors can mark deer population can double every three years. plants in an area and What impacts might a large deer population have on our envi- observe what propor- ronment? One concern is the health of our plant communities, tion of flowers is Nest of baby thrushes including forest trees and rare plants. An overabundance of hun- snipped off by hungry gry deer can begin to strip an area of the short, tasty plants on browsers before they can go to seed. An alternative strategy in the forest floor. This areas with higher deer numbers is to focus in on plants that are includes small tree less palatable to deer, such as beech suckers or red cedar leaves. seedlings – so when When deer switch to these food sources, it can be an indicator of old, large trees die, Craig Smith Craig higher population levels and fewer available food resources. Yet there are few smaller another monitoring strategy is to create exclosures in certain areas. trees around to take An exclosure is simply an area that is fenced off so that deer can- their place, and the not reach the plants within. Monitors can then compare how the forest cannot regen- vegetation grows inside the exclosure to how the plants grow out- erate itself as easily. side the fence, where they are in reach of browsing deer. Another group of Keeping abreast of what’s going on in our natural communities low-growing plants is part of our job as stewards of the land. If you are interested in that can be damaged joining our monitoring efforts this spring and summer, contact by deer browsing is Audra Valaitis at [email protected]. our rare or unique Ovenbird

WINTER 2012 / SUDBURY VALLEY TRUSTEES / 3 Harrington Earth Day Lawn Signs Conservation Supporting Land Trusts Restriction Across Massachusetts (continued from page 1) This November, the Harringtons con- By Ashley Davies, AmeriCorps Regional Conservationist served yet another one of their properties through the gift of a conservation restric- Last year SVT launched its first Earth Day campaign, and the success has led us to tion on 18 acres on Edmands Road, expand our efforts this year. In the 2011 campaign, nine land trusts, including SVT, were where their home is located. represented in 172 Earth Day lawn signs. Members were more than happy to host the These 18 acres consist of a mix of agri- signs, and drivers were able to view the signs as they drove from one town to another. cultural fields, pasture, and wooded wet- Earth Day is the one land. Baiting Brook, which originates on time in the year when the the Christmas tree farm, runs along the whole nation is tuned in west boundary. The Harringtons graze to protecting the environ- their horses in a paddock in the backyard ment, and this campaign and lease out several acres along Edmands was organized in order to Road to local farmer Tom Hanson. That reach those who would acreage is considered to have “prime agri- not normally receive land cultural soils,” a federal designation based trust information. These on a soil type that indicates that it is signs not only reinforce especially well-suited to growing crops for the idea of Earth Day to human consumption. As more farmland passersby, but they also has given way to housing subdivisions in drive home the fact that recent decades, protecting the state’s best land trusts are working agricultural soils becomes more and more together to protect the a priority. environment throughout The property fits into an important our region. With the complex of conservation lands, often awareness that these signs referred to as the Greater Callahan bring to the general public, area, located as it is around Callahan and the visible support State Park. Directly to the east of from residents, this cam- the Harringtons’ home property is paign should successfully Harrington Fields. To the west and broaden the reach of land south is SVT’s Baiting Brook Welch conservation. Reservation, which contains Stearns It is a well-known Organic Farm. Adjacent to that is axiom in the market- Callahan State Park, which in turn con- ing world that it takes nects to hundreds of acres of state-owned at least seven touches to land around the Sudbury Reservoir sys- turn a cold customer into tem. All told, the connected conservation a sale, and in our case, lands and associated waterbodies add up this means at least seven to over 2,000 acres. touches to get the general Look for Earth Day lawn signs across the state of Massachusetts. Perhaps In making a gift of the conservation public interested in the you would like to display your support of SVT in your front yard? restriction, the Harringtons made a sig- cause of land conservation. nificant sacrifice in value; where there That is why this year we are reaching out to our friends in the media to help highlight might have been six homes, there can the important work that land trusts do. This outreach in newspapers and television will now only be one. This illustrates the add to the many touches that the general public will receive through the lawn signs and Harringtons’ commitment not only to will get the word out on how land trusts contribute to the protection of the environ- the land but to the character of north- ment. Additionally, this year we hope that many more land trusts will join in the effort west Framingham – thanks in large part with the result being a linkage of lawn signs throughout the state and a wider reach of to them, this stretch of Edmands Road our message. has remained essentially unchanged since In late February we will be contacting members about hosting signs in their yards. they bought their house in 1968. We If you know that you would like to be a host you may e-mail or call Ashley at adavies@ at SVT are immensely grateful for the svtweb.org or 978-443-5588 x121. Harringtons’ foresight and commitment to conservation.

4 / SUDBURY VALLEY TRUSTEES / WINTER 2012 Three Cheers! To the following individuals and businesses:

Karin Paquin for going above and beyond Eastern Mountain Sports, Marlborough, Hanstad, Mark Mulligan, Sam Slater, the call of duty in assisting the stewardship Acton, and Northborough for including Peyton Alie, and Elizabeth Soper program with completion of monitoring vis- SVT in its Club Days weekend Volunteers at Pumpkin Patch from its, reservation plans, and CR monitoring, all Bill Coder for leading The Fall Foliage Maynard High School: JJ MacCormack in the effort to help us achieve accreditation Walk at Cedar Hill in Northborough and and Brian Kiley Bill Coder and Emily Wheeler for addi- for representing SVT at the new Eastern Volunteers at Pumpkin Patch from tional assistance with monitoring visits and Mountain Sports store in Northborough Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School: preparation of reservation plans during its grand opening weekend Jasmyn Guzzetti, Danielle Godwin, Sudbury Brownie Troop 77134 for doing Chris Stix for leading the Appreciating Claire Gilberto, Alexis Tham, Macayla a fabulous fall cleanup of the gardens at Nature walk at the Nobscot Scout King (and her dad), Kevin Stearns, Zoe Wolbach Farm: Troop leaders Sarah Lynch Reservation Young, Caroline Joseph, Kieran Pathak, and Heather Lambert, and Brownies Ava, Kate Spiegel, and Erika Mandt Mike Patterson and Diana Abrashkin for Avery, Becca, Lauren, Kimmy, Abby, showing their photos at SVT’s Evening of Volunteers at Pumpkin Patch from Michaela, and Ella Nature Travel Photos Framingham High School: Luciana Vise Shaw’s, Roche Bros./Sudbury Farms, and Karla Turcios Bruce Porter for leading the Glacial and Trader Joe’s of Framingham for their Features Walk at Gray Reservation Heather Wilkinson from Sudbury generous contribution to refreshments at Goodnow Library, Diana Newton- SVT’s Annual Meeting Tim Farnsworth for revising the Wolbach Wood, Rebecca Chizzo of Sudbury interpretive trail and for general steward- Beatrice Vokes Theatre in Wayland, and Weed Eradication and Education Team ship assistance especially its board member Grant Wood, for (SWEET), the Whiskey Boys, and Olga graciously hosting SVT’s Annual Meeting Judi Harris and Craig Smith for contin- Photo for providing entertainment and ued maintenance efforts at the Turenne educational programs at Pumpkin Patch Greg Dysart for sharing his butterfly pho- Wildlife Habitat tographs for an SVT Conservation Award Wegmans, Northborough for its gift cer- Jill Kern for GIS map production tificate donation to Pumpkin Patch David Griffin for sharing his scenic pho- tograph of the Assabet River for an SVT Doug Brown from the Boston Dan Foster for leading the recent Camera Conservation Award Mycological Club for attempting to lead in the Woods presentation at Wolbach Farm a mushroom walk Halloween weekend— Sudbury Wild Birds Unlimited for contrib- David Mark for leading a presentation fea- although canceled due to the Halloween uting a door prize for SVT’s Annual Meeting turing his new book called Life Outdoors snowstorm Cecelia Sharma for teaching an ongoing George Krusen for leading the Winter Lauren Kaplan and Sarah Jacobi-Jang Art Venture Watercolor Workshop Solstice Sunrise walk for co-leading SVT’s inaugural Halloween Jaimee Rondeau, Marketing Team Leader event, Pumpkin Patch Donna Appel, Barbara Earley, Judy at Whole Foods in Wayland, for hosting a Eneguess, George Harrington, Lauren Karen Sirkin for donating mini-pumpkins 5% Sales Day for SVT Kaplan and Judy Keseberg for their regu- to Pumpkin Patch lar office assistance Sherry Fiust for representing SVT at the Carlson Orchards and Phil’s Apples, both Wayland Whole Foods fundraiser Amy Green for her office and stewardship of Harvard, for donating apple cider and assistance Julia Khorana from OARS for leading The apples to Pumpkin Patch Final Summer Paddle on the Assabet River Ellen King for helping to prepare SVT Shelburne Farm, Stow for donating a vari- files for Accreditation Phil Stickney for leading The First ety of pumpkins to Pumpkin Patch Autumn Paddle on the Sudbury River Donna Watkins for providing assistance to Volunteers at Pumpkin Patch: Iryna Membership and Outreach in a variety of Doug Seale for organizing SVT’s Book Club Priester, Laurie Gillespie, Kim Ho, Hilary, capacities Chris, and Lilian Yates, Karen Norman and REI Framingham for hosting SVT at its her crew from TD Bank, Wayland Shivaun Pryor and Susan Litowitz for Community Days and for participating in helping in the office as needed a trail project last fall Volunteers at Pumpkin Patch from the Youth in Philanthropy program at Amanda Scribner for offering SVT an Eastern Mountain Sports, Northborough the Foundation for MetroWest: Katie article in The Homesteader magazine for making SVT its donation partner dur- McPherson, Shelley Robin, Virginia ing its grand opening weekend

WINTER 2012 / SUDBURY VALLEY TRUSTEES / 5 Milestones Special New Directors to Join SVT’s Board Thanks Richard (Dick) Perkins, a long-time resident of to the following funders and sponsors for Stow, was a founder of the Lincoln Canoe and Kayak their recent generous support of our work: Company, and later a founder of LandVest, where he served as President for many years. Dick has been COLER & COLANTONIO, INC. active in the conservation community since the for doing a pro bono Environmental early 1970s. He was a leader in starting the Stow Site Assessment for the Eager property Conservation Trust thirty years ago, has been active in Berlin. with The Trustees of Reservations, and is a member of the Executive Committee of the New England Forestry JEANINE GRACHUK AND STEVE Foundation. Dick received the Lewis Conservation RICHMOND AT BEVERIDGE Award from SVT in 2001. Dick and his wife Cynthia & DIAMOND for providing pro enjoy kayaking local rivers and coastal waters. bono legal research into a new funding mechanism for stewardship endowments Peter Martin of Northborough has been a member MINUTEMAN REGIONAL HIGH of SVT’s Land Protection Committee since 2008. He SCHOOL and the students in the is a partner at Bowditch and Dewey, LLP, specializing Environmental Technology Program for in the multi-faceted needs of the health care industry. providing the Phase I environmental site He also counsels tax-exempt organizations on gover- assessment for the Elliott land in Carlisle nance, compliance and exemption issues. Peter brings a diverse and interesting background, having received THE SUDBURY FOUNDATION both a degree in divinity from Harvard Divinity for its generosity in helping to fund SVT’s School and a J.D. from Boston University. He serves quest for Accreditation on the Board of Directors of The 495/MetroWest THE FOUNDATION FOR Corridor Partnership, an area non-profit that promotes METROWEST for generously sustainable growth with consideration to regional con- supporting SVT’s Accreditation straints and limited natural resources. Peter and his wife Elizabeth Ryder are support- ers of Northborough conservation. Their recent efforts to help preserve the Schunder FIELDS POND FOUNDATION land on Green Street in Northborough are most appreciated by SVT. for its support of the preservation of Sweetwilliam Farm in Upton ADELARD AND VALEDA ROY FOUNDATION for its support of the preservation of Sweetwilliam Farm in Upton BEVERIDGE AND DIAMOND, WELLESLEY for its sponsorship of SVT’s Annual Meeting FRAMINGHAM CO-OPERATIVE BANK for its sponsorship of SVT’s Annual Meeting MIDDLESEX SAVINGS BANK for its sponsorship of SVT’s Annual Meeting BEALS AND THOMAS, SOUTHBOROUGH for its sponsorship of SVT’s Annual Meeting CAPITAL GROUP PROPERTIES, SOUTHBOROUGH for its Sudbury Valley Trustees honored local conservationists at its Annual Meeting on October 5th. Four indi- sponsorship of SVT’s Annual Meeting viduals were recognized for significant contributions to local land conservation with the presentation of WHOLE FOODS, WAYLAND for its the following awards: (Left to Right) The Morgan Volunteer Award to Dan Foster of Stow; The Distinguished contribution of the proceeds from a 5% Public Service Award to John Campbell, Chairman of the Northborough Open Space Committee and the Day to Sudbury Valley Trustees Northborough CPC; The Steward of the Land Award to William Coder of Northborough; and The Lewis Conservation Award to Greg Peterson from the Carlisle Conservation Foundation.

6 / SUDBURY VALLEY TRUSTEES / WINTER 2012 VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT SIMON VOS By Michael Sanders, Director of Membership Photos: Jim Lagerbom Jim Photos:

Simon Vos enjoys leading his annual SVT paddle along the twists and turns of the Sudbury River before reaching its headwaters at Cedar Swamp.

ne of the things I most like about Simon Vos is that when something in the water and leaned too far to one side, tipping over we need to communicate we usually make it into a social the boat. Led by Simon, most of the paddlers had already reached occasion. Simon is fun, lively, and adventurous—an atti- the take-out when I, as sweep, started blowing my whistle. Simon Otude that he seems to impart to all activities. quickly returned to spearhead the rescue. I enjoy telling this story Anyone who has been on Simon’s Cedar Swamp Paddle surely as it is definitely one of the more memorable moments on a cus- knows this. This trip to the Sudbury River’s headwaters can often tomarily sedate summer’s paddle, but also because it demonstrates be arduous. Paddlers travel upstream on a very narrow, fast-moving the professionalism of Simon’s leadership. river, with lots of twists and turns. For the past several years, bea- Once, while on a river trip, Simon witnessed tragedy first hand ver dams, a few-hundred yards from the entrance to the pond, have when paddlers tipped out of a canoe, so his fun, social demeanor blocked the way. More than one person has looked at this obstacle, quickly takes a backseat when he knows a situation has turned recalled the exhausting journey, and contemplated turning back. dangerous. His experience in the Marine Corps and his certifica- But Simon’s persuasive encouragement prevents such an outcome. tion as a Wilderness First Aid responder certainly explain Simon’s He routinely gets out of his boat, stands atop the beaver dam, and quick thinking, but his intuitive desire to assist those in need is pulls every paddler over the impasse. A few minutes later, the something that comes from within. To share his passion, Simon beauty of Cedar Swamp Pond appears, and everyone feels a great offers a great program to teach all levels of paddlers how to sense of accomplishment. improve their skills, their enjoyment, and their level of safety on Simon first started supporting SVT because, as he describes it, the water, including how to rescue themselves and others in open “SVT not only talks the talk, it walks the walk of conserving and water emergencies. managing land in this region. SVT does a great job of educating Early in my career at SVT, my vision of Simon was as a skilled landowners about the value of conservation.” An avid canoeist and photographer rather than as a boater. I first encountered him as the certified instructor from the American Canoe Association, Simon official photographer for SVT’s Annual Meeting, held in the barn views canoeing as “the ultimate leave-no-trace method of getting at Wolbach Farm. To get a better angle, Simon climbed to the top into the backcountry, with minimal likelihood of disturbing wild- level of the barn where he could capture all the goings-on. I quick- life.” He believes “the ability to canoe and kayak reveals secluded ly enlisted him to lead a photography program in conjunction with locations often not accessible by land.” a series of events we sponsored with the Walden Woods Project. Simon has an affinity for one of SVT’s canoes, a Penobscot 16. Simon’s contribution was to lead an outing to SVT’s Gowing’s A week or two prior to a program, we’ll talk, and invariably he’ll Swamp in Concord—also known as Thoreau’s Bog—to teach best ask if I’m bringing that canoe. In addition to the Cedar Swamp techniques for capturing nature photographs. The group had a Pond paddle, Simon regularly leads a summer full-moon paddle, follow-up program where participants shared their photographs, usually near his home in Hopkinton on Lake Whitehall. with Simon leading the discussion. One year, on this outing, a couple brought along two large dogs. Simon’s adventurous spirit, outgoing personality, and sincere Despite concerns, and with assurances that the dogs were “water- commitment are truly an inspiration. I always look forward to the worthy,” the paddle proceeded. All went well until approximately next time I’ll be on the water with him. Thank you, Simon, for three-hundred yards from the take-out when the dogs spotted being an outstanding SVT volunteer.

WINTER 2012 / SUDBURY VALLEY TRUSTEES / 7 NONPROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT 430 BROCKTON, MA

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Sudbury Valley Trustees’ 18th Annual Benefit Annual 18th Trustees’ Valley Sudbury

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