Sudbury Valley TrusteesConservation, Collaboration, and Community since 1953

The harvest moon is the full moon closest to the autumnal equinox. We are fortunate they are on the same day this year. To celebrate, join SVT and OAR for a paddle along the Marlborough-Hudson stretch of the Assabet River. Bring a favorite story of your 2010 summer. Afterwards, the leaders invite you to the Horseshoe Pub in Hudson to continue the final night of summer celebration. SVT/OAR Members: Free

Discover New England's wildest and most scenic places as Matt presents images and highlights from his book AMC's Best Backpacking in New England - A Guide to 33 of the Best Multi-Day Trips from Maine to Connecticut. Bring your questions! Books will be available for sale. Matt holds a degree in Earth & Planetary Science from Harvard University and is the author of three hiking guidebooks. He maintains an AMC outdoor gear blog at www.amcequipped.blogspot.com.

Appreciating nature enhances our powers of observation, our joy in being present in nature, and our artistic eye for the natural world. You will share in activities that enable you to observe more effectively, experience the exceptional beauty that is all around, deepen your spiritual connection with the natural world, and gain an appreciation for the interconnectivity of all living things.

Join SVT for this paddle to one of the most historic locations along the Sudbury River. Fairhaven Bay has been written about and visited by Henry David Thoreau. Similar to Walden Pond, Fairhaven Bay is a deep glacial kettlehole; however, Fairhaven Bay is part of the Sudbury River. Early autumn will likely bring out some beautiful colors along the river. Beginning at Shermans Bridge Road, Wayland and ending at Lowell Road, Concord, this is a paddle not to be missed. A car shuttle will take place in advance of the paddle.

Canoe/kayak the Sudbury from Wayland to Concord with camping at Fairhaven Bay. Meet at 10:00 am to spot cars across the river from the campsite. The recently passed new moon should permit good stargazing if the weather cooperates. Bring food and camping equipment. Bill will provide s’mores. After setting up camp, time permitting, we will hike the region. Total trip about 12 miles. Sanitary facilities will be available at the campsite. Takeout at Concord's Calf Pasture, Lowell Rd.

Showcasing the brand new visitor center for the
Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge, 680 Hudson Road, Sudbury

Celebrate 57 Years of Conservation

Keynote Speaker:
Author and Naturalist
Peter Alden

On election night, join SVT at the Flatbread Company in Bedford, where they will generously be donating proceeds to SVT from every pizza sold. Eat in or take-out. The Flatbread Company is a community oriented restaurant, serving local organic produce, free range chicken and nitrate free meats. They support local agriculture, by purchasing their food directly from area farms. Pizzas are baked naturally in a primitive wood fired oven. The Flatbread Company aspires to create a restaurant that is authentic, truthful, and real, that reconnects us to nature. We hope you’ll join us.

Art Venture Watercolor Workshop
Capturing the beauty of landscape and still life in watercolor
Two six-week sessions to choose from. All classes take place, 10:00am-Noon at Wolbach Farm, Sudbury
Second session: Thursday, November 4 - Thursday, December 16 (no class on Thanksgiving)
Come and enjoy individual hands-on instruction with an emphasis on developing textures, washes, shapes and creating the illusion of light. This workshop will include painting demonstrations that will teach you how to explore your own personal painting style. Beginners are welcome!

Join Bruce at SVT’s Gray Reservation and learn about the geophysical events that shaped this land and see where the passage of glaciers left marks on this landscape. A striking 40-foot-high ice-contact face rises just south of Hop Brook, eskers wind through these properties, and kettleholes pit the plain. Learn more about the grand history of this unique SVT property.

Here’s your opportunity to purchase nature-inspired gifts, with proceeds going to SVT.
Several authors, artists, and artisans will be here offering their wares for your holiday shopping.

Historic floods on the Assabet River washed out bridges and dams in 1927 and 1936. Modern era records identify Hurricane Diane in August 1955 as responsible for record high water, but four floods since then have occurred in spite of construction of flood control dams. This talk will be about historic floods on the Assabet and the impact of flood management. Co-sponsored by the Organization for the Assabet River (OAR). SVT/OAR Members: Free

Are you interested in our beautiful native trees?  If so, please join SVT Executive Director Ron McAdow on this unusual walk on the nature trail at Wolbach Farm.  Ron will introduce you to individual trees representing a dozen species that SVT is keeping records on as part of our “Life History of Forest Trees” project.

The word “wilderness” has meant different things to different people at different periods in history. This presentation focuses on changing attitudes about wilderness and nature in America and how these attitudes have shaped peoples’ interactions with the natural world. Beginning with an etymological history of the word “wilderness,” Doug will tell the story of wilderness perceptions from the Puritans, Thoreau & Emerson, to John Muir, Teddy Roosevelt, Aldo Leopold, Rachel Carson and more.

If you’re an early riser, or even if you’re not, this is an outing not to miss. On the shortest day of the year, view the winter solstice sunrise through the stone structures (allegedly Native American ceremonial stone structures) at Half Moon Meadow Brook. The sunlight bores through the stones for a magnificent viewing. It’s a beautiful way to start the winter.

Fascinated by Birds? You can help ornithology by participating the Concord Christmas Bird Count.  This annual census has tracked local bird populations since 1960.  The towns of Framingham, Marlborough, Hudson, Stow, Acton, Maynard, Concord, Weston, Lincoln, Bedford, Bolton, Boxborough, Carlisle, Harvard, Littleton, Sudbury, Westford, and Wayland are included.  This year’s count is on Sunday, January 2.   Feeder watchers and field counters are needed.  To learn more about the CCBC, please email otw@svtweb.org and tell us of your interest what town you live in.

Starting indoors (pending conditions), the group will learn tracking basics, study photographs and look at resource materials (books, plaster casts, measuring tools). The outdoor portion will be spent walking off trail in Wolbach Farm searching for tracks and sign of wildlife residents, including deer, fisher, coyote, red fox, gray fox, raptors and others. Be prepared for cold and wet conditions.  There will be more standing than walking so dress warmly and bring extra clothing. Snack will be provided during the indoor portion. This program is geared to adults.

When the snow is deep, there is no better way to get around outdoors than on snowshoes. They make walking in deep snow a breeze! Join SVT and Eastern Mountain Sports (EMS) of Marlborough and Acton for a snowshoe clinic. EMS will provide snowshoes and instruction. Space is limited so sign up early.