Listening in 2021:
This is recent chatter on the mosquito issue in NextDoor, a popular app with Northfielders
Bee Jacque • 23 May
NFLD Mosquito Control. There are key points missing in ..(the) recent Recorder article -- https://www.recorder.com/Citing-tight-deadline-to-opt-out-Northfield-Selectboard-sticks-with-state-s-mosquito-control-plan-40563289
Most notably:
-- No one supports spraying but,
-- In requesting opt-out, Northfield needs a plan
-- A plan needs mosquito data + control measures
-- Data & control measures need $ + personnel
-- $ + personnel need to be in a budget
-- Budgets are developed Jan-March & voted at Town Meeting in May
The mosquito program created by the state in July 2020 did not release its new opt-out process until April 2021. Senator Comerford was super helpful in getting an extra 2 weeks on the opt-out. But it doesn't address the points I've listed, especially having years of town data.
One way to get data for our town is to join the Pioneer Valley Mosquito District. They provide surveillance & testing, as well as assistance with educational efforts. The minimum to join is $5K and requires a Town Meeting vote.
In addition, the new state task force on mosquitoes does not release its findings until August 2021. Hopefully, it's a comprehensive look at proactive management of mosquitoes throughout their life cycle & funding small towns.
Our recommendations include:
-- meeting via FRCOG with other towns & the state delegation
-- joining FRCOG's pollinator program
-- creating a town bylaw or policy about spraying
-- use the Special Town Meeting this fall to address
I encourage you to watch the Selectboard meeting video at bnctv.net -- the mosquito discussion is 1:15:00 thru 2:10:00. Feel free to reach out.
Thanks!
Julia Blyth • River Town/South Mountain
Thank you so much for your thoughtful attention to this issue. I understand the difficulty of taking on something like this with such a tight time-frame, and appreciate the effort you and the rest of the Selectboard put into learning about this, and for the forward-looking plan. It's true that Northfield's risk (of disease, and therefore spraying) is low, so we'll hope for the best and hopefully move forward to assume more local control in the future.
In the mean time, individuals can get on the state's list to be notified if they are planning to do spraying: https://www.mass.gov/how-to/how-to-request-to-be-notified-of-an-aerial-spray-or-wide-area-emergency-operation-conducted
And we can request an exclusion from mosquito spraying on our own land at https://www.mass.gov/how-to/how-to-request-an-exclusion-or-opt-out-from-wide-area-pesticide-applications. [Note: this exclusion may not be honored in the event of “elevated risk” of arbovirus, but I think it is useful to indicate to the state how many people do not want to be sprayed with pesticides.]
23 May
Meggie Winchell • River Town/South Mountain
Thank you for these links, Julia!
23 May
Eric Seaman • North Rt 10
natural organic mosquito spraying by Gamelli sprays our yard, safe for pets and kids and WORKS!!
23 May
Patter Field • River Town/South Mountain
Thanks Bee. Even with the terrible Zoom reception of the Selectboard meeting, a lot of what you say here could be gleaned from that meeting. Your suggestions above are very helpful. I don't know if opting out with the state for ones own property really works but we've done it for ours.
23 May
Bee Jacque • River Town/South Mountain
Maybe an increase in individual opt-outs will send a message?!
24 May
Bruce Kahn • River Town/South Mountain
We opted out. As Patter says, we'll see how that actually works out.
Especially considering the prospect of airborne spraying.
23 May
bobbo bowen • River Town/South Mountain
Thank you for all this information! This is great! 👍🌻
24 May
Bee Jacque • River Town/South Mountain
I condensed my notes into a 2-page document if anyone wants more info.
24 May
Karen Boudreau • River Town/South Mountain
Thank you.
The Board of Health is looking forward to working collaboratively with the Select Board.
Bee gleaned the overview here. There is a budget that needs many more details and unanswered questions that go into supporting a final plan and recommendation. 5k is the minimum amount to join the PV mosquito district. Currently, the PV Mosquito district is staffed by one person. Onward.
24 May
Bee Jacque • River Town/South Mountain
I appreciate the discussions with the BoH very much
24 May
Steve Roberto • River Town/South Mountain
Bee,
I appreciate your detailed investigation into this issue. Clearly, like most programs thrown at the towns, it is a struggle. My question is how can Orange and other less $$ strong towns “opt out” while Northfield chose to not act...? Q. Would us joining all other small towns not send a potent message to the state planners to
Listen.. ? The town has many super disappointed residents who are feeling “not acknowledged” & not regarded as important. We are disappointed that we sent letters of communication and have received no reply to our “official” communication with our gov.
24 May
Bee Jacque • River Town/South Mountain
Feel free to call me, Steve. It is a struggle & we're all disappointed. In a nutshell, applying to opt out does not mean a town can opt out or be approved for opting out. The letters were received & that is why we discussed how to move forward. That is why we're also recommending to join with other towns to put pressure on this whole process. The focus should be on proactive mosquito management instead of spraying.
24 May
~Bee
******
From first hand experience, our board member Justin Richardson was able to tell the rest of us just how daunting mosquito control work can be. After hearing from him and with so little time to act, GNWA decided not to take on this complicated issue.
Just preceding this exchange about mosquitos was some very upbeat chatter on NextDoor about providing pollinator habitat, stimulated by a presentation by Charlie Eiseman at the Northfield library, captured on this You Tube: https://youtu.be/D9qq1nq7BXY. You can do it, too!
This is recent chatter on the mosquito issue in NextDoor, a popular app with Northfielders
Bee Jacque • 23 May
NFLD Mosquito Control. There are key points missing in ..(the) recent Recorder article -- https://www.recorder.com/Citing-tight-deadline-to-opt-out-Northfield-Selectboard-sticks-with-state-s-mosquito-control-plan-40563289
Most notably:
-- No one supports spraying but,
-- In requesting opt-out, Northfield needs a plan
-- A plan needs mosquito data + control measures
-- Data & control measures need $ + personnel
-- $ + personnel need to be in a budget
-- Budgets are developed Jan-March & voted at Town Meeting in May
The mosquito program created by the state in July 2020 did not release its new opt-out process until April 2021. Senator Comerford was super helpful in getting an extra 2 weeks on the opt-out. But it doesn't address the points I've listed, especially having years of town data.
One way to get data for our town is to join the Pioneer Valley Mosquito District. They provide surveillance & testing, as well as assistance with educational efforts. The minimum to join is $5K and requires a Town Meeting vote.
In addition, the new state task force on mosquitoes does not release its findings until August 2021. Hopefully, it's a comprehensive look at proactive management of mosquitoes throughout their life cycle & funding small towns.
Our recommendations include:
-- meeting via FRCOG with other towns & the state delegation
-- joining FRCOG's pollinator program
-- creating a town bylaw or policy about spraying
-- use the Special Town Meeting this fall to address
I encourage you to watch the Selectboard meeting video at bnctv.net -- the mosquito discussion is 1:15:00 thru 2:10:00. Feel free to reach out.
Thanks!
Julia Blyth • River Town/South Mountain
Thank you so much for your thoughtful attention to this issue. I understand the difficulty of taking on something like this with such a tight time-frame, and appreciate the effort you and the rest of the Selectboard put into learning about this, and for the forward-looking plan. It's true that Northfield's risk (of disease, and therefore spraying) is low, so we'll hope for the best and hopefully move forward to assume more local control in the future.
In the mean time, individuals can get on the state's list to be notified if they are planning to do spraying: https://www.mass.gov/how-to/how-to-request-to-be-notified-of-an-aerial-spray-or-wide-area-emergency-operation-conducted
And we can request an exclusion from mosquito spraying on our own land at https://www.mass.gov/how-to/how-to-request-an-exclusion-or-opt-out-from-wide-area-pesticide-applications. [Note: this exclusion may not be honored in the event of “elevated risk” of arbovirus, but I think it is useful to indicate to the state how many people do not want to be sprayed with pesticides.]
23 May
Meggie Winchell • River Town/South Mountain
Thank you for these links, Julia!
23 May
Eric Seaman • North Rt 10
natural organic mosquito spraying by Gamelli sprays our yard, safe for pets and kids and WORKS!!
23 May
Patter Field • River Town/South Mountain
Thanks Bee. Even with the terrible Zoom reception of the Selectboard meeting, a lot of what you say here could be gleaned from that meeting. Your suggestions above are very helpful. I don't know if opting out with the state for ones own property really works but we've done it for ours.
23 May
Bee Jacque • River Town/South Mountain
Maybe an increase in individual opt-outs will send a message?!
24 May
Bruce Kahn • River Town/South Mountain
We opted out. As Patter says, we'll see how that actually works out.
Especially considering the prospect of airborne spraying.
23 May
bobbo bowen • River Town/South Mountain
Thank you for all this information! This is great! 👍🌻
24 May
Bee Jacque • River Town/South Mountain
I condensed my notes into a 2-page document if anyone wants more info.
24 May
Karen Boudreau • River Town/South Mountain
Thank you.
The Board of Health is looking forward to working collaboratively with the Select Board.
Bee gleaned the overview here. There is a budget that needs many more details and unanswered questions that go into supporting a final plan and recommendation. 5k is the minimum amount to join the PV mosquito district. Currently, the PV Mosquito district is staffed by one person. Onward.
24 May
Bee Jacque • River Town/South Mountain
I appreciate the discussions with the BoH very much
24 May
Steve Roberto • River Town/South Mountain
Bee,
I appreciate your detailed investigation into this issue. Clearly, like most programs thrown at the towns, it is a struggle. My question is how can Orange and other less $$ strong towns “opt out” while Northfield chose to not act...? Q. Would us joining all other small towns not send a potent message to the state planners to
Listen.. ? The town has many super disappointed residents who are feeling “not acknowledged” & not regarded as important. We are disappointed that we sent letters of communication and have received no reply to our “official” communication with our gov.
24 May
Bee Jacque • River Town/South Mountain
Feel free to call me, Steve. It is a struggle & we're all disappointed. In a nutshell, applying to opt out does not mean a town can opt out or be approved for opting out. The letters were received & that is why we discussed how to move forward. That is why we're also recommending to join with other towns to put pressure on this whole process. The focus should be on proactive mosquito management instead of spraying.
24 May
~Bee
******
From first hand experience, our board member Justin Richardson was able to tell the rest of us just how daunting mosquito control work can be. After hearing from him and with so little time to act, GNWA decided not to take on this complicated issue.
Just preceding this exchange about mosquitos was some very upbeat chatter on NextDoor about providing pollinator habitat, stimulated by a presentation by Charlie Eiseman at the Northfield library, captured on this You Tube: https://youtu.be/D9qq1nq7BXY. You can do it, too!
July 2, 2016 - Paddle on the Connecticut River
time to be determined - meet at Pauchaug boat ramp in Northfield
Another family-friendly outing, weather permitting, this time on the Connecticut River. Bring your own canoe or kayak to the Pauchaug boat ramp. Take-out point is the NMH campus downriver in Gill.
time to be determined - meet at Pauchaug boat ramp in Northfield
Another family-friendly outing, weather permitting, this time on the Connecticut River. Bring your own canoe or kayak to the Pauchaug boat ramp. Take-out point is the NMH campus downriver in Gill.
June 3, 2016 - Annual Picnic/Potluck
5:30 PM at the golf course: 31 Holton St, Northfield, MA
A family-friendly afternoon outing at the Northfield Golf Course, with music, lots of food, and an opportunity to join a hike around Mill Brook. The Mill Brook hike will be 4:00-5:30.
5:30 PM at the golf course: 31 Holton St, Northfield, MA
A family-friendly afternoon outing at the Northfield Golf Course, with music, lots of food, and an opportunity to join a hike around Mill Brook. The Mill Brook hike will be 4:00-5:30.
May 21, 2016 - Stewardship Monitoring Workshop
9-12 AM at Mount Grace, 1461 Old Keene Road, Athol, MA
An introductory/refresher class on the "how-to's" of annual monitoring of conserved land stewardship plans.
9-12 AM at Mount Grace, 1461 Old Keene Road, Athol, MA
An introductory/refresher class on the "how-to's" of annual monitoring of conserved land stewardship plans.
Alderbrook Meadow
GNWA is working with the Town and Mount Grace to establish a wheelchair-accessible trail on the Ames conservation property. The trail, depicted in the graphic above, will include a viewing platform overlooking an impressive beaver pond. See more information in the fall 2014 newsletter on the Newsletters page.
GNWA is working with the Town and Mount Grace to establish a wheelchair-accessible trail on the Ames conservation property. The trail, depicted in the graphic above, will include a viewing platform overlooking an impressive beaver pond. See more information in the fall 2014 newsletter on the Newsletters page.
Connecticut River Testing
GNWa is participating in the Connecticut River Watershed Association testing of the Connecticut River water. Volunteers gather samples periodically from the Pauchaug Boat Ramp area and send to CRWA for testing. The results are then published online. See more information in the fall 2013 newsletter on the Newsletters page.
GNWa is participating in the Connecticut River Watershed Association testing of the Connecticut River water. Volunteers gather samples periodically from the Pauchaug Boat Ramp area and send to CRWA for testing. The results are then published online. See more information in the fall 2013 newsletter on the Newsletters page.
Conservation Restriction Monitoring
GNWA volunteers participate in the annual monitoring of properties with conservation restrictions to confirm compliance with associated stewardship plans. Current properties monitored by GNWA are the Northfield Town Forest and the Richardson CR property through which the New England Trail passes.See more information in the spring 2013 newsletter on the Newsletters page.
GNWA volunteers participate in the annual monitoring of properties with conservation restrictions to confirm compliance with associated stewardship plans. Current properties monitored by GNWA are the Northfield Town Forest and the Richardson CR property through which the New England Trail passes.See more information in the spring 2013 newsletter on the Newsletters page.
PVRS Stewardship Plan
GNWA is working with John Lepore on the Pioneer Valley Regional School stewardship plan. See more information in the spring 2014 newsletter on the Newsletters page.
GNWA is working with John Lepore on the Pioneer Valley Regional School stewardship plan. See more information in the spring 2014 newsletter on the Newsletters page.