Over 50 Greenbelt Events Offered Something for Everyone
Whether engaging in lively discussion, watching informative films and presentations, or hiking in muck boots or snowshoes, Greenbelt events and activities offered something for everyone in 2019.
From our monthly walks at many different venues, programs for children and families, and our Film & Lecture Series, the events, almost all free, continued our focus on landscape and nature, science, farm preservation and the impact of climate change in Essex County.
In fact, there were dozens of opportunities to become actively involved with over 50 high-interest Greenbelt events.
And for the first time, our members-only events emphasized the value of Greenbelt membership with special excursions that included a natural history cruise on the Great Marsh, a full moon hike and a revealing walk concentrating on invasive plants.
Because Greenbelt is dedicated to addressing the challenges of climate change, we partnered with Salem State University for a sobering exhibit that used groundbreaking mapping techniques. Using satellite imagery and other data, the researchers showed how just a one-foot rise in sea level would bring flooding – ranging from minor to severe – to every coastal community in Essex County.
We also participated in several earth-day activities in various towns across the county.
Our commitment to the next generation of environmental leaders shaped our always popular Family Nature Series. A variety of programs, including animal tracking, vernal pool exploration, and wild edibles, allowed young and old to experience local landscapes and nature, while learning and exploring the natural history of each site.
We celebrated and learned about the honey bees and butterflies so important to our flowers and food supply at our annual “Pollinator Day.”
The work of famed photographer Dorothy Monnelly was among the highlights of Greenbelt’s Film & Lecture series. Monnelly discussed her work in and around the Great Marsh, including her observations of how the landscape has changed over the years.
A film featuring stunning time-lapse photography showed the work of bird rangers in a European Nature Preserve, while another lecture on The Great Marsh and its “Resiliency Project” demonstrated how towns can prepare for climate-related changes along the coast and in local watersheds.
While the number of Essex County farms is but a fraction of what it was a century ago, they remain a vital part of the region’s economy supplying local restaurants and distributing seasonal produce, beef and flowers.
“Farm Stories” provided a warm evening of storytelling by local farmers who told of their heartbreaking moments and heartwarming journeys. Greenbelt also hosted a screening of “Biggest Little Farm,” chronicling a couple’s years of daunting work, planting 10,000 orchard trees and over 200 different crops.
We also hosted a free workshop for younger farmers seeking affordable farmland.
Our trail runs continued at Pingree and Beverly Commons, bringing hundreds of runners together to raise funds to support our land conservation efforts.
As successful as the year was, no review is complete without our two signature events that both had banner years.
Art in The Barn remains the region’s premier showcase for juried arts and crafts, and Tour de Greenbelt, continues to showcase dozens of Greenbelt properties in the beauty of Essex County as riders cycle by.
The year ahead promises another varied slate of events, and introduces the new Greenbelt Book Club. There will be something for everyone! Let’s Get Outside!