Stow Conservation Trust

10/15/2026

Hello Stew Crew,

This weekend: Saturday October 17th 8:30am - 10am
Shepherd Memorial Woodland

Bring work gloves and loppers if you have them. Long sleeves and safety glasses are recommended as well.

We will be widening the trail and, if we get ambitious, pull some invasive Buckthorn. Anyone can attend.

We will be focused mostly on the area at the far side of the loop along the brook.

10/12/2026

Thanks to The Independent of Stow and Bolton for helping us recognize the 50th Anniversary of SCT. The articles were in this weeks Independent found at the following link:
https://online.fliphtml5.com/vxnsp/10-8-2026-Independent-Flipbook/ =1

Watch the SCT webpage, follow the page, and Instagram page for more details on events happening throughout the year celebrating the 50th Anniversary.

Photo captured at the SCT Directors' Meeting. Note Bill Werner is missing from the photo.

10/09/2026

SCT Annual Meeting

Sunday, November 8, 2026

Speaker 3-4 p.m.

Social gathering, dinner meeting, business meeting 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

All are welcome to participate! Come join us for our Speaker followed by the annual meeting potluck and Business meeting. Or join us for a part of the day.

Please register for the Potluck Dinner at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdTVd0yoYxrzyq-qD9Uud39I96yqV6de8VtdRIFCp_Qi78-qw/viewform.

Speaker 3-4 pm, Norm Smith Snowy Owls to Saw-whet Owls
Norm Smith is a Raptor Specialist who rescues and rehabilitates hawks and owls. Families are welcome!

Since 1981, Norman Smith has spent countless days and nights, in every imaginable weather condition, observing, capturing, banding and relocating Snowy Owls at Logan International Airport. Data has been collected on roosting, hunting and behavior while on their wintering grounds. Since 2000 satellite transmitters have been attached to owls to learn more about their movements. Find out what has been learned to date, what questions remain and how this project developed to include research on Saw-whet Owls.

Intermission, (We can set up tables and get food ready to serve. You might want to run home and get warm food to share)

SCT Annual Meeting 5-7 pm
Social Hour and Appetizers
Dinner, Dessert
Meeting
Highlights of 2026. Getting ready for our 50th Anniversary in 2027!

Location: Pompositticut Community Center

509 Great Road (117), Stow, M

10/06/2026

Hello Stew Crew,

For our October work event, we are doing a project at the 'Shepherd Woodland' White Trail with a main goal of trail maintenance. We could use a group of helpers to ease the job - it has been a couple of years since we did this work and the trail is narrow on one segment of the loop.

This work will be family friendly and a nice walk. Shepherd Land Steward Ben Beckvold will lead.
Date: Saturday 17-Oct-2026
Time: 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
Meet/Park: At the town Captain Sargent parking lot on South Acton Road
Work: Maintenance of the Shepherd Memorial Woodland White Trail.
Tools: Bring a pair of loppers.
Notes: Trail is dry (no mud). Suggest long pants/sleeves due to pinchy Greenbriar
Detail:

>> Trim branches impeding the trail or leaning toward the trail. Trim overhead so a walker with a baby backpack is clear to walk.
>> Cut branches into the trail that might be an issue during a winter snow.
>> Cut pinchy vines (like Greenbriar) that might scratch walkers. (Greenbriar is not an invasive but is noxious).
>> Pull Glossy Buckthorn invasives along the trail. This is a shrub with a red-colored root relatively easy to pull.

Glossy Buckthorn (Frangula alnus) Family: Buckthorn family (Rhamnaceae) Native Range: Asia, Europe, North Africa Glossy buckthorn is a tall shrub or small tree reaching 20-25 feet in height and 10 inches in diameter. Most often it grows in a large shrub growth form, having a few to several stems fro...

10/03/2026

It is Fall in New England, even after the storm last weekend, it did not stop our beautiful fall colors that are happening now. The trails are all open, come out onto SCT properties and see the fall colors right in Stow. SCT Land Stewards for each parcel walked their trails and cleared them.

This may be the best time to come and see the colors!
Leggett Woodland
Shepherd Memorial Woodland
Red Acre Woodland
Kalousdian Parcel
Fieldstone Parcel
Rising/Cohen Parcel

Take some photos and share with us here.

📷 by John Sangermano

09/29/2026

SCT Director and Stewardship Co-Chair John Sangermano organized two walks this past week. Gordon Landis led a fungus walk in Red Acre and the Garden Club walked through the Shepherd property.
It’s a great time to get out in the woods and view the changing colors….See the SCT Trail guides at: https://www.stowconservationtrust.org/trail-guides

09/24/2026

Looking for ways to support the drive to increase biodiversity without leaving home? A couple of easy options: Turn off your outdoor lights while the birds are migrating: https://birdcast.org/lights-out and Leave the leaves: https://homegrownnationalpark.org/leave-the-leaves

Why Turning Lights Out Helps Birds https://player.vimeo.com/video/930402519?h=e4c6982d69&badge=0&autopause=0&player_id=0&app_id=58479 When To Turn Lights Out Turn off non-essential lights from dusk to dawn during critical migration periods. Full Spring Migration Pe

09/16/2026

Hide and Seek! This is an easier one. Can you find it? Comment 'Found' in the comments.

09/11/2026

Interested in a Mushroom Identification Walk? Sign up on SCT website. (https://www.stowconservationtrust.org/events-2)

Mushroom Identification Walk, Stow Conservation Trust (SCT): 19-Sept-2026 9:00a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at the SCT ‘Red Acre Woodland’ parcel. RSVP Required.

Join in a Stow Conservation Trust event that will look for, and identify mushrooms. Walk led by a Stow, MA naturalist Gordon Landis. Red Acre Woodland - This parcel is located along South Acton Road in Stow.
Saturday, 19-Sept, 9:00am - 10:30am

Contact John Sangermano ([email protected]) for parking detail and questions.

A "Fungus" is an organism that lives mostly underground and survives by breaking down organic material with enzymes and other processes. A "Mushroom" is a growth seen above the ground and is generally a small portion of the fungus; it is often produced as part of how a fungi releases spores for reproduction.
Gordon Landis has experience with nature and outdoors. He is a retired engineer and has led walks in Stow.

Walk will be family friendly. Recommend that participants wear clothing appropriate for the weather including long pants and long sleeves (as protection from ticks).