What a great community event yesterday at Wellesley’s Community Gardens. Our gardeners shared their green thumb expertise with lots of good tips on site selection, crop suggestions, growing tips, and more. 

Although there is a wait list to have your own plot at either of Wellesley’s Community Gardens, you can always help out by volunteering at the Wellesley’s Natural Resources Commission plot who donates their crop to the Wellesley Food Pantry.  Learn, play in the dirt and do something for others is a win-win. Email [email protected] for more information on helping and wait list.

A last minute surprise was free tree saplings and there are extra's! If you would like to plant a tree in your yard, send an email to [email protected].

Thanks to all that came to and organized this event.

Join a Book Group Conversation with Grow Now Author Emily Murphy and Learn Gardening Tips to Help You Rewild Your Land
Thursday, March 31, at 7 p.m. on Zoom
  
With spring in our sights, it’s time to lay plans to “grow a garden, change your life,” as Emily Murphy writes in her new book Grow Now: How We Can Save Our Health, Communities, and Planet—One Garden at a Time. 
 
The independent nonprofit Sustainable Wellesley (SW), Wellesley Books, the Wellesley Natural Resources Commission, and Wellesley Free Library invite you to a book group discussion with the author on Thursday, March 31, at 7-8 p.m. via Zoom. Register here to learn about the merits of raised beds and containers, how to prepare ground for no-dig planting, tips on backyard composting, how to cultivate vines, herbs and edible flowers and much more. 

With inspiring photographs and illustrations, Murphy’s book guides readers through seasonal cycles of cultivating a healthier more beautiful garden, from rich soil to seedlings to harvest and canning and finally winter prep. An organic gardener, designer and photographer, Murphy will share suggestions for nurturing a dynamic plot that is half food source and half wildlife haven; birds and useful insects are welcome. And learn how your yard connects to the ecosystem around us.

You can pick up a copy of Grow Now at Wellesley Books, which will generously donate a percentage of proceeds to SW. Stop by the Central Street store or borrow a copy at the  Wellesley Free Library. 

Questions? Reach out to [email protected].

Two new events you may be interested in:

• Renovating & Building a New Home - Experts Discuss
• Equitable & Sustainable  Housing 7pm
  

Please go to our calendar to get the Zoom links for these and the following events.

• Be part of the conversations with candidates (get ready to vote March 1),
• Meatless Monday Cooking with Dave from Juniper
• Discussion on Climate Distress and ways to cope
• Green Schools Meeting
• Book Club: Grow Now: Save our health, communities & planet 1 garden at a time - borrow from a friend, get it at library or from Wellesley Books.

Feel free to share with friends, family, and neighbors.

The Wellesley Department of Public Works (DPW) is helping cut carbon emissions with a significant investment in electric landscaping equipment.  Starting this week, residents will see this new equipment in use in parks and open spaces and the entire Town will reap the benefits of these positive climate actions.

The department recently expanded its rechargeable battery-powered fleet, using funds from its Fiscal Year 2022 budget to purchase a large EGO riding mower and EGO brand cordless outdoor equipment including: two electric push lawn mowers, a pole hedge kit, six carbon fiber trimmers, and 4 leaf blowers. These new tools are in addition to other small rechargeable equipment like trimmers and leaf blowers that DPW bought in 2020. All are the same make and batteries for the equipment are interchangeable.

The purchases were spurred by panel discussions a year ago sponsored by the Town of Wellesley, Lexington DPW, Wellesley Natural Resources Commission, and Sustainable Wellesley in partnership with two nonprofits, American Green Zone Alliance and Quiet Communities, Inc.

Look for DPW crews using the new equipment at four established green spaces: Central Park near the Wellesley Square post office, Church Park in front of the Village Church, the Wellesley Police Department grounds, and the Tolles Parsons Center on Washington Street. These high-traffic parklands showcase pesticide-free landscaping and low-maintenance native plantings to foster birds, bees and other useful insects.

Because they run on rechargeable batteries, this equipment eliminates fumes and vibrations that are harmful to operators and passersby, and have lower decibel levels to reduce use noise. To keep equipment charged when away from power sources, DPW Director Dave Cohen is mounting charging stations on a trailer. “We are eager to see how this set up works and if the equipment can give crew members the sustained service that is required during long work days,” said Cohen.

According to Paul DePhillips, Assistant Superintendent of the DPW Park & Tree division, the team is also considering adding a solar panel to the roof of the trailer to provide some additional charging capability and reduce or even eliminate plug-in charging time. DePhillips’s crew has also added four electric chainsaws.

The most expensive piece is the rider electric mower, which retails for about $4,999 and can cut up to two acres on a single battery charge. The motor emits a sound that resembles a ‘faint whine,’ instead of a louder mowing noise.

In the coming months, DPW will be collecting data to quantify the benefits of shifting to electric equipment and will present this information to the Town to help inform future decisions about expanding the electric landscaping program.

Climate Action in Wellesley 
​The electric landscaping equipment program is helping support the Town’s climate action goals to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions 50% below 2007 levels by 2030 and reach net-zero by 2050. Wellesley is currently developing a Climate Action Plan that will serve as a roadmap for reaching these goals. To learn more visit https://www.wellesleyma.gov/1584/Climate-Action-
Plan.

Looking for a fun and family-friendly outdoor activity? Take a leisurely bike ride or walk along a 2.8-mile garden tour around Wellesley that highlights pollinator gardens in Town. The self-guided tour will take you past gardens at the Wellesley Post Office, Town Hall, the Police Station, the WHS garden and some private gardens, as well - all of which are pesticide free. Click here to learn more.
Pollinate Wellesley is a joint initiative of Sustainable Wellesley, Wellesley Conservation Land Trust, and the NRC. When we protect our pollinators we protect ourselves!

The Natural Resources Commission is distributing free Native Plant Container Kits in exchange for taking photos twice a week of visiting insects and sharing them through the iNaturalist app. It's fun and easy and great for all ages.

Kits will be distributed at Town Hall on Saturday June 26 from 10am - 2pm.

Contact Lisa Moore at [email protected] to reserve your kit and join this citizen-science project!
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You can also request a "Pollinator Corridor" sign for your yard to spur conversation in your neighborhood. (Already have last year's sign? Request a new label!) Email [email protected]
to get one.
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Did you miss the Wellesley Conservation Land Trust Flower Power Speaker Series, How Native Plants Can Save Our Bugs and Birds? Watch the talks here.
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Keep up-to-date with new Pollinate Wellesley Events by following this FaceBook Page.

Pollinate Wellesley is a joint initiative of Sustainable Wellesley, Wellesley Conservation Land Trust, and the NRC. When we protect our pollinators we protect ourselves!