Crystal Lake Conservancy Hosts Open Annual Forum

Hyde Community Center, 
Lincoln St, Newton Highlands, MA
Thursday, October 25, 2012
6:45-8:45pm  
 
Co-Sponsored by Green Decade, Newton League of Women Voters and Newton Conservators.
Keynote Speaker:  Ed Himlan, Executive Director, Massachusetts Watershed Coalition

Rain that runs off from homes, lawns, driveways and parking  areas carries lots of pollution.  This dirty water flows to streets that dump into Crystal Lake.    Over time, aquatic life vanishes, the lake will fill with weeds, and high bacteria counts can pose a risk for people. 

Ed Himlan, executive Director of the MA Watershed Coalition, will share a slideshow on simple, low-cost ways to cleanse runoff:
 -        Look at  your property to see where the rain  goes
-         Build  rain gardens and bio-swales
-         Plant filter strips and groundcover buffers
-         Benefits and options for porous paving
-         Create rock-filled  soakage trenches
-         And more… 

Putting rain in the ground will prevent pollution and reduce costs for in-lake treatments for Crystal Lake.  Pollution can be greatly mitigated by the watershed  residents.

MWC Executive Director Ed Himlan has thirty years’ experience in watershed management and education.  Ed has expertise in  water protection planning; public policy; grassroots  groups; local assistance;  and public presentations.  He has  served on many state and federal advisory groups, as well as the boards of local  conservation organizations, including the Lake Samoset Property Owners  Association.

Ed has helped municipal officials, businesses, homeowners, contractors and community groups to plan, design and construct more  than sixty rain gardens and other storm  water solutions. The educational  materials and runoff remedies created by  these activities offer practical  examples and guidance that can help people  to improve the health of local streams and  lakes.

The Crystal Lake Conservancy will present the first Volunteer Awards to Frank Bachner and Irwin Jungreis who have demonstrated a real dedication to helping Crystal Lake with our water sampling collection and  testing.

Please come and enjoy the amazing images of light, wildlife, seasons, weather and water captured through the lens and patient eye of Marcie Scudder.

Janice Bourque, Co President of Crystal Lake Conservancy, will present the data and analysis of the bacterial and nutrient samples and testing  program.

Dori Zaleznik, Newton’s Commissioner of Health and Human Services, will discuss the algae and toxin testing performed this summer.

Maria Rose, Newton’s Environmental Engineer, will present work performed and results regarding storm water runoff and Crystal Lake outfall data.