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<div><B><SPAN style="FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'"><FONT color=#000000><SPAN class=yshortcuts id=lw_1242818685_0 style="BACKGROUND: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; CURSOR: hand; BORDER-BOTTOM: #0066cc 1px dashed">May 20, 2009</SPAN></FONT></SPAN></B></div>
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<div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center" align=center><B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'"><FONT color=#000000>Appalachian Mountain Club’s Southeast Massachusetts Chapter Recognizes </FONT></SPAN></B><B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'"><FONT color=#000000>Myles Standish State Forest <br>
as “Critical Treasure”</FONT></SPAN></B></div>
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<div class=MsoPlainText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT color=#000000><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'">The Appalachian Mountain Club’s Southeast Massachusetts (AMC-SEM) Chapter on <STRONG>Saturday, </STRONG><SPAN class=yshortcuts><STRONG>June 6</STRONG>, <SPAN> </SPAN>in conjunction with National Trails Day, </SPAN>will help raise awareness for the recreational and ecological resources at Myles Standish State Forest, <SPAN class=introtxt1><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'">the largest publicly-owned recreation area in southeastern Massachusetts (MA)</SPAN></SPAN>. The </SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'">AMC-SEM Chapter in partnership with the MA Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), Friends of Myles Standish State Forest, and The Nature Conservancy (TNC) will offer a variety of special events at Myles Standish that day, including family-friendly nature walks, hikes, field trips, presentations, and trail work.<SPAN> <STRONG>All events are free and open to the public</STRONG>. </SPAN></SPAN></FONT></div>
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<div class=MsoPlainText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'"><FONT col or=#000000>Recognized as a “Critical Treasure” for its unique recreational and historic values, Myles Standish <SPAN class=introtxt1><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'">is located between the southern sections of Plymouth and Carver, MA. </SPAN></SPAN>Several ecologically significant coastal plain "kettle" ponds are scattered throughout the State Forest , which is also one of the largest contiguous pitch pine/scrub oak communities north of Long Island . </FONT></SPAN></div>
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<div class=MsoPlainText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'"><FONT color=#000000>A Critical Treasure is defined as any forest, park, reservation, or recreation area with significant values for open space preservation, outdoor recreation, watershed protection, or special plant and wildlife habitat that is actively threatened. Areas with iconic natural, recreational, historic, or other intrinsic values such as Myles Standish that merit a higher level of stewardship also qualify.</FONT></SPAN></div>
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<div class=MsoPlainText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'"><FONT color=#000000>The AMC-SEM Chapter partners with DCR managers, ste
wardship groups, and others to identify and highlight Critical Treasures in MA and advocate for their increased protection and sound management, which includes improving the State’s overall capacity to manage its parks and forests. <SPAN> </SPAN></FONT></SPAN></div>
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<div class=MsoPlainText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'"><FONT color=#000000>Schedule of Events: </FONT></SPAN></B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'"><br>
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<div class=MsoPlainText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Symbol"><SPAN><FONT color=#000000>·<SPAN style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </SPAN></FONT></SPAN></SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'"><FONT color=#000000><SPAN class=yshortcuts id=lw_1242818685_1 style="CURSOR: hand; BORDER-BOTTOM: #0066cc 1px dashed">9:30 A.M</SPAN>.— Trail Work Begins<br>
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<div class=MsoPlainText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Symbol"><SPAN><FONT color=#000000>·<SPAN style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </SPAN></FONT></SPAN></SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Ti mes New Roman', 'serif'"><FONT color=#000000><SPAN class=yshortcuts id=lw_1242818685_2 style="CURSOR: hand; BORDER-BOTTOM: #0066cc 1px dashed">10:00-11:30 A.M</SPAN>.— Healthy Heart Trail 3-mile hike with Amy Wilmot (DCR)<br>
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<div class=MsoPlainText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Symbol"><SPAN><FONT color=#000000>·<SPAN style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </SPAN></FONT></SPAN></SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'"><FONT color=#000000><SPAN class=yshortcuts id=lw_1242818685_3 style="CURSOR: hand; BORDER-BOTTOM: #0066cc 1px dashed">10:00 A.M.-2:00 P.M</SPAN>.— 7-mile hike with Barbara Leland (AMC) and Ellie MacPherson (AMC)<br>
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<div class=MsoPlainText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Symbol"><SPAN><FONT color=#000000>·<SPAN style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </SPAN></FONT></SPAN></SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'"><FONT color=#000000><SPAN class=yshortcuts id=lw_1242818685_4 style="CURSOR: hand; BORDER-BOTTOM: #0066cc 1px dashed">12:00-1:00 P.M</SPAN>.— Picnic lunch (bring lunch)<br>
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<div class=MsoPlainText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Symbol"><SPAN><FONT color=#000000>·<SPAN style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </SPAN></FONT></SPAN></SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Time s New Roman', 'serif'"><FONT color=#000000><SPAN class=yshortcuts id=lw_1242818685_5 style="CURSOR: hand; BORDER-BOTTOM: #0066cc 1px dashed">1:00-3:00 P.M</SPAN>.— Nature walk, Plants of Myles Standish with Irina Kadis (Arnold Arboretum)<br>
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<div class=MsoPlainText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in"><FONT color=#000000><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Symbol"><SPAN>·<SPAN style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </SPAN></SPAN></SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'">1:00-3:00 P.M.— Forest Management field trip with Bob Bale (TNC) and Paul Gregory (DCR Forester)</SPAN></FONT></div>
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<div class=MsoPlainText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'"><FONT color=#000000>Details of Events:</FONT></SPAN></B></div>
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<div class=MsoPlainText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'"><FONT color=#000000>Trail work with the SEM-AMC trail crew</FONT></SPAN></B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'"><br>
<FONT color=#000000>Join the AMC-SEM Chapter trail crew for a morning of trail maintenance on the Bentl
ey Loop Trail. There will be work for all ages and skill levels. Please register with Lou Sikorsky (508-678-3984, </FONT><A href="mailto:hikinglou@charter.net" target=_blank rel=nofollow ymailto="mailto:hikinglou@charter.net"><FONT color=#0000ff>hikinglou@charter.net</FONT></A><FONT color=#000000>) or Bill Ruel (508-838-3841, </FONT><A href="mailto:camperbill@yahoo.com" target=_blank rel=nofollow ymailto="mailto:camperbill@yahoo.com"><FONT color=#0000ff>camperbill@yahoo.com</FONT></A><FONT color=#000000>).<br>
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<FONT color=#000000>Healthy Heart walk with Amy Wilmot</FONT></B><br>
<FONT color=#000000>Join Amy Wilmot, DCR Interpretive Specialist, on a 3-mile Healthy Heart walk around the East Head Reservoir. This is a DCR initiative to encourage people to use recreation as a way to maintain good health. The East Head Reservoir Trail has been designated as one of the Healthy Heart Trails in the DCR reservations. This is a family-friendly walk and will take 1.5 to 2 hours. Meet at the Myles Standish headquarters parking lot at <SPAN class=yshortcuts id=lw_1242818685_6 style="CURSOR: hand; BORDER-BOTTOM: #0066cc 1px dashed">10:00 A.M</SPAN>. Please bring water and wear long pants and sturdy shoes. </FONT></SPAN></div>
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<FONT color=#000000><B>Hike the East Head Reservoir Trail and Bentley Loop with Barbara Leland & Ellie MacPherson</B><br>
Join Barbara Leland and Ellie MacPherson on an approximately 7-mile hike through Myles Standish. Meet at the head
quarters parking lot at 10:00 A.M. Bring water, lunch, sturdy shoes or boots. There will be a brief talk about the critical treasures event prior to the hike.<br>
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“<B>Steel and Fire,” forest management at Myles Standish with Paul Gregory and Bob Bale</B><br>
Join DCR Forester Paul Gregory and TNC Fire Manager Bob Bale for an up-close look at current pitch pine-scrub oak community management practices in Myles Standish. Visit a section of the forest that recently underwent a mechanical fuel reduction and another location recently treated with prescribed fire. Discuss the natural history of the Plymouth Pine Barrens and the benefits of mechanical and burning treatments to this globally rare plant community. Meet at the parking lot by Myles Standish headquarters on Cranberry Road at <SPAN class=yshortcuts id=lw_1242818685_7 style="CURSOR: hand; BORDER-BOTTOM: #0066cc 1px dashed">1:00 P.M</SPAN>. for this 2-hour field trip. Participants will carpool to the first site on paved roads. Transportation for participants without four-wheel-drive, high-clearance vehicles necessary for travel to the second site can be accommodated. <br>
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<FONT color=#000000><B>Myles Standish Plant Sampler with Irina Kadis</B></FONT></SPAN></div>
<div class=MsoPlainText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'"><FONT color=#000000>Walk along the shores of the20East Head Reservoir in Myles Standish with Irina Kadis from the Arnold Arboretum at Harvard University . The walk will offer an introduction to native shrubs, trees, and herbaceous plants, with a focus on flowering shrubs in the heath family (ericaceous). Frequent stops will allow particpants to take a closer look at plants along the trail, learn how to recognize them, and practice telling one from another. Meet at 1:00 p.m. at the headquarters parking lot and plan for a 2-hour walk.<SPAN> </SPAN>Please wear sturdy footwear and long pants. Don’t forget water and insect repellent to protect from ticks.<SPAN> </SPAN></FONT></SPAN></div>
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<div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center" align=center><FONT face=Times color=#000000>***</FONT></div>
<div><SPAN lang=EN><FONT color=#000000>Founded in 1876, the Appalachian Mountain Club (</FONT><A href="http://www.outdoors.org/" target=_blank rel=nofollow><FONT color=#800080>www.outdoors.org</FONT></A><FONT color=#000000>) is the oldest conservation and recreation organization in the nation. With 90,000 members in the Northeast and beyond, the nonprofit AMC promotes the protection, enjoyment, and wise use of the mountains, rivers and trails of the Appalachian region. The AMC supports natural resource conservation while encouraging responsible recreation, based on the philosophy that successful, long-term conservation depe
nds upon first-hand enjoyment of the natural environment. <br>
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***</FONT></SPAN></div>
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<div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT color=#000000>The AMC-SEM (</FONT><A href="http://www.amcsem.org/" target=_blank rel=nofollow><FONT color=#800080>www.amcsem.org</FONT></A><FONT color=#000000>), founded in 1976, draws its members from a geographical area south of Boston , including Cape Cod and the Islands . Currently the chapter has over 3,400 members, including families and individuals. The chapter publishes a quarterly newsletter, “The Southeast Breeze,” which lists many chapter-led activities such as hiking, biking, canoeing, kayaking, cross-country skiing, trail work, and other special programs. Chapter activities are also available through AMC’s online Trip Planner at </FONT><A href="http://trips.outdoors.org/" target=_blank rel=nofollow><FONT color=#0000ff>http://trips.outdoors.org</FONT></A><FONT color=#000000> </FONT></div>
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<div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'"><FONT color=#000000>Contacts:</FONT></SPAN></B></div>
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<div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'"><FONT color=#000000>Fred Yost, Conservation Chair</FONT></SPAN></div>
<div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'"><FONT color=#000000>AMC-SEM Chapter</FONT></SPAN></div>
<div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'"><FONT color=#000000>508-699-9305</FONT></SPAN></div>
<div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'"><A href="mailto:conservation@amcsem.org" target=_blank rel=nofollow ymailto="mailto:conservation@amcsem.org"><FONT color=#0000ff>conservation@amcsem.org</FONT></A></SPAN></div>
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<div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'"><FONT color=#000000>Joanne M. Jarzobski, Conservation Vice-Chair</FONT></SPAN></div>
<div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'"><FONT color=#000000>AMC-SEM Chapter</FONT></SPAN></div>
<div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'"><FONT color=#000000>508-212-4427 </FONT></SPAN></div>
<div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><U><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'"><A href="mailto:conservationvicechair@amcsem.org" target=_blank rel=nofollow ymailto="mailto:conservationvicechair@amcsem.org"><FONT color=#0000ff>conservationvicechair@amcsem.org</FONT></A></SPAN></U></div>
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