Category Archives: Nature

True Vacation

Posted on August 25, 2012 by John Heffernan

I’ve been thinking about how vacation time has eroded and changed over the years.  I have been very active this summer with my robotics work, graduate schools, and some side consulting, as well as the usual emails and requests and … Continue reading →

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Last Chance to Create Old-Growth Forest in Conway

Posted on August 16, 2011 by John Heffernan

Your Name Your Address 8/15/11 DCR Designation Comments designation.comments@state.ma.us Department of Conservation and Recreation 251 Causeway Street, Suite 900 Boston, MA 02114-2104 Dear Sir or Madam: I support efforts by the Conway Conservation Commission and individuals in Conway to change … Continue reading →

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Letter to Conway Conservation Commision

Posted on July 30, 2011 by John Heffernan

7/30/2011 Dear Conservation Commission Member, I recently went for a bushwhack hike in Conway. I started in the Town Forest hardwood section, which was selectively cut recently. This was after spending about an hour cleaning up the landing area, which … Continue reading →

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Help Protect the Conway State Forest

Posted on July 27, 2011 by John Heffernan

Please write to the address below with your own letter of use this as a sample. The deadline is August 26, 2011. John Heffernan 99 North Hill Drive Conway, MA 01341 7/27/2011 DCR Designation Comments designation.comments@state.ma.us Department of Conservation and … Continue reading →

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Help Protect the Conway State Forest

Posted on June 29, 2011 by John Heffernan

The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation has proposed the designation of the Conway State Forest as Woodland.  Woodlands will be managed for lumber extraction.  Parklands will be managed primarily for recreation.  Reserves will be unmanaged by people.  We are … Continue reading →

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Conway and DCR Forestry Update

Posted on June 4, 2011 by John Heffernan

The Conway State Forest (CSF) was designated as Woodland in the Massachusetts Division of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) Designation Process.  I actually support this process as it creates Reserves (largely unmanaged) and Parklands (managed for recreation.)  These will consist of … Continue reading →

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Lessons From Owl

Posted on May 18, 2011 by John Heffernan

On Monday morning, on a very nice misty run with the dogs through our beautiful Conway woods, we flushed out a small barred owl.  I had been thinking about a situation I am in doing some volunteer work, where I … Continue reading →

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Birds Hitting Windows

Posted on May 2, 2011 by John Heffernan

I heard two big crashes yesterday and knew some birds had hit our windows.  While it is usually song birds, this time it was two medium sized woodpeckers.  One was resting on the side of the house, perched there.  The … Continue reading →

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Stinky Scat

Posted on March 10, 2011 by John Heffernan

On one part of our daily run on snowmobile trails in the woods, we pass a large wetland area.  There’s a spot where I noticed beaver activity in the snow.  The beaver(s) cut down  and was eating a tree and … Continue reading →

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Primal Fear of Predators

Posted on January 26, 2011 by John Heffernan

Where does this primal fear of large predators that we have in this country come from?  Big bad wolf stories?  Fear of the unknown?  I see many posts on various dog lists and social network sites expressing a deep fear … Continue reading →

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