Visiting the South Shore Natural Science Center

I have been writing this nature column for over fourteen years. Oddly, I have never featured Norwell’s South Shore Natural Science Center (SSNSC) in this space. What a tremendous oversight!

Do you know about the Science Center? It may qualify as one of the South Shore’s best-kept secrets. Founded in 1962, SSNSC has been active in environmental education for almost 50 years, working with area schools “to cultivate an awareness, appreciation and concern for” the natural world. They offer hands-on, interactive programs for preschoolers through Grade 12 -- in schools, at the Science Center, and at the beach and local nature preserves. They also offer programs for adults and families, throughout the year.

Originally knows as the South Shore Nature Center, the SSNSC got its start when a group of local naturalists and college professors, led by the renowned Norwell native, William G. (Cap’n Bill) Vinal, began running nature education programs out of a building in the town center. An old school bus named Flora brought children on field trips. In 1968, the group acquired land on Jacobs Lane in Norwell. The first Nature Center building, constructed in part by students from the South Shore Vocational-Technical High School, was dedicated in 1974. By then the Science Center was offering educational programs year-round.

Today the Science Center is comprised of a nature center on 30 acres, with six interpretive nature trails, and access to an additional 200 acres of conservation land. Outdoors there is also a summer house, an amphitheater, and a picnic area. Indoors includes a gallery, a greenhouse, a gift shop, classrooms and restrooms, and most notably, The EcoZone and other interactive exhibits.

Created with the help of South Shore native Jeff Corwin (of TV’s Animal Planet), and established in 2002, the EcoZone, is a multidimensional, interactive exhibit area that focuses on the ecosystems of southeastern Massachusetts, with special emphasis on wetlands habitat. Visitors can crawl through a hollow log and view a live pond – complete with frogs, fish and turtles -- from the bottom up; open tiny doors that reveal what plants and creatures inhabit a meadow; cross a wooden bridge; and learn first-hand about quaking bogs, vernal pools, nocturnal animals, and local reptiles and amphibians (snake-phobes, beware!).

Judging from my three-year-old son’s enthusiasm for the EcoZone, I’d say that it definitely helps to fulfill the SSNSC’s mission “to provide natural science experiences that educate, excite, and commit every generation to preserve the environment and to encourage responsible use, stewardship and enjoyment of our natural resource.”

The Science Center is also home to Bob the Iguana, a barred owl named Hedwig, an annual infusions of tiny red-bellied cooter turtles. Weekly programs such as Feed the Animals provide guests an opportunity to get up-close-and-personal with some of these creatures.

There’s always something going on at the Science Center. Vine Hall, the main gathering area, boasts a gallery of works by local artists that changes each month. The Nature Center Preschool runs throughout the school year – plus the Nature Adventures Summer Day Camp from June through August. Annual events such as Corn Festival, Maple Day, Perseid Showers Family Campout, Through the Garden Gate Garden Tour, the Water Watch Lecture Series (co-sponsored by Mass Audubon and NSRWA) and others provide entertainment and education for all ages. Visit www.ssnsc.org for a listing of current classes, programs, and events.

If you prefer a more solitary experience, be sure to check out the Science Center’s woodland trails. Most are easy hikes - perfect for families. Of particular note is the Tupelo Trail, a sensory trail developed for the blind and print handicapped, and the Sylvester Trail, which passes over a vernal pool. The trails are open every day, dawn to dusk (pets and smoking prohibited). Access is free of charge; you can pick up a map at the front desk. (Braille, large-print, and audio guides also available).

The South Shore Natural Science Center is located at 48 Jacobs Lane, off Route 123 in Norwell. Summer Hours (July and August) are Monday - Friday, 9:30 am - 4:30pm, and Saturday 9:30am - 1:00pm. Admission fees for indoor exhibits are $5.00 for adults, $3.00 for children (ages 2-15) & senior citizens (free for members). Admission to Vine Hall Art Gallery, the Nature Gift Store and the trails is always free for everyone.

By Kezia Bacon-Bernstein, Correspondent
June, 2009

Kezia Bacon-Bernstein's articles appear courtesy of the North and South Rivers Watershed Association, a local non-profit organization devoted to the preservation, restoration, maintenance and conservation of the North and South Rivers and their watershed. For membership information and a copy of their latest newsletter, contact NSRWA at (781) 659-8168 or visit www.nsrwa.org. To browse 13 years of Nature (Human and Otherwise) columns, visit http://keziabaconbernstein.blogspot.com.

Choosing Local Foods

Have you heard the term “locavore?” In 2007, the New Oxford Dictionary named it the Word of the Year. A locavore is someone who eats food grown or produced locally -- within a certain radius (a county, a region or a certain number of miles). Being a locavore may seem sensible for someone who lives in California, for example, or another place where food is grown year-round. But around here? Is it even possible?

It is surprisingly easy to find locally-grown food here in Southeastern Massachusetts. There are a number of farms, orchards, and cranberry bogs right in our back yard; the popularity of farmers’ markets is on the rise; and we can purchase local produce, eggs, milk, bread, meat and plenty more at farm stands, Pick Your Own venues, and specialty stores. Plus a number of area chefs are seeking out local foods for their restaurant tables.

The following are some reasons to consider adding more local foods to your diet.

It’s Fresher, It Tastes Better, and It’s Better for You.

Locally grown produce doesn’t have to cross the country by plane or truck, or sit in cold storage for days. Most often it is picked within 24 hours of when it is sold to you, which is significantly shorter than what you’ll find in the average grocery store. Because local food doesn’t have to travel as far, it can be harvested at its peak. Produce from farther away has to be picked sooner and less ripe in order to survive the journey across the country – or around the world. (Compare the flavor of a freshly picked local apple to one flown in from New Zealand.)

Locally-grown food is better for you too. According to the FDA, some of the vitamins in fresh produce are depleted 50% or more within a week or two of being harvested. So if you choose a local tomato, you’re getting significantly more nutritional value from it.

You’re also lessening the risk of contamination. When you buy local, your food travels a much shorter route from the farm to the table. Thus it’s easier to track potential problems. You may even be able to talk with the farmer who grew it. This is especially relevant in light of the many food recalls we’ve seen of late.

It’s better for the local economy.
Buying local helps keep money in our communities. When you buy lettuce grown nearby, your money goes right back into the local economy, supporting the value of our real estate, the maintenance of infrastructure like roads and bridges, the quality of our schools. It can even help to enliven downtrodden areas.

Buying local supports our communities, but even more, it supports our farmers. Nationwide, farmers on average receive only 20 cents of each food dollar – the rest covers costs like transportation, processing, packaging, refrigeration and marketing. But if they sell directly to the consumer, they receive much more. Why should we support local farmers? For one, farms provide jobs. Furthermore, the taxes towns collect from agricultural development actually earn communities 70 cents on the dollar. Compare that to residential development, which costs a community $1.25 per dollar earned. When we support farmers, it gives them an economic incentive against selling their land to the highest bidder, which in turn helps us to preserve open space.

It’s better for the environment.
According to Rich Pirog of the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, the average fresh food item on our dinner table travels 1500 miles to get there. Michael Pollan, author of The Omnivore’s Dilemma and other best-selling books on food, elaborates on this point. “It takes seven to ten calories of fossil fuel energy to deliver one calorie of food energy to an American plate,” he writes. “Only a fifth (of that energy) . . . is consumed on the farm; the rest is spent processing the food and moving it around.”

It’s Social – and you can learn something.
Buying local helps to build community. Going to the farm stand and chatting with the grower, or running into a friend at the farmers’ market . . . we’re creating social ties that only strengthen our communities

Plus, buying local might encourage you to try something new. At the farm stand, you may find an item you haven’t tried before – squash flowers or mustard greens, bite-size plums or purslane. Local growers may offer more variety too – they are often willing to try out a new type of lettuce, for example, when a grocery store won’t because the demand isn’t there.

It can save you money.
Because costs such as cross-country transportation are not a factor, local food is often less expensive than what you find in the supermarket. You are eliminating the middle man. Blueberries at Tree Berry farm in Norwell last summer were $2.60 per pound to pick your own. They averaged around $2.99 per pint at the grocery store.

Can we do it year-round?
One of the major challenges of eating local is what to do in the winter when nothing much grows here. The first step is to buy extra when a certain food is in season. You can freeze strawberries, or make jam. You can turn an abundance of tomatoes into sauces and salsas. You can make pesto or pickles or fruit leather and stock it all away for the colder months. If you’re not adept in the kitchen, you can look to local producers of such products.

Another important consideration is simply to be conscious about the foods you choose. Can you hold off on apples from New Zealand next summer and wait for the local ones to come through in September?

Where To Find It
In the summer and fall, local foods are available nearly everywhere. Most towns host at least one farm stand, and Pick Your Own berry farms and orchards are scattered throughout the region. Even a standard supermarket stocks some locally grown produce in July and August.

In 2008 there were ten weekly farmers’ markets in Plymouth County and thirteen in Bristol County. What could you find there? Fresh-picked produce to be sure, but also eggs, baked goods, homemade condiments, seedlings, even lobster. Many area stores stock locally-grown or produced foods as well. Check out Good Health Natural Foods in Hanover and Quincy; Whole Foods Market in Hingham; and the Fruit Center Marketplace in Milton and Hingham, to name only a few. In addition, restaurants from the tiny Rockin’ K Café´ in Bridgewater to the renowned Tosca in Hingham feature locally-grown foods on their menus.

Two excellent resources for finding locavore fare are edible South Shore magazine, published quarterly in Kingston, MA; and the Southeastern Massachusetts Agricultural Partnership’s (SEMAP) Online Farm Guide, where you can search an immense database of growers to find farmers markets, farm stands, and other local food purveyors near you. Check it out at www.farmfresh.org. And save the date of September 28, 2009 for NSRWA's Food For Thought event at the Mill Wharf Restaurant, which features locally grown and prepared foods from numerous South Shore growers, chefs and caterers.

By Kezia Bacon-Bernstein, Correspondent
May, 2009

Kezia Bacon-Bernstein's articles appear courtesy of the North and South Rivers Watershed Association, a local non-profit organization devoted to the preservation, restoration, maintenance and conservation of the North and South Rivers and their watershed. For membership information and a copy of their latest newsletter, contact NSRWA at (781) 659-8168 or visit www.nsrwa.org. To browse 13 years of Nature (Human and Otherwise) columns, visit http://keziabaconbernstein.blogspot.com.

Visiting Weir River Farm

Graham Schofield, 3, of Marshfield, checks out the chickens at Weir River Farm.

If you haven’t yet visited Weir River Farm in Hingham, now’s the time to check it out. Managed by the Trustees of Reservations since 1999, this beautiful 75-acre property offers something for everyone.

Like World’s End, its majestic companion to the east, Weir River Farm features a stunning view of Boston Harbor. The panorama from the top of Turkey Hill can be breathtaking. On a clear day, you might be able to see the North Shore.

Weir River Farm was originally a country estate, founded in the early twentieth century. Most recently, it was the home of Polly Thayer Starr, an acclaimed painter. Ten acres of fields have been left open for pasture, evoking an aura of days long past. The Trustees of Reservations make a point to preserve the farm’s “historic pastoral and agricultural character,” while providing diverse wildlife habitat. The Weir River flows through the northwest edge of the property.

There are also 60 acres of oak and red cedar woodland. A footpath from the top of Turkey Hill meanders down through the fields and the woods, and then divides into two trails. One trail leads to the barnyard, while the other directs visitors to The Grove. Intentionally reminiscent of a British woodland, The Grove features an open understory plus a garden path bordered with flowering shrubs and perennials.

The trails measure a total of 1.5 miles. Some are quite steep. Whether you’re hiking uphill or down, be prepared to feel your muscles at work! Trail maps are available near the parking areas.

Weir River Farm’s trails connect to those in the Whitney & Thayer Woods Reservation, which in turn connect to Wompatuck State Park and Hingham’s Triphammer Conservation Area. These parcels comprise the largest contiguous tract of open space on the South Shore, totaling close to 5,000 acres.

The barnyard is . . . well, a good old-fashioned barnyard. The restored barn and adjacent pens are home to a small number of horses, cows, pigs, sheep, goats, chickens -- and a llama. Throughout the late spring and summer (beginning May 2), Weir River Farm offers Open Barnyard every Saturday from 10-2, where visitors can meet the animals and learn more about how they are cared for (free for TTOR members, $3 for non-members).

In season, Weir River Farm sells the all-natural eggs, beef and pork produced there. This year they plan to offer homegrown cut flowers and pumpkins as well.

Also, on Wednesdays from 10-11 beginning June 3, there is an Outdoor Story Hour. Other programs for adults and children, including the Farm Hands Camp for ages 5-12, are available throughout the year. Call 781-740-7233 for more information.

How To Get There: From Route 228 near the Hingham Town Library, turn onto Leavitt Street. Follow Leavitt for 0.6 miles, then bear left onto Turkey Hill Lane, and follow it to a dead end. There are two small parking areas.

By Kezia Bacon-Bernstein, Correspondent
April 2009

Kezia Bacon-Bernstein's articles appear courtesy of the North and South Rivers Watershed Association, a local non-profit organization devoted to the preservation, restoration, maintenance and conservation of the North and South Rivers and their watershed. For membership information and a copy of their latest newsletter, contact NSRWA at (781) 659-8168 or visit www.nsrwa.org. To browse 13 years of Nature (Human and Otherwise) columns, visit http://keziabaconbernstein.blogspot.com.

Going to the Zoo

A lion at Capron Park Zoo in Attleboro, Massachusetts.


Now that spring is here, it’s time to start spending more time outdoors. We have plenty of options here on the South Shore – the beaches, the rivers, and plenty of sanctuaries, preserves and conservation areas. But perhaps you are looking for something a little different. Consider the zoo.

Until recently, it hadn’t occurred to me to visit any of our local zoos. I’ve been to some of the great ones – Washington DC, San Diego – but I think the last time I went to a zoo within a 50-mile radius more than thirty years ago.

Last spring we received a membership solicitation in the mail from Zoo New England (ZNE). If we joined, our family would be granted a year of access to both ZNE Zoos (Franklin Park and Stone Zoo), as well as their affiliates nationwide -- which includes pretty much all of the other zoos in our area. We decided to try it.

First up was the Franklin Park Zoo in Dorchester. Franklin Park has enjoyed a renaissance of late. In fact, it now feels like an oasis in the middle of the inner city. The zoo itself is divided into several sections. Serengeti Crossing features ostriches, ibex, wildebeests and a herd of zebras. Franklin Farm has chickens, cows, goats, and sheep, plus rabbits, a barn owl, and a Contact Corral for the warmer months. The Children’s Zoo includes prairie dogs, the amur leopard, a duck pond, and assorted reptiles and amphibians. And the Outback Trail has emus, kangaroos, kookaburras, cockatoos, and black swans. Bird’s World and Butterfly Landing round out the offerings.

The Franklin Park Zoo is large and well-spaced. Climbing a grassy hillside, you will see giraffes, lions, tigers, bongos, and camels. A landscaped path from which one can catch a rare glimpse the “real” city beyond the zoo walls leads to the Tropical Forest, home to a family of gorillas – as well as snakes, a pygmy hippopotamus, a dwarf crocodile, various birds and small critters, tapirs, and wild dogs. The gorillas are fascinating to watch – so similar to humans in their gestures and expressions.

Throughout the zoo, there are plenty of picnic tables, restrooms and (seasonal) snack bars, plus a gift shop and a large playground. In the warmer months, the zoo also offers a carousel and a small train on which children can ride. One final highlight: the Franklin Park Zoo is also home to a peacock, but you never know where you might find him. He struts around the grounds, spreading his plumage at regular intervals.

Our next visit was to the Roger Williams Park Zoo in Providence, Rhode Island. Probably the largest in the area, this zoo is packed with attractions. Divided by geographical region, Roger Williams takes you to Africa (elephant, zebra, giraffe, cheetah, jaguar, crane, wildebeest, wild dog), North America (bison, red wolf, pronghorn, bald eagle, seal, penguin, farm animals), and Australasia/The Tropics (emu, kangaroo, anteater, flamingo, sloth, monkey, wallaby). Plus you can visit the Silk Road (camel, moon bear, snow leopard, panda), and Madagascar (lemurs, tortoise). Great care has been taken to create the feeling that you are moving from one natural environment to another. Ample foliage makes it a pleasant excursion on a warm day. There are plenty of rest rooms, benches and snack bars. For us, the highlight by far was the three elephants, and the informative talk given by one of their attendants.

Our final destination (so far) was the Capron Park Zoo in Attleboro. I had never heard of this zoo, until I saw it featured in – of all places -- People magazine. Capron Park’s main attraction right now is Ramses, a white lion who likes to play. Other zoo-bound lions tend to snooze the day away, but not this one. He loves preening for the guests. As does his cub, born last fall. This zoo is much smaller than the others, which means it is perfect for a visit with a toddler who refuses to sit in a stroller. Little legs can easily walk from one exhibit to another, and see all there is to see in just a couple of hours. Other featured animals include: snow monkeys, sloth bears, warty pigs, meerkats, a snow leopard, emus, kangaroos, a green tree python, owls and other nocturnal creatures, plus llamas and goats (that you are encouraged to feed). A new exhibit, Lemur Island, in the middle of a large pond, opens this spring. Restrooms, a gift shop and snack bar, and a new playground round out the offerings at Capron Park.

Two other local zoos are on our list of Place To Visit soon. The Stone Zoo, in Stoneham, features a bald eagle, black bears, reindeer, roadrunners, jaguars, and yaks. And the Buttonwood Park Zoo, in New Bedford, is home to bison, black bears, elephants, harbor seals, a bald eagle, river otters, deer, and coyote.

Do an Internet search for any of the zoos mentioned above and you will find visiting hours, directions, maps and almost everything else you need to plan your trip. In many cases, the warmer the weather, the more you will see the large jungle animals outdoors (many of them are kept inside in the colder months). Certainly you will see – and learn about – animals you would not otherwise find here on the South Shore.

By Kezia Bacon-Bernstein, Correspondent
March 2009

Kezia Bacon-Bernstein's articles appear courtesy of the North and South Rivers Watershed Association, a local non-profit organization devoted to the preservation, restoration, maintenance and conservation of the North and South Rivers and their watershed. For membership information and a copy of their latest newsletter, contact NSRWA at (781) 659-8168 or visit www.nsrwa.org.

Cabin Fever

Abel and Chris Bernstein enjoy a winter stroll on Rexhame Beach in Marshfield.

This winter has been long and cold so far – and snowy. I was just beginning to wonder if I’d see bare ground again before April when that warm sunny Sunday arrived in early February and shook things up a bit. Could it be – our January thaw, only eight days off schedule?

Melted snow and ice ran in rivulets down the front steps at my parents’ house, where I was charged with snow removal duty (while they vacationed in Mexico). The snow was gone, but two inches of thick ice remained. Would it ever go away?

The wind blew so strongly that the pines shed not just twigs but small branches, smashing apart in the driveway where they fell. It was 49 degrees, warm enough to spend some time outside, but not safe to be in the woods with all that stuff falling down.

At home, I asked my son Abel, who is nearing age three, how he wanted to spend the afternoon. He began reciting the names of the toy trains he wanted to add to his collection, a sacred litany, hopeful. “And we can go today, to the store, to get them!” No, shopping was not the answer.

“Would you like to go to the beach?”

“I can bring my trucks! And play in the sand!”

After lunch we put on our sneakers – not our boots. It felt strange to resume contact with the bare ground, to let go of that extra layer of insulation underfoot.

“We can bring our beach chairs!”

Beach chairs . . . the warm sun . . . lounging. I feel a strong wave of envy surge and then float away. My hardworking parents, under the palm trees, alternately reading, swimming and eating. I wish we were there too, on the island, our idea of paradise. “Next year,” I assured myself. “Maybe next year.” It seems wrong even to fantasize about a tropical vacation in this economy.

Last winter was mild. We spent a lot of time outdoors, in the back yard, gathering sticks and “fishing” in the brook that skirts the edge of our property. This year is the opposite. Even on the days when it is warm enough to venture outside for more than a few minutes, the yard is iced over, encrusted with dirty snow. No wonder I feel depressed.

I don’t want to complain about the weather. I want to be outside. I want to breathe fresh air and feel the sun on my face. I don’t care if I have to wear a hat, coat, scarf, gloves -- and long underwear wouldn’t be a bad idea either – I need to get out of the house. Is it Seasonal Affective Disorder? Cabin Fever? It doesn’t matter. Yes, we are going to the beach.

At Rexhame, it is colder and windier than at home. Those five miles make a difference. Climbing over the dunes, I am surprised to see snow. Even on the beach, there are patches of hard, dirty snow! But beyond it are rocks, pebbles, and because it’s low tide, a long, flat expanse of wet sand. And the ocean! Suddenly I feel like there is much more air to breathe.

My husband, my son, and I make our way toward Beadle’s Rocks. Abel wants to sit on the sand and make roads with his trucks, but the sand is too damp and so we walk instead. We tell him that we can climb on the big rocks.

It’s too late in the day for seals, but the receding tide has left all sorts of puddles. Abel wants to splash in them. How do you explain to a two year old that some days you have to step over the puddles? Instead, we pretend that the big rock is a slide, and let him go down it, again and again, as much as he wants. He still manages to get his feet wet, darting off into the puddles with a sly grin.

It’s too cold to linger, so we make our way back to the car.

On the way home, we stop at Gerard’s Turkey Farm for sandwiches and french fries, which we eat in the car, right out of the bag. It’s not a vacation, but it kind of feels like one -- a much-needed change of pace and scenery, albeit brief. Maybe next week it will be warmer.

Only a few more weeks till spring!

By Kezia Bacon-Bernstein, Correspondent
February, 2009

Kezia Bacon-Bernstein's articles appear courtesy of the North and South Rivers Watershed Association, a local non-profit organization devoted to the preservation, restoration, maintenance and conservation of the North and South Rivers and their watershed. For membership information and a copy of their latest newsletter, contact NSRWA at (781) 659-8168 or visit www.nsrwa.org.

Outdoor Fun in the Wintertime

Winter is here. So far this one has been cold and snowy, and it’s unlikely that that trend will change. Have you been inclined to sit indoors, eat chocolate, and dream of warmer climes? I have -- but if I keep that up, I will be fat and listless come spring. It’s time to light a fire under our hardy New England bones, get outside, and enjoy the season.

But what to do? It’s difficult to walk on ice-covered roads and hiking trails. It’s no fun anyway, when the wind blows so strong and cold that no amount of layers can counteract it. But the fresh air can be invigorating, the sunshine can make you feel more lively -- and a little bit of exercise will bring color to your cheeks and get the blood flowing through your tired old veins. Step outside – and feel better.

Here are a few outdoor activities to consider this winter.

Spy on the Harbor Seals – At low tide on a relatively warm sunny day, you can find harbor seals on the rocks (and sometimes on wooden floats) up and down our coastline. Duxbury Beach and the road to Saquish are prime viewing spots, as are the road to Blackman’s Point in Brant Rock and the end of Damon’s Point Road in Marshfield. It’s fun to watch harbor seals frolic in the water and bask in the sun.

Skate on a Frozen Pond – Yes, it’s cold outside. Consider it an opportunity! It’s not often that our lakes and ponds freeze up enough to support ice skaters. Dust off those skates, bundle up, and find some ice. Once you get your “sea legs,” you may surprise yourself, pirouetting around the pond a la Dorothy Hamill. Not feeling graceful? Grab a hockey stick and see if you can get some friends together for a quick game.

Sled Down a Big (Or Small) Hill – Oh, the joys of freshly-fallen snow when it’s powdery and not covered with ice. Is there a plastic sled in the corner of your basement? A toboggan? An inflatable snow tube? An aluminum saucer? You don’t have to be a kid to enjoy the thrill of sledding. Every town has its favorite spot. Country clubs usually offer a variety of hill shapes and sizes. The ride down is fun, and the hike back up the hill will strengthen your legs and get your heart pumping a little faster.

See a Favorite Place With New Eyes – Let’s face it: cold and windy are not ideal conditions for a walk in the woods if you have to move slowly to avoid a fall. Slide a pair of Yak Trax or good old-fashioned crampons over your boots, and you’ll gain some much-needed traction on the ice. Then you can walk faster – and feel warmer as you go. There are plenty of forests to choose from on the South Shore – consider Willow Brook Farm in Pembroke or the North River Wildlife Sanctuary on the Marshfield/Scituate line. Notice how different – and beautiful -- the woods appear when covered with snow. You might also try snowshoes or cross-country skis.

Build a Snowman – You don’t have to be a child to enjoy constructing a snowman or any other kind of snow sculpture. If the conditions are right, it won’t take long to roll three big balls of snow and stack them for the traditional humanoid figure. Corncob pipes and button noses are optional – get creative with what you have at hand. I’ve seen snowmen wearing Hawaiian shirts and sunglasses, or dressed up as firefighters.

Cold Weather Safety Tips:
• Don’t go alone. Whatever you’re doing outdoors, bring a companion – or at least a cell phone – so you’ll have access to help in the case of an emergency.
• Dress in layers. Waterproof (or water-resistant) on top, and something warm underneath. Choose wool or synthetics like fleece or polypropylene for the bottom layer.
• Change your clothes immediately if they get wet.
• Keep your hands, feet and head covered – your face too if it’s very cold, wet or windy. Concerned that you’ll look dorky in a hat? Better that than freezing! You will lose 40% of your body heat through an uncovered head.
• Keep moving when you’re out in the cold. Staying still will permit the cold to set in, and once you get a chill, it’s hard to shake it.
• Don’t stay out in the cold too long. Take breaks when you can and go someplace warm.
• Drink warm beverages. Filling your tummy with something warm will help combat the cold as well. You can bring a thermos for outside, or drink cocoa, soup or tea when you go in. Avoid alcoholic drinks, which can dangerously alter the way your body senses cold.
• Keep Your Chin Up. Spring will be here before we know it.

By Kezia Bacon-Bernstein, correspondent
January 2009

Kezia Bacon-Bernstein's articles appear courtesy of the North and South Rivers Watershed Association, a local non-profit organization devoted to the preservation, restoration, maintenance and conservation of the North and South Rivers and their watershed. For membership information and a copy of their latest newsletter, contact NSRWA at (781) 659-8168 or visit www.nsrwa.org.

On Behalf of Playing Outdoors

In the neighborhood in Marshfield where I grew up in the 1970s and 80s, the kids were allowed to roam the streets until dark -- and sometimes after. Mostly we played in each other’s yards, rode our bikes, or played kickball, baseball or other games in the big triangle where three streets came together. We were almost always outdoors – skating or sledding in the winter, swimming in the summer when a parents was around to supervise.

One of our favorite places to play was a vacant lot that we dubbed Kids’ Highway. It was only a half-acre, but it seemed much larger. It was thickly wooded, and older kids from the neighborhood had created a network of bike trails among the trees.

When I first learned to ride a bicycle and was allowed to pedal “around the block” with a friend, I was cautious about entering Kids’ Highway. It seemed mysterious -- a place more for older kids than an elementary-schooler like me. Its dense stand of pine and cedar trees didn’t let in much light, so it was always dark inside. Toward the back, in a spot where parents were least likely to see what was going on, there was a clearing where – the story was told – some of the boys had fist fights, or smoked cigarettes. Sometimes empty beer bottles could be found there too. (Back then, it was fun for us to collect all the different, colorful bottle caps, hoping for an unusual one.)

Once I overcame my fear of biking along the root-knotted trails through Kids’ Highway, I liked to race my friends to see who could pedal through the fastest, without “wiping out.” These were the days before mountain bikes, so there were plenty of falls.

At the far end of Kids’ Highway was a large pile of dirt – probably 15 feet high – that also had a path worn into it. The more adventurous boys would try to jump their bikes off of it, creating a ramp of compressed dirt at the bottom. I would sometimes run down it, but it took me years to work up the guts to hurtle my bike down that hill and “catch some air.”

One of the best features of Kids’ Highway was a tall tree – probably an oak -- with lots of strong branches – perfect for climbing. The tree was in the corner of the property, so once you got up into it, you could see far down three different streets. I wasn’t inclined to climb the tree (not higher than the first realm, anyway), but one of my friends was. One day we packed a picnic lunch and took our one-speeds (mine had a banana seat!) on a “bike hike.” We ate our sandwiches under the tree, and then my friend decided to climb. She got high enough to get scared -- and would not come down. I had to go all the way back to her house to find her father, whom I hurriedly led back to the tree, to help her.

Kids’ Highway was a magical place. You rarely saw an adult there. As the name implied, it belonged to the kids. So you can imagine our outrage when one day some workers came to cut down most of the trees. Before long, trucks dug a big hole, and more workers poured a foundation. In a matter of weeks, Kids’ Highway was gone – someone’s house was there instead.

People say that children don’t play outside anymore. I don’t think that’s true – I know plenty of kids who play outdoors – and enjoy it immensely. Perhaps what has changed is the roaming. The tree climber and I (still friends, yes, 30 years later), debate whether it’s safe for her eighth grader to ride his bike half a mile to the town center, when we ourselves did it in fifth grade, from farther away. We’ll think twice (or more) about letting the younger children stay outdoors – and more importantly out of earshot -- until dark.

Our generation of parents may be more cautious about letting our children roam free. Our towns – and streets -- are much more populated now, and in general, the times demand closer supervision. But it’s important that we not let go of the notion of playing outdoors, especially in areas that are not fenced it. There is so much to learn from pretending to be explorers in the woods, making discoveries absent from the purview of a parent. So much to learn in burying “secret treasures” in the forest peat and then trying to find them a week later. So much to learn from creating one’s own games – where the tools are forked sticks instead of joysticks – making one’s own entertainment rather than demanding to be entertained.

When my son and his friends are old enough, I want to be able to say, “Go out and play,” and not worry that I’m asking them to do something that’s just not done anymore. We have a nice, big wooded lot in our backyard – I hope my son will create his own Kids’ Highway there someday.

By Kezia Bacon-Bernstein, correspondent
December 2008

Kezia Bacon-Bernstein's articles appear courtesy of the North and South Rivers Watershed Association, a local non-profit organization devoted to the preservation, restoration, maintenance and conservation of the North and South Rivers and their watershed. For membership information and a copy of their latest newsletter, contact NSRWA at (781) 659-8168 or visit www.nsrwa.org.