Greetings from Western MA!

While the first day of spring is right around the corner, we are still celebrating winter with the recent snowstorms. Perhaps you've seen the daffodils peeking out from under the melting snow. Whether you're happy about the new snow or dreaming of spring, we have plenty of upcoming adventures, including a webinar entitled "Indigenous Voices in the Connecticut River Valley in Massachusetts". We'd love for you to check out our new website for details on this webinar and other activities. March is also Women's History Month. We can all take time to recognize women we know who have worked to improve our world and the outdoors, making them more accessible for all. There are many people making contributions who aren't recognized and don't demand to be, so it's important to highlight them. Here's to the amazing lives we'll discover! And, in honor of World Wildlife Day (March 3, 2023), we are providing a way for you to take action on an important bill to protect our precious bald eagles. Read on for more information on these topics, including our interactive quiz!

Indigenous Voices Webinar

On Thursday, March 23, 2023, from 7:00-8:30, the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee is hosting a webinar entitled Indigenous Voices from the Connecticut River Valley in Massachusetts. Native people have been living here in the Connecticut River Valley of western Massachusetts for more than 10,000 years. Their spirits, their memory, and their descendants are here living among us. Join the AMC Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Speaker Series Webinar to view the film "Indigenous Voices" and discuss their stories with Liz Cold Wind Santana-Kiser, an Elder, Council Woman, and current Tribal Historic Preservation Officer for the Chaubunagungamaug Band of Nipmuck Indians, and Film Producer Jennifer Lee of the Northern Narragansett tribe.

Save the Eagles

March 3rd was World Wildlife Day, so we thought this was a good time to make you aware of a new problem facing the bald eagle population in our state. If you've been lucky enough to see bald eagles flying around the lakes and rivers in western Massachusetts, you know what a pleasure it is to witness these majestic birds soaring overhead. Recently, Mass Audubon shared an article entitled Bald Eagles Are Dying. Rat Poison is to Blame. The article explains how eagles are now being threatened by the use of rat poison that gets into their prey, which can live for a while after ingesting the poison. The state legislature is considering a bill to regulate these pesticides. Learn more and find a quick action to reach your legislators to urge them to act on this important conservation issue.

Our New Website

We are very excited to announce that our brand new website was launched on February 16th. The website and its navigation are organized around AMC's mission to protect, enjoy, and understand the outdoors (see the top menu items for protection, recreation (enjoyment), and learning (understanding). Level 2 pages – accessed via menu dropdowns – show what our chapter does to support AMC's mission and the experiences and resources we offer in western Massachusetts. Use the home page to quickly see what's new, or visit our galleries, tiles, sortable lists, and pages from the top navigation bar for up-to-date information from our committees, including adventures, volunteer opportunities, and resources. Many thanks to our webmaster, Lisa Taylor, for countless hours developing the site!