"Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts."
~Rachel Carson

TEAMS was formed to urge advocacy for the watercourses, riparian corridors, and the wetlands of southeastern Massachusetts. Water is one of the basic components of habitat for living things. Our watercourses - our streams, lakes and ponds- are all sources of water for living things and are nonrenewable resources. They need the highest amount of protection. Our riparian corridors are green ribbons of life found on the edges of these watercourses. They provide food, space, shelter, and water for various living things. They can be transportation corridors and serve as a sort of buffer zone between the uplands and the watercourses. The wetlands absorb and hold back flood waters, filter out pollutants, and provide food and shelter for various living things too.

See the Activities Page to read about the Commuter Rail Update as of July 17, 2008 and our next scheduled monthly walk.

Is there anyone who knows enough about mushrooms to consider comtacting TEAMS to lead a walk next fall to talk about mushrooms?  If so, contact us at TEAMS-info@hotmail.com.

by Max Wickemeyer, a TEAMS member

My mind began to wander as I got into the groove of yanking bittersweet vines out of the ground. I thought back to that morning as my wife said, "Why are you bothering to spend your time working at Tamarack Park when there is so much work that needs to be done around the house? Besides, you are wasting your time, there are too many invasive weeds, and they'll just grow back". 

My reverie was broken by the glare of "Mike" Schroeder who, by her look, told me my "take no prisoners" method of pulling at the vines was spreading too many seeds. 

With grudging agreement to her unspoken but certain message, I tempered my efforts so slightly and I continued to ponder... "Why bother??" 

I have always believed that big changes can start with small actions. A civil rights movement started with one elderly lady, Rosa Parks, who refused to give up her seat and go to the back of the bus. 

Now certainly, our efforts will never result in the magnitude of outcomes that Rosa Parks inspired- 

A particularly tenacious vine suddenly took all my attention. Sweat dripping into my eyeglasses, I wiped my brow and asked Shawn to give me a hand. We both grasped the vine and together with McEnroe style grunts heaved the vine,  heavy with roots,  out of the ground." All right!" We did a high five. 

I returned to my regular pace, pull, gather up and pile. I thought about the different places Teams had worked at in 2008. Japanese knotweed at the Morgan Property, barberry at the artesian spring in the pine grove, and several sessions at Tamarack Park. 

There is a scientific mathematical model that holds that very small influences can have profound effects on outcome. The hypothesis is generically known as the "butterfly effect". Proven mathematically, the theory explains how very small changes at any one point in a complex (chaotic) system may substantially alter the system's dynamics. The metaphor of the butterfly explains the theory, for example, the fluttering of a butterfly's wings in Canada can change the path of a tornado in the midwest. This is not a direct relationship but an indirect one. A strong indirect effect that is unpredictable.  

I looked down into the sumac that was choked with the vines. I could discern five or six successions of sumac branches out of one trunk that were taken down by vines, each  new sumac emerged out of the torn stalk to reach for the sky where it was taken down by another vine and so on. The struggle of years played out in one view of the tangle of plants before me. The struggle of life and death. birth and decay. 

As we wrapped up for the day, the volunteers surveyed our accomplishments. An ash tree, before, covered with twisting vines and nearly smothered, breathed free with new life. It looked ready to expand with new energy escaping the chains of the invasives. The sumacs and birch branches were now visibly uncluttered. The ground was free to be reborn with the plants that had been here for eons. We all felt satisfied that we had made one more small step towards restoring this small part of land to a condition that it was meant to be. 

Small actions can have big outcomes. It might not be readily obvious and instant gratification is not the payback. What is important is taking the right actions, albeit small steps, and in part, or in aggregate, we will influence positive changes.   Take the action!   

If you would like to write to Max, please write him at teams-info@hotmail.com.

TEAMS thanks Taunton River Watershed Campaign

TEAMS has been awarded a $624 grant from the Taunton River Watershed Campaign to launch an offensive against invasive exotic plants.  Anyone who has walked with us may remember seeing Bittersweet, Autumn Olive, Japanese Barberry and Japanese Knotweed marching over and smothering native plant species. Our plan of attack is two fold.  To aid in the first line of attack, we are using our grant money to buy two tools called weed wrenches that enable even old ladies to yank sizeable Barberry or Autumn Olive bushes from the ground. Unfortunately many of the exotics are very difficult to eliminate by cutting and digging. Our second line of attack involves minimal and targeted use of herbicides:  cutting the stems and with a small brush dabbing full strength brush killer on the cut surface. However, even for such a limited use of herbicides, the state requires a pesticide applicators license for work on public property.  TEAMS sent one person to a training workshop and who then took exam for the pesticide applicator’s license and passed.   

Last Updated: January 4, 2009.