2023-03-22

Bridgewater library hosts environmental lecture series

BRIDGEWATER - South Shore Public Libraries is putting a spotlight on environmental topics over the next few weeks, leading-off with a series of speakers and public presentations courtesy of the Mersey Tobeatic Research Institute.

The Queens County-based organization that champions natural resources and biodiversity conservation will host talks at the Bridgewater library. The first presentation is about eastern hemlock and the challenges brought about by the invasive insect known as the hemlock woolly adelgid.

Institute ecologist Colin Gray is expected to speak about the issue in late March.

Also in late March, species at risk biologist Lori Phinney hosts a "bat chat" informing people about efforts to protect bats, why the species is important and how they were nearly wiped out.

Blanding's turtles, ribbon snakes and milkweed will be on the agenda in early April when reptile researcher Carter Feltham shares results from previous years of examining both species.

All sessions start at 7 p.m. Check out https://www.southshorepubliclibraries.ca on the internet for details and specific dates.

The talks and presentations are free and are for all ages to attend, said Karen Geddes-Selig, a Bridgewater library clerk, who's organizing the series.

"We have amazing speakers; they're specialists in their fields. It's pretty awesome to have these people around and to be able to take advantage of (their expertise) for learning," she said.

"We want to be the resource place for people. Our environment is very much a part of our community (and) it's about learning, of course."

Kempt-based Mersey Tobeatic Research Institute is located on Mount Merritt Road and the Mersey Tobeatic Research Institute Co-operative Ltd. is a registered Canadian charity.

The agency is involved in, among other things, forest stewardship and sustainable resource education, while operating a non-profit field station for researchers. It's also engaging civic governments and conducting coastal gull and private woodlot biodiversity surveys.

To learn more about the agency's work, go to https://www.merseytobeatic.ca.