Special invitation for Shirley residents:  The Nashua, Squannacook, and Nissitissit Rivers Wild & Scenic Stewardship Council wishes to share this invitation with residents in Shirley.  The Shirley Greenway Committee and Freedom's Way Natural Heritage Area are presenting a FREE workshop on "Using Ecosystem Principles to Think About Your Gardens and Property".  
WHEN:  Sunday, May 7, 2023 from 10:00 am to 12:30 pm

WHERE:  Fredonian Park and Nature Center, Fredonian Street in Shirley
WHAT:  Want to nurture nature in your own backyard but don’t know where to start? In this free outdoor workshop, Ecological Landscaper Catherine Rooney will use on-site examples from her restoration plan for Fredonian Park, providing attendees with the know-how to optimize habitat for birds, pollinators, and other wildlife. Learn how to select and combine native plants and use natural landscape features on your property to provide resilient habitat throughout all four seasons, and how to maximize benefit for species at risk.
Catherine Rooney began working with the Town of Shirley in 2022 to remove invasives and restore the landscape at Fredonian Park and Nature Center, one of Shirley’s hidden gems that includes a small pond and nature trail along a charming stretch of Catacunemaug Brook. Areas that highlight ecosystem principles discussed in the workshop will be marked with QR codes linking to descriptions so that attendees and other visitors to the park can learn more and follow these highlighted areas throughout the park’s 2023 restoration effort. 
This workshop is co-sponsored by the Shirley Greenway Committee and Freedom’s Way Natural Heritage Area Hidden Treasures Festival of Culture, Nature and History, and made possible with funding provided to the Town of Shirley by the Nashua, Squannacook, and Nissitissit Rivers Wild and Scenic Stewardship Council Community Grants Program.
 
Through a generous donation, plants for pollinators at risk will be available for attendees to take home with them. 
 
The event is free and open to the public. Registration is required. Contact greenway@shirley-ma.gov to register. 
Please feel free to share this message with others who may be interested.
_______________________________


  

www.NashuaRiverWatershed.org