From vpaulman at hampshire.edu Mon Nov 3 11:18:23 2003 From: vpaulman at hampshire.edu (Vanessa Paulman) Date: Mon, 3 Nov 2003 11:18:23 -0500 Subject: [ESSP] research conference for undergrads Message-ID: Student abstracts for the 2nd Annual Undergraduate Environmental Research Symposium at Bridgewater State College (Massachusetts) are due November 3, 2003! Space may be limited, so please have your students submit their abstracts as soon as possible. Although late abstracts will be accepted (if space permits), there may not be enough time to have the paper listed in the Symposium brochure. Registration and Abstract submission information can be found at the Symposium web page: http://www.bridgew.edu/Environmental/ The Symposium will be held at Bridgewater State College on Saturday, November 15, 2003 (directions may be found on the web page). Registration and a light breakfast will begin at 9:00 AM, and opening remarks will begin at 9:45. The Guest Speaker is Berkeley W. Cue, Jr., Ph.D., Vice President, Pfizer Global Research and Development. Poster session I will begin at 11:00 AM, and poster session II will begin at 1:00 PM. Lunch will run concurrently with the poster sessions. Please contact the Symposium Coordinators if you have any questions: Don Padgett, (508) 531-2089, dpadgett at bridgew.edu or Ed Brush, 508-531-2116, ebrush at bridgew.edu. -- Vanessa Paulman Science Outreach Coordinator Center for Science Exploration Hampshire College phone: (413) 559-5792 fax: (413) 559-5438 Adele Simmons Hall #132 http://ScienceExploration.hampshire.edu From vpaulman at hampshire.edu Mon Nov 3 15:00:55 2003 From: vpaulman at hampshire.edu (Vanessa Paulman) Date: Mon, 3 Nov 2003 15:00:55 -0500 Subject: [ESSP] Local wildlife tracking 11/12/03 Message-ID: WILDLIFE EVENT COMES TO BELCHERTOWN (10 minutes from Hampshire) For Immediate Release Date: November 3, 2003 Contact: Kristin DeBoer, Valley Trackers, 413-253-6720 Pelham, Massachusetts. Come and learn about our wildlife neighbors the bear, bobcat, fox, lynx and much more. Explore extensive wildlife exhibits (consisting of mammal mounts, track molds, examples of wildlife sign, pelts, skulls and other displays) and see a captivating wildlife slide show presented by Sue Morse, founder and program director of Keeping Track. The family oriented event will take place at 7pm on Wednesday, November 12th at Belchertown High School Cafeteria (142 Springfield Road, Belchertown, MA). The event is being hosted by Valley Trackers, a local team of twenty volunteers who have been trained by Keeping Track to conduct wildlife monitoring in and between the Holyoke Range and the Quabbin Reservoir. Volunteer Coordinator Kristin DeBoer said, "We are thrilled to be hosting this event for the second time in this region. It is going to be quite a night that is not to be missed by anyone interested in local wildlife or the outdoors. We hope that more residents will be inspired to join us in as trackers after they see this presentation." Lars Botzojorns, Keeping Track's Executive Director says, "Keeping Track's Wildlife Event is better than an evening at the movies. There will be something for everyone: wildlife displays and a spectacular slide show. Keeping Track looks forward to being more active in Massachusetts, assisting local groups like Valley Trackers in identifying and protecting important wildlife habitat." Susan Morse is a nationally recognized naturalist, wildlife photographer, and habitat specialist with over thirty years experience tracking and interpreting wildlife uses of habitat. She has focused her research activities on bobcat, black bear, cougar and Canada lynx. She has lectured in environmental studies and forest ecology at the university level and also runs her own forestry and wildlife consulting business. She founded Keeping Track in 1994, which has been featured on National Public Radio's "Morning Edition" and in the following magazines, Nature Conservancy, Smithsonian, Audubon, Amicus Journal, and Forest. Susan is also the subject of the recently released book in the Scientist in the Field series from Houghton Mifflin entitled The Woods Scientist (for children 9-12). Keeping Track is a national non-profit organization based in Huntington, Vermont. Keeping Track's mission is to inspire community participation in the long-term stewardship of wildlife habitat. Keeping Track teaches adults and children to observe, interpret, record, and monitor evidence of wildlife in their communities, and supports citizens' use of monitoring data in local and regional conservation planning. Co-sponsors also include Belchertown Conservation Commission, Connecticut Valley Summit, Hitchcock Center for the Environment, The Kestrel Trust, and Norcross Wildlife Sanctuary. Come enjoy a unique and stimulating evening and come away with a grater appreciation for our wildlife neighbors! Tickets may be purchased at the door. $5 for adults, kids are free. Call 413-253-6720 for more information. -- Vanessa Paulman Science Outreach Coordinator Center for Science Exploration Hampshire College phone: (413) 559-5792 fax: (413) 559-5438 Adele Simmons Hall #132 http://ScienceExploration.hampshire.edu From vpaulman at hampshire.edu Wed Nov 5 08:58:46 2003 From: vpaulman at hampshire.edu (Vanessa Paulman) Date: Wed, 5 Nov 2003 08:58:46 -0500 Subject: [ESSP] Wildlife Conservation in Africa! Message-ID: Wow! what a great opportunity... anyone want to go to Africa this Spring? Spend the semester studying the ecology and conservation of African wildlife with emphasis on understanding the myriad conservation challenges facing elephants and other wildlife in Botswana. see course description below for details. (if you cannot read this pdf, contact Prof. Curt Griffin at UMass, cgriffin at forwild.umass.edu) -- Vanessa Paulman Science Outreach Coordinator Center for Science Exploration Hampshire College phone: (413) 559-5792 fax: (413) 559-5438 Adele Simmons Hall #132 http://ScienceExploration.hampshire.edu -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: poster.pdf Type: application/pdf Size: 211746 bytes Desc: not available URL: From vpaulman at hampshire.edu Wed Nov 5 09:10:27 2003 From: vpaulman at hampshire.edu (Vanessa Paulman) Date: Wed, 5 Nov 2003 09:10:27 -0500 Subject: [ESSP] speaker THIS Friday Message-ID: Hi folks, REMINDER: We have another wonderful speaker this FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 7 at 11:30 in Cole 333 DEB HABIB - SEEDS OF SOLIDARITY EDUCATION CENTER AND FARM SPEAKS ON RENEWABLE ENERGY, ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND SOCIAL JUSTICE join us for pizza, slides, and a "field trip" to the Sol Patrol (veggie van traveling education center!) see you Friday, Vanessa -- Vanessa Paulman Science Outreach Coordinator Center for Science Exploration Hampshire College phone: (413) 559-5792 fax: (413) 559-5438 Adele Simmons Hall #132 http://ScienceExploration.hampshire.edu -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From vpaulman at hampshire.edu Fri Nov 7 14:22:54 2003 From: vpaulman at hampshire.edu (Vanessa Paulman) Date: Fri, 7 Nov 2003 14:22:54 -0500 Subject: [ESSP] Smart Growth Message-ID: "Will Smart Growth Help us Build a Thriving Economy?" Date: Wednesday, December 10, 2003, 6-8:30 p.m. Location: MBTA Transportation Building in Boston Cost: $25.00 Panelists: Dennis DiZoglio, Assistant General Manager for Planning and Real Estate, Steve Burrington, Deputy of the Office of Commonwealth Development, Steve Woelfel, Cornell Alumnus, MBTA Planning, Moderator: Christine Duvivier, MBA '82 The following questions will be addressed: Promoting responsible development sounds wonderful, but how can we afford it in the current economic environment? With $13 billion required just to maintain our existing state infrastructure, how can we possibly invest in new development? And what about the loss of green space? Can we afford not to invest in new infrastructure? What about the commuting nightmare on our highways? Does "Smart Growth" really mean "Slow Growth"? Bring your own questions and get the answers directly from policy makers themselves, while enjoying the opportunity to network with your peers. Register online at http://cen.cornell.edu Directions: http://www.ctps.org/bostonmpo/mpo/dir.htm Send questions to: <>Christine.Duvivier at cornell.edu If you have difficulty registering online, please contact Christine Duvivier at <>Christine.Duvivier at cornell.edu or 781-235-1778. Sponsored by the Cornell Professional Network (a resource of the Cornell Club of Boston and the Cornell Entrepreneurs Network) Hors d'Ouevres and non-alcoholic beverages will be served. -- Vanessa Paulman Science Outreach Coordinator Center for Science Exploration Hampshire College phone: (413) 559-5792 fax: (413) 559-5438 Adele Simmons Hall #132 http://ScienceExploration.hampshire.edu -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From vpaulman at hampshire.edu Mon Nov 10 08:52:37 2003 From: vpaulman at hampshire.edu (Vanessa Paulman) Date: Mon, 10 Nov 2003 08:52:37 -0500 Subject: [ESSP] Campus Ecology fellowship Message-ID: >**National Wildlife Federation, Campus Ecology Fellowship Program** >Leadership development and seed grant opportunity for undergraduate >and graduate students. > >*REQUEST FOR FELLOWSHIP PROPOSALS: Due by DECEMBER 19, 2003* > >National Wildlife Federation's Campus Ecology Fellowship Program >offers a nationally recognized opportunity for undergraduate and >graduate students to green their campuses and communities, gaining >practical experience in the conservation field and first-hand >knowledge of the challenges and opportunities inherent in >conservation efforts. > >Fellows also receive project support, modest financial compensation >and recognition of their accomplishments. Students, faculty, staff >and members of the broader community stand to gain as Campus Ecology >fellows assist with the research, design and implementation of >projects that help strike a better balance between people and nature >on the campus and beyond. > >New this year?All NWF fellows are required to attend a national >training and leadership development opportunity to be held in >conjunction with NWF's 64th Annual Meeting in St. Louis, Missouri on >March 11- March 14, 2004. (Travel and hotel expenses covered by NWF.) > >**Application Information** >Visit http://www.nwf.org/campusEcology/dspFellowships.cfm to access >the grant guidelines, selection criteria, project requirements, >perks and privileges, sample projects, online application >information and more! > >**Contact** >Kathy Cacciola >Senior Coordinator, Campus Ecology Program >National Wildlife Federation >11100 Wildlife Center Drive >Reston, VA 20190-5362 >Tel: 703.438.6318 >Fax: 703.438.6468 >cacciola at nwf.org > > > > > -- Vanessa Paulman Science Outreach Coordinator Center for Science Exploration Hampshire College phone: (413) 559-5792 fax: (413) 559-5438 Adele Simmons Hall #132 http://ScienceExploration.hampshire.edu -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: RFP_NWF_Fellowships_11.03.doc Type: application/msword Size: 79872 bytes Desc: not available URL: From vpaulman at hampshire.edu Mon Nov 10 09:05:49 2003 From: vpaulman at hampshire.edu (Vanessa Paulman) Date: Mon, 10 Nov 2003 09:05:49 -0500 Subject: [ESSP] Fwd: Grassroots Climate Action Conference Message-ID: >***MCAN's 3rd Annual -- > > GRASSROOTS CLIMATE ACTION CONFERENCE > Sun., Nov. 16 - Tufts U, Medford MA > 8:30 am ^? 5:30 pm, Cabot Center, 170 Packard Ave, Medford, MA > >Keynotes: > I: Rhode Isld Climate Plan, Local Buy-in & Regnl Synergy > Jan Reitsma, Fmr Dir., R.I. Dept. Envir. Management > II: Europe Leads: Cutting Carbon Affordably > Michael Northrop, Rockefeller Brothers Fund > >18 Wkshps: >Local climate action plans & GHG reduction strategies; >Climate change sci, human & ocean impacts, solutns; Regnal climate >plan & realities; Greening town & gown; Green schools & capital >projects; VMT^?s, fuel use & SUVs; EcoTeams; Community wind >projects & Cape Wind; Global warming educatn K-12 & public; >Advancing state & regional policy & action; Allied efforts; Message >& Organizing skills; Media wkshp w. Globe, Herald & CNC reporters. > >Fee: $40 at door; $35 if by 11/9. Pls e-RSVP w. wkshps preferences > >Info: http://www.massclimateaction.org cambclimact at aol.com, >or Feature at http://www.tufts.edu/tci/Calendar.html 781-643-5911 > > <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> -- Vanessa Paulman Science Outreach Coordinator Center for Science Exploration Hampshire College phone: (413) 559-5792 fax: (413) 559-5438 Adele Simmons Hall #132 http://ScienceExploration.hampshire.edu From vpaulman at hampshire.edu Mon Nov 10 13:18:29 2003 From: vpaulman at hampshire.edu (Vanessa Paulman) Date: Mon, 10 Nov 2003 13:18:29 -0500 Subject: [ESSP] Fwd: local food Message-ID: >Date: Mon, 10 Nov 2003 11:50:18 -0500 >From: waw02 at hampshire.edu > >TO YOU SUSTAINABILITY FOLK > > I am (along with two other people) mounting a campaign to get more >local food >served at SAGA, and hopefully to also get rid of SODEXHO and form a Hampshire >Dining Service with the current Sodexho employees. > We just surveyed 176 students last week and there is huge student >support for >these things; now we need to start to pressure the administration to implement >some changes. > > I really want something to happen with this, and so we are going to >need help! >Sometime this week or early next, we will have a meeting of all those >interested in this campaign; I just wanted to let all of you know >(date not set >yet). email me if you are interested. > >tips, suggestions are appreciated. > >Will Wallace-Gusakov -- Vanessa Paulman Science Outreach Coordinator Center for Science Exploration Hampshire College phone: (413) 559-5792 fax: (413) 559-5438 Adele Simmons Hall #132 http://ScienceExploration.hampshire.edu From vpaulman at hampshire.edu Mon Nov 10 17:05:45 2003 From: vpaulman at hampshire.edu (Vanessa Paulman) Date: Mon, 10 Nov 2003 17:05:45 -0500 Subject: [ESSP] ecological cities class Message-ID: EC colleagues -- FYI Colleen Murphy-Dunning from the Yale-New Haven Urban Resources Initiative will be visiting my EC class on Mon. Nov. 17 from 2:30-5 (Morrill 126).She may be joined by Charlie Lord of the Boston College Urban Ecology Institute who organized the first regional EC conference in Nov. 2000. The general focus of the class will be on inner city urban greening, urban gardens, farm markets, brownfield site reuse, etc. All welcome to join us. RP Dr. Rutherford H. Platt Ecological Cities Project Department of Geosciences University of Massachusetts Amherst, MA 01003 tel. (413) 545-2499 fax (413) 545-1200 web: http://www.ecologicalcities.org -- Vanessa Paulman Science Outreach Coordinator Center for Science Exploration Hampshire College phone: (413) 559-5792 fax: (413) 559-5438 Adele Simmons Hall #132 http://ScienceExploration.hampshire.edu From vpaulman at hampshire.edu Tue Nov 11 09:24:39 2003 From: vpaulman at hampshire.edu (Vanessa Paulman) Date: Tue, 11 Nov 2003 09:24:39 -0500 Subject: [ESSP] wildlife event this Wednesday Message-ID: PLEASE COME THIS WEDNESDAY TO: Where the Wild Things Walk -A Slide show and wildlife display by Susan Morse, Founder of Keeping Track November 12; 7pm Belchertown High School Cafeteria 142 Springfield Road, Belchertown, MA $5 suggested contribution Keeping Track, a Vermont based conservation organization, seeks to inspire community participation in long-term stewardship of wildlife habitat. Featuring the renowned photography of expert tracker Susan Morse, her high energy and wildlife wisdom, along with extensive displays of track casts and pelts, this program will introduce you to the hows and whys of tracking New England's wildlife. You can also hear about and join Valley Trackers, the local chapter of Keeping Track, which has trained and organized teams of volunteer trackers to monitor wildlife in critical wildlife corridors in and between the Quabbin Reservoir and the Holyoke Range. Sponsored by Valley Trackers, a project of The Connecticut Valley Summit and Kestrel Trust, with a grant from Sweet Water Trust. Co-Sponsored by the Belchertown Conservation Commission, The Hitchcock Center, and Norcross Wildlife Sanctuary. -- Vanessa Paulman Science Outreach Coordinator Center for Science Exploration Hampshire College phone: (413) 559-5792 fax: (413) 559-5438 Adele Simmons Hall #132 http://ScienceExploration.hampshire.edu From vpaulman at hampshire.edu Mon Nov 17 08:57:54 2003 From: vpaulman at hampshire.edu (Vanessa Paulman) Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2003 08:57:54 -0500 Subject: [ESSP] Enviro Ed course offered this spring Message-ID: Environmental Education Course Offered On-line in Spring 2004 The "Fundamentals of Environmental Education" on-line course will be offered again this spring. The course will begin on February 16, 2004 and end on April 30, 2004. The course is offered via the Internet and participants may obtain three undergraduate or graduate level credits from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. The course is also offered at a reduced cost for a limited number of participants that are not interested in obtaining college credit. Enrollment begins immediately. The "Fundamentals of Environmental Education" course strives to provide educators with the knowledge and skills necessary to incorporate quality environmental education into their instruction. Participants discuss the history, definition, and goals of environmental education, develop an understanding of the professional roles and instructional methods of environmental educators, and have the opportunity to interact with other educators from across the country. Approximately 130 educators from 36 different states, Pakistan, Peru, Mexico, and the Philippines enrolled in the course over the past three semesters. Student feedback from the prior course offerings has been very positive. According to Dr. Richard Wilke, one of the course developers, "The course should be valuable to current teachers, those training to be teachers, those who work with teachers, and those who work in settings like nature centers and museums." Dr. Wilke will be one of the course instructors this spring. The "Fundamentals of Environmental Education" course was developed in collaboration with national EE experts, using materials produced by organizations such as the North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE), World Wildlife Fund, Project Learning Tree, Project WILD and Project WET. The course is based on the "Guidelines for the Initial Preparation of Environmental Educators" document produced by Dr. Deborah Simmons and NAAEE. There are six units in the course, and each unit corresponds to a theme from the "Guidelines" document. Susan Toth will also be an instructor for the course this spring. Toth has taught on-line environmental education courses before, including this course, and assisted in developing this course. Toth is a former board member of NAAEE, former faculty member at Florida Atlantic University, and former Director of Education at Pine Jog Environmental Education Center. There are a variety of assignments and readings associated with the course. These include writing assignments in conjunction with each unit, discussion board postings, and a culminating assignment. There are no text books or exams. According to Toth, "Students do not have to be available for class at a particular time, but we do want them to keep current by completing the weekly work. They can do this when it is most convenient." Past participants have estimated they devoted an average of 50 hours to complete the 10-week course. Holly Carson, who took the course recently, says this about her experience: "I have found a definite direction for the EE I present, and new insights into how I can provide better EE. I think that it's wonderful to have such a class available, and as a distance learning course!" University of Wisconsin tuition is $513.45 for three undergraduate credits and $867 for three graduate credits (tuitions are approximate and subject to slight increases). All students, regardless of location, are eligible for this in-state tuition rate. For those that are not interested in obtaining college credit, the course is also offered to a limited number of people as a workshop for $175. The University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point will provide verification of workshop completion. Workshop participants should expect to complete nearly the same amount of assignments as students taking the course for credit. EETAP has scholarships available to individuals that are EE leaders in their state and want to complete the course. Examples of state level EE leaders include the state coordinators for programs such as PLT, WILD, and WET, and board members of state EE associations. Others can also fit the definition of a state level EE leader. To view the course syllabus, obtain a scholarship application, or register for the course, please visit http://www.eetap.org/eecourse or contact Sarah Wilcox at Sarah.Wilcox at uwsp.edu or (715) 346-4957. The development of this course was funded by EETAP, the national training program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Environmental Education established through the National EE Act of 1990. The University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (UWSP) administers EETAP through a cooperative agreement with the EPA. -- ******************************** Charlene D'Avanzo Professor of Ecology Dean, School of Natural Sciences Hampshire College Amherst, MA 01002 Voice - 413-5595569 FAX 413-5595448 Email - cdavanzo at hampshire.edu website: http://helios.hampshire.edu/~cdNS/ TIEE: http://www.ecoed.net/tiee Course website: http://ns.hampshire.edu/ns207/ ************************************* -- Vanessa Paulman Science Outreach Coordinator Center for Science Exploration Hampshire College phone: (413) 559-5792 fax: (413) 559-5438 Adele Simmons Hall #132 http://ScienceExploration.hampshire.edu From vpaulman at hampshire.edu Wed Nov 19 11:21:30 2003 From: vpaulman at hampshire.edu (Vanessa Paulman) Date: Wed, 19 Nov 2003 11:21:30 -0500 Subject: [ESSP] last ESSP gathering of the semester Message-ID: Hi folks! We'll be having our last ESSP Sustainability Series Gathering this Friday, November 21 from 11:30 -1:00 in Cole 333. As always, there will be pizza and a great guest speaker. This week we have Dr. Curtice Griffin from UMass - Dept of Natural Resource Conservation. He'll be speaking about wildlife conservation issues in Northern Botswana and his exciting course scheduled for next Spring which includes a field study component in Africa. Don't miss this excellent opportunity! In addition, we'll discuss possibilities for next semester's series - your attendance and input will be much appreciated! See you then! Vanessa -- Vanessa Paulman Science Outreach Coordinator Center for Science Exploration Hampshire College phone: (413) 559-5792 fax: (413) 559-5438 Adele Simmons Hall #132 http://ScienceExploration.hampshire.edu -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From vpaulman at hampshire.edu Fri Nov 21 10:36:23 2003 From: vpaulman at hampshire.edu (Vanessa Paulman) Date: Fri, 21 Nov 2003 10:36:23 -0500 Subject: [ESSP] Presentation by Dolores Root Message-ID: >Please join the Education Studies Program for a talk and slide >presentation by Dolores Root, well-known museum educator, hands-on >science advocate, and social justice activist. > > Museums: Teaching and Learning Outside the Box > > Presented by Dolores Root > >Art, history, or science museums can be places for building >community, engaging with local issues and connecting to topics >relevant to people's lives. Not YOUR museum experience? >Illustrating with examples, the presentation will explore museums as >dynamic forums for fostering questioning, critical thinking and >dialogue with diverse audiences. Dolores Root has worked, studied >and written about museums, and will draw on her experiences as a >regional and international museum educator. > >When: Tuesday, December 2, from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. >Where: FPH 102 > >Pizza will be provided. -- Vanessa Paulman Science Outreach Coordinator Center for Science Exploration Hampshire College phone: (413) 559-5792 fax: (413) 559-5438 Adele Simmons Hall #132 http://ScienceExploration.hampshire.edu -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From vpaulman at hampshire.edu Tue Nov 25 16:34:23 2003 From: vpaulman at hampshire.edu (Vanessa Paulman) Date: Tue, 25 Nov 2003 16:34:23 -0500 Subject: [ESSP] interested in a GIS project? Message-ID: Attached and copied below is a Request for Proposals from The Kestrel Trust for a GIS mapping project. Please post or forward to anyone you think may be interested in responding. Thank you. Judy Eiseman ----------- The Kestrel Trust Request for Proposals for Phase One of a GIS-referenced Database and Mapping Project November 2003 Contents 1. Introduction to the Kestrel Trust 2. Goals of the Database and Mapping Project 3. Qualifications 4. Scope of Services 5. Completion Date 6. Compensation 7. Submission Requirements 1. Introduction to the Kestrel Trust. The Kestrel Trust is a volunteer-based, non-profit land trust seeking to protect significant land in our nine town region in perpetuity. The Trust's priorities are woodlands, wildlife habitat and habitat corridors, land with noteworthy scenic, historic, and natural features, farmland, recreational trail corridors, and water resources. The towns in which we are active, Amherst, Belchertown, Granby, Hadley, Leverett, Pelham, Shutesbury, South Hadley and Sunderland, include such varied topography as bottomland along the Connecticut River, the Holyoke Range, the hills of Pelham, Belchertown, and Shutesbury bordering the Quabbin Reservoir, and the Mt. Toby and Leverett uplands. The Trust is also dedicated to raising public awareness about environmental issues in our region. 2. Goals of the Database and Mapping Project. The Kestrel Trust seeks to create an ARC-INFO based digital database of land parcels in the area we serve. This database should include at a minimum: ? Boundary polygons of accuracy sufficient for planning ? Ownership data linked to polygons using assessors' map and lot identification numbers, ? Chapter 61a and 61b (current-use tax) status, ? Information on protected status based on MassGIS standards ? Acreage from assessors records and calculated from coverages The geographic data and underlying database should be expandable and open to revision. The Kestrel Trust will use the database in conjunction with other available GIS natual and cultural resource data for parcel protection work and for educational and planning efforts. The maps will increase our ability to relate targeted parcels to other conservation lands and to more effectively locate important areas for future protective work. We have received funding from the Norcross Foundation for computer and software purchases related to the project. We will seek the consultant's advice on appropriate software and equipment purchases. We now seek assistance in setting up a database, and during this first part of the project, in integrating existing information from the towns in our region that have already compiled digitized information in the GIS framework. Amherst, Belchertown, Hadley, South Hadley, and Pelham have GIS information available, and the Leverett Conservation Commission has a digitized map of protected parcels. Some additional information may be available from the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission, the Franklin County Regional Council of Government, UMass, and other sources such as state agencies and other land trusts. During later phases of the project we expect to gather and enter information from the remaining towns and update information in the database. The project will be bid and contracted in two phases. PHASE ONE. Digital parcel data is available all or in part for seven of the towns in our region. Phase one of the project will involve collection and integration of these parcel databases, and gathering of any missing information in the list of required data given above. PHASE TWO. Phase two of the project will involve creation of new parcel coverages for the remaining two towns. Depending on availability, this may require digitization from paper or mylar assessors' maps, or conversion of CAD-based files. Once created, the new parcel coverages will be linked to assessors' tabular records and the other required parcel data. Ownership of Data, All newly-generated products of the contract will be the sole property of Kestrel Trust and may be copied, altered, and distributed at Kestrel Trust's sole discretion without further compensation. 3. Qualifications. The Trust expects that the consultant will own or be able to use a computer and software appropriate for compiling the database. References and a portfolio documenting past training and experience and demonstrated facility with GIS information and mapping appropriate to the contract is required. 4. Scope of Services. ? Take part in meetings with the mapping committee of the Kestrel Trust to discuss and organize the project. ? Obtain layers of needed information from the Trust and from offices in Amherst, Belchertown, Pelham, Hadley, South Hadley, Sunderland and Leverett or from other sources. ? Obtain additional current information about protected land from the MassGIS office or other sources in consultation with the Trust. ? Design a useable database that can be expanded and revised. ? Seek approval of the design from the mapping committee of the Trust. ? Enter existing information from the five towns. ? Transfer completed work on disc to the Trust. 5. Date of Completion. Work on the portion of the database and mapping project described above should be completed by March 15, 2004. 6. Compensation. At this time the Trust is seeking bid proposals for Phase One only 7. Submission Requirements. Interested applicants should submit the following information by December 15, 2003 to the Kestrel Trust, PO Box 1016, Amherst, MA, 01004. Each proposal shall be submitted in two parts: a Technical Proposal and a Cost Proposal. Each part shall be separately bound and sealed in its own envelope so that the cost proposal can not be revealed until after all technical proposals have been reviewed and evaluated. ? Qualifications, including applicant's educational background, past experience relevant to the project, and current computer and software available for work on the project. ? A description of the work to be done and its organization, demonstrating familiarity and understanding of the type of work required by the project. ? Examples of past work relevant to the project. ? Estimation of the fee for future annual maintenance of the database. ? References Should questions arise about the project and the application, either of the following members of the Kestrel Trust Board are available to address your concerns: David Ziomek: 413-863-3221 dziomek at rcn.com Paul Beaulieu: 413-875-1302 PGBeaulieu at TigheBond.com -- Vanessa Paulman Science Outreach Coordinator Center for Science Exploration Hampshire College phone: (413) 559-5792 fax: (413) 559-5438 Adele Simmons Hall #132 http://ScienceExploration.hampshire.edu