Manchester Essex Conservation Trust

Manchester Essex Conservation Trust https://www.instagram.com/mect_yourconservationtrust/

The Manchester Essex Conservation Trust preserves natural beauty, wildlife, and resources at the gateway to Cape Ann through land conservation and community involvement.

Enjoy a playful yoga session with Carla Villa while taking in the sights and sounds of a private pastoral wilderness. Bu...
09/13/2026

Enjoy a playful yoga session with Carla Villa while taking in the sights and sounds of a private pastoral wilderness. Build flexibility and range of motion with a series of simple, yet effective yoga postures. No prior yoga experience required. Props available for pose modifications. Non-yogis and seniors encouraged. No mat needed. Bring a blanket or beach towel for comfort.

Whether you’re new or have been practicing for years, if you love nature and seek a calm mind, this event is for you. Carla Villa is a Yoga and Meditation Instructor as well as the Engagement Manager at Ipswich River Watershed Association. She loves how yoga, meditation, and being in nature can help us connect with our inner calm and strength. In her classes, Carla focuses on meeting you where you are, offering accessible movement, mindful breathing, and guided meditation to help you connect with your body and inner self. A small section of the field will be mown for this session.

September 20, 10 am in Essex, MA

Sign up here:

Contribute your local knowledge of this “Gordon College” area. Wetlands, vernal pools, salamanders, birds, plants and mo...
09/05/2026

Contribute your local knowledge of this “Gordon College” area.

Wetlands, vernal pools, salamanders, birds, plants and more. Make sure the proposed developer properly documents them. Correct documentation now, means better protection later.

Manchester MA Conservation Commission will be reviewing a developer's layout of the wetlands prior to reviewing how they relate to a very large, proposed development.

Sept 8, Zoom-only meeting starts at 6:30 pm
https://www.manchester.ma.us/AgendaCenter -c0293d326ab44ff5dbe3ce5415bad0f3

See the wetland layout on page 64+ here:
https://www.manchester.ma.us/866/40B-Proposals -dd3f9b76de23a32a4c48364f0cceab79

Property developer Jefferson Apartment Group (JAG) recently presented its concept to the Manchester Select Board to develop a significant parcel west of Pine Street in Manchester, which it has under contract from Gordon College. JAG has not submitted plans to the town yet.

MECT does not know how the discussions will take shape, but the magnitude of the project, its potential impact on the environment, and the aggressive schedule are concerning. The concept raises concerns for the people of Manchester and surrounding communities as it includes land surrounding Gravely Pond, which supplies nearly half of Manchester's town water supply.

MECT remains focused on our multi-year effort to prevent the Shingle Place Hill, (also in Manchester) proposal from moving forward given the many environmental, health and safety risks it poses. It is an effort that requires enormous focus and resources for our lean organization, in addition to our ongoing work to preserve in perpetuity the natural beauty, wildlife habitat, and open space resources in our two towns and adjacent communities.

See the preliminary concept for the Gordon College development on the Manchester Select Board Packets website:

https://www.manchester.ma.us/DocumentCenter/View/9710/051826

See what's popping up in Manchester!
08/13/2026

See what's popping up in Manchester!

Shingle Place Hill Conservation Commission: Hearing #3The next Conservation Commission hearing is next Tuesday, August ...
08/07/2026

Shingle Place Hill Conservation Commission: Hearing #3

The next Conservation Commission hearing is next Tuesday, August 11, 2026 at 6:30 pm - online or by phone - connection information, along with recordings of prior meetings, may be found on the town's website under Agendas and Meetings. This hearing is a continuation of the Notice of Intent public hearings.

We anticipate that the Conservation Commission will finalize their peer reviewer selection, and continue to pursue the information that they have requested from the developer.

The Conservation Commission may allow the MECT counsel to provide some background information from engineering, stormwater, and hydrology experts who were contracted during the prior proceedings.

The Conservation Commission may also entertain comments from meeting participants, limited to two minutes each.

This is your chance to speak up!

We are grateful to the community for their continued support and engagement in this prolonged battle.

Agenda Center • Manchester-by-the-Sea, MA

https://www.manchester.ma.us/AgendaCenter

While the smoke haze has cleared and the rain has cooled our soils and souls, be aware that local wildfire prevention is...
07/23/2026

While the smoke haze has cleared and the rain has cooled our soils and souls, be aware that local wildfire prevention is needed.

Campfires are not allowed on our conservation land.

A hiker noticed a campfire site off-trail on Powder House Hill in the center of Manchester, last week. The location was reported to authorities. Be smart and keep your eyes open. "ONLY YOU can prevent wildfires!"

(We do allow campfires in one specific scouting camping area, with written permission and a permit from the Essex Fire Department. Recent requests have been denied due to wildfire potential.)

MECT Permanently protecting natural beauty, wildlife habitat and resources - including the food sources and future food ...
07/06/2026

MECT Permanently protecting natural beauty, wildlife habitat and resources - including the food sources and future food for so many residents and visitors.

Staying cool. Have you ever wondered how the white-tailed deer stay cool? Maybe we can learn from some of their strategi...
07/03/2026

Staying cool. Have you ever wondered how the white-tailed deer stay cool? Maybe we can learn from some of their strategies!
Here's a photo of a very young white-tailed deer in the vernal pool near Shingle Place Hill, Manchester - he was very interested in our wildlife camera!

1. Hairless ears and heat dissipation
In summer, deer lose the thick winter coat and develop hairless ears. This allows heat to escape more easily from the blood vessels in the ears, speeding up cooling

2. Panting and gular fluttering
Like dogs, deer can pant to increase evaporation of moisture from their tongue and mouth, lowering body temperature. This is called thermal panting. Some deer also perform gular fluttering, rapidly vibrating their throat muscles to enhance evaporative cooling

3. Seeking shade and water
On the hottest days, deer often move to shaded areas or bed down in cool spots. They may also wade into ponds or streams to take advantage of cooler water temperatures

4. Nocturnal or crepuscular activity
To avoid peak heat, deer may shift activity to dawn and dusk or become more active at night, resting during the hottest part of the day

5. Breezes and microclimates
A breeze can help cool the body, and deer often position themselves where air movement is greatest. They may also use forest cover to create cooler microclimates

Staying cool. Have you ever wondered how the white-tailed deer stay cool? Maybe we can learn from some of their strategi...
07/02/2026

Staying cool. Have you ever wondered how the white-tailed deer stay cool? Maybe we can learn from some of their strategies!

Here's a photo of a male white-tailed deer in Cedar Swamp, Manchester - he was very interested in our wildlife camera!

1. Hairless ears and heat dissipation
In summer, deer lose the thick winter coat and develop hairless ears. This allows heat to escape more easily from the blood vessels in the ears, speeding up cooling

2. Panting and gular fluttering
Like dogs, deer can pant to increase evaporation of moisture from their tongue and mouth, lowering body temperature. This is called thermal panting. Some deer also perform gular fluttering, rapidly vibrating their throat muscles to enhance evaporative cooling

3. Seeking shade and water
On the hottest days, deer often move to shaded areas or bed down in cool spots. They may also wade into ponds or streams to take advantage of cooler water temperatures

4. Nocturnal or crepuscular activity
To avoid peak heat, deer may shift activity to dawn and dusk or become more active at night, resting during the hottest part of the day

5. Breezes and microclimates
A breeze can help cool the body, and deer often position themselves where air movement is greatest. They may also use forest cover to create cooler microclimates

Address

P. O. Box 1486
Manchester-by-the-Sea, MA
01944

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