Sweet Auburn: The Magazine of the Friends of Mount Auburn Mount Auburn and The Civil War | Page 18

People and Happenings Mount Auburn Welcomes Three New Trustees Eliza Anderson, Laura Nash, and Jim Levitt (l to r) were appointed to Mount Auburn’s Board of Trustees at the Annual Meeting of Proprietors in October. Their collective expertise in conservation, education, and business leadership will greatly benefit the Cemetery for many years to come. Wildlife Action Plan In December 2013, the Anthony J. & Mildre d D. Ruggiero Memorial Trust awarded the Friends of Mount Auburn Cemetery a grant of $92,592 to develop a plan to continue restoration of, and additions to, wildlife habitat at our 175-acre site. In June 2014, Mount Auburn brought together a “dream team” of ten professionals—landscape architects, environmental engineers, hydrologists, ecologists, ornithologists, and herpetologists —for a three-day workshop. Each day included tours of different sites, group discussions, and one-on-one sessions. The range of discussion topics included the needs of specific types of wildlife for specific types of habitat (forest, shrub-land, meadow, etc.), the impact of climate change on bird migration and habitats, the management of water quality in the ponds, and the aesthetic challenge of successful placement of naturalistic landscapes amid more formally designed ones in an active cemetery. Following the June meeting, team members worked independently on planning and prioritizing the next stages of this long-term initiative. Christopher Greene and Craig Halvorson of the Halvorson Design Partnership, who served as facilitators of the meeting, are now compiling the final Wildlife Action Plan. Mr. Halvorson’s award-winning firm crafted Mount Auburn’s Master Plan, which led to Mount Auburn’s first efforts at habitat restoration. Staff and consultants evaluated past habitat improvement projects and discussed new opportunities to create and improve habitat for a greater diversity of wildlife. Photo by Brooks Mathewson FY2014 Annual Report is Now Available Online As an institution, Mount Auburn is committed to leaving a smaller carbon footprint. In an effort to reduce its paper usage, the Cemetery has published its most recent Annual Report in an electronic format. To read the report, please visit www. mountauburn.org/AnnualReport To request a printed copy of the report, please email [email protected] or call us at 617-607-1980. 16 | Sweet Auburn