The Dedham Conservation Commission Presents:

Saturday July 19th

9:00 a.m. -  3:00 p.m.

The Dolan Center (269 Common Street, Dedham, MA)

The Dedham Conservation Commission is thrilled to announce the 2nd Annual Biodiversity Day! The event will be held at 269 Common Street from 9 am to 3 pm.  Please visit the iNaturalist Project for more information on the Biobiltz. 

All-Day Activities: Bioblitz, Nature-Inspired Art Exhibition, Summer Scavenger Hunt, Face painting, Partner Organization Tables

Scheduled Activities:

9:00 AM—2:30 PM: Snakes of New England and the World with Cape Ann Vernal Pond Team
Rick Roth is the Executive Director of the Cape Ann Vernal Pond Team, a non-profit that is dedicated to certifying vernal pools and educating organizations and private landowners on vernal pool protection and conservation. Rick is a herpetologist and will be presenting various types of snakes that can be found in New England and beyond.

9:00 AM—10:00 AM: Birding with Nature Man Mike
Michael Bryant, aka Nature Man Mike, is a professional photographer, nature lover, and host of bird walks & workshops with over 20 year of experience as a nature photographer. Join him on a walk through the Dolan Center trails to learn about birds that inhabit the surrounding forests & wetlands of the Charles River.

10:00 AM—11:00 AM: Fabulous Fungi with Dedhamite Naturalist Jef Taylor
Join Jef Taylor on a brief but fascinating walk to learn all about mushrooms and fungi! Jef is a Dedham-based naturalist who leads Boston Urban Wilds walks & mushroom walks for Mass Audubon. He also maintains the Franklin Park Biodiversity Project, where he works providing ecologically responsible pest management solutions.

11:00 AM to 1 PM: Guided Kayak Adventure with LL Bean
Want to experience the beautiful wildlife and scenery of the Charles River? Sign up for a free guided paddle with the expert guides from LL Bean. Ages 12 and up. As a bonus, Mike Bryant will join the tour to provide expert guidance on birds of the Charles River. Please note - there is no option to sign up ahead of time. Sign ups will start at 9:00 a.m. the day of the event and participants will need to fill out an LL Bean Participant Waiver form. Space will be limited to 13 participants, so sign up early in the day to reserve your spot!

1:00 PM to 2:00 PM: See what the buzz is all about! Beekeeping with Erik DeAvila
Join Dedham Conservation Commissioner Erik DeAvila for a buzz-worthy presentation about beekeeping!

 RAIN DATE: SUNDAY JULY 20th 9 AM to 3 PM

Please reach out to Meredith LaBelle at mlabelle@dedham-ma.gov with any questions or if you want to be involved in the event.

If you are interested in volunteering for the event, please sign up on the Signup Genius Biodiversity page!

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Biodiversity Day 2025 FAQs:

Where will the activities be located at the Dolan Center?

Please see event layout map below:

What time should I arrive to the event?

This event has been designed so that there are both timed events as well as all-day activities, so anytime you arrive during the day there will be something fun to do! All-day events include snake encounters with Cape Ann Vernal Ponds, arts and crafts, the BioBlitz, face painting, and nature scavenger hunt. If you would like to participant in one of the timed nature walks, please arrive a few minutes early to meet up with the group at the trailhead. Volunteers can help you find the group on the trail if you arrive after the departure time. If you would like to participate in the kayaking, please arrive early to sign up since space is limited, and make sure you are ready to go about 20 minutes before the start time. 

Can I park a car at the event?

Yes, you will be able to park your car at the event. When you arrive at the Dolan Center, volunteers will direct you to park your car in the upper parking lot or in the overflow parking area in the back fields. If you need accessible parking, there will be spots available closer to the boat launch available. 

Are there bathroom facilities at the Dolan Center?

The Dolan Center will be closed the day of the event, therefore there will be no indoor events - please keep this in mind especially if it is a hot day! There will be no access to the indoor bathroom, however there will be porta potties available all day. 

How old do I need to be to participate in the LL Bean Kayak adventure?

You must be 8 years or older to participate in the kayak adventure. If you are under 14 years of age,  you must be accompanied by a guardian. If you are under 18 years of age, you will need a parent or guardian to sign off on your waiver form. If you would like to fill out the waiver for minors form ahead of time, please follow this link.

Can I still participate in the LL Bean Kayak adventure even if I've never paddled a kayak or canoe before?

Yes!! We had a few people at our event last year who kayaked for the very first time. The amazing guides at LL Bean will be able to instruct you and help you get the hang of paddling if it's your first time. 

Will there be food at the event?

There will not be any food vendors at the event, so if you plan on staying a while please bring your own picnic lunch! There are many spots around the Dolan Center to have a nice picnic. There will be drinking water all day courtesy of the MWRA Quench Buggy.

If I'm afraid of snakes, is this event for me?

The Cape Ann Vernal Pond Team will be bringing snakes of New England and the World to teach us about these amazing creatures! We understand that some people may be afraid of snakes. There will be plenty of signage at the event to delineate the snake display area from the rest of the activities, so it will be possible to enjoy other activities even if you are afraid of snakes. 

Can I sign up for the Bioblitz ahead of time?

Yes! We will be using iNaturalist to document all the species we observe on July 19th. We are aiming to collect 200 species observations this year! To join the iNaturalist project, simply make an account and click "join" on the Dedham Biodiversity Day 2025 Project Page. Any species you document on that day will automatically be added to this project! 

What should I bring with me to the event?

You can just bring yourself! But here are some optional things that may be useful to have during the event: sunscreen, bug spray, snacks, a notebook, binoculars (we have extras too!), a digital camera or smartphone camera, and a water bottle for refilling. 

Will the event be cancelled if it's raining?

If there are heavy rains, we will move the event to our rain date of July 20th. If it is lightly raining/misting for some of the day, the event will still go on - just bring proper raingear! Check the town's social media and town calendar for weather updates. 

I want to volunteer! Where do I sign up?

You can sign up to volunteer for the event on our Sign Up Genius website. Please reach out to Meredith LaBelle at mlabelle@dedham-ma.gov if you have questions about signing up to volunteer. We will be able to sign off on volunteer hour recording sheets.