Green Events

Join the 2025 BioBlitz

Please join the Nature of Acton and Boxborough 2025 Bioblitz this April 18 - May 5! This is a fun activity for your family and to celebrate Earth Week.

The 2025 BioBlitz, Nature of Acton and Boxborough, is a biodiversity challenge. A BioBlitz is a race against time to create a snapshot of the variety of life found in a specific location. Wildlife experts and citizen scientists, find and identify as many species of plants, animals and fungi as possible in the area within a set amount of time.

We invite you to document and celebrate biodiversity in Acton and Boxborough. Last year 26 participants made almost 1000 observations and identified over 500 species in the Acton and Boxborough area.

Follow these steps to join:

1. Create an account on the iNaturalist website using your phone or computer.

2. Join our Project with this link or search for Nature of Acton and Boxborough April 2025. (Please make sure you are joining the 2025 project, not the 2024 project!)

3. Snap away at any plant, animal or fungus you see and get it on our list.

Can we break 500 species this year? Who can ID the most? Taking observations of wildlife helps advance science too! According to National Geographic, “High quality data uploaded to iNaturalist become part of the Global Biodiversity Information Facility, an open source database used by scientists and policy makers around the world.”

Note: We are opening the window on April 18 to commemorate the 250th anniversary of Samuel Prescott’s ride (and Paul Revere’s Ride) to Acton. But the Boston Area City Nature Challenge will only count observations from April 25 to 28, so it’s important to make observations during that time period as well. For more information about the Boston Area CNC, visit: https://www.bostoncnc.org/.

The Acton-Boxborough area includes more than 2,000 acres of conservation land and over 3,000 acres of private property. From cattail marshes and ponds to fields and forests, these habitats are home to snapping turtles, frogs, insects, birds and mammals. How many species can we find?

Taking observations of wildlife helps advance science. According to National Geographic, “High quality data uploaded to iNaturalist becomes part of the Global Biodiversity Information Facility, an open source database used by scientists and policy makers around the world.”

This event continues our observations from the Acton-Boxborough BioBlitz as part of the City Nature Challenge Boston area in 2021. The 2025 BioBlitz is a collaboration of the AB STEAM, Energize Acton, Acton Conservation Trust, Green Acton, Acton Men’s Outdoor Club and the Boxborough Conservation Trust.

Need a head start? Check out the AB STEAM Nature Guide for native plants, animals, insects and invasives.

Acton Nature Guides are available for $10 from these local business partners:

Kitchen Outfitters in Acton Woods Plaza https://www.kitchen-outfitters.com
Silver Unicorn Bookstore in West Acton https://www.silverunicornbooks.com
Pedal Power Bike & Ski on Rt 2A, Acton https://www.pedpow.com

Get Water Wise

Print out our Newest Water Wise placemat with Facts + Fun including a Water Puzzle, Water Facts Matching Game, Conservation Tips, an Acton Brook Word Search and a "Test Your Map Skills" game.

Induction Cooking Demo

Try It Out!

Learn about the Science of Induction Cooking
Watch the AB STEAM Science of Induction Cooking Video on Acton TV
Reserve your portable induction cooktop kit (see below) from the "Library of Things" at the Acton Memorial Library or the Boxborough Sargent Memorial Library.

From either library, you can borrow a Zavor Induction Pro Cooktop kit. It contains a carrying case, portable Copper Chef induction cook plate, Cuisinart stainless steel 10" skillet, owner's manual, fact sheet, AB STEAM "Science of Induction Cooking" info, Fire Safety + Induction Cooking tips, and Mothers Out Front test magnet.

Science of Induction Cooking

Thanks to our Green Event Supporters

Spring 2022

Hello AB PIP STEM Green Event Supporters!

The organizers of the AB PIP STEM Spring Green Energy Meetup + Induction Cooking Demo thank you for your contributions and all you did to make the community-building event such a success!

It was fun to see the students and Acton Boxborough community enjoying induction cooktop chocolate fondue samples and talking to electric vehicle owners! We shared so much information about green energy including the ‘Science of Induction Cooking’ and the safety of Electric Vehicles (EVs). Over a dozen EV owners came or rode green to the event in their Teslas, Bolts, Mustang Mach-Es, Toyota Priuses, Rav-4 Plug-in Hybrids + E-bikes!

Special thanks to AB PIP STEM partners + supporters including:

EnergizeActon.org and the Town of Acton Sustainability Department for inspiring local green actions + hosting the EV meetup to ‘Drive & Ride’ Green.
Mothers Out Front Acton for leading the induction cooktop demo (with dark chocolate fondue) + the Science of Induction Cooking video with AB Resource member Sneha on Acton TV.
The Town of Acton Recreation Department for the use of the NARA Park Outdoor Picnic Pavilion + the Acton Board of Health for the food sample permit.
The Acton Police Department + Detective Luke Penney for helping with EV meetup logistics + showing the Town of Acton’s Electric Motorcycle (generously donated to the town by local Acton business Bursaw Oil).
Acton Pedal Power owners, Joyce & John, for bringing + showcasing an E-bike.

Thanks to these generous business hospitality + event donors:

Trader Joe’s of Acton for donation of induction cooking demo chocolate fondue items + refreshments.
Eve & Murray’s, Farm to Home, in Acton for the basket of artisan snacks.
Acton Coffee House for organic fair-trade coffee refreshments.
Blackbird Café in Acton for the refreshing berry iced tea.
Kitchen Outfitters of Acton for special pricing on induction cooktop + magnet test for demo pans + donation.

Gratitude to our communication + media partners including: EnergizeActon.org, acanthi.com, Market Dynamics, Acton TV + the Acton UPS Store.

In addition to raising the visibility of green energy, this outdoor event took the place of our annual AB FUNdraiser, and we raised nearly $500 in donations toward portable induction cooktop kits for the Acton Memorial Library + the Boxborough Sargent Memorial Library of Things, Energize Acton outreach + sustainability resources, and local food pantry items and dollars.

Thanks,

Karen Pierce, Dawn Peterson + Karen Herther for Green Energy + Induction Cooking Event Organizers

Mothers Out Front Acton

community.massenergize.org/ActonMA

Sponsors: Special thanks to Mothers Out Front Acton + Willa at Kitchen Outfitter's of Acton for partnering with AB STEAM on the AB induction cook plate, bag and contents. Thank you to AB PIP STEM (Science Technology Engineering & Math), AB schools, local community, and business partners including Trader Joe’s of Acton, Kitchen Outfitters of Acton, UPS Store of Acton, Acton Coffee House, Eve & Murray’s and Blackbird Café in Acton for event and hospitality donations.

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