Forest Restoration Lecture at MCLA's Green Living Seminar

03:41PM / Monday, February 10, 2025Print Story | Email Story

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Dr. Paula Prist, Senior Programme Coordinator of the Forest and Grasslands Unit at the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), will present on restoring forests to reduce the spread of disease on Feb. 12 as part of MCLA's Green Living Seminar Series.

Prist will talk about how forest restoration can be implemented in order to provide positive outcomes for human health.

According to a press release:

A biologist by training, Prist holds a master's, doctorate and post-doctorate in landscape ecology from the University of São Paulo, with a sandwich period at Columbia University and the University of Queensland. Her line of research focuses on trying to understand how to create healthy landscapes for people, with a focus on multifunctional landscapes that can mitigate climate change, provide ecosystem services and also provide positive health outcomes. Her long-term plan is to contribute to the development of high-quality research to understand how conservation can contribute to the maintenance of human health and how the management of tropical landscapes can be done to create landscapes with low risk of transmission of zoonotic diseases and high maintenance of human health.

Prist worked with EcoHealth Alliance for four years and was a Co-Lead Author of the next IPBES Nexus. Currently she leads the IUCN thematic group of human health (300 - 1000 members), is a member of the International Program Officer for the Future Earth One Health group and part of the STAR-IDAZ & GloPID-R - One Health Working Group.

Presentations occur every Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. in the Feigenbaum Center for Science and Innovation (FCSI) Room 121.

Prist's lecture will occur via zoom.

Each presentation is free and open to the public. Podcasts will be posted online following each presentation.

All lectures will be recorded and can be replayed on the MCLA ENVI Youtube Channel and broadcast on Northern Berkshire Community Television Channel (NBCTC) 1302 at the following times:

Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m.
Fridays at 4 p.m.
Saturdays at 3:30 p.m.
Sundays at 11:30 p.m.
Mondays at 5:30 p.m.

Tags: MCLA,

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North Adams Housing Authority Director Steps Down

Staff Reports09:16AM / Friday, October 09, 2026

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Jennifer Hohn, the longtime executive director of the North Adams Housing Authority (NAHA), has stepped down after 24 years with the agency.

The Berkshire Eagle reported that Hohn resigned from her position on Thursday. The NAHA Board of Commissioners is currently developing a transition plan.

Her resignation follows rising tension between Hohn and the tenants association. Residents—particularly at the Spring and Ashland Park apartments—have raised specific concerns regarding building security, drug activity, and trespassers.

This summer, Tenants Association President Corey Fortin posted a video on social media demonstrating that door alarms in some of the buildings were not functioning.

Shortly after the video was posted, the tenants association's office was locked. Members alleged Hohn locked the space in retaliation, while Hohn maintained it was a matter of tenant safety. Hohn also stated that NAHA does not officially recognize the association because it has yet to go through official channels for certification—a claim the tenants association disputes.

The dispute culminated in plans for a formal grievance hearing between Hohn and the association. Both sides agreed to hold a meeting on Oct. 3, but the hearing had not yet been scheduled at the time of her resignation.
During her tenure as director, Hohn oversaw significant changes at NAHA, including expansion and the dissolution of Housing Opportunities Incorporated, a program founded over 30 years ago to assist first-time homebuyers. Most recently, she led efforts to transition NAHA properties from traditional public housing models to the Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) program. She also directed the rebuilding of a Greylock Valley Apartments building after it was severely damaged by a fire.

The NAHA Board of Commissioners meets monthly, typically on Mondays.

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