MCLA Green Living Seminar: Green Roofs and Urban Rewilding

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NORTH ADAMS, Mass. – Mark Winterer, co-founder and owner of Recover Green Roofs will give a presentation on Green Roofs: Rewilding Our Cities on April 9 as part of MCLA's Green Living Seminar Series and the MCLA Environmental Studies Department.  
 
According to a press release:
 
With experience in landscaping, operational logistics, and supply-chain management, Winterer has led the development of hundreds of green roofs nationwide. His presentation will showcase case studies from Recover's diverse portfolio, illustrating the real-world impact of green roofs on biodiversity, climate adaptation, and community well-being. Attendees will gain insights into how green roofs contribute to sustainable urban design and enhance ecological benefits in densely populated areas. 
 
Urban rewilding is at the heart of Recover Green Roofs' mission, bringing nature back into cities to create vibrant, sustainable environments. Winterer, an accredited Green Roof Professional and licensed general contractor, co-founded Recover Green Roofs in 2009 with the goal of designing, building, and maintaining green roofs that support urban resilience and environmental health. His work spans residential, commercial, and institutional projects across New England and beyond, transforming rooftops into lush gardens, farms, and functional green spaces. 
 
Presentations occur every Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. in the Feigenbaum Center for Science and Innovation (FCSI) Room 121. 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.   
Community members can find up-to-date information about the schedule at mcla.edu/greenliving

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Clarksburg Students Write in Support of Rural School Aid

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff

Mason Langenback calculated that Clarksburg would get almost $1 million if the $60 million was allocated equally.
CLARKSBURG, Mass. — Eighth-graders at Clarksburg School took a lesson in civic advocacy this week, researching school funding and writing letters to Beacon Hill that call for fully funding rural school aid. 
 
The students focused on the hardships for small rural schools and their importance to the community — that they struggle with limited funding and teacher shortages, but offer safe and supportive spaces for learning and are a hub for community connections.
 
"They all address the main issue, the funding for rural schools, and how there's a gap, and there's the $4 million gap this year, and then it's about the $40 million next year, and that rural schools need that equitable funding," said social studies teacher Mark Karhan.
 
A rural schools report in 2022 found smaller school districts cost from nearly 17 percent to 23 percent more to operate, and recommended "at least" $60 million be appropriated annually for rural school aid. 
 
Gov. Maura Healey has filed for more Chapter 70 school aid, but that often is little help to small rural schools with declining or static enrollment. For fiscal 2027, she's budgeted $20 million for rural schools, up from around $13 million this year but still far below the hoped for $60 million. 
 
Karhan said the class was broken into four groups and the students were provided a submission letter from Rural Schools Advocacy. The students used the first paragraph, which laid out the funding facts, and then did research and wrote their own letters. 
 
They will submit those with a school picture to the governor. 
 
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