It’s Spring! And as the Earth Awakens…It’s Spring! And as the Earth Awakens Charlotte is preparing to Celebrate Earth Month. April will be chock full of activities and events with something for everyone - contests, speakers, demonstrations, walks and more. All sponsored through the collaboration of Charlotte’s many civic organizations including: Charlotte Public Library, Charlotte Energy Committee, Lewis Creek Association, Sustainable Charlotte, Rutter Family Tree Fund, Pollinator Pathways, Charlotte Grange, Charlotte Land Trust, Charlotte Park and Wildlife Refuge and the Charlotte Conservation Commission

While fully recognizing all the negative trends and challenges –from climate change to pollinators disappearing to invasives moving in, we are taking a month to celebrate the beauty of Charlotte and all the positive local actions being taken. The kids will compete to draw pictures of their favorite trees, volunteers will plant trees and shrubs and wake up our pollinator gardens. There’s a Repair Café for mending and renewing our “stuff” and a demonstration of how to prune trees to promote their health and vitality.

If you want to go for a walk there will be a chance to climb Pease Mountain with our Trails Committee and the Chittenden County Forester or take a walk in the Park and Wildlife Refuge with VJ, the Burlington Arborist. A Beaver Walk is planned. There are also opportunities to hear experts speak about the health of our water, the birds of our region, and the plants in our gardens.

This will be a month of participation; folks can meet the committee members that volunteer in our town, have one on one conversations and give back, a little or a lot, to the places they love. Below is the schedule for the month.

April Calendar:
Tree Art Contest – Submissions Due Tuesday, April 1, 5 p.m. at the Charlotte Library Sponsored by the Grange

 Pease Mountain Update Wednesday, April 2, 7p.m. at the Charlotte Library Sponsored by the Trails Committee

 Earth Month – Formal Kick-Off Event Saturday, April 5 9 a.m. to Noon at the Charlotte Library. Events will include a Pruning Demonstration at 9 a.m., Exhibit tables, a Talk by Charlie Nardozzi,at 11 a.m. and more!

 Bird Diva Program Wednesday, April 9, 7 p.m. at the Charlotte Senior Center

Earth Based poetry with Jack Mayer April 10, 1 pm at the Charlotte Grange

Easter Island Bird Tour with Hank Kaestner April 10, 7 pm at the Charlotte Library

 Hank Kaestner Friday, April 11, 7 p.m. at the Charlotte Library

 Tree Art Award Presentation Saturday, April 12, 4 p.m. at the Charlotte Grange

 Water Matters! Presentation by the Lewis Creek Association Tuesday, April 14, 7 p.m. at the Charlotte Library

 Book Talk: "The Serviceberry" Wednesday, April 15, 7 p.m. at the Charlotte Library

 Charlotte Walks Friday, April 18, 8:30 a.m. at Williams Woods

 Beaver Talk & Walk Saturday, April 19, 1 p.m. at the Charlotte Library

 Dark Sky Vermont Monday, April 21, 7 p.m. at the Charlotte Library

 Pollinator Pathways Garden Clean-up Monday-Friday, April 21-25, Various gardens around town

 Film Showing: "Wrenched" Tuesday, April 22, 7 p.m.at the Charlotte Library

 Arbor Day Tree Planting Friday, April 25, 10 a.m. behind the Charlotte Town Hall

 Repair Café Saturday, April 26, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the UCC Church

 "Trees on Pease" Walk Saturday, April 26, 2 p.m. at Pease Mountain

 Tree Identification Walk at the Park & Wildlife Refuge Sunday, May 4, 9 a.m. meet at the P&W parking lot

 These events are happening all month long:

 Flower Seed Bombs Craft – at the Charlotte Library & CCS

 Tempistry Knitting Project - at the Charlotte Library