Crow Patrol Podcast: Episode 9 - John Macone

EPISODE SUMMARY

In this episode, we explored John’s background as a local journalist, his work as a policy and education specialist for the Merrimack River Watershed Council, and his fascination with the Winter Crow Roost in Lawrence, MA.

EPISODE NOTES

In this fascinating conversation, John shares about his work as a journalist over the past 25 years, his love of rivers and coastal waterways, and his fascination with conservation and ecology issues. John fills in background about the mission and history of the Merrimack River Watershed Council, the growing number of communities served and membership outreach programs. John goes into detail about his initial reactions to the local Winter Crow roost, his role in organizing a number of recent Crow Patrol talks and walks, and the very enthusiastic reaction from members and friends

CONTRIBUTORS

John Macone, Policy & Education Specialist, Merrimack River Watershed Council

John Macone joined the MRWC in November 2017. He spent 25 years working as a journalist, most recently as editor of the Daily News of Newburyport. Having grown up along the Maine and Massachusetts coast, he’s long had a fascination with the ecology of local rivers and coastlines. In 2009 he won a national award from the Inland Press Association for an eight-part series on erosion issues facing Plum Island and Salisbury Beach. Prior to working at the Daily News, John was a reporter, and later city editor, at The Eagle-Tribune, where he covered the New Hampshire presidential primaries, the New Hampshire Statehouse, and the Massachusetts Statehouse. He has also worked as a park ranger for the National Park Service and the State of Maine and authored three books on greater Newburyport’s history. John holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in American history from Union College. He operates a small organic farm in Amesbury and enjoys boating and fishing along the Merrimack and the local coast.

Craig Gibson is a bird conservation photographer. His current focus is on expanding awareness about the Winter Crow Roost located in Lawrence, MA. Craig has well over 325 documented observation nights tracking and documenting this crow roost. He leads many group tours and has made numerous presentations and talks. Craig designed and launched a blog and this podcast about the Winter Crow Roost and continues to oversee all editorial content. He has also been the lead on initiating and coordinating a range of activities and events with local arts, education, and community groups as well as working with a growing number of conservation and environmental organizations. He wrote and published a comprehensive 14-page report to recap the 2018-2019 winter season, a comprehensive guide about roost photography at night and a new guide on methods for counting crows in a winter roost. His efforts have raised much greater awareness about the Winter Crow Roost in Lawrence, MA, and he has been a catalyst for a range of new community science initiatives.