Committee Reports

From planning and leading recreational activities to seasonal trail work – here's what our committees were up to last month.

20s/30s

Recent events include two XC skiing events at Notchview with the Worcester Chapter (02/22/2025 and 03/08/2025) and a hike at Mt Toby State Reservation (03/29/2025) ✧ The 20s/30s+ WhatsApp group now has over 70 members! ✧ Posted flyers on bulletin boards at local businesses throughout the valley and created an Instagram account

A.T. Management

There have been 2 wildlife transects since our last meeting: one on Race Mountain and the other in the Hop Brook area of Tyringham ✧ Seasonal project work has begun and includes bog bridge replacement and repair near the Shays' Rebellion monument in Sheffield, boundary maintenance around the Tyringham Cobble, brush clearing and blueberry bush trimming on Warner Hill in Hinsdale, and cleanup with chainsaws at 2 overnight sites after many hazardous trees were felled by professionals ✧ See the Outdoor Connector (OC) for details on upcoming A.T. projects and how to volunteer ✧ Volunteer recruitment needs include natural heritage monitors, trail maintainers, corridor monitors, and a shelter coordinator ✧ Next meeting: May 5, 2025

Communications

Our social media accounts continue to gain new followers. All Instagram data points showed improvement this month, while Facebook showed mixed results, despite an increase in the number of posts for the month. All of the data points for the emailed newsletter rose this month, including opening and link clicks ✧ Facebook: 27 posts (top post: Introducing Kim Carlino as a new MAL) ✧ Instagram: 19 posts (top post: Photos from the hike in Granby on March 5) ✧ Newsletters: 4086 messages sent ✧ Website: ongoing updates (activities, Western MA Exchange, conservation news, monthly maintenance)

Community Engagement

Working on an explanation of Affinity Trips and Allyship Guidelines ✧ Women+ Affinity Guided Wildflower Hike in the Southern Berkshires has been posted on OC ✧ The Interchapter Committee has been renamed the Community Engagement Committee and we are now meeting only bimonthly ✧ The Speaker Series has been renamed Community Voices Speaker Series ✧ We are hosting Karen Foster from AOA on May 1 2025 at 7:00 PM; she will speak on trip planning and preparation for folks with accessibility needs ✧ The Paddling Committee will have a transfer bench for use on the Trail Day paddle in the Berkshires. Interested volunteers can sign up to volunteer with AOA on Sign-Up-Genius ✧ Needed fixes on the All Persons Trail at Noble View have been reported to AMC ✧ Dawne attended an information session co-sponsored by Trails for All and AMC. The purpose of this session was to get the word out about "An Act Expanding Access To Trails For People Of All Abilities" (MA Bill S.548 H.915)

Family Programs

Nancy Condon, in collaboration with the Springfield Naturalist Club, designed a Vernal Pool Family Hike for Sunday April 6; outreach for this event has started ✧ The April StoryWalk^®, "Its Spring", will be installed on April 1, 2025 ✧ Dawne continues to take the lead in posting Family Programs into the OC; Laura starts OC training in April ✧ Reached out to a potential Family Programming committee member ✧ Contacted Hilltown Community Health Center to determine StoryWalk^® continuation at Noble View

Hiking

13 trip leaders were active this past quarter for 22 events

Membership

Obtaining AMC Western MA business cards and other literature ✧ Distributing AMC-branded cards to chapter chairs to share w/leaders ✧ Upcoming tabling event: National Trails Day at Diane's Twist on the Ashuwilticook Trail in Cheshire (06/07/2025, 10AM-2PM). Activities include a bike ride on the Ashuwilticook, a short hike on the A.T. near Cheshire, and paddling on Cheshire Lake. Refreshments will be provided. Giveaways: AMC cooling towels, new business cards, and pins ordered from the American Hiking Society ✧ Planning for promotional events continues

NET Management

The NET Mgmt Committee met on March 11 for 2025 Project Planning ✧ Connor Piechota - New England Trails Volunteer Program Supervisor was hired and will be assisting the NET Coordinator with the Holyoke Teen Crew and NET volunteer projects ✧ Adopters have already logged over 250 hours and removed 45 blowdowns ✧ The Adopter Spring Gathering was held on April 5 at the Notch Visitor Center at Mt Holyoke SP - over 20 adopters attended ✧ NET adopters will again assist on April 27 in conducting a trail clearing on Section 7 ( Mt Tom), in preparation for the Seven Sisters Trail Race scheduled for May 3

Paddling

The Paddling Committee last met on 03/19/2025; committee goals and plans for 2025 were discussed ✧ The Whitewater subcommittee will focus on our whitewater program, with Ann Gillard and another TBD volunteer organizing events ✧ Ann Gillard is working with Leigh Eubank of Hampshire College to arrange for whitewater kayaks and equipment to be borrowed for AMC trips ✧ Ann Gillard is developing whitewater leader training curriculum with input from others ✧ View upcoming trips on the OC