The Western MA Exchange

From club-wide strategizing and event planning to trip leadership, outdoor training, and DEI efforts – here's what our committees were up to last month.

A.T. Management

Most recent meeting: 04-Nov-2024 ✧ Committee members met with NPS-APPA wetlands and floodplain specialists regarding the Hop Brook Tyringham Project. Volunteers cleared a rough path for the trail relocation part of this project ✧ Wildlife transects are on going ✧ Corridor monitoring and maintenance are done for the season ✧ Three committee leaders inspected the roughly 2.5 miles of trail affected by the Butternut Fire. As I write this, DCR has yet to reopen the trail in the fire area ✧ A trail corridor encroachment south of Dalton involving ATV usage and an illicit campsite was discovered. The NPS ranger was notified through ATC ✧ As part of our 3-year plan for the Mohhekennek Fund we are securing quotes for repairs to Upper Goose Pond Cabin ✧ Our committee is exploring the possibility of renovating the Stillwell Property into a year-round facility for hikers and education ✧ Our annual Volunteer Gathering will be held Saturday 08-Feb-2025, 9:00 AM at the Cheshire Town Hall in Cheshire, MA ✧ Volunteer recruitment needs include natural heritage monitors, trail maintainers, corridor monitors, shelter coordinator, and a communications coordinator ✧ Next meeting: 06-Jan-2025

Communications

All data points on the Chapter's social media accounts increased significantly in November. The Indigenous Voices on the New England Trail post went viral with over 22,000 views. Newsletter data also showed increases in every category except clicks, which is likely due to fewer links in the message. ✧ Facebook: 22 posts (top post: Indigenous voices on the New England Trail) ✧ Instagram: 19 posts (top post: Report on the Great Barrington fire) ✧ Newsletters: 4254 messages sent ✧ Website: Ongoing updates (activities, WM Exchange, conservation news, monthly maintenance)

DEI

Volunteered as part of the Western MA AMC paddling committee with All Out Adventures at Benedict Pond for kayaking on the pond in October ✧ Hosted Speaker Marian May Perez for their October Speaker Series presentation "Normalizing Diversity in the Outdoors with Marian May Perez" ✧ Coordinated with the AMC Western MA Paddling committee to purchase a kayak chariot to house at and share with AOA. This along with the transfer bench purchased in the spring will allow us to accommodate for various mobility needs on the water next season ✧ Participated with Laura Stinnette at the Richardson Zlogar Cabin on the NET in celebration of Native American Heritage Month and Veteran's Day, organized by Miriam Maistelman and Jay Levy ✧ Participated with the MA Office of Outdoor Recreation to form a Trail Access Working Group to identify barriers to access to the outdoors for those with disabilities and seniors and to make recommendations for state, local, and private programs, policies, and investments focused on adaptive trail design and outdoor recreation. We joined with accessible trail advocates (with leadership of Meg Bandarra, founder of (Unpaved Trails for All), state officials including Senator Jo Comerford, AMC's Western MA chapter, New England Mountain Bike Association, trail users and outdoor enthusiasts at the new All Person's Trail at Noble View in Russell to announce and celebrate the formation of the working group and our collective commitment to growing access to the outdoors for all ✧ Provided 4 points of feedback to AMC Trails staff on improvements to increase accessibility for all at Noble View ✧ Implementation of the DEI Roadmap facilitated by DEI Outdoors continues

Paddling

Most recent meeting: 25-Sep-2024 ✧ Kayak Chariot purchased through Creating Ability has been received. It will be shared between our Paddling Committee and All Out Adventures and will be stored at All Out Adventures in Northampton ✧ Planning for 2025 whitewater and flatwater programs is underway

"Thanks to the Animals" tells the story of little Zoo Sap who fell off the family's sled on their annual trek from the coast to their winter home in the deep woods. Zoo Sap's cries attract some animals that come to protect him until his father comes back for him. Bring the family up to Noble View and walk the new All Person's Trail as you read this lovely story. If there's snow on the ground, you can also do some tubing on the hill nearby.

According to the BEA's Outdoor Recreation Satellite Account, the sector generated $13.2 billion in value added to the state's economy in 2023 and created 103,600 jobs. Massachusetts has distinguished itself as a leader in outdoor recreation, achieving a growth rate of 13.3 percent from 2022 to 2023, the highest among all U.S. states. This growth marks a 73 percent increase since 2012. Another reason to be proud of our great state and the work we do here in the Western Massachusetts Chapter! MASS.GOV »

AMC »

Elevated around 1,100 feet above the Connecticut Valley, the Noble View Outdoor Center provides spectacular views of the countryside and the cities of Westfield and Springfield. After enjoying the view from the iconic front porch, explore 360 acres of woodlands, trails, and abandoned farm fields. Perfect for hiking, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing, and even a great hill for sledding! Overnight guests stay in fully updated cottages with electricity and heated with a cozy wood stove. The cottages share a central campfire ring, firewood included! Central parking is a short walk from the cottages, and campsites are accessible by gravel paths. Cottages and campsites are dog-friendly, but require a pet fee to be paid at the time of booking. So gather your friends and family at Noble View for an idyllic winter experience! MORE PHOTOS »

With limited time and many issues needing attention, we need your help to ensure the EXPLORE Act makes it across the finish line. The EXPLORE Act has strong bipartisan support in the House and Senate and is ready to be passed. The bill includes several AMC priorities, including the Outdoors for All Act, which will reduce barriers for disadvantaged communities to access Land and Water Conservation Fund dollars for parks and outdoor access. Other priorities in the outdoor recreation package include support for sustainable long-distance biking trails, improving the federal recreational permitting system, and protections for wilderness climbing. The EXPLORE Act will boost the recreation economy and make it easier for people with disabilities to get outside. Send a message to your members of Congress. Thank you for speaking up to support outdoor recreation opportunities for all!

Levy's site survey of the NET takes many forms. He'll spend time in archives and libraries, examining primary documents. But a big part of the job is hiking the trail with Tribal elders from the Ojibwe, Pequot, Wampanoag, and Schaghticoke. Indigenous culture in the area is largely based in an oral tradition, so the direct involvement of leaders who know their Tribes' stories and pass them on is essential. LEARN MORE »

WESTERN MA ACTIVITIES »

AMC EVENTS »

MORE PHOTOS »

The Chapter's AT Management Committee's Volunteer Coordinator, Cosmo Catalano, and the AT Management Chair, Russ Skelton, went to check on the Tom Leonard Shelter recently. Here is Cosmo's report. "It was a November day like we used to have: cold, windy, damp and cloudy. Russ and I made a minor repair to the Tom Leonard bear box, reviewed potential hazard trees at the site, then headed trail south to the fire area. We arrived at the edge of the burn and a fire line about a mile south of the shelter (42.16509, -73.31708). Since the local Incident Commander (IC) has asked people to stay away, we did not enter the burn area. As you can see from the photo, at least at this location, the fire only involved the ground cover; trees and larger shrubs are generally unaffected. We even noted some young beech tree's dead leaves were not even scorched, even though they were a foot above the ground. You may be able to see a white blaze on the small tree in the center of the photo. This location likely does not represent all conditions elsewhere in the fire area or the Trail. Media video shot from the other side of the mountain clearly shows whole trees involved. We did see a couple of spots at the edge of the burn today where larger, previously downed trunks/branches were still smoldering. There are also likely still places where the fire is underground in roots and deeper duff, this can flare up unexpectedly and restart a small blaze. The fire department has asked that people still avoid the area, and residents on Home Rd are reportedly not happy to see folks driving by to 'take a look'. From the fire maps we've received from APPA, the fire area is quite close to Brush Hill Rd/Home Rd, and it looks like most of the Trail to the overlook areas above the road was involved. This might improve some of the limited views for a few seasons, and we should see a nice crop of blueberries this summer. The NPS-dispatched engine crew from Delaware Water Gap has reported they have cleared the Trail of fallen trees and it appears to be in good shape. Since we have no pressing need to get the Trail open for large numbers of hikers, let's wait until we get clearance to enter the burn area, rather than jumping in to see what needs fixing (if anything)."

Downed trees were cut, hauled out of the woods, split and stacked for use in the cottages' wood stoves and the tent site fire pit. The crew enjoyed a lunch of corn bread and Three Sister Soup, a traditional Native American soup featuring corn, beans and squash, made by Laura. Many thanks to Laura, Kathy, Susan, Heidi, Jeannette, Dave and Peter for all your hard work! MORE PHOTOS »

AMC CONSERVATION »

The National Park Service and Mass DCR have closed the A.T. between Lake Buel Rd (on the trail-north side), to Boardman St (on the trail-south side). NPS has also sent a fire crew from Delaware Water Gap to assist in the effort. Crews are concentrating on protecting houses in the area and trying to establish a strong containment line. Neither the Trail or the shelter area are a priority over people's houses. The Incident Commander has asked for folks to stay away from the area and not try to assist with firefighting. Rain (and perhaps even snow at elevation) for the next few days is expected to help slow the fire and assist with containment. Updates will be provided when available. This photo was taken yesterday in Great Barrington during the Tuesday Hiking Group's hike on the A.T. near Benedict Pond.

Message from the New Chapter Chair

I am very excited to be starting my two year term as the new Western Massachusetts Chapter Chair! I'd like to tell you a little about myself: I grew up in a small town in the south, population 75, and went to a small school (only two of us in the first grade). In the late 80s, my husband and I, with our two children, moved to western Massachusetts. I spent most of my career working as the Town Administrator in Granville. I started getting involved with the AMC in 2015 after I retired. It started by joining some short hikes wearing hand-me-down clothes and my son's old school backpack until I felt this hiking thing was for me. Eventually, I took small steps to leadership in the chapter. I became a hike leader first, then became the Hiking Committee Chair, and took on the Chapter Vice-Chair role last year. I was voted in as the Chair of the Western MA Chapter during the Annual Business Meeting and Celebration in October (continue reading for more on that event). I am grateful and honored to be elected chair of AMC's smallest chapter. I look forward to continuing to build on our small but mighty foundation, proving that even the smallest chapters can achieve great things together. Continue reading to learn about our Appie of the Year recipient, our Most Valuable Committee Members and a fun holiday event to get us in the holiday spirit. Kathy Martin, Western MA Chapter Chair

Bill Fogel Named Appie of the Year

Bill Fogel received the Appie of the Year award at the Chapter's Annual Meeting and Celebration on October 25th. The Appie of the Year award recognizes outstanding sustained commitment in service and leadership in the Western MA Chapter. Bill has devoted many years of leadership and dedication to the AMC. He has been a qualified leader for Mountaineering, Hiking, and Training and Education and has been chair of the Mountaineering and Training and Education Committees, as well as chair of the Inter-chapter Climbing Committee. As the Training and Education Chair, he played a role in helping the larger AMC with the DEI portion of the training program for new and existing leaders. He has been a huge proponent for DEI initiatives within our chapter and has been someone that AMC staff have turned to for guidance around how to better engage other volunteers in these initiatives. Congratulations Bill, on this well-deserved recognition! We are grateful for your service to the AMC!

Annual Meeting and Celebration

The Chapter held its first in-person Annual Business Meeting and Volunteer Celebration since before the pandemic at the Summit View Banquet and Meeting House on October 25th. During the business meeting portion of the evening, new officers and committee chairs were voted in. Kathy Martin is replacing Diane Jones as the Chair, Kayla Crowe is the new Training and Education Chair replacing Bill Fogel, and Russ Skelton is replacing Josh Weeks as the AT Management Committee Chair. View the entire Executive Committee on their committee page. The Most Valuable Committee Member awards were also announced at the celebration to recognize a volunteer from each committee who stood out throughout the year as an exceptional volunteer. The awards were given to: Jeff Pratt (NET Management), Chris Neil (Mountaineering), David Conley (Hiking), Kayla Crowe (Family Programs), Steve Maislin (Bicycling), David Coderre (AT Management), Bonna Wieler (DEI), and Jack Gill (Paddling). We are extremely grateful for the award recipients, as well as for all of our incredible volunteers!

Holiday Decorations Workshop at Noble View

Come get in the holiday spirit with us during our third annual Natural Holiday Decorations Workshop at the Noble View Outdoor Center in Russell, MA on Sunday, December 8, 2024 from 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM. We'll start with a short meander in the woods to find greens for swags and other holiday decorations. New this year, we'll be trying our hands at creating snowmen and snowwomen out of varied size wood slices. Your workshop guides, Nan and Laura will have extra greens, wood and pinecones, but would appreciate any donation of ribbon and decoration materials. Warm cider and music, as well as a campfire if it's chilly, will be included in this event designed to de-stress this holiday season. Register today!

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