Conserving land is part of the climate change solution!
Rowan Baker and Daniela Steiner love their 40-acre forest land on March Road in Ashfield. They inherited this land from Rowan’s mother, and wanted to ensure that the streams, wetlands and small pond would be protected forever. They worked with FLT to conserve this beautiful forest land and were also able to save a house lot within the parcel to accommodate their future dreams. The property abuts another large parcel of land conserved by FLT, creating a large corridor of protected land that will benefit wildlife that need space to survive... Read More
Keeping Forests as Forests - Forever
Richard French and Emily Samuels donated a conservation restriction (CR) on a 58-acre wood lot overlooking Barton’s Cove along the Mohawk Trail Scenic Byway or Route 2 as it is more commonly known. Dick French has owned and managed the lot for timber since purchasing it in 2011 and wished to conserve the land so it will always be available for long term forestry growth as well as supporting the diverse wildlife including songbirds that frequent the deep forest and shrubby habitat on the land. The tall white pines and hardwoods... Read More
Spring Newsletter
Take a look at our Spring 2020 Newsletter for information about Farming, Local Wood, Wildlife, safe local Hikes and more! Newsletter Spring 2020 Read More
Top 10 Favorite Local Hikes
As we adjust to a new normal, many people are turning to nature for exercise, inspiration, and peace. But it can be hard to know where to go locally and how to get there. To make it easier to find places to go, Franklin Land Trust would like to share our favorite local hiking trails with you and your family. Click the links for maps, directions, and more information. Happy Trails! Read More
A Letter from the Executive Director - Coronavirus Update
We are all doing our best, in these challenging days, to maintain our health, our equilibrium, and our productivity. After consultation with our board and with colleagues throughout the non-profit field, we have decided to postpone scheduled gatherings for the month of March and have asked that our staff prepare to work in their home offices for the remainder of the month. Our staff can still be reached by calling the office (413-625-9151) and dialing their extensions or contacting them via email. We will continue to keep our conservation projects for the year moving... Read More
Year in Review
You made a difference in 2019! You helped to permanently protect important land that provides critical habitat for wildlife, clean air to breathe, and clean water for you and your family. Because of you, FLT has conserved a total of 32,925 acres of forests, farms and waterways over the last 33 years, creating resilient lands that are part of the climate change solution. We deeply value your commitment to protecting the land you love. Thank you! To find out more about the work that you helped us achieve, visit our Annual... Read More
Voluntary Public Access
Do you allow public access on your land? If not, would you consider it? Franklin Land Trust’s Voluntary Public Access Program has money to purchase easements that allow public access on your land. You can choose between temporary (10 years) or permanent public access easements on all or part of your land. Payment rates are based on how much land you enroll and the activities you choose to allow. ... Read More
Pumpkin Hollow Protected!
This spring the Franklin Land Trust accepted two conservation restrictions from Bill Sheehan and Katherine Robertson of Conway that protect the two small fields in Conway’s historic Pumpkin Hollow. More recently known as the epicenter of the February 2017 tornado touchdown, Pumpkin Hollow was historically the center of town with a church, school, store, inn, harness shop, and wagon shop. Once the land was conserved the two parcels were sold to the respective neighbors to continue to be used for agriculture, gardening, wildlife habitat, ... Read More