June News and Views
The spring of 2020 has been a lesson in adaptation. As our nation shut down due to COVID19, we saw individuals, businesses, schools, municipalities, and service organizations develop safe systems to continue moving forward with grit, grace, and determination. Franklin Land Trust is no different. We too have continued to move forward throughout these challenging times, creatively and persistently finding ways ... Read More
FLT Covid-19 Safety Policy
Franklin Land Trust Safety Policy The staff of the Franklin Land Trust are continuing to meet with landowners about new conservation projects and have already begun the annual work of land stewardship monitoring that are attendant to our mission. This year, in the interest of the health and well-being of all concerned, we are taking the steps that are consistent with the Governor's public health guidelines. We hope that our friends in the community understand the rationale behind our efforts to stay healthy, productive, and comfortable in our work. ... Read More
The Whole Landscape Catalog
We find ourselves improbably, impossibly cooped up in our homes for an undetermined amount of time: grateful, stunned, apprehensive, uncertain, counting jars of applesauce. How did this happen? In some ways it is terrifying, in some ways, comforting; if we stay off the retail internet long enough, maybe the whole thing could even be therapeutic, in a bizarre kind of a way. Here we are: ships in a bottle, occupants of our own terrariums, enrolled in encounter groups with our spouses. Has anything like this ever happened before? ... Read More
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