2019 December Enews

In this issue:

Mahanna Cobble Celebration • A Land Trust’s Role in Expanding the Narrative in Mohican Homelands • Berkshire Regional Planning Commission’s Outdoor Recreation Survey • Sunset Stroll and Snowshoe Hikes • Give a 100% Berkshire Gift • Winter Tracking Time

Last week we held a celebration hike with BNRC volunteers to mark the end of the trail-building season and check out the new Mahanna Cobble Trail. While the trail is cut all the way, the official opening will be in spring of 2020 after signage has been installed.

A Land Trust’s Role in Expanding the Narrative
in Mohican Homelands

Almost 40% of land in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, part of the homelands of the Mohican Nation, is currently conserved. This land is under private and public ownership and hosts numerous recreational trails that are open and widely used by the public. Along trails you’ll likely see stone walls or a stone foundation—evidence of European settlers clearing the land for agriculture during the 18th and 19th centuries. That landscape history is widely discussed and well known. Yet the history and current engagements of Indigenous Peoples to this land are more hidden and less known.

Berkshire Natural Resources Council (BNRC) has been working to “protect and preserve that natural beauty and ecological integrity of the Berkshires for public benefit and enjoyment” for over 50 years and has protected over 22,000 acres of land throughout the county. With over 55 miles of trails open to the public, BNRC is interested in helping those of all ages establish a connection to the land. That connection can be deepened by storytelling. The past and present story of the Mohican Nation is one that BNRC is eager to share with all who engage with their homeland.

BNRC recognizes that we can play an active role in helping to expand the public’s awareness of the narrative of Indigenous Peoples.

Click here to keep reading.

Participate in Berkshire Regional Planning Commission’s Outdoor Recreation Survey

Your participation will help BRPC understand current trends and the potential for growth of outdoor recreation in our region.
 

Please invite others to take this survey as well! 

This survey will take about 15-20 minutes to complete and includes questions about your outdoor recreational preferences in Berkshire County and welcomes your input. With so many outdoor assets in Berkshire County, there’s a lot to cover! 

Click here to take the survey.

Photo by Gabrielle K. Murphy