Landkeeper's Blog

Like so many in the Berkshires and beyond, we are grieving the passing of Don MacGillis, who died in a hiking accident on Mount Katahdin in Maine last week.  He was a highly respected journalist with the Berkshire Eagle and the Boston Globe, and was also a beloved part of BNRC for many decades, most recently as a member of the Board of Directors.  

Don surveying potential High Road routes. Photo by Karen Ross.

His contributions were many and legendary. Tad Ames, BNRC’s president from 2002-2017, shared that Don hired him to work at the Eagle and took him on his first Berkshires snowshoe trek, to the top of Perry’s Peak, long before it was conserved land. “We were probably trespassing,” Tad remembered, “part of a long lineage of noble trespassers.”   

In the last few years, Don wrote all the text for BNRC’s kiosks in graceful, concise prose that doesn’t call attention to itself. Fellow board member Kim Seward was on the kiosk committee and saw a number of completed kiosks for the first time this summer. “I wrote him recently to say how wonderful the kiosks are, and to thank him for the crisp, engaging writing. In typical humble fashion, he thanked me and said ‘I’m glad I was able to contribute.’” 

Karen Ross, another BNRC board member and longtime close friends of Don’s, writes that “It is a terrible loss for BNRC of a stellar mind, a loyal and dedicated supporter, and a kind and understanding voice. Don applied his best skills—and a big chunk of time—in planning for the High Road and then ground-proofing potential routes, in volunteering for trail work, and in keeping us all on our toes.  I will keep forever sharp memories of his bright smile, lively stories, and that long stride in the woods.”

Don was a great ambassador for BNRC – he brought friends to hike our trails countless times —a tireless volunteer, and a forceful advocate for protecting nature. In 2005 The Wilderness Society chose him to receive The Aldo Leopold Award to recognize that he was “a talented writer who knows how to marshal the facts in defense of America’s wilderness and wildlife.”   

Don with Kim Burbank

He was also a kind, soft-spoken, thoughtful friend. He made the Berkshires better. We will miss him. 

Our deepest condolences to his wife Ingrid, and children Alec and Lucy. We look forward to working with them to determine the most appropriate way to memorialize him on a BNRC trail or reserve.  

As George Wislocki, BNRC’s founder, put it, Don was the heart of BNRC.

Pictured left to right: Don MacGillis, Tad Ames, Sarah Hudson, and Ingrid MacGillis at BNRC’s 50 Anniversary Celebration

Tuesday hiking group photo.

Tuesday hiking group photo.

Tuesday hiking group photo.

Visitors can choose from a buffet of trail options

The Saddle Trail at Alford Springs Reserve is a new access route to the Father Loop from West Road. It begins by crossing a wet meadow and ascends the east slope of the Taconic Range on what might have been a driveway had BNRC’s supporters not conserved the property. From the would-be house site, there is a bench and a nice view of Tom Ball Mountain to the east. The one mile trail utilizes a small saddle in the topography, winding through hemlock forest and past old stone walls and paddocks.

Soon, the roadside sign will be installed, and the BNRC trails app updated to include the new route. To plan your visit, click here for detailed directions, maps, and more information.

September 4, 2020

Blog post by Jenny Hansell, Berkshire Natural Resources Council President

How do you know if you have a vernal pool, or just a puddle? My backyard, just under an acre in the hilltowns, has been flooded almost nonstop since we moved in last November, though the previous owner assures me that it will dry up by the end of May.  Observing the soggy mess, I wondered how I might tell the difference between an ordinary puddle and a real vernal pool? I often encounter areas of standing water on my various walks and hikes, so I set out to learn how to tell the difference so I’d know what to look for, both in my yard and out on the trail.

MassWildlife’s Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Program (NHESP) oversees the certification of vernal pools in Massachusetts, and their website is a wealth of information – it has maps, species lists, and explanations of the ecology of these important habitats.  I quickly learned that the key feature of vernal pools is that they are wet for long enough that amphibian species can reproduce and hatch out, but not long enough for fish to establish a population and eat the amphibians. Their ephemerality is exactly what makes them so valuable, especially to species that are threatened or of special concern, like the blue-spotted salamander .

The NHESP website outlines the process for identifying and certifying vernal pools – anyone can do it, though it is strongly recommended that you have permission from the landowner.

To be considered a real vernal pool, the area must meet a few criteria: it must have no obvious entrance and exit point for the water (so it’s just sitting there); and it must have the species that rely on vernal pools, such as certain frogs, salamanders and fairy shrimp – either the creature itself or its eggs can be evidence.

Once your pool is certified, certain protections kick in, under the Wetlands Protection Act. If you are thinking of certifying one on your property, make sure you are willing to abide by any resulting restrictions.

So far, my backyard wetland doesn’t show any signs of life, other than the cowbirds nesting in the brushpile.  But it’s early yet, and the nights haven’t warmed up past 40 degrees. I’ll be watching and waiting, just in case a wood frog or blue spotted salamander decides to take up residence in my neighborhood.

Blog post by Jenny Hansell, Berkshire Natural Resources Council President

A couple of weeks ago, as I was helping my kid pack up her Simon’s Rock dorm room, I heard the unmistakable peeent of a woodcock. Each time I came out to the car with another armload of laundry, books, or art supplies, I’d hear it somewhere nearby. It was dusk, the hour that these chubby little shorebirds start calling to their mates. You can only hear them for a few weeks in March and early April as they arrive back in the Northeast from their wintering grounds in the Carolinas and Texas.

I used to take Ella and her sister out on chilly spring evenings when they were little, to hear the woodcocks call and try to spot them as the male would rise into the air in a dizzy little dance, trying to impress the female hiding somewhere nearby.  This time, she was too focused on her sadness at leaving campus, and the likelihood that she’d never return to finish out her final year, to care about a little bird.

But I found it comforting that nature was carrying on in spite of the chaos in the human world, and stood for a few minutes by the car, trying to give Ella a few last minutes to say goodbye to her room, while I tried to spot the little creature. Sure enough, it was standing not ten feet from me, illuminated by a lamppost, zzzeeeping, quite unafraid.

Woodcock populations declined dramatically in the 1800s due to hunting, but rebounded in the last century.  Grey and brown all over, they are about the size of a robin but very round and chubby, with very long straight bills. They are found in forest edges, wet meadows and old fields throughout our region – as long as that habitat is protected, we will continue to enjoy the springtime display of the woodcocks.

This information is accurate as of October 5, 2020 and will be updated as new guidance comes out. 

General Trail Policies (Group Policy below)

BNRC has always trusted and relied on visitors to be responsible users of our reserves. With increased visitation and stress on trailheads, now more than ever, we ask that visitors please respect these requests — if we all work together, we can keep the trails open. 

• Berkshire Natural Resources Council’s trails and reserves are open. We recognize the importance of being outside for mental and physical well-being and our goal is to maintain this status for our community. 
• At trailheads you will find signage to encourage social distancing on trails. Our use policies during this time follow the guidelines of the CDC and State of Massachusetts. We suggest that hikers bring a mask, in case the conditions warrant using one.  
• Please be safe: maintain at least a 6-foot distance between yourself and others. Be prepared to step aside, and let people know you are near if they can’t see you. 
• Avoid parking on the road. If you arrive at a location and the parking lot is full, please come back another time. 
• Please leash your dog on BNRC trails, since our four-legged friends don’t seem to understand social distancing. 

Group Visits to BNRC Trails 

We recognize that hiking in a group can bridge a barrier for those venturing outdoors. Since the advent of Covid, Berkshire Natural Resources Council has seen significantly increased visitation and stress on trailheads. With the experience of all users in mind, we ask that those planning to lead group hikes on BNRC Trails please respect these requests: 

• Limit group participation to 12 (Per Phase III, Step 1 Guidelines: July 3, 2020) 
• Masks are required if social distancing is not possible. Group leaders are responsible for ensuring that hike participants put their masks on and step aside when encountering other people on the trail. 
• Carpool (wear a mask while doing so) and/or shuttle participants so your group takes up no more than one quarter of all parking spaces 
• Let us know at least one week in advance of your hike date and time so we can keep track of group activity on trails and prevent overlap (email Mariah at mauman@bnrc.org).  
• Get in touch (email mauman@bnrc.org) if you are regularly leading hikes on BNRC properties.