http://solutionsmagazine.co.cc/724qeg

Hi,

Claudia Hurley from Westfield, MA attended a meeting with Commissioner Lambert
regarding the Lanscape Designations and she published the following notes from
that meeting.

If you're interested, please read.  Pittsfield City Council and Senator Ben
Downing submitted input requesting the PSF be Parklands instead of Woodlands! 
Two thumbs up for them!

Brad

Summary/Observations of Public Input

Submitted to DCR on the Landscape Designation Process, available on the DCR
website at this link:

http://www.mass.gov/dcr/ld/Spring%20Landscape%20Designation%20Comments-%20final%\
20version.pdf

There are 601 pages of comments, over 420 individual comments and an additional
list of names of people who signed postcards specifically requesting protections
of the Buckley Dunton Lake area of October Mountain.

There are a sizable number of comments that appear to be using a form letter to
request no commercial logging on any state public forests, parks, watersheds or
wildlife areas.  Although DCR submitted a draft that proposes parklands,
reserves and woodlands, many of the people who signed the form letter had
requested previously that there be no commercial timber extraction and were
repeating this request in spite of the compromises of the Forest Futures
Visioning Process.  The dominant theme behind this request is that publicly held
"protected" lands are only 4% of the total Massachusetts land area, only 6% of
its 3,100,000 acres of forests. None should  be used for the economic interest
of private industry.

It is noticeable that certain DCR draft designations are opposed by significant
numbers of people in close proximity to those properties.  A partial list of
those "controversial " designations follows:

Opposition to the Woodland Designation for:

Portions of October Mountain that include Buckley Dunton Lake, Finerty Pond, the
Appalachian Trail and the headwaters of three major rivers.   Comments stressed
the tourism and passive recreational uses of the area were incompatible with the
woodland designation.

Georgetown Rowley State Forest, Bald Pate Pond State Park, Cleaveland State
Forest, Harold Parker State Forest.   All are in the Northeast region in a
densely populated area where citizens, including local and state politicians
have all requested  a more appropriate parkland designation.

Pittsfield State Forest where the City Council, Senator Downing and many
recreational users of the property request the parkland designation, citing all
the parkland criteria, the location in the heart of the Berkshires, near the
largest city in the Berkshires.  The woodland designation is incompatible with
current uses and the property is a key tourist attraction in the area..

Mount Watatic Reservation where comments point out that this 277 acre property
is owned by six different entities, that DCR did not have the "right" to
designate it a woodland, that the woodland category violates the
"understandings" of the six entities as to how the property would be managed.

Conway State Forest: citizens and Con Com:  details regarding the sensitive
habitat and watershed qualities, more appropriate as a reserve or parkland
amidst other contiguous sensitive properties.

The portion of F. Gilbert Hills State Forest known as Foxboro State Forest where
multiple comments stressed that the parkland category would be more appropriate

Hawksnest State Park:  already labeled a park, containing a pond of central
value to the property and habitat for the box turtle, plant species of special
concern, and rare damselflies.  Contains a passionate plea from members of the
family who founded the park.

The Southeastern Massachusetts Bioreserve.   Just the name says "not right for a
woodland"

There were carefully assembled suggestions of changes of designations in Wendell
State Forest, Mt. Grace and the Warwick State Forests where whole towns got
together their relevant planning boards and local conservation commissions and
other town committees and studied the maps/pertinent data and sent in widely
agreed upon suggested changes with well documented reasons for their
suggestions.

There were multiple comments with regard to the need for a small or patch
reserve category.  The FFVP had recommended such a category so that "special" or
sensitive areas (beyond those containing listed species)  could be designated as
such, with individual management strategies to suit the unique characteristics
of the property.   DCR proposed, by contrast, to have zone one protections in
parkland and woodland designations serve this purpose.  Some suggested that zone
one protections would need to be "upgraded" for this idea to work.  Others
suggest it is essential to recognize these unique areas in advance of any
proposed active management or recreational use changes so that there is a level
of guarantee of their protection, and so we do not depend on DCR staff to
identify them in the midst of planning activities. Hence, the predetermined
"patch reserve" category.   It was pointed out that there are no large or small
reserves designated within the Route 128 loop around Boston.  It was pointed out
that all old growth should automatically be classified as a reserve, but is not.

Specific examples of old growth not currently protected in reserve designations
are:   the 200 acres atop Wachusett Mountain State Reservation, and a portion of
the Mohawk-Savoy-Monroe 9th forest reserve which has been "lost" in the current
draft designations.  Since it often requires expert training to identify old
growth, comments were consistent that it deserves reserve designations.  The
additional issue of permanence for such designations is clear:   How could a
reserve, approved by the DCR Stewardship Council in 2005 be lost in the 2011
draft designations?

Reserve concerns are related to very strong opinions about the need for site
specific resource management plans as required by Massachusetts State Law. 
There is recognition of the lack of resources to complete these plans, and the
amount of time and personnel required to complete them, therefore, comments
suggested that in the meantime DCR err on the side of caution with respect to
major changes in either management or use of properties until RMP's could be
completed.  There were several comments accepting less than "ideal" designations
if they were accompanied by an RMP before any management occurred.

Also related to the comments regarding the need for small reserves are comments
that point out that the reserve category was meant for large reserves, ideally
of (or with the potential for) 15,000 acres.  There are no such large reserves,
but suggestions where they might be possible: October Mt. State Forest, the
Savoy/Monroe/Dubuque  Forest complex, The Wendell/Erving/Warwick forests and
areas in Central Massachusetts where public and private conservation lands could
be combined into a large reserve.  At least 23 properties that received
"reserve" designation are less than 2500 acres each.  Many comments suggest that
these 23 properties, with a total of 23,803 acres were precisely the properties
that were meant to be small patch reserves and were never intended to be
included in the large reserve totals.

There were multiple comments concerning the fact that the Patrick Administration
urged DCR to "protect from commercial timber extraction" at least 60% of its
forested properties, and that DCR has claimed to meet that goal by including
over 40,000 acres of non forested properties in the parkland category.  While
these non forested publicly owned properties probably do by default fall into
the parkland category, DCR could well afford to add more parkland and reserve
designations to reach the goal of "protecting" 60% of its FORESTED properties. 
Many comments suggested that DCR may have made some arbitrary decisions when it
came up with the "perfect" 60% - 40% split, when in fact properties were
supposed to be classified by their dominant ecosystem services.

The issue of whether DCR truly places value on public input was raised in
several comments.  There were compliments about the effort DCR has made to
implement the recommendations of the FFVP, but they were accompanied by
suggestions that the format of the public meetings did not provide for the best
possible exchange of ideas, that DCR must not only accept public comments, but
revise the designations in response to the comments and take specific actions
that signify that they respect and have learned from the input.

Just recently, MA Audubon has noted a troubling example:  the Wachusett Mountain
Associates have apparently requested to remove all saplings up to 4 inches in
diameter and all downed woody debris in a 4 acre area to enable glade skiing 
This is in a zone designated as a Biodiversity Significance Overlay in the RMP
for the Reservation, intended for hands-off management   This is a stark example
of a need for enforcement of RMP provisions.  DCR indicates there will be a
public informational meeting concerning this issue,  but there is a need for
public input that could have an impact on decisions.

There are some comments suggesting that DCR can not "afford" to maintain its
properties without commercial timber sales suggesting the properties will suffer
without active management, but there are multiple suggestions of ways to handle
maintenance issues without commercial logging, and offers from a public willing
to volunteer and provide ideas.   There are multiple comments from recreation
groups who fear loss of access to public lands. Parkland requests such as at
Willowdale are related to opposition to the  limitations on new trails that
could occur in lands designated as reserves.

There are comments reflecting concerns over how the "push" for clean green
energy will affect public lands.  There are comments regarding the amount of
forest materials that should be available to fuel biomass plants, and there are
questions about the siting of energy, waste or demonstration projects on public
land without sufficient opportunity for local input or even agency input into
those decisions.

There are multiple requests that the Forest Reserves Science Advisory Committee
be chosen very soon to advise on not only management of reserves, but also other
issues related to sensitive areas.

In general the public is looking to DCR to be responsive to public input,
provide permanence for decisions that are made with broad public acceptance, and
to enforce those decisions.  There are requests that the final designations not
be rushed and that DCR take the time to get this right.

This is not a complete analysis of the public input; please excuse or point out
omissions.  It is meant to give a "feel" for the carefully stated viewpoints
that came from a large cross section of the Massachusetts public. A lot of
people used a lot of time and effort to express themselves.   There is an
expectation and hope that DCR is willing to take stewardship of its public lands
in a new direction and that the public will have a respected role in the
decisions that are made.

Compiled by Claudia Hurley

Mike Coyne invited Heather Linscott and I to a meeting of the Greylock Advisory Board on 10/27.  Mike pitched a very generic proposal to the board to accommodate more mountain biking on Greylock, fixing up existing trails for mountain biking and building new ones.  The board was receptive!

That doesn't mean we have any kind of go ahead, just they like the idea, which is pretty big.

*** WE NEED YOU TO HEAD UP THIS PROJECT ***

If Greylock is in your backyard, be it the Glen or somewhere on the Lanesboro side, you really should consider heading this up!

The Greylock Glen has a ton of potential, but at the moment, it's not actually part of the Greylock Reservation.  A year or two ago, I attended a meeting in Adams where they presented this grand scheme of creating all kinds of trails - from lighted ones for XC skiing, to horse trails, to true mountain bike singletrack.  It also involved a campground and buildings and stuff I didn't like, but the trails were prominent in that plan.  It was all mapped out.  I don't know what happened to that, but it might be still under consideration.  You should investigate!

Some ideas we discussed with the advisory board were fixing up the Old Adams Road to get from the Glen to Jones' Nose, trails from the Nose to the Visitor Center, trails back up the other side of the road to Rounds Rock and Stoney Ledge.  One of the board members even suggested the Sugarloaf area which is a really cool area and would make for some great trails.  Maybe even a trail to the Summit.

Of course, this is just an idea.  A HUGE idea.  And the board is supportive. They have a very high opinion of NEMBA believe NEMBA knows what they are doing in the way of creating sustainable trails.  The DCR rep there said he would love to have our help.

This would be a very long process.  Mike does not want to head this up. It's going to take someone or several people who are passionate about a project like this to work with the DCR and build up a group of volunteers and make this happen.

I occasionally get complaints about "How come everything "NEMBA" does is in the Pittsfield State Forest?". 

Well, NEMBA isn't a big global corporation with a bunch of high paid trail builders.  NEMBA is YOU.  NEMBA is what YOU put into it.

If YOU want mountain bike trails on Greylock or more trails in Beartown, it's not going to happen all by itself.  NEMBA isn't ME. I don't know Beartown at all.  I don't know where it would make sense to improve trails, where would be good to have new ones. But if you do and you have ideas, YOU CAN make it happen!  You'll be doing something great, not only for yourself, but for everyone else. 

Ruth has organized work we've done on Berkshire Natural Resources Land and in Kennedy Park.  Harry has organized work in Beartown. A lot gets done in the PSF is because I head up those projects.  Betsy recently took charge and headed up a very successful trail project at that Stride camp in Chatham, NY.  We get help from many of you and we need all the help we possibly can get, but we also need the leader, someone to get the ball rolling by taking an idea and doing what it takes behind the scenes to make it happen.  And that's what we need on Greylock.  We need YOU to head it uP!

The days of illegal trail building will be coming to an end real soon. There was a guy from the DCR there who said they are trying to figure out how to put a stop to them.    He mentioned, when Hurricane Irene devastated Vermont, they closed the Green Mountain National Forest and they really meant it when they closed it.  Anyone caught in it was going to be fined $5,000 and it seems the DCR is considering that idea regarding illegal trail building. The DCR already has one of those game cameras up in the Potter Mt. Road area.  It's not there to catch illegal trail builders, but I can see that day coming.  That DCR guy said they are going to evaluate the illegal trails up in Hawley (I guess that's his jurisdiction) and decide which ones to keep and which ones to get rid of.  That kind of sucks.  I'm going to be pushing for all trails in the Pittsfield State Forest be legalized as part of the PSF Resource Management Plan initiative that's going on so we don't lose them.  On Greylock, we need to do everything legally and it will take time and it will be frustrating, but they will be protected.

Anyway, if you're interested in this opportunity on Greylock, now's the time to get in on the ground floor and not only push to make things happen, but push for whatever improvements and trails you'd like to see.

I envision, to get started, you would think of something you'd like to do, like maybe fix up the Red Gate Trail or whatever your pet project is.  I'd suggest you hold a meeting with whoever will come to discuss it, maybe ride or walk the trail you have in mind.  Then, you'd hold a meeting with a small group from NEMBA and the DCR to discuss the idea and see what we need to do to get permission.  And then, those of us who have been to trail school (or just anyone who understands good trail layout or rock armoring) can help design a sustainable trail or recommend a good solution to a problem area you'd like to fix.  Once we get final permission, you'd have to try to publicize the hell out of it and get as many helpers as you can to come and do the work.  Once we get one improvement made, you can tackle the next idea.  Of course, you should kind of come up with an overall plan and work with the DCR to get them on board.

So - who would like to head this up?  Please contact me (brad@...) or Mike Coyne (mtnbikehike@...)

Thanks!
Brad.

Saturday the 19th is the date- 9:30 to noon. Park at the parking lot on West
Dugway road instead of the Arc Shop. (That's just before the Arc Shop if you are
going south and the road just after the Arc shop going North). Weather looks
good for the end of the week- the leaves are nice and dry and its pretty easy
raking. We may also try to fix a bridge so someone with a hefty chainsaw let me
know.


If anyone wants to help but can't make Sat and wants to go in there this week
sometime let me know and I can tell you whats been done and what needs to be
done.

Ruth

By now the word has gotten around that Christine got hurt yesterday on negative
3. She is doing ok after surgery- broke her patella- nasty fall. The reason for
this post is two fold- one I would like to take up a collection to give the
Lenox ambulance and fire squads a token of appreciation- they are all volunteers
and love pizza or donations for gas or equipment. They sat and ran the ambulance
for 2 hours to keep it warm, let us sit in it and were just great in all
respects. They took the little fire truck with trailer and ATV up to the logging
landing as well so lots of responders. They were totally awesome in their
response time and help. If you come Sat to the KP work party I will have a
donation jar or drop a few bucks off at Clearwater Natural Foods in Lenox or at
the Arcadian Shop or mail to Clearwater, 11 Housatonic St Lenox 01240 and in a
couple of weeks I will take it over to them.

The other issue is that we debated whether to call Pittsfield or Lenox
ambulance. I discussed this with the ambulance guy and he said Pittsfield would
have gotten to the town line, stopped and called Lenox- big delay so we did the
right thing in calling Lenox. I suppose if you were nearer Kirvin Park you would
call Pittsfield. And just by chance there is an EPO around feel free to call
them- you never know. He was a huge help- he just happened to be pulling into
the pump house lot right behind the ambulance, had an ATV so he took the
paramedic from Lenox from the pumphouse on his ATV up to the entrance to -3 off
of Idiot hill. Ruth

Dear Berkshire Mountain Bikers:

Mike Coyne and I are on the preliminary team assembled by the DCR which has been tasked with coming up with the Resource Management Plan (RMP) for the "Pittsfield State Forest" which actually includes PSF, Balance Rock State Park, Bates Memorial State Park, Wahconah Falls State Park, Ashmere Lake State Park, Middlefield State Forest, Peru State Forest, Richmond State Forest and South Mountain where DCR's West Region headquarters is located.

http://www.mass.gov/dcr/stewardship/rmp/rmp-pittsfield.htm

This is our chance to put forward our ideas on everything we'd like to see in the Pittsfield State Forest as far as mountain bike trails, running trails, XC ski trails and even ATV trails. 

I've come up with ideas for a plan to improve mountain biking in the Pittsfield State Forest.  Since I was specifically told to leave the illegal mountain bike trails in Balance Rock out, I think we should concentrate only in the area North of Brickhouse Mt. Road and South of Churchill Brook where ATV usage is prohibited (with the exception of the Taconic Skyline Trail).  Outside that core, ATV usage is allowed and it could be difficult to protect these trails.

So here are my ideas for loops within the core of the State Forest:

Please refer to this map:

http://www.berkshirenemba.org/images/MASTER%20PLAN%20WITHOUT%20BALANCE%20ROCK%20VERSION%202.jpg

1. New Family Trail - Wild Turkey in area between Whirlpool and Churchill St. (this is already approved)
2. Replace backside of Honwee Circuit Trail like we did with the Turner Trail.  Align it with Lulu Brook for the hikers.
3. Re-Route very bottom of Honwee Circuit Trail (behind the Nature Center)
4. New Trail - from Top of Turner Trail to Tilden Swamp Trail
5. New Trail - off backside of Honwee over to Middle Snowmobile Bridge on Churchill Brook Trail
6. Replace Old ATV Trail which is almost 100% grown in with switchbacked trail up the mountain.
7. Replace Brickhouse Mt. Road with a switchback trail up the mountain.
8. Create new trail from beginning of Pine Mt. to base of Tower Mt.
9. Reduce Grade on Taconic Crest up to Tower Mt.
10. New Intermediate Trail from Half-Way up Turner down to Lulu Parking Lot
11. New Intermediate Trail from Half-Way up Turner down to Vosburgh XC Ski Trail
12. Switchback very top of Hawthorne Trail to make it sustainable/safer to ride downhill.
13. Reduce Grade on Pine Mt. Trail to make it more sustainable/rideable in both directions, maybe even fix the section with the handrail.
14. New Trails over in Scace Farm Field (would be nice for XC Skiing, snowshoeing)
15. New Trail off the top of the new Honwee over to Taconic Crest
16. Reduce Grade on Taconic Crest in a few places.
17. Reroute intersection of Parker Brook and Hawthorne so it's not wet and is more sustainable.

This plan would give us 5 ways up the mountain (instead of the 2 we have now):

1. Turner
2. Front side of Honwee
3. Backside of Honwee
4. Brickhouse Mt. Road Replacement
5. McDermott Trail closest to Churchill Brook

And 7 ways down the mountain - the 5 above plus:

6. Parker Brook
7. Hawthorne

It would also give us a new beginner trail and a couple intermediate trails off the Turner trail.

What do you think?

Do you have other ideas or suggestions?

Some considerations to keep in mind:

1. Trails must stay 100% on State Land
2. They must be sustainable
3. They should create loops and take you to destinations
4. Will have to pass review by:
a) MESA � Mass Endangered Species Act (so stay away from vernal pools and other water areas)
b) Natural Heritage (stone walls, foundations, burial grounds, etc�)
c) Local Conservation Commission (for stream crossings)

Thanks,
Brad

Pittsfield State Forest/Balance Rock State Park Resource Management Plan Meeting

What: Berkshire NEMBA Meeting on Pittsfield State Forest/Balance Rock State Park Resource Management Plan

Where: 500 Pecks Road, Pittsfield, MA

When: Tuesday 12/20/2011, 6:00 PM

Why: Go over our ideas (and take your ideas) for the PSF/Balance Rock State Forest Resource Management Plan

Who: Please RSVP if you are coming so I know how much pizza and soda to get.

Whatever: Parking sucks at my house, pull straight in on the grass on either side of the driveway (left side is safer if the ground is soft) or park up near the basketball hoop.

Thanks,
Brad

brad@...

Monday night hike PSF 6pm.  There will be a short hike this week, meeting
afterwards for Pizza on Tyler Street (about 7:30) to celebrating Pat's Birthday
to thank her for all her hard work all year organizing the Monday night hikes
and getting through the woods safely. Anyone who will not be hiking and who
would still like to join us please feel free to meet us at Tyler Street Pizza
around 7:30 pm.

I will be back in the Berks next week.. Any idea how the trails are for mountain
biking in PSF?
Thank you

JAS