image description — The Advisory Committee to the Greylock Glen Outdoor Recreation & Environmental Education Project listened to a presentation about invasive species on Thursday at Town Hall.

Greylock Glen Committee Learns Harsh Truth About Invasive Species

By Patrick RonaniBerkshires Staff
10:00PM / Thursday, June 10, 2010Print Story | Email Story

Project Clears MEPA Hurdle

Members of the Greylock Glen advisory committee watch a slideshow as Steve Johnson explains the detrimental effects of invasive species.

ADAMS, Mass. — Invasive species can wreak havoc on the sustainability of an ecosystem by disrupting the existence of native and rare species.

In the crucial areas of the proposed Greylock Glen project, the presence of invasive species is a problem that's "out of control," according to Steve Johnson, an ecological consultant from an Amherst-based company called Biodrawversity.

Johnson is in the early stages of drawing up a three-year plan to manage invasive species in the Glen, and he provided a report of his preliminary findings to the Advisory Committee on Thursday afternoon at Town Hall.

"Right now, it's just out of control," Johnson said. "It will take a great deal of effort to get to the point where it becomes something that's manageable for a smaller group of people and a much smaller budget."

During a slideshow presentation to the Advisory Committee, Johnson identified the specific invasive species found in the Glen, including garlic mustard (plant), phragmites (grass), glossy buckthorn (shrub), autumn olive (tree) and morrow's honeysuckle (shrub). He said that garlic mustard in the most pervasive of his findings.

Invasive species are detrimental to an ecosystem because of it's fast growth, rapid reproduction and its high tolerance to adapt to a wide-range of settings, even in human-disturbed environments.

The areas marked in red are inhabited by invasive species. The red patch located in the center of the slide lies in the 'core area' of the proposed Greylock Glen project.

Johnson found a significant presence of invasive species in the "core areas" of the Glen, which is a 50-acre stretch of land which is slated to serve as space for a lodging center, as well as the starting center for the trails system.

Johnson is responsible for identifying the problem areas, while Chris Polatin of Polatin Ecological Services will be in charge of the restoration.

Asked by Donna Cesan, the town's director of community development, to detail the methods that would be used to control the problem, Johnson said the procedures vary by species. Methods range from: cutting trees down to their stems and applying herbicides; burning or spraying the shrubs; and even hand-picking the plants.

Johnson said that Polatin will be sensitive in his approach to eradication.

"He doesn't want to take a bulldozer to all of this," Johnson said.

In other business on Thursday:

► Cesan provided hard copies of the Secretary's Certificate, which was provided by the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act office on May 7 of this year. It states that project planning could continue without the town having to submit more reports. The certificate details the steps that need to be taken as the project moves forward and "to minimize environmental impacts to the greatest extent feasible."

"This is a good guideline for the work ahead for us," Cesan said.

One of the guidelines included in the certificate was "to develop and implement an invasive species management plan," which the town has already started to address with Johnson's research and preliminary report.

► Cathy Garnett, from the state's Department of Conservation and Recreation, said she's "really close" to applying for permits for the trail portion of the project.

The landscape architect for the trail is Harold Dodson of Dodson Associates. The permitting process includes approval from the town's Conservation Commission and the Planning Board. Garnett hopes to present finalized plans to the Conservation Committee in July.

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Your Comments

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what a joke. spending money on this guy to tell us that there are plants in the glen that are not native to the area. is this what is holding everything up?
from: JOKE	on: 06-11-2010 12:00AM I Agree (0) - I Disagree (0)

The first comment about "holding everything up" is a good example of the misleading impression that has been created by this latest reincarnation plan for the Glen. There is nothing to "hold up". This plan, even if fully developed, will have zero economic impact on Adams. If, by some miracle, everything the planners want to do comes to fruition, it will be a very nice luxury for the town of Adams, but that's it. For the plan's proponents to tout it as an economy booster is misleading and unfair. If the entire proposal ever became fully operational, which it won't, it would take years and years for Adams to even recoup part of its initial investment. Meanwhile, all of the planners, architects, etc., plus guys like this invasive plant specialist will have made a lot of money off the town.
from: misleading	on: 06-11-2010 12:00AM I Agree (2) - I Disagree (0)

They ought to try some controlled goat and sheep foraging up there. I use goats on my land to get rid of multiflora rose, wild parsnip, honeysuckle, garlic, burr dock, goldenrod, woodbine, you name it! They need portable wire goat fencing with a solar charger, a trough of clean water or a stream, and a little hut to sleep in at night, with somebody checking on them each day... They do a good job, and don't require food or a paycheck when working!
from: old goat	on: 06-11-2010 12:00AM I Agree (1) - I Disagree (0)

The goats also don't require a specialist and there in lies the rub. Nobody will be able to make money off of the method that makes the most sense, is reversible, does zero harm to property, and would provide a source of soil amendments.
from: $reylock $len	on: 06-11-2010 12:00AM I Agree (1) - I Disagree (0)

Two T's Thrifting Moved to Park Street

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
12:07PM / Saturday, September 26, 2026

Owner Trisha Carlo said a persistent leak in her previous location forced her to close for 10 weeks.

ADAMS, Mass. — A local thrift store has settled into its new location on Park Street.

Two T's Thrifting was opened by Trisha Carlo in January. The name is a homage to her late partner, Tom Bradley, who died in 2022. She said they both loved thrifting together.

Carlo had opened at 64 Summer St. but in April had to close down for about 10 weeks because of a leak in the ceiling. Once the leak was thought to be fixed, she reopened only to have it happen again.

"I decided to vacate that area or location, and kind of put everything on hold for a little bit. I had moved everything out once it had started leaking, just because I didn't want anything to get moldy or ruined," she said. "And I was kind of a little discouraged when that happened, you know, because rent is so high in most places, and I was pretty established over there. I had repeat customers coming in. It was going really well. So then I didn't know what to do."

Then one day she was enjoying breakfast at the Daily Grind when the owner, Becky Duprat, said she should talk to Lea King, who had owned the Adams Boba Tea and Gift Shop but had decided to retire earlier this year.

"Leah is pro Adams, pro bringing businesses to the area, and she just wants everybody to do well with whatever they want to do business wise," Carlo said. "I did take over some of her inventory for her Adams merchandise. I figured I would keep that here for tourists or for the locals."

She was able reopen her shop in its new location in July.

"It's been fun, setting back up and getting to know a different crowd that's walking by," she said. "The foot traffic is a little better. Obviously, there's more traffic that passes by, but advertising is still a little bit of a challenge. But repeat customers have found us. I have people that come in on a Saturday that visit me every week."

Carlo has also been trying to support the community, including letting local students get community service hours at her store, giving donations to Remedy Hall in Williamstown and other places across the county, holding a school supply drive for local families, and is currently doing a 50/50 raffle for Brewsters, a thrift shop in North Adams that was wrecked by a pickup truck last month.

She is still an emergency medical technician in Pittsfield and coaches soccer and basketball for Hoosac Valley High School.

She does take donations for the store but only during business hours. You can contact her through the business Facebook page on what you would like to donate to see if she can take it or walk in. She is accepting taking winter clothing.

Her new space at 57 Park St. is open Tuesday through Friday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. She hopes to extend these hours in the future.

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