Junior Rangers Program at Mount Greylock

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LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — Mount Greylock State Reservation announced the Junior Ranger program for children ages 8-12.

The program is free and is held at Mount Greylock State Reservation, Pittsfield State Forest, Clarksburg State Park, Natural Bridge State Park, Savoy Mountain State Forest, and Mohawk Trail State Forest, on specific Thursdays in July and August from 10:00am to noon. 

Space is limited to fifteen participants. All participants must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.  

Work toward earning a Junior Ranger Patch and Certificate by attending programs and completing the activities in the Junior Ranger Activity Guide. Each week, participants will explore different topics that promote outdoor recreation and appreciation of the natural world. Led by Park Interpreters, Junior Ranger activities may also include easy hikes that  explore the water, geology, climate, plants, and animals at the respective parks.  

Children must wear appropriate clothing for the weather. Sturdy walking shoes, water, a snack, sun screen and insect repellent are recommended. Parents, guardians and siblings are encouraged to participate.  

Program sessions take place during a seven-week period where participants will meet at alternate parks that offer a unique theme and activity. Participants are required to attend a minimum of two programs (first and last) and complete the Junior Ranger Activity Guide to qualify for the Junior Ranger patch and certificate.  

Session #1 on July 13th will be held at:                                                                                              

Pittsfield State Forest Ski Lodge 

1041 Cascade St., Pittsfield, MA 01201 

Phone: (413) 442-8992 - Please call for directions.                           

Robert.Rando@mass.gov

Session #2 on July 20th, and Session #7 on August 24th  will be held at:                            

Mount Greylock State Reservation Visitor Center 

30 Rockwell Road, Lanesborough, MA 01237 

Phone: (413) 499-4262 - Please call for directions. 

Michael.W.Whalen@mass.gov  

Session #3 on July 27th, will be held at: 

Savoy Mountain State Forest Nature Center  

260 Central Shaft Road, Florida, MA 01247 

Phone: (413) 663-8469 – Please call for directions. 

Alicia.Cellana@mass.gov

Session #4 on August 3rd,  will be held at: 

Natural Bridge State Park Visitor Center 

McAuley Road, North Adams, MA 01247 

Phone: (413) 663-6392 - Please call for directions. 

Geeg.Wiles@mass.gov  

Session #5 on August 10th, will be held at:                                                                                      

1199 Middle Road, Clarksburg, MA 01247

Clarksburg State Park Nature Center 

Phone: (413) 664-8345 - Please call for directions. 

Kristen.Maybe@mass.gov

Session #6 on August 17th, will be held at:  

Mohawk Trail State Forest 

P.O. Box 7, Route 2, Charlemont, MA 01339 

Phone: (413) 339-5504 – Please call for directions. 

Christian.Drake@mass.gov

Certificates and patches are awarded to those who attend at least two sessions, complete the Junior Ranger Activity Guide, and show outstanding participation. The Mount Greylock Visitor Center is located at 30 Rockwell Road, 1.5 miles from North Main Street and Route 7 in Lanesborough. Sponsored by the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR). Registration forms are available at the Visitor Center in Lanesborough or call (413) 499-4262 for more information and session locations. 


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Companion Corner: Buster at Berkshire Humane Society

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. – There is a fun and loving boy who is ready to get a fresh start with a new family who will take care of him. 

iBerkshire's Companion Corner is a weekly series spotlighting an animal in our local shelters that is ready to find a home.   

Buster is a one-year-old Husky mix who has been at the shelter for about two months.

Canine caregiver and adoption counselor Simone Olivieri introduced us to Buster. 

"He is very sweet and social. He loves people. He likes kids. It does take him a little while to warm up to new people and build some trust. And then once you do build that trust with him, he's very goofy, and he likes to play and jump on you and mouth playfully and gently, and he does get really excited with his people that he has a strong connection with."

Olivieri said Buster was an unclaimed stray who fell on hard times before going to the shelter. Olivieri said they assume he is approximately one, but his exact age is unknown. 

She said that they are unsure of his history, but he could have some kind of soft tissue damage. They conducted X-rays, but they came back inconclusive. There are no breaks in any of his bones, but he has some periodic lameness, and some further diagnostics would be something the shelter requires. 

Furthermore, he does occasionally lift up one paw, but he does not show that he is in any pain.

"He came in pretty emaciated. We've gotten some weight on him. He's a little bit hunched in his spine. And again, the X-rays didn't show anything, but there could be something else going on that, like MRI, ultrasound could detect."

She said he needs a home and family that would be willing to keep him current with a veterinarian and able to address anything that comes up health-wise. 

"He occasionally will show these symptoms, whether it was just from an old injury or something that possibly could still bother him. So right now he is on some restricted exercise. We're doing leash walks with him only," she said. "He can't really, at this point, run around freely because he could kind of further damage that leg if there's anything really really going on there, so he's a little bit of a puzzle. Like we said, we don't know exactly what happened to him in his past, and we are trying to keep him comfortable. He's not in any pain right now, but that lameness will crop up every once in a while with him." 

But Buster can go to a home with cats and kids eight and up.

"He can go to a home with cats, and while he does like other dogs, we're saying he will do best as the only dog, just because he's got a couple medical issues going on and roughhousing with other dogs probably isn't best for him at this point. While he could have some doggy friends and go for some walks and gentle playdates with other dogs." 

"He does like kids, but again, he is a little bit kind of sensitive to some body handling and being grabbed and that kind of thing. So we just want to keep him nice and comfortable with where he goes home," she said.

Buster loves to play and be pampered. He loves walks and being out in the woods and can be silly, especially with his picky eating.

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