Woodlands Partnership Members Receive State Grants

09:19AM / Wednesday, September 28, 2022Print Story | Email Story

BOSTON, Mass. — The Baker-Polito Administration has announced the awarding of $253,200 for ten grants to seven communities and two organizations within the Mohawk Trail Woodlands Partnership (MTWP).

Communities receiving Fiscal Year 2022 MTWP grants include the Towns of Adams, Clarksburg, Heath, New Ashford, Peru, Rowe, and Shelburne. Additionally, Lever, Inc. and the Massachusetts Forest Trust are also receiving grants this round. The grants are administered by the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) and are for projects that support the goals of the partnership, such as improving access to outdoor recreation in town and state forests, improving the safety of outdoor recreation, and implementing climate-smart forestry practices.

"The Mohawk Trail Woodlands Partnership grants serve as a great example of the Baker-Polito Administration’s proactive approach to protecting the Commonwealth’s natural resources by working with local communities and organizations in an effort to continue to improve these outdoor spaces for the public to enjoy," said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Beth Card. "With the state still recovering from the COVID-19 public health emergency, it is even more important to support local initiatives, such as the conservation and effective management of forest areas for natural resource-based economic development, which achieves climate goals, supports job creation, and grows local economies."

The Mohawk Trail Woodlands Partnership is a grassroots-led effort that was developed after dozens of local meetings to shape a program based on conserving forests and supporting their sustainable management in a way to improve the economy of small communities along the Vermont and New York state borders.

Following the passage of "An Act Supporting the Mohawk Trail Woodlands Partnership" in 2018, the Mohawk Trail Woodlands Partnership was created to improve rural economic development based on sustainable forest conservation and tourism, and support the fiscal stability of the communities within the region. These communities are some of the most rural and forested areas in the Commonwealth.

For more information regarding the Mohawk Trail Woodlands Partnership, the participating municipalities, and the program’s objectives, please visit the MTWP’s webpage.

Projects receiving MTWP Grants are:

Municipality	Project Name	Project Description	Total Grant Request
Adams	Forest Center Exhibits	This project will design and complete exhibits within the new Greylock Glen Outdoor Center focusing on the many benefits of the region’s forest and the benefits of wood buildings.	$20,000
Clarksburg	Land Survey and Forest Plan for Town Forest Property	This project will complete a boundary survey for the 80-acre town property and complete a forest stewardship plan to guide sustainable forestry.	$20,000
Heath	Winter Sports Grooming Equipment	This project will purchase a groomer for cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and fat tire winter biking for the new trail system developed via past grants.	$15,000
Lever, Inc.	Creation of a Wood Processing Center in Charlemont	This project will expand the wood processing at Hall Tavern Farm by creating a business and marketing plan and web site, launching two new businesses, and creating a long-term management organization.	$60,000
Massachusetts Forest Trust	Chain saw safety training and tours of demonstration forestry projects.	The MA Forest Trust will be providing chain saw and harvesting safety training to first responders and woodland owners and provide monthly tours of demonstration forestry projects.	$18,200
New Ashford	Expansion of hiking trail and access to Mt. Greylock from the Town.	New Ashford will continue to work with DCR to expand hiking access from the Town to the State Reservation, which has had very limited access.	$20,000
Peru	Pierce Scenic Way Restoration	Peru will rehabilitate all the drainage along this seasonal road to reduce erosion and allow access for hunting and fishing to a Wildlife Management Area. The grant pays for gravel and town match does the rest.	$20,000
Rowe	Town Forest Trail Restoration and Education	Rowe will mark the many miles of trails and add maps and educational exhibits in the 5 kiosks recently installed as well as build a boardwalk in a 300-foot section to improve access for resident and tourist.	$20,000
Rowe and Heath	Regional Trail Design and Location	Rowe and Heath have envisioned a new regional trail from downtown Shelburne Falls across a mountainous region north of Route 2 over many miles to Mohawk State Forest. The project would document land ownership and the most scenic layout.	$40,000
Shelburne	Climate-oriented Open Space Plan and Baseball Field Renovations	The Town will prepare and open space and recreation plan with a focus on climate resilience and renovate the town ballfield for safe use and to also be used as a winter skating rink.	$20,000

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Letter: That's Who We Are, Adams

Letter to the Editor09:00AM / Friday, September 18, 2026

To the Editor:

That's Who We Are

I wanted to say something about Sept. 12, 2026. The day we celebrated the with the Alerts 150th anniversary parade.
I want us to recognize that our community is built on, and sustained by, an amazing force: volunteer organizations and the people who give their time, energy and passion to make Adams a better place.

Our community is not defined by naysayers, keyboard warriors, problem creators, or those who seem intent on finding fault with every effort. It is defined by people who step up, get involved, solve problems, learn from our mistakes, add value where they can, and lift each other up when times are difficult.

We live in what I like to call "our little piece of heaven." And Sept. 12 was a wonderful reminder of who we really are.

Our community is built on amazing volunteers and first responders, as was so clearly demonstrated by the celebration of the Adams Fire Department's 150th Anniversary. It was a glorious parade, planned and executed flawlessly, and made even more special by the participation of more than 30 fire departments and first responder organizations from throughout the area. Thank you, Mike Therrien and your entire team, for giving all of us the opportunity to celebrate with you. That's who we are.

Our community is built on newcomers like Yina Moore, who came to town with a vision and is executing it beautifully. She continues to curate amazing performances. The Adams Theater surpassed its $100,000 fundraising goal this year. That kind of accomplishment doesn't happen by accident. It happens because people believe in Adams and are willing to work for it. That's who we are.

Our community is built on supporting the incredible work at the Greylock Glen Outdoor Center; an amazing facility that grew from a concept championed by our Community Development Director Donna Cesan, and made possible in part through extraordinary state support led by Representative Barrett, who believed in the project and believed in us. That's who we are.

Our community is built on four people sitting on a porch one day and deciding that they didn't want Adams to be defined by negative stories. They decided that creating a group called Pro Adams could be part of changing that narrative. Fifteen years later, they are still going strong. This year, they are continuing to innovate with projects to help promote economic growth, like Bears on Parade. Thank you, Pro Adams, for keeping that dream alive. That's who we are.

Our community is built on another conversation between two women who believed our town needed an uplift. There are no words to adequately express our gratitude to Mary Parker, Deb Nowicki, and the entire team that has made such a difference in such a short time. Our Adams Beautification team did just that! It's beautiful. That's who we are.

Our community is built on dedication to preserving the history of Adams. Through newsletters, reenactments, church tours, the Quaker Meeting House and the continued preservation of artifacts and stories, the Adams Historical Society remains an important part of our community and our identity. That's who we are.

Our community is built on organizations like Berkshire Harm Reduction and Berkshire Health Systems that work to address the needs of all our residents. You may have noticed the new naloxone boxes appearing in locations throughout town. That is what a community does; it recognizes a need and works together to address it. Thank you to BRPC, Berkshire Harm Reduction, Adams Police Department, and the HEAL Community for being part of that effort. That's who we are.

Our community is built on the steadfastness and hard work of the team that calls itself the Adams Street Fair. We all know that it is about much more than the Street Fair itself. When the Adams Events Committee disbanded after more than 40 years, this group stepped up and took on the movies and concerts. They didn't simply continue them; they expanded them. No complaints. No excuses. Just hard work, coordination and commitment to the community. That's who we are.

Our community is built on the hard work and passion of the Thunderbolt Ski Runners, who for years have maintained and groomed mountain bike trails on our side of majestic Mount Greylock. They continue to put in the work and create events that give all of us opportunities to enjoy this incredible place we call home. That's who we are.

I am leaving out so many others that this letter could go on forever; the Adams Lions Club, the American Legion, Friends of the COA, Friends of the Library, our churches, our civic organizations, our businesses, and countless individuals who quietly volunteer their time without ever asking for recognition.

That is the Adams I know.

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