Berkshire Natural Resources Council Awarded Conservation Partnership Grant

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BOSTON — The Healey-Driscoll Administration announced over $12 million in grants for projects in 40 communities across Massachusetts that will help protect open space, build parks and give more people access to the outdoors.
 
The funding will support projects like creating new walking trails, protecting forests and wetlands, building neighborhood parks and preserving land near rivers and lakes that provide drinking water.  
 
In Berkshire County, Berkshire Natural Resources Council was awarded $288,500 for the Depot Brook Corridor Project.
 
The project is within a half mile of the Appalachian Trail and is a focal area of the Resilient and Connected Network. In addition, it protects forest and coldwater stream habitat, the headwaters of Depot Brook. $288,500 Depot Brook Corridor Project 
 
The Becket Land Trust was awarded $73,550 for the Palmer Brook Forest Corridor. The site is entirely forested, containing diverse wetland systems, including hemlock swamps and boulder deposits, 80 percent of it is mapped BioMap Critical Natural Landscape, and it is adjacent to Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival.
 
"Protecting open spaces is about investing in the health, safety and wellbeing of our communities," said
Governor Maura Healey. "These projects support local economies, improve public health and make our neighborhoods better places to live. This funding helps ensure that every resident has access to the benefits of nature." 
 
The grants are awarded through three programs of the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA). The Parkland Acquisitions and Renovations for Communities (PARC) helps cities and towns create and renovate outdoor recreation areas. The Local Acquisitions for Natural Diversity (LAND) program supports conservation commissions in protecting natural land. The Conservation Partnership Grant funds nonprofit land trusts that work to conserve open space for future generations. 
 
These grants are part of a broader effort to support local climate resilience and land conservation. The Governor’s recently introduced Mass Ready Act outlines new investments to protect water and nature while growing local economies and preparing communities for extreme weather. 
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Companion Corner: Princess at Berkshire Humane Society

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — There is an energetic girl waiting to find her new home at the Berkshire Humane Society.

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

Princess is a six year old shepherd mix that has been at the shelter for just over a month.

Canine caregiver and adoption counselor Simone Olivieri told us about Princess.

"She's very social, very friendly. When you're out walking her, she just wants to go say hi to every single new person. Loves to make new friends. She's a lot of fun. She's very active. She's very spunky. She's very playful, and she's going to need a very very active family who's going to do a lot with her." 

But Princess is no stranger to the shelter. She was a puppy five years ago and got adopted quickly, but now she needs a new family to take care of her.

"She was adopted out fairly quickly as a young puppy. She's been in the same home for the past five years. Unfortunately, they were moving out of state somewhere," Olivieri said. "They could not take her with them, so she ended up coming as a return to shelter, and she came back to stay with us."

Princess needs to go to a home as the only animal or with other male dogs that are her size or bigger.

"Her perfect home would be kids eight and up. No cats. No small animals. She has quite a prey drive. She could go to a home with another dog around her size or larger, preferably a male dog. She does a little bit better with male dogs, and she's looking for a home where people are home quite a bit, so that she's not left alone for too long. She has some separation anxiety," Olivieri said. 

She also needs a very active home that can let her use her energy every day, as she is very rambunctious. Especially with playing with her favorite toy, the flirt pole.

"She could use a home where people are going to give her a lot of attention and more than just a few walks a day; she's going to need lots of exercise, lots of playtime, lots of mental stimulation," Olivieri said. "She likes to learn, so someone who would be willing to take her to training classes or work on some training with her, as well as hikes, getting out and about, doing new things, different things. She is very athletic. She'd excel at things like agility, some dog sports. Just someone who is really going to want to engage and do a lot of different kinds of activities with her." 

Once you let her get her energy out, she is a cuddler who wouldn't mind being held like a baby from time to time.

"She's very sweet. She's very cuddly. She's very affectionate, but she is not a couch potato. She will stay on that couch with you for a little bit, and then she's ready to go off and do something else. So she's very busy. She's very active," Olivieri said. "Once all of her exercise needs are met during the day, she will settle down nicely, and she will want to be right by your side, cuddle with you at night on the couch, sleep with you."

Princess is very healthy but does experience some anxiety and is not fully potty trained and might have the occasional accident.

"She does have a little bit of anxiety, so she is on some medication for it right now," Olivieri said. "So a lot of structure, a lot of outlets, and familiarity, getting used to a new routine and everything is gonna be really good for her. I mean, she's just lovely. Like I said, she's very social. She likes to play with other dogs. She likes to meet new people."

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