Massachusetts Chapter Sierra Club

ENVIRONMENTAL UPDATE

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MASSACHUSETTS SIERRA CLUB | Meetings and Events
10 Milk Street, Ste 632, Boston, MA 02108-4621 | Ph:617.423.5775 | Fax:617.890.0338

JOIN THE FOREST AND PARK GUARDIANS

Join the Forest and Park Guardians! As part of the Sierra Club's initiative to protect our state Forests and Parks, we are inviting Sierra Club members to submit photos for this Web site of your favorite Park or Forest, with a note about the threats to it. Please join us to protect these precious places.

This site will grow as you contribute to it. So - how about it? Where's your photo? Or concern?

Contact: email us at ecampbell@sierraclubmass.org

PHOTOS

Blackstone River & Canal Heritage State Park Uxbridge, MA	The red building, now a visitor's center, used to be a barn for the River Bend Farm, which was a dairy operation until about 30 years ago. The park has a very flat, well-kept trail that runs along the Blackstone River and canal. The trail, connected to the parking area by a small bridge, is a scenic, easy walk for people who want to get out into nature but may not be able to handle rigorous hiking. It's also a great surface for runners. Photo and comments by Jeff Haynes
Mount Holyoke Range State Park Amherst, Granby, Hadley and South Hadley, MA and Skinner State Park Hadley and South Hadley, MA	The Mount Holyoke Range State Park includes parcels on this mountain range that cuts across the Connecticut River Valley. The mountains themselves are scenic, as are the view of the valley from the mountains. The best-known views are from the Summit House and the picnic grounds on the summit of Mt Holyoke. The summit area is called Skinner State Park, named after the man who first gave the land on top of the mountain as a park. The major threats to the Parks are: development on the privately-owned parcels on the Range and nearby valley, pests such as the Hemlock woolley adelgid, and abuse by off-roaders, particularly in the vicinity of the Lithia Springs Reservoir. Photos of the Range, from the Range, and of Lithia Springs Reservoir and a nearby stream by Dennis Rochon
	north from the porch of the Summit House	winter: from the summit towards Mt Sugarloaf in the north
	northeast and UMass campus from Mt Holyoke summit	south from the porch of the Summit House
	: Lithia Spring Reservoir in summer	same place in winter
	late winter: the ice melts in Lithia Springs Reservoir	winter: fun in the snow
Unfortunately, the Range is abused by various kinds of off-road and all-terrain riders. Photos & comment by Elisa Campbell	snowmobiles on a trail with "No Snowmobile" markers	hiking past ATV-created puddles near Lithia Springs Reservoir
Lowell Dracut Tyngsboro State Forest Dracut, Lowell and Tyngsboro, MA.
The LDT State Forest provides a welcome respite from urbanization in northeastern Massachusetts. It has ponds, wetlands, and diverse woodlands. It is used for hiking, cross-country skiing, and mountain biking by people in the region,who greatly appreciate its value.
Threats: The LDT State Forest is small, and houses are built right next to its borders. It suffers great abuse by off-roaders during the warmer (and wetter) months of the year, and snowmobilers and off-roaders during the winter.