Norwich Hill Wildlife Sanctuary
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summer 2012 JOIN US ASK A FRIEND OR TWO OR THREE TO JOIN US, TOO. BETTER YET, GIVE THEM THE GIFT OF A MEMBERSHIP TO THE HILLTOWN LAND TRUST. HILLTOWN LAND TRUST 332 BULLITT ROAD ASHFIELD, MA 01330 $35 PER YEAR (OUR BASIC “LAND LOVER”) $50 PER YEAR Norwich Hill Wildlife Sanctuary $100 PER YEAR $500 PER YEAR f you drive along Route 66 in The Sanctuary was once part of In 1968, Mr Hayes sold the $ _____ (OTHER) PER YEAR IHuntington and turn onto Searle a 160 acre farm, which first appears farm to Ernest and Lynnea Whitten, Road, then left on Cullen Hill in the records (Forbes Library) of who kept up the farm and fields but NAME Road, you will pass by the restored 1799, owned by a Lyman, who did not farm it. Later, Mr Whitten _____________________________ North Hall on the right. Continue built the farmhouse which still sold all but the 65 acres that is ADDRESS on Cullen Hill as it turns into a stands—though renovated many now the Norwich Hill Sanctuary. Hike to Warner Falls with Rich Fournier _____________________________ discontinued road, and you will times. One of the names appearing Lynnea Whitten kept the farm, but be surrounded by what will soon in the deed in the 19th century was worried what would happen to it in _____________________________ be Hilltown Land Trust’s newest that of Moses Hannum, who leased the future. Conservation Restriction land: the a quarter-acre from the owners, The farm’s transition to Norwich Hill Wildlife Sanctuary. probably to expand the Hannum conserved land was accomplished Much of the 65 acres is Mill. The mill produced axes and by the owner and a committed maturing second growth forest of was on Pond Brook where Route 66 group of friends, who were mixed hardwoods and groves of meets Searle Road today. determined to keep the land from conifers. The upper portion has In 1948, Gerald Hayes bought further development.This group 10 or more acres of open fields, the farm from a family named formed a non-profit corporation in faithfully mowed every year. The Giroux. Evidently during this time 1997, taking over the ownership southern boundary runs along there was a ski place—the Black of the parcel and naming it the Pond Brook for over a quarter mile. Panther Ski Trails—in what is now Norwich Hill Wildlife Sanctuary. Multiple small drainages cross the Knightville area. One year They have been working with the site, tributaries of either Pond Farmer Hayes’ livestock were in Hilltown Land Trust since then to Brook or the East Branch of the the farm’s meadows for the secure the conservation restriction Westfield River. summer, but they escaped and for permanent preservation. The Norwich Hill Sanctuary traveled the ski trails to the bottom We expect the Conservation abuts a large Hull Forestland of the tow where they were found Restriction to be finalized in the tract, which in turn abuts the and returned. near future. Army Corps of Engineer’s lands of Knightville Dam and Reservation, greatly extending the greenway below Chesterfield Gorge and increasing viable wildlife habitat. The open fields preserve a rare opening in the vast Knightville area forest. The Sanctuary is ecologically valuable land to protect. The entire property is classified as prime forest land, as well as Biomap II supporting natural landscape, and Living Waters critical supporting watershed land. The property has a typical Hilltown history but with an unusual touch. Ruth Pardoe has chronicled some of this history: Windsor by Colin Harrington and Deborah Balmuth JOB OPENING at Hilltown Land Trust: Apply by June 14 ituated along the eastern border Windsor boasts illtown Land Trust has been 2012 through August 2013. AmeriCorps program funded in part Sof Berkshire County, Windsor sits considerable protected Hselected as a site for an Ameri- Applications for this position are by a grant from the Corporation for on a plateau in the Berkshire Hills, land, including the Corps–MassLIFT Land Steward who being accepted through June 14th. National and Community Service. 12 miles northeast of Pittsfield. 3,000-acre Notchview will coordinate monitoring of our Please help us spread the word about Land trust partners around the The highest town on the Berkshire Reservation 30 conservation restrictions, pre- this opportunity. Full position de- state have joined in the third year Trail (Route 9 between Pittsfield and (a property of pare baseline reports for new HLT scription and information on how to of MassLIFT. HLT is delighted to Williamsburg), Windsor’s elevation The Trustees of conservation lands, help manage apply are available on HLT’s website be involved in this collaboration of ranges from 1,400 feet in the east to Reservations), the the properties owned by HLT, and www.hilltown-land-trust.org. regional conservation groups work- 2,297 feet on Judges Hill. Windsor’s 1,200-acre Eugene organize events to explore some of This position is made possible by the ing to meet Massachusetts' needs for annual snowfall often sets a record Moran Wildife these properties. The Land Steward Massachusetts Land Initiative for land protection. for Berkshire County, making the Management Area, will work with HLT from September Tomorrow (MassLIFT), a statewide groomed cross-country ski trails at and the 1700-acre Notchview Reservation a destination Windsor State Forest. for people throughout the state. The east branch of The town center, at the junction the Westfield River runs through stone factory, blacksmith shop, of Routes 9 and 8A, includes a Windsor State Forest, and one of paint shop, and the Jordan Hotel. general store, the former Crane its feeder brooks descends through Charles H. Ball built a machine Community School (now housing Windsor Jambs, a 25-foot-wide shop along the northern edge of the town offices and the Windsor gorge with a 75-foot-high waterfall. the Westfield River brook in 1883, Free Library), the Town Hall, and Another popular waterfall is and in 1891 he began making iron the Congregational Church. On Wahconah Falls, in the southwest pipe bridges which he patented. a clear day, Mt. Greylock, the part of town near the Windsor- Advertised as “the strongest and highest peak in the state, is easily Dalton border. In the northeast cheapest iron bridges in the world,” visible to the north. The view from corner of town lies Windsor Pond, a many were installed in neighboring Windsor Hill may also include 48-acre natural pond with summer towns. In the early 1900s, Mr. the peaks of the Catskills to the cottages and boating. Ball began operation of a saw mill southwest, the Green Mountains Windsor was settled in 1767 producing specialty wood products, to the north and east, and Mount and officially incorporated in 1771. including barrel-heads, shingles, Tom and Mt. Holyoke to the east. Lumbering was a highly profitable brush handles, meat skewers, Vine serpent The one to beat A contender Windsor’s population is 900, with a industry in the early 18th century. pencils, wooden coat hangers, and concentration of houses on the west Saw mills, tanneries, shingle and 60 million lollipop sticks a year. side of town adjoining Dalton. woodenware factories all thrived Employing many people in town, Eradicate Some Bittersweet and Win a Prize! The town is 35 square miles, on the ample supply of lumber in the Ball factory was the core of t has delicate tendrils and bunches of orange berries and Martha Stewart possibilities. But it is actually a serious much of which is heavily wooded. the town's forests. At its height, Windsor’s prosperity during these INew England invasive. The source of all the decorative branches and berries can be a huge vine, smothering native the town hosted ten years. Following Mr. Ball’s death trees and bushes. district schools and ten in 1928, the factory closed, the Forester Lincoln Fish is offering a contest to encourage the eradication of this invasive: If you can find (and cut) sawmills. By 1850, the building was taken down, and East at piece of bittersweet vine that is larger than his specimen (6 inches), the prize will be an acre of FREE bittersweet large trees and hemlocks Windsor became a ghost town. control from Bay State Forestry! Submissions by August 1, 2012. had been depleted, and the Today, most of Windsor’s For details of this contest, and the dangers of this invasive, please visit baystateforestry.com/bittercontest. population began population works outside of town. to decline. Children attend the Berkshire Trail In the late 1880s, East Elementary School in Cummington, Windsor was a small hub and then travel to Dalton for the of industry, with a general middle and high school years. The Comming Soon: Hilltown Hikes store, post office, machine town’s rich natural resources attract n a warm Memorial Day at Warner Farm in Cummington, landowner Richard Fournier led a group of 15 hikers shop, foundry, scythe people coming to hike, bicycle, fish, Othrough their woodlands to a lovely waterfall. On the way we found a few spring wildflowers and caught glimpses snowmobile, and cross-country ski. of the huge beaver swamp area that is home to many important species. The trail round trip is about 1.5 mile and is open to the public. The trail begins on the south side of Porter Hill road 1/3 mile west of the Cummington Fairgrounds and is relatively flat, except at the waterfall where there is a nice climb. Hilltown Land Trust is hosting a series of hikes on lands protected by the land trust. On July 21, 10 a.m.