Post on 29-Jul-2018
Working to enhancethe quality of life andrural character ofthe Highlands region of Massachusetts.
NON-PROFIT ORG.U.S. POSTAGE
P A I DHAYDENVILLE, MA
PERMIT NO. 24
THE HIGHLAND COMMUNITIES INITIATIVE (HCI)
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THE HIGHLAND COMMUNITIES INITIATIVEA program of The Trustees of Reservations
132 Main Street, PO Box 253
Haydenville, MA 01039
Notchview, Windsor
WHEN FACED WITH CHALLENGES, RURALcommunities have a remarkable ability to bend, not break
– and then rebound. Last December’s devastating fire that
destroyed shops and apartments
in downtown Shelburne could
have been crushing to the
community. Instead, a hopeful,
familiar story emerged as neigh-
bors began to pull together. From
the heroic efforts of volunteer
first-responders, to the flood of donations, fundraisers, and
simple acts of kindness, Shelburne has worked to heal itself.
The events in Shelburne reveal the good that comes from
having a strong web of relationships within a community,
a phenomenon known as “social capital.” Harvard scholar
Robert Putnam, author of Bowling Alone, defines it as “the
collective value of all ‘social networks’ and the inclinations
that arise from these networks to do things for each other.”
For Putnam, social capital is the glue that builds trust,
involvement, and stability within a community.
In small towns, social capital acts as a safety net, as well
as a source of empowerment for accomplishing positive
things. Anyone who lives or works in the rural stretches of
the Highlands knows the comfort
of having family, friends, and
neighbors nearby – and how
precious little gets done without
their support. Often, that support
is structured in traditional insti-
tutions such as churches, Granges,
and civic associations. But Highlands residents are also
building communities in new places and in creative ways.
Since there is no shortage of things that need “doing”
where we live, this issue of Highland Happenings is devoted
to the people and organizations that create and maintain
social capital in their communities in order to accomplish
goals, big and small.
HighlandHAPPENINGSHCI IS A PROGRAM OF THE TRUSTEES OF RESERVATIONS WINTER 2008 VOL.7 NO.1
ALL TOGETHER NOW:
The Power of Community in the Highlands
HIGHLAND COMMUNITIESINITIATIVE
“Anyone who lives or works in
the rural stretches of the Highlands
knows the comfort of having family,
friends, and neighbors nearby.”
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ABOVE: Chesterfield’s Gorge Après Gorge is one of many community events that bring people together.
NEIGHBORSIN ACTION:Leon Ripley,Granville
IT MIGHT BE EASIER TO DESCRIBE WHAT LEON
Ripley doesn’t do for his community and his land, but that
wouldn’t be nearly as much fun. Leon, a sixth-generation
farmer and landowner in Granville, shares his expertise, time,
and sense of commitment with numerous town and regional
boards – he’s chair of the Board of Assessors and Conservation
Commission, president of the Hampden County Farm Bureau,
vice president of the Blandford Fair, vice chair of the Hampden
Conservation District, and a member of the Open Space
Committee and the Agricultural Commission. Whew!
One of Leon’s most gratifying moments was the completion
of the Granville Open Space Plan, which was 25 years in the
making. In the process of writing the plan the committee
explored many of the natural places in town by canoe and
by foot, which Leon greatly enjoyed. He and other members
are currently working on trails at Sodom Mountain and at
the 70-acre town forest.
In addition to his extensive volunteer work, Leon runs a
diverse farm that keeps him busy year-round with: a maple
syrup and pancake house, cross-country skiing, hay mowing,
and blueberries. Leon and his family also manage their forests
for timber and wildlife habitat, which has earned him the
honor of being named Massachusetts Tree Farmer of the Year.
Leon is motivated in all these efforts by his strong belief
in preserving land, a value instilled in him as a young man
during long walks in the woods with his father. Leon clearly
loves his land, which has been in his family since 1812. His
favorite place is his home farm, he says, where he’d rather
be “out in the woods more than anywhere else.”
HCI salutes all of the region’s volunteers.
To nominate someone for our volunteer spotlight,
call HCI at 413.268.8219 or email highlands@ttor.org.
For more information, or to receive this newsletter regularly, contact us at:
Wendy SweetserDirectorwsweetser@ttor.org
Mark WamsleyProgram and OutreachAssistantmwamsley@ttor.org
HIGHLAND COMMUNITIES INITIATIVE (HCI)
132 Main StreetPO Box 253Haydenville, MA 01039tel 413.268.8219fax 413.268.7363email highlands@ttor.orgwww.highlandcommunities.org
Please recycle this newsletter by passing it on to a friend or
donating it to a school, library, business, or wherever it might be read.
THE HIGHLANDCOMMUNITIES INITIATIVE REGION
Ashfield
Becket
Blandford
Buckland
Charlemont
Chester
Chesterfield
Colrain
Conway
Cummington
Florida
Goshen
Granville
Hawley
Heath
Hinsdale
Huntington
Leyden
Middlefield
Monroe
Monterey
Montgomery
New Marlborough
Otis
Peru
Plainfield
©2008 The Trustees of Reservations 3100K - 02/08
Rowe
Russell
Sandisfield
Savoy
Shelburne
Tolland
Tyringham
Washington
Westhampton
Williamsburg
Windsor
Worthington
A program of The Trustees of Reservations, the HighlandCommunities Initiative is a group of neighbors and volun-teers working to enhance the quality of life and ruralcharacter of our communities. HCI connects people andprovides them with the information and support they needto preserve the special natural and cultural landscapes ofthe Highlands region.
The Trustees of Reservations are more than 100,000people like you who want to protect the places we love,or simply like to be outdoors.Together with our neighbors,we protect the distinct character of our communities andinspire a commitment to special places.
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2 HIGHLAND HAPPENINGS | WINTER 2008
of local alternative energy projects, and a series “101 Classes,”
where participants visit one another’s houses to learn skills
such as canning, raising chickens, and cheese making.
The group’s most visible project may be the Bag Share
Project, spearheaded by local artist Leni Fried. In an effort
to reduce the use of disposable plastic bags throughout the
region, Fried organized sewing circles to produce cloth bags
from donated and recycled fabric. The bags are then placed
in stores, such as Cooper’s Corners and Florence Hardware
in Florence and Cornucopia in Northampton. Amy Pulley
of The Creamery estimates that her store alone has already
reduced use of plastic and paper bags by 49,000. The project
may soon branch out to the Hampshire County Community
Corrections Center, where inmates have expressed interest in
helping to create bags for the effort, greatly increasing its scope.
Less obvious are the small ways that group members are
increasing their personal ties and preparing for a world where
they may have no choice but to depend on one another.
Friends share seeds from their gardens. Others search for old,
THE REMAINING TRADITIONS OF RURAL LIFE CAN
seem like quaint relics in the face of globalization. Luckily,
participants in the Hilltown Sustainability Group don’t care
how things seem to the rest of the world. In fact, given the
prospects of climate change and diminishing oil supplies,
they are more willing to place their faith in the tried-and-
true rural values of self-reliance, ingenuity, and community
than they are in most bureaucratic policies or regulations.
Any stereotype you could envision about the Hilltown
Sustainability Group would probably be wrong. At the group’s
monthly meetings in Cummington, you’ll find a mix of old
and young, with different complexions, professions – and
opinions. Most of the roughly 60 participants live in the con-
tiguous towns of Cummington, Plainfield, and Hawley, which
fits with the importance the group places on self-reliance
and interdependence. “Ideally, we’d all be able to walk to
one another’s houses,” explains one participant. And such
visits are likely. Although weighty issues sparked the group’s
formation, its members share a remarkably positive attitude,
matched with genuine concern for one another, and a
no-nonsense air of practicality and capability.
It all started in 2006 with three movies shown at The
Creamery in Cummington. When the store’s proprietors,
Amy Pulley and Alice Cozzolino, agreed to host viewings of
An Inconvenient Truth, The End of Suburbia, and The Power
of Community, they had no idea of the crowds the movies
would draw or the passions they would stir. It was clear that
the attendees did not want to wait for others to make things
happen. They wanted to act now.
The Hilltown Sustainability Group sprouted with such ease
it seemed organic. The group has no formal structure, beyond
scheduled monthly meetings and an email list serve. It has no
mission statement to guide it beyond “actions of the month,”
spontaneously proposed by participants. And yet, the organi-
zation is building a strong community, with an admirable
record of accomplishments promoting local sustainability.These
include a popular Earth Day celebration in Cummington, a tour
Returning to the Roots of Rural LifeSMALL, LOCAL, AND RESILIENT:
> CONTINUED ON PAGE 4
Is your local store using free, reusable bags from the BagShare project? If enough people ask them to, they will! 3
You Know What’s In StoreWITH ONLY A SMALL NUMBER OF STORES AND
restaurants supporting the comings and goings of residents
in rural towns, these businesses can begin to take on the
personalities of the communities and their inhabitants – and
become colorful characters themselves. They also become
catalysts for social capital by facilitating the flow of informa-
tion, promoting social interaction, and very often, providing
resources in times of need.
Not long ago, Nan Parati gained her own unique perspective
on this phenomenon when she decided to renovate and re-open
Elmer’s Country Store in Ashfield. Although she was a resident
of New Orleans, Parati loved the area. “I had grown up reading
New England writers as a child. They were my people,” she
recalls. She also fell in love with the Elmer’s building, which
had been an important part of the community until it shut
its doors a few years before Parati arrived.
How do you resurrect a social hub in a small town? Bring
back the people as soon as possible – Parati held an open
house shortly after she purchased the property to elicit ideas.
“I wanted the community to be part of this,” she says. Nearly
100 people came, and the ideas flowed.
It’s been more than a year since Elmer’s reopened as a
restaurant that highlights locally-grown food (breakfasts and
Friday dinners), a country store, and an art gallery. It also
serves as an event space, a workshop venue, an impromptu
FROM PAGE 3SMALL, LOCAL,AND RESILIENT
hand-powered harvesting equipment to experiment with
growing and processing their own wheat. “We have really
smart, wicked committed people here,” says a founding
participant. “Though ego is not a problem,” claims Kathy
Harrison. “We know how to depend on each other like our
predecessors did. The group serves to check ego and act as
our collective conscience.”
The Hilltown Sustainability Group believes that its
model could be replicated for the benefit of other
towns.To learn more about the group, visit
www.ourworldbydesign.com.
and organized gathering spot (the knitting and French clubs
meet there weekly), a Wi-Fi hub, and Ashfield selectman Bill
Perlman’s unofficial office.
In true country style, Elmer’s doesn’t limit its scope to events
within the store. It reflects outward what the community of
Ashfield values. Parati now serves on the board of the Green
River Festival, and her business sponsors the fall Harvest Dance.
And with Elmer’s annual Mardi Gras celebration, Parati has
added a bit of herself to the complexion of the town.
One day this winter, Bill Perlman sat talking with Parati
amid Elmer’s customers, food, and art work. “Nan really read
the community perfectly.” he said. “Elmer’s is a place where
people gravitate. One person sits down, and three more join
them. It’s inviting to everyone. They come to share informa-
tion, comfort, and joy.”
You can visit Elmer’s Store at:396 Main Street | Ashfield, MA 01330 tel 413.628.4003 | www.elmersstore.com
The Creamery in Cummington is part general store, restaurant,and community gathering place.
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WHILE THE HIGHLANDS MAY ENJOY RELIABLE, HIGH-
speed Internet access in the near future, local parents cannot
wait to meet the needs of their growing children. For Sienna
Wildfield, the Internet’s potential for connecting families led
her to believe that it could become an invaluable resource
for parents in this region, and in the life of her own daughter,
Persephone. With that in mind, Wildfield decided to brave the
Highlands’ infamously slow Internet access to create the weblog,
Hilltown Families (www.hilltownfamilies.wordpress.com).
Judging by the site’s growth in one year, with more than
33,000 visitors and 150 families subscribing to its newsfeed
and email list serve, the need was real.
Wildfield felt isolated when she moved to West Chesterfield
four years ago, and worried that her daughter might not have
easy access to the physical, social, educational, and creative
outlets that are available, but are spread across the sparsely
populated area. Luckily, it was all a matter of connecting
with those around her. She soon became coordinator of the
Cummington Family Center and organized regular play days
at the Community House. She also brought together families
to host information-sharing events. “I must have held 20
pancake breakfasts at my own home alone,” Wildfield recalls.
Within three years, 80 families were participating in Family
Center events.
When Persephone became school-aged, her mother found
few centralized resources available to meet the needs of grade-
school children. Sienna started her Hilltown Families blog to
fill that void, and it has flourished.
Currently, the Hilltown Families blog coordinates five
distinct services. The blog allows users to register for a list
serve where families can privately discuss any and all relevant
issues, ranging from school choice to health to fun activities.
Users can also subscribe to a newsfeed where they receive
information posted to the site. On the blog site itself, Sienna
and guest writers maintain an updated list of family-friendly
local events, as well as a links page of Internet resources.
Podcasts of the Hilltown Family Variety Show, hosted by
Sienna and Persephone on Valley Free Radio (every Tuesday
at 7PM on 103.3 FM), are also available for residents who
miss the show or can’t receive the station’s signal.
Hilltown Families aims to be inclusive, welcoming families
of all compositions and philosophies, and highlighting events
in both the Highlands as well as the Pioneer Valley. Families
without computers are encouraged to access the site at their
local libraries.
Wildfield feels strongly about connecting families with
local communities, economies, and landscapes. Every year,
the group’s craft bazaar introduces children to local artists
and businesses. Recently, Hilltown Families has partnered
with the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP)
of Hampshire and Franklin Counties in the distribution of
hand-knitted hats to Hilltown children in need. It has also
begun an Outdoors Adventures for Kids program in
conjunction with Tekoa Mountain Outdoors.
“It’s been an amazing, enriching experience for myself
and, I hope, for the community,” says Wildfield. She is not
sure what she’ll do when Persephone moves on from grade
school. For now, there are plenty of things to keep her busy.
“We’re always looking for guest writers on the site,” she hints,
reminding everyone that while one person started Hilltown
Families, community is what makes it work.
INTERNET CONNECTIONS:
Strengthening Hilltown Families in the Land of Dial-Up
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Highlands families are using the Internet to connect withone another, and with local treasures like the Chapel BrookReservation in Ashfield.
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DOES IT REALLY MATTER IF YOU KNOW YOUR
neighbors? Can being part of a tight-knit neighborhood
make a difference in any tangible way? To the residents of
a neighborhood on Nash Hill Road in Williamsburg, the
answers to these questions are a resounding “yes”. The families
and individuals that live in the Nash Hill area enjoy some
traditional aspects of a small town community – they know
one another by name, watch over each other’s animals and
houses, and celebrate special occasions together. But what is
more unusual about this neighborhood is that when a key
piece of wooded land was threatened with development,
they banded together to ensure its permanent protection.
Since Donna Gibson moved to Nash Hill in the 1960s, she
and the nearby residents who followed have put down roots
and made an effort to nurture their neighborhood. They
created some annual traditions – a Halloween get-together,
solstice celebrations, a Christmas Eve open house – and enjoy
Conserving a Neighborhood Together
JOIN THE CONSERVATION COMMONWould you like to connect with other people working to preserve the quality of life of their communities, to share resources, advice, and support? The Trustees’Putnam Conservation Institute has created a new website to act as a “cyber village”for conservation and community preservation activists of all backgrounds and levelsof experience. Visit WWW.CONSERVATIONCOMMON.ORG to get up-to-date news,participate in discussions, and find the links you need.
feeling like they are “part of an old farm community, borrowing
ladders, and trading garden produce throughout the season,”
Donna says. The seeds of expanded collaboration were sown
at one particular gathering, where the neighbors lamented
how much time they spent mowing their lawns. As a solution,
they jointly purchased a commercial mower and have shared
it among their houses for years. “We help each other in a variety
of ways, and we appreciate each other,” Donna says.
The relationships that they built over time came in handy
11 years ago, when 85 acres of prime woodland in the midst
of their neighborhood were put on the market for house lots.
Art Silver, a recent arrival to Nash Hill and direct abutter to
the land for sale, began negotiating with the landowner, while
other nearby households began meeting regularly to talk about
how to protect their neighborhood.
The process of negotiating with the landowner and one
another took more than a year, but in the end, each family
contributed to the purchase price according to their ability.
“It was a difficult and soul-searching process,” Donna recalls.
“Though it was long and complicated,” Art adds, “the desire
to conserve the land was strong enough to keep all of us
together.” To fulfill that desire, the group worked with The
Trustees and the Hilltown Land Trust to place a conservation
restriction on 65 acres to ensure it will remain in its natural
state forever. “The community spirit here largely led to the
whole thing happening,” Art claims. “We all got to protect our
quality of life and improve our property values by keeping the
neighborhood the same as it’s been. Our neighborhood is
very special. In my opinion, it has a sense of community that
we always hoped to find, and feel lucky to be part of.”
A stretch of Nash Hill Road will remain undeveloped foreverthanks to the actions of a group of neighbors.
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BE THE FACE OF HCI IN YOUR COMMUNITY:A CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS
DO YOU LOVE THE WORK THAT HCI DOES?
If so, we’d appreciate your help to spread the word! We are
looking for individuals to volunteer at fun events throughout
the Highlands as HCI Representatives. The job is simple:
Spend some time at an information table talking to people
about HCI’s work during a town fair or other event in your
community. We will provide training and materials.
Word of mouth is the most effective way of distributing
information and encouraging people to get involved in pro-
tecting the rural character and quality of life in the Highlands.
We can’t do it alone. Help us multiply our efforts! If you are
interested, contact Wendy Sweetser or Mark Wamsley at
413.268.8219.
UPCOMING EVENTSYour Land,Your Choices Woods ForumThursday, March 13 | 7PM | Stanton Hall, Huntington | FREE
MA Land Conservation ConferenceThursday, March 29 | 8AM – 4:30PM | Worcester Technical HighSchool | $38 before March 14; $58 after March 14Pre-registration required; call 978.840.4446 x1905 to register.
Private Land Conservation Consultations with an AttorneySaturday, April 5 | 25 minute appointments from 9AM – 3PM
Cummington | $15 per appointment. Open to landowners inFranklin, Hampshire, Hampden, and Berkshire Counties who ownat least 10 acres. Pre-registration required.
Stone by Stone: A History of New England’s Stone Walls Presentation by Author and Professor Robert ThorsonSaturday, April 12 | 1PM | Chesterfield Senior Center | FREE
Conservation by Design: A Practical Strategy forPreserving Town-wide Open Space NetworksPresentation by Randall ArendtMonday,April 28 | 7PM | Conway Town Hall | FREE
Restoring Old Growth Characteristics to Your WoodsPresentation by Paul CatanzaroThursday, May 22 | 7PM | Ashfield Town Hall | FREE
Call 413.268.8219 if inclement weather is forecasted, fordirections and more information, and to register for events.
A KeystoneOpportunityFORESTS ARE THE MOST DOMINANT NATURALfeatures in the Highlands, and if you’re interested in greatly
expanding your knowledge of forests and building relationships
with other people, then UMass Extension has an opportunity
for you. The Keystone Project, formerly called Coverts, is a
three-day training program at the Harvard Forest that provides
participants with a thorough understanding of forest ecology
and stewardship, wildlife management, and land conservation.
In exchange, participants agree to serve as local resources
for forest conservation in their communities with continued
support from UMass Extension. The goal of the Keystone
Project is to create a network of educated leaders who can
serve as a source of information for landowners, organizations,
and towns. For more information or to download an applica-
tion visit www.masskeystone.net or contact Paul Catanzaro at
413.545.4839 or by emailing cat@umext.umass.edu.
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The Keystone Project is an opportunity to get outside, learnmore about your woods, and get involved in your community.