BEAT to Host Tree Identification Walk Oct. 8

STOCKBRIDGE, Mass. — The Berkshire Environmental Action Team (BEAT) will lead a free tree identification walk at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 8.

Participants will meet at the trailhead of Lower Bowker’s Woods, a Laurel Hill Association property located near Stockbridge, MA. The walk will last between 1.5 and 2 hours. Anybody is welcome to join, but the number of participants is limited. If you want to join, email chelsey@thebeatnews.org or call 413-464-9402 to RSVP.

Participants will learn key characteristics of common trees in western Massachusetts and get tips to help identify them by species. The 1-mile trail meanders along the Housatonic River and through a charming upland forest. The trail is typically considered an easy route, but it has uneven terrain in some areas with many roots; it also intersects railroad tracks. Some areas of the trail can be very wet and muddy.

Wear sturdy shoes that can handle getting muddy and possibly a little wet. Long pants and long socks are recommended, as there is poison ivy along the trail, and ticks can be abundant this time of year. 

DIRECTIONS: 

Going west from the Main Street of Stockbridge: Continue through Main St and past the Stockbridge golf course. After crossing the golf course bridge, Main Street turns into Glendale Middle Rd. Continue down Glendale Middle for approximately half a mile, and the trailhead will be on the right. A small green sign says “Lower Bowker’s Woods”.

Going southwest from Route 102: After passing the Berkshire Botanical Garden, you’ll come to an intersection of Rt 102 and Highway 183 (also known as Glendale Rd). Take a right onto 183, continue down this road for about 1.3 miles, and then take a left onto Glendale Middle Rd and continue for approximately 0.3 miles. The trailhead will be on the left.

This walk is sponsored by Berkshire Environmental Action Team. BEAT is a 501(c)(3) non-profit located in Pittsfield, MA. They work with the community to protect the environment for wildlife in support of the natural world that sustains us all. To learn more about BEAT, visit their website at www.thebeatnews.org, or contact them at team@thebeatnews.org, (413) 464-9402.

Lee Represents Massachusetts in 50 in 50 Mural Project

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
01:10PM / Sunday, July 21, 2024

The mural features the town's history and beauty. Lee is representing the state in artist Cheyenne Renee's '50 in 50' project to paint a mural in one small town in each state. 

LEE, Mass. — Out of the 351 cities and towns in Massachusetts, Lee was selected to participate in the "50 in 50" Project. 

 

Artist Cheyenne Renee is working to paint a mural in a small town in all 50 states. As part of the project, there will also be a documentary that will incorporate interviews and footage from each town. 

 

Renee has already completed murals in towns in West Virginia, Wyoming, Idaho, and Iowa, among other places. 

 

Renee received close to 300 nominations but only has about 18 states accounted for, so she is still in need of more nominations for a state yet to be completed. More information here. 

 

When selecting a town, Renee looks at chamber of commerce websites and visitor center information to learn more about the area. 

 

Lee marks the 11th town she has completed and will now be moving on to Morristown, Vt., for her next project, which she will do with some schoolchildren.

 

The goal is to "highlight the community and small businesses within each town and really give people a reason to travel to all of the murals [and] get to know the area that they'd be going to," Renee said at Friday's celebration of the mural.