Tree planting on the Bear River (Western Mass)

We are planting over 100 native shrubs and trees on a patch of land that was touched by a tornado in February of 2017. The tornado ripped through trees, and the course of the Bear River was changed. The result is a significant section of the river where the water heats up in the summer sun before flowing downstream into the Deerfield. The Bear River confluence with the Deerfield is an important thermal refuge for trout in the main stem during the dog days of summer. This particular section of the Bear River has also historically been a haven for brook trout. Indications are that the population has suffered from changes to the habitat. We are hoping that the work we do now will stabilize the bank and will have an impact on water temperatures in the lower Bear River within a few years. We also hope that the hardwood trees we plant will contribute to much needed carbon sequestering and play a small role in mitigating climate change over the long run. 

The bulk of work on the project is planned for Sunday, April 24th, beginning at 9:00 a.m. Access will be from Beldingville Road, just west of the intersection with Pfersick Road in Ashfield, not far from the town line with Conway. (If the weather is prohibitive, we will reschedule for May 1st.) A few of us will be doing prep work the day before, and the following week, on Arbor Day, we'll hopefully have a contingency from Buckland-Shelburne Elementary School out for a service-learning project to finish the planting. The plan is to begin Sunday morning, and some of us will be there all day. If you can't get there at 9:00 a.m., come out when you are able to.  

Be prepared for the weather. Waterproof boots, like muck boots, are essential for most of the area in which we are working. Some of the planting will require crossing the Bear River, so if you have waders on hand, they could prove useful. Gloves, shovels, picks, and crowbars would be helpful.  

Please let us know if you plan to help by sending an email to deerfieldrivertu@gmail.com. Thank you in advance for your support on this important work.