High school students plant vegetative buffer on Old Mill Trail
Dalton — On Thursday, October 20, students and staff from Wahconah Regional High School worked with the Housatonic Valley Association (HVA) to improve a vegetative buffer under the transmission line that crosses the Old Mill Trail. Students prepared the site and planted native shrubs including sumac, pussy willow and elderberry. During the field trip, Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife staff led an electroshocking demonstration and students learned about the biology of several fish caught in the east branch of the Housatonic River. Students also took a hike to learn about several invasive plants found in the riparian habitat.
The Old Mill Trail is a 1.5-mile hiking trail that follows the east branch of the Housatonic River. Shortly after crossing Route 8, the trail crosses a transmission line right-of-way. The strip of land adjacent to the river under the transmission line is the site of a restoration project to be coordinated by the HVA. The first step in the restoration – the treatment of the invasive plants present such as Japanese knotweed, barberry and multiflora rose – has already been completed.
In cooperation with new trail landowners Berkshire Natural Resources Council, HVA will ensure future trail management will include manual removal of any woody seedlings that could interfere with the transmission lines if allowed to grow. Over time, the improved riparian buffer and elimination of invasive species will enhance the shading and wildlife habitat along the river. For more information about the east branch restoration project, call the HVA at (413) 394-9796.
–E.E.
Great Barrington Selectboard schedules trick or treat hours
Great Barrington — At its meeting on Monday, October 17, the Great Barrington Selectboard voted to authorize Halloween trick or treat on Monday, Oct. 31, between the hours of 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. only at houses that have outside lights on.
–E.E.
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Paul Green, Larry Wallach, Ronald Gorevic to perform at Music@theTaft
Pittsfield — The Berkshire Music School (BMS) will continue its professional performance series, Music@theTaft, with a concert on Saturday, Oct. 29, at 5 p.m. in its Taft Recital Hall. The concert will feature BMS clarinet faculty member Paul Green will be joined by colleagues Larry Wallach on piano and Ronald Gorevic on viola and violin. The program will include the Mozart Trio in Eb, K. 498 (“Kegelstatt”); the Trio for Clarinet, Violin and Piano by Aram Khachaturian; and a selection from the Eight Pieces for Clarinet, Viola and Piano Op. 83, by Max Bruch.
Admission for the concert is $20 per person and reservations are recommended due to limited seating. For reservations and more information, call (413) 442-1411.
–E.E.
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Sheffield Land Trust to hold tree planting and property walk
Sheffield — The Sheffield Land Trust and Sheffield Tree Project will hold their annual Fall Tree Planting Day on Saturday, Oct. 29, at 9 a.m. The first set of trees will be planted in front of the Berkshire Mountain Distillers property and the plantings will move north from there. There is plenty of parking in the distillery parking lot. Refreshments will be provided. The event is family-friendly, free and open to the public. Tom Ingersoll, who leads the Sheffield Tree Project, will provide information about tree planting and care as each tree is planted.
The Sheffield Land Trust will hold its annual fall property walk on Sunday, Oct. 30, at 1:30 p.m. Participants will explore the Drury Trail from Barnum Street to Schenob Brook and hear about the property’s history, plants and animals from members of the Drury family. The event is free, open to the public and family-friendly. Seasonal refreshments will be available before the walk. Participants are advised to wear good walking shoes.
For more information contact the Sheffield Land Trust at (413) 229-0234 or shefland@bcn.net and the Sheffield Tree Project at info@sheffieldtreeproject.org.
–E.E.
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Cafe Palestina to present film festival
Great Barrington — On Tuesday, Nov. 1, Cafe Palestina will launch a film festival at the South Berkshire Friends Meeting House beginning with “Occupation of the American Mind,” a film that depicts the role media plays in reporting issues and the opinions formed about them. On Tuesday, Nov. 29, “The Wanted 18” will tell the story of residents of the West Bank who want alternatives to Israeli goods. The third film, “Censored Voices,” centers around intimate conversations recorded by a group of young kibbutzniks with soldiers returning from the 1967 Six Day War and will be presented on Tuesday, Dec. 6. The final film, “Omar,” will be shown on Tuesday, Dec. 13, and is both a thriller and a romance with melodramatic elements brought into stark relief by the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
All films will start at 7 p.m. Admission is free and light refreshments will be served. For info, contact cafe.palestina@yahoo.com.
–E.E
