AMHERST — Kestrel Land Trust is permanently conserving 583 acres on the Mount Holyoke Range in Amherst, Hadley and South Hadley through what is known as a Landscape Partnership Project.
Kestrel Executive Drector Kristin DeBoer announced this week that three of the parcels, totaling 560 acres, will remain in the ownership of the current landowners, and be protected through conservation restrictions.
One of these properties is a 360-acre site owned by the town of Hadley that serves as protection for drinking water and is part of a trail network connecting to the New England National Scenic Trail.
Another is the 96 acres on Tinker Hill owned by Amherst College, a steep incline off Chmura Road in Hadley that includes a former ski area the college used beginning in 1960.
Meantime, Kestrel is looking to add an additional 7 acres of land on the Mount Holyoke Range abutting the Sweet Alice Conservation Area. That land is expected to donated by the Allison Family.
Amherst Assistant Town Manager David Ziomek informed the Conservation Commission earlier this month about this latest preservation, which includes a small ravine and small stream.
DeBoer said in a statement that the region is stronger, the water is cleaner and communities are more resilient when the conservation of farms and forests is balanced with development.
“In the face of climate change, there’s even more urgency to ensure that critical wildlife lands are connected to allow animals safe passage to find water and food,” DeBoer said. “And during the pandemic, we have seen how vital it is for people to have access to nature and the healing power of being outside on trails close to home.”
The New Voters Project launched by MASSPIRG recently had a mobilization effort on the University of Massachusetts campus as part of National Voter Registration Day which, like on other campuses, had to be done in new way due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The effort included getting in touch with thousands of students over social media, all-campus emails sent by Student Affairs offices, text messages to friends and virtual class announcements.
“The coronavirus pandemic has complicated the process, so we are building large, diverse coalitions on our college campuses to push for safe voting policies,” said Brendan Geraghty, a UMass senior and the statewide board chairman for MASSPIRG Students.
Trustees for the Jones Library will hold a “Library Chat” about the project to expand and renovate the Amity Street building on Oct. 8 at 4:30 p.m.
During the session, being held via Zoom, trustees will talk with Finegold Alexander Architects about the current plans and participants will be able to ask questions and offer comments.
The library is in line to receive a $13.87 million grant from the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners next July.
Community members can join the webinar by going to https://amherstma.zoom.us/j/97246758133.
A webinar for people seeking a career change, a new position or who have lost their jobs, titled “Thanks for the Pink Slip: The Upside of Being Downsized, Fired, Let Go, Laid Off, Eliminated, Terminated, Etc.,” will be hosted by the Jones Library Oct. 15 at 7 p.m.
Presented by Constance Hallinan Lagan, director of The Entrepreneurial Center for Small Business Development, the webinar will cover topics such as developing one’s passion into a money-making venture.
To attend the event, made possible through CARES Act funding to the Federal Institute of Museum and Library Services, and administered by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners, send an email to programs@joneslibrary.org.
MONDAY: Town Council, 6:30 p.m., virtual meeting via Zoom.
WEDNESDAY: Zoning Board of Appeals, 6 p.m., and Planning Board, 6:30 p.m., both vrtual meetings via Zoom.
