Trustees | Special Places | Fall 2020

FALL 2020 VOLUME 28 NO. 3

FOR MEMBERS AND SUPPORTERS OF THE TRUSTEES

Protecting Jewell Hill Our newest reservation is a north-central gem

Now booking events for the remainder of 2020, as well as for the 2021 and 2022 seasons.

©DREAMLOVE PHOTOGRAPHY

Rent a spectacular Trustees property for your wedding, corporate, or private function.

©ALLEGRO PHOTOGRAPHY

NEWS FROM ACROSS THE STATE

©AMY BAO PHOTOGRAPHY

thetrustees.org/rent-a-venue

Trustees Launches Redesigned Website In late summer, The Trustees launched a newly redesigned website (thetrustees. org) conceived to allow visitors to more interactively engage with the organization, find places to visit and things to do more easily, and encounter a more robust visual experience showcasing the organization’s 120 special places. “We needed a website that conveys the breathtakingly unique aesthetics our properties convey in real life and now we have it,” said Matt Montgomery, Chief of Marketing and Audience Development.

“There’s an emphasis on putting amazing photography front and center, as well as adding functionality that helps visitors find the most tailored experiences they’re

seeking.” Spearheaded by nationally renowned Blue State Digital, the revamped website also includes an interactive homepage map that filters properties by interest area, more curated content, a blog featuring the organization’s internal experts highlighting Trustees initiatives, added emphasis on Art & Culture offerings, expanded histories, and enhanced property and event search functionalities. Members are encouraged to help make the new website even more visually engaging: Trustees would like to add some of your best photos on reservation photo galleries. For details, visit Photo Submissions on thetrustees.org/photos.

Rejuvenating a Timeless Treasure The Rose Garden, an award-winning jewel of historic Castle Hill on the Crane Estate in Ipswich, has been reopened. Built in 1915 and enjoyed for many years by the Crane Family, the last 100-plus years took their toll, turning this once formal space into a romantic ruin. But the serene setting belied the lurking danger of crumbling walkways, columns, and stairs, and the surrounding woods had grown to block the sun. Trustees has just completed a nearly year-long project

©KRISTA PHOTOGRAPHY

designed to rejuvenate the Rose Garden and turn it back into a place of beauty and contemplation—the garden is open and ready for visitors again. Look for the full story of this remarkable conservation effort in the coming issues of Special Places.

CLARIFICATION: In “I Am America” in the previous issue of Special Places, page 19, we stated that 2020 marks several historical milestones, including “the centenary of white women’s suffrage.” To clarify, this year marks the centenary of the 19th Amendment, which guaranteed that states could not discriminate in voting based on sex. However, other discriminatory laws like poll taxes, literacy tests, and citizenship laws barred millions of women of color from being able to exercise this right until well into the 20th century. The right to vote for women of color wasn’t guaranteed until the passage of the Voting Rights Act in 1965.

deCordova Awards 21st Annual Rappaport Prize deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum has announced Amherst-based artist Sonya Clark as the 2020 recipient of the annual Rappaport Prize. Clark is Professor of Art at Amherst College and is best known as a fiber artist whose powerful work addresses issues of race, history, and culture. “In the midst of a worldwide health and financial crisis and one of the largest social movements in US history, we thought deeply about who should receive

New Initiative Focuses on Creating More Inclusive Spaces Following closely on the heels of establishing a new Community Impact focal area earlier this year, Trustees is now working on a framework intended to create inclusive spaces of belonging across the organization and its 120 special places, build a more welcoming environment, and embrace racial and ethnic programming, stories, and interpretations. Details on the organization’s plans will be released in the coming months, but three recent events point to the types of activities and programming Members and the general public can expect, starting in the near future.

Elizabeth Freeman Celebration On August 21, Trustees helped honor and celebrate Elizabeth Freeman Day with community members in Sheffield. Freeman’s history is more fully described on the Trustees website, but in short: Elizabeth “Mumbet” Freeman—enslaved in the home of Col. John Ashley in Sheffield in the late 18th century—became the first enslaved person to be legally granted freedom in Massachusetts.

Trustees created a video to fully recount Freeman’s story, updated the exhibit of Freeman’s legacy entitled “A Story of Justice and Freedom” (above, right) on permanent view at Ashley House, and hosted the start of (and joined) a walk in her honor. Trustees is also partnering with MassArt Art Museum to

this year’s Prize,” said Sarah Montross, Interim Artistic Director/Senior Curator. “Sonya Clark’s work thoughtfully and powerfully addresses aspects of Black experience in the United States, grappling with the relationship between history, social injustice, institutional racism, and racial inequality.”

Clark adds, “Good news these days is a tender seedling pushing through hard concrete. It signals the fecundity of hope. The Rappaport Prize, this unexpected recognition, is a verdant promise, one that promote programming around a monumental installation entitled Valkyrie Mumbet by artist Joana Vasconcelos, which salutes Freeman’s courageous life. To read the full story and view the video, visit thetrustees.org/ freeman.

will help germinate the creative impulses my ancestors planted in my DNA long ago. I care for those seeds, help them flourish by resisting injustice and celebrating my forebears through my art practice. I am deeply grateful for the support this award provides towards this purpose.” The Prize, established ©DIEGO VALDEZ in 2000, was set up by the Phyllis and Jerome Lyle Rappaport Foundation, to assure the ongoing support of contemporary art and artists in New England. A lecture is being planned for early 2021.

rty

d Libe om an Freed

reedom” ke of “F those t, ots spo ar, Patri onwealth. Bu ople ary W d pe mm volution the Co ent to enslave g the Re throughout differ Durin ” ry ve rty ibe ing and “L ant someth o the ts. me rated int white words Massachuset ly integ y in s deep ntury. Man d this living ce very wa ne e of sla y in the 18th hley, who ow d mmerc The co setts econom lonel John As the 1700s, use hu Massac including Co ing fields in s, nd d colonist d the surrou enslave an rs. o was house erican an, wh d labore ve Am em sla Fre the en izabeth 1781, during named Brom out El n me. In ry is ab ved ma won.

This sto el Ashley’s ho d an ensla and an om in Colon , Freeman ir freed ion for the Revolut lonel Ashley sued Co

Ashley House,

sy of Allan

Ashley

Salsa at Notchview Also in August, Trustees hosted a concert by Springfield’s Salsa Train Orquestra at Notchview in Windsor. Trustees partnered with Corazón Latino (CL)—a national nonprofit organization that seeks to generate social, environmental, and conservation initiatives that foster natural resource stewardship—to bring the project to Notchview. CL has been collaborating with Laudable Productions to produce a series of live-streamed concerts that promote responsible recreation, environmental stewardship, and engagement with the natural world. Trustees has admired Laudable and Corazón Latino’s creative approach to activating outdoor spaces and making communities of color feel welcome, and is pleased to have been able to provide Elizabeth James-Perry, AquinnahWampanoag, Decolonized Map of Massachusetts (detail), 2020, Watercolor and graphite on paper, Fruitlands Museum Collection

House,

present

lly.

Donne

day. Courte

s in Trustee es to The plac donated of inspired k se was networ ley Hou ver. the Ash a part of our ryone, fore When for eve became 1972 it be preserved will that

(Right) Ashley House Book of accounts, 1775.

(Below) Ashley House kitchen, as it looks today.

Men enslaved on Col. Ashley’s farm worked in the fields to grow hay, corn, rye, wheat, oats, flax, fruit, and tobacco.

They livestock and worked in Ashley’s raised gristmill, cider sawmill, mill, and weaving shop.

Women enslaved here spent most time working inside the house. of their Bett had to be ready to work at any hour, and tending the building household fires, cleaning, spinning cooking, , sewing, hauling and ash, and attending to visitors. water Even during her years in slavery well known in Bett was the community for her skills as a nurse and midwife, giving her more independence than This work connecte other enslaved people. families includin d her with other local g the Sedgwic ks, who later supporte d her suit for freedom.

the use of the magnificent landscape at Notchview for this event. The concert is being streamed to Laudable’s nationwide audience of nearly 70,000 and will be rebroadcast by The Trustees soon (date and time to be announced on thetrustees.org).

Decolonized Map at Fruitlands Museum At Fruitlands Museum in Harvard, artist-in-residence Elizabeth James-Perry, an enrolled member of the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head-Aquinnah, is creating a decolonized map of Massachusetts, which will be a centerpiece of the New England section of Fruitlands Museum’s permanent collection of Indigenous objects. Her handmade map shares her research on how Indigenous people moved through this area prior to European colonization, settlement, and development.

James-Perry focuses upon communities, less so on borders, with the form of a bear overlaid. The Decolonized Map is on view through March 21, 2021; more information can be found at thetrustees.org/fruitlands.

FALL 2020

1

1930.

OUT AND ABOUT 1. PRESENTING THE STATE OF THE COAST: The speakers for the inaugural State of the Coast presentation in August at Steep Hill Beach on the Crane Estate, Ipswich, were (from left): Report sponsor Breckinridge Capital Advisors President and Trustees Board of Directors Chair Peter Coffin; Trustees Executive Vice President Jocelyn Forbush; Massachusetts Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Kathleen Theoharides; State Senate Minority Leader Bruce E. Tarr of Gloucester; State Representative Brad Hill of Ipswich; Trustees Director of Coast and Natural Resources Tom O’Shea; and Ipswich Town Manager Anthony Marino.

1

©TRUSTEES

2. CELEBRATING ELIZABETH FREEMAN: Participants begin a walk in celebration of Elizabeth Freeman Day, at Ashley House in Sheffield.

3. ROSE GARDEN GROWS: The Castle Hill team meets to review restoration work on the Rose Garden. Look for a story about the recently completed conservation effort on the iconic Crane Estate garden in an upcoming issue of Special Places.

2

4. NEW CAMPING OPTIONS AT ROCKY WOODS: Staffers prepare to welcome guests to the newly expanded camping facilities at Rocky Woods in Medfield, which opened on Labor Day Weekend.

Visit thetrustees.org/rockywoodscamping for information and to reserve your campsite.

©TRUSTEES

3

©TRUSTEES

5

4

©TRUSTEES

©TRUSTEES

CONTENTS

04

07

Jewell Hill is protected.

A natural advocate.

View from the Top

Meet Linda Orel

6

©TRUSTEES

08

10

New media helps our shores.

Volunteer opportunities abound.

Message in a [virtual] Bottle

ON THE COVER: JEWELL HILL IN ASHBURNHAM, ASHBY & FITCHBURG. AERIAL PHOTO COURTESY OF TED HOOSICK.

2

THE TRUSTEES

5&6. WATERFRONT CHAMPIONS: This summer’s One Waterfront Ambassadors celebrated their summer of work together with a Zoom party and group photo. Ambassadors created a Powerpoint presentation summing up their experiences in the program with slides like this one from Emily H, who commented, “This summer I learned the importance of community engagement and community outreach.”

The Gift of Help

Dear Members: I hope that you are staying healthy and well ©ABOVE SUMMIT through these challenging months. These are times like no other in history, but while we are all keeping our physical distance, The Trustees appreciates you, our valued Members, more than ever before.

When we enacted the governor’s safety guidelines in order to reopen our properties, you visited and showed how much you appreciate our special places. As we began hosting small events and programs across the state, you eagerly attended—it’s so important to have shared experiences like these with family and friends. Our farmers worked day and night and you supported our CSAs and farm stores to bring an abundance of locally grown food to your table. And, when we carefully planned how to run safe summer camps, you enrolled your children. We are truly grateful for the opportunities to become even more a part of your lives, as you have become in ours.

We believe nature contributes to a better quality of life, a healthier existence for us all, whether through a pandemic or anytime. It’s our mission to keep our special places protected so we have places to seek solace and find inspiration. We were glad to have been advocates along with other organizations to encourage Congress to pass the Great American Outdoors Act which they did last month. This Act guarantees $900 million in federal funds for land and water conservation every year. The Trustees has lobbied for years for these funds and we are proud to say that Massachusetts will receive millions in funding annually. When we partner with cities, towns, and state agencies, our projects will be eligible for these funds to help us acquire new reservations, restore coastal resources, and establish new parks and gardens. This is just one reason why every vote matters.

It’s important during these times to be reminded that our reservations, like all of nature, are for everyone. The Trustees mission includes strengthening partnerships within the communities where we work and curating a sense of welcome for

all. To accomplish these goals, we are reviewing our processes to better articulate our commitment and investments in diversity, belonging, inclusion, and equity—centered on creating inclusive places of belonging for all our visitors, Members, staff, and all our communities across our 120 properties. We look forward to providing updates in the coming issues of Special Places.

We proudly released our State of the Coast report in August, which focuses on sea level rise and storm surge impacts affecting 13 coastal communities on the North Shore. You’ll not only find some of the data eye-opening, you will see how The Trustees is taking a leadership position to make a real impact on these dramatically changing landscapes. The entire report is on our interactive website at thetrustees.org/coast. We’ll soon begin working on the second of four planned reports—this one focusing on the Cape and Islands.

As we start to feel a nip in the air, it’s a perfect time to get outside and listen to the leaves crunch under foot as you embark on a fall hike, take in beautiful leaf displays, or explore our newest reservation, Jewell Hill in Ashburnham (pages 4-6). And, before you know it, we’ll be bundled up for Winterlights, which will be held at Naumkeag and the Eleanor Cabot Bradley Estate again, with a modified experience to keep you and our staff safe.

All of our innovative events, including our virtual programming, will be listed on our new website at thetrustees.org.

We are grateful for your continuing support of The Trustees and our mission, for being mindful of social spacing and wearing masks when you visit our trails, farms, and shores. We’ll be there to greet you with a welcome wave and good wishes for continued health through the power of nature.

Warmly,

Barbara J. Erickson President & CEO

11

15

16

Things to do this season.

Indoor galleries reopen.

Stay safe on our trails this fall.

Fall Back… Go Forth!

Exhibitions on View

Outdoors Essential

18

Statewide Map

Hike outside the lines.

FALL 2020

3

Protecting

Jewell Hill

This north-central gem is a significant agricultural and ecological landscape

G

BY JEFF HARDER

Gazing east from 1,411 feet up at Jewell Hill, few signs of modernity emerge from a landscape blanketed in forest—yet some 135,000 people make their home within ten miles of here. On clear days, looking 45 miles out, the Boston skyline takes shape. But from the pinnacle of the property, the eye registers little more than hues of green unfurling toward the horizon.

“I’ve been to Jewell Hill many times, and it’s always incredibly beautiful,” says Vanessa Farny, Land Conservation Specialist for The Trustees. “There’s something in us that enjoys walking through the woods, getting to the top of an overlook, and being able to look out across an undisturbed landscape and savor the view.”

COURTESY OF THE CROCKER FAMILY

WORTHY PASTURES Spanning Ashburnham, Ashby, and Fitchburg, Jewell Hill is The Trustees’ newest protected property and its 120th reservation.

The 296-acre landscape has been known 4

THE TRUSTEES

locally as Crocker Farm, after the family who has owned and operated a dairy farm here through much of the postwar 20th century.

Today, fourth-generation descendants Gus and Alfred Crocker have maintained the landscape of working hayfields and hardwood forests. But hay and timber are not the only valuable resources: the property’s forested acreage and streams are part of the broader Fitchburg City water supply, and the farm abuts more than 2,500 acres of watershed conservation land.

The property is also a recreational gem: bisected by a placid country road with a view of Mount Wachusett in the distance, the wooded farm roads and trails present opportunities for hikers and cross-country skiers alike. It’s a prime example of how preserving New England’s agricultural landscapes can provide for outdoor recreation as well as serve as an ecological bulwark.

“Jewell Hill’s agricultural heritage is how this open space has persisted for generations,” Farny says.

Jewell Hill Farm originated in 1917, when Kendall Crocker—Alfred and Gus’s great grandfather—acquired the original acreage for a hobby farm. During World War II, Ken Crocker II established a dairy farm with 60 head of cattle, adding adjacent acres and a new barn; within a few years, the farm earned the distinguished New England Green Pastures Award for its pasture management practices. The farm persisted until 1987 in the face of broad declines in the region’s

“Once you’ve been on a piece of property for a length of time, you become part of it ... In our bones, we’ve always felt we were stewards.”

– STEPHANIE CASSANO & ALFRED CROCKER dairy industry. Since then, the Crockers have maintained this farm in agricultural production, harvesting hay and permitting local residents to enjoy the wooded stroll to the Jewell Hill summit.

UNITED FOR CONSERVATION Roughly 12 years ago, The Trustees and the Crockers began discussing the property’s future. “Provided the significant conservation values of the property, we were very eager to see it protected,” Farny says. In 2009, The Trustees helped the City of Fitchburg Water Division secure a 112-acre conservation restriction (CR) over a portion of the original farm that is owned by Alfred. In 2017, a pivotal bequest by the late Jamie Hudson, a long-time Trustees member and Governance volunteer, enabled The Trustees to re-engage in conversation with the family—both Crockers remained committed to long-term protection

NEW RESERVATION

for the family’s land—and explore permanent protection of the remaining portion of the farm, owned by Gus. “Once you’ve been on a piece of property for a length of time, you become molded by it and, in a way, become part of it,” Alfred Crocker says of the shared desire to preserve Jewell Hill. “You don’t just see it as a piece of real estate: you see it as a place you’ve been fortunate enough to live.” Adds Stephanie Cassano, Alfred’s wife, “It’s a feeling of responsibility. In our bones, we’ve always felt we were stewards.”

To achieve this conservation outcome, The Trustees partnered with the municipalities, all of whom were supportive of the farm’s permanent conservation; The City of Fitchburg secured State grant funding from the Division of Conservation Services

©TRUSTEES

(DCS) to purchase a CR on 203 acres of watershed lands on the property, and the Town of Ashburnham secured a state grant to purchase a separate CR on an additional 86 acres on Jewell Hill itself. The purchases of conservation restrictions ensured the property’s permanent protection for watershed values and public enjoyment and brought additional critical funding to the transaction.

“For Ashburnham, the Jewell Hill project was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to invest in the conservation of significant landscape features and diverse wildlife habitats, as well as the creation of recreation and educationbased activities,” says Marshall Dennis, chair of the Ashburnham Conservation Commission. “…Conserving Jewell Hill and

its surrounding forest and farmlands became a town-wide priority—not only in terms of the natural resource protection, but also for the protection of critical watershed lands and water supplies.”

The significant role that each municipality played is a reflection of the importance of Jewell Hill and the surrounding swaths of open space to the environmental health of the region at large; especially as the property offers significant protection for Fitchburg’s municipal water supply. Several local organizations contributed by raising awareness as well as funding. It was, Farny emphasizes, a “true community effort.”

“Seeing the land go to The Trustees has made things different,” says Gus Crocker.

“Our work is intended to build on the generations of private stewardship for agricultural use and, at the same time, create a welcoming place for the public to enjoy.”

– VANESSA FARNY

©TED HOOSICK FALL 2020 5

“THE RESERVATION IS PART OF AN ECOLOGICALLY SIGNIFICANT LANDSCAPE… HOLDING RESILIENT HABITATS CRUCIAL TO MANY SPECIES NEGOTIATING THE CHANGING CLIMATE.”

©TED HOOSICK

– JULIE RICHBURG

“The fact that the land is going to be preserved, as opposed to sold to a developer, made it easier to see that transition.”

Barbara Erickson, president and CEO of The Trustees, summed up the critical effort to preserve Jewell Hill, saying “We are honored to continue the Crocker family’s wonderful legacy of stewardship so visitors can enjoy all that this stunning property has to offer. And we are deeply indebted and grateful to the late Jamie Hudson and his family, as their gift was the crowning piece that brought the process to a meaningful and extremely rewarding close.”

MANAGING TOWARD RESILIENCE Julie Richburg, The Trustees’ Lead Ecologist for Inland Natural Resources notes, “The reservation is part of an ecologically significant landscape block of forest and other habitats, holding resilient habitats crucial to many species negotiating the changing climate.” Beyond providing beautiful vistas and quintessential New England farm scenery, the hayfields, meadows, open wetlands, streams, and seeps support a great diversity of plants and wildlife, including bobolinks and barn swallows using the 6

THE TRUSTEES

©TRUSTEES

grasslands; indigo buntings, bears and bobcats in the forest; and goldthread and painted trillium along wetland edges. The Trustees’ priorities, Richburg adds, include managing the property to improve habitat resilience while continuing to foster hay production on the premises.

“Our work is intended to build on the generations of private stewardship for agricultural use and, at the same time, create a welcoming place for the public to enjoy,” says Farny. With a celebration of Jewell Hill slated for spring, visitors can expect new trail signs, parking areas, and other undertakings aimed at enhancing its accessibility for hiking and outdoor recreation.

One spot not to be missed is the breathtaking vista at the peak of the hill, now named the Hudson Overlook in honor of the late Governance volunteer Jamie Hudson,

©TRUSTEES

whose bequest helped finalize the protection of Jewell Hill. Jamie was a deep believer of aggressively conserving special landscapes who, shortly before his passing, said, “[I have a strong desire] to create special places, to sustain them and make them bigger … [they are] foundations of life.”

“I know Jamie would love the view from his overlook,” adds Barbara Erickson. “I’m so glad that we could honor this wonderful friend and governance volunteer in this way.”

And now, with this treasure of a landscape fully open to the public, new visitors will soon discover for themselves that there’s nothing quite like the view from the top of this northcentral gem.

Jeff Harder is a freelance writer and editor who lives in New England.

Q&A: Linda Orel

TRUSTEES PEOPLE

DIRECTOR OF POLICY

A Natural Advocate ©L. FOULGER

Director of Policy, Linda Orel, lobbies Massachusetts lawmakers to ensure land conservation has a voice inside the State House.

Q: Looking back, what formative Q: While advocating on The

experiences led you to where you are now?

Trustees’ behalf, what issues are you involved with at the State House these days?

and women’s rights movements. I mirrored my mom’s passion for justice and advocacy but leaned toward environmentalism. Protecting nature and wildlife is most special to me.

Nature is the only tool available to absorb and store carbon pollution from the atmosphere. We successfully included natural climate solutions language in a sweeping climate bill that passed the House and Senate and is now in a conference committee, which calls for Net Zero carbon emissions by 2050.

Of the conservation and restoration practices we can implement, the most impactful ones are reforestation and improved forest management: we have a significant number of working forests in Massachusetts, and we can increase the amount of carbon a healthy forest absorbs and stores. Another area is urban tree planting. Trees insulate homes in the winter, provide shade and lower utility costs in the summer, and help beautify neighborhoods. Massachusetts might not absorb a lot of global carbon emissions, but if we employ the right practices here, other states will follow.

A: My mother was active in the civil rights

Q: Tell us a bit about your career

prior to joining The Trustees.

A:

After law school, I worked at the State House as a staff attorney where I helped write and pass the Brownfields Act, which is still considered landmark legislation. I was the first government relations director for the Massachusetts chapter of The Nature Conservancy—and later joined The Trust for Public Land as conservation finance director.

While there, I directed a dozen ballot measure campaigns around the country, including a campaign in Boston to adopt the Community Preservation Act—my favorite because it was so close to home. And we won!

When I was offered the job at The Trustees in 2019, I could not have been happier.

A:

Q: The Great American Outdoors

Act (GAOA), which among other things guarantees $900 million for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) every year, was recently signed into law. What does this legislation mean for The Trustees?

A: The GAOA is the biggest national

conservation measure to pass in a generation.

Trustees staff flew to Washington to meet with our Congressional delegation annually, and our national partners in D.C. really brought it home. LWCF won’t mean the same for Massachusetts as, say, the Northern Rockies; however, LWCF money will be spent by state agencies, cities, and towns. Those public entities are important partners for The Trustees, and the significant increases in LWCF funds are likely to benefit our urban projects, like our Boston Waterfront Initiative to create parks and green infrastructure. By providing a consistent, reliable source of funding, LWCF investments will help us move the needle on conservation and restoration efforts.

FALL 2020

7

COASTAL FOCUS

Message

in a [virtual]

BOTTLE NEW APPROACH CHRONICLES VULNERABLE SHORELINE SITES

BY CHRISTINE BOYNTON TRUSTEES STAFF A new collection of digital content is making three of The Trustees’ coastal reservations— and stories around their potential for resilience to the effects of sea level rise and storm surge—more accessible, through interactive panorama tours, videos, and podcasts. The multimedia products were published this summer, funded by a grant from the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management (CZM).

FIRST OF ITS KIND The project, “A Focus on Our Most Vulnerable Places,” was a first-of-its-kind coastal communications project to be awarded by CZM to a nonprofit. Together with a crew that included video producers and a climate change podcast host, Trustees coastal staff landed at Crane Beach in Ipswich and Wasque and Norton Point Beach on Martha’s Vineyard. The goal: to document firsthand accounts of coastal change and special memories of these places, each of which experience their own unique challenges and will need distinct resilience strategies to prepare for the future.

8

THE TRUSTEES

The innovative new communications tools developed as part of this project include 360° online Panorama Tours of Wasque and Norton Point Beach, and of the Crane Estate (above, right). The tours allow the viewer to see drone video of these properties from all angles and to click on the blue icons to be taken to other parts of each property to continue their 360° explorations, all while listening to embedded narration highlighting the anticipated effects of climate change on the landscape below.

“CZM was pleased to award The Trustees a Coastal Resilience Grant in 2019 to communicate how Crane Beach, Norton Point, and Wasque are changing over time with higher tides and storms,” said CZM Director Lisa Berry Engler. “Trustees members and visitors of these properties gave important input to these projects, and CZM looks forward to continued collaboration with all participants on future efforts to protect these important natural resources.”

THREE CASES IN POINT Using the three properties as case studies enabled examination of the opportunities and benefits of nature-based resilience interventions for a variety of coastal landscapes—barrier beaches (Norton Point Beach), coastal banks (Wasque), and publicly accessible shorelines (Crane Beach). Input on current conditions and potential resilience measures were gathered during one-on-one phone interviews and virtual workshop sessions with local stakeholders, including residents, business owners, Trustees Members and friends.

All Things

COAST For more on the Trustees work up and down our Commonwealth’s coast, including the recently released State of the Coast report, updates on our innovative work to heal the Great Marsh at Old Town Hill in Newbury, as well as the new digital storytelling products made possible through the Massachusetts “Our coastal properties are among our most beloved; they are also among those that face significant impacts as a result of climate change, including sea level rise and storm surge flooding,” said Tom O’Shea, Director of Coast and Natural Resources. “With this funding from CZM, we have been able to explore local perspectives on coastal change, as well as gather ideas and preferences on nature-based adaptation methods. We hope that our findings, presented in this range of digital products, can serve as a model for other organizations working to proactively confront and share their own coastal challenges and resilience projects.”

ALL IMAGES ©ABOVE SUMMIT

MULTIPLE PRODUCTS The multimedia components created by the team are available to view at thetrustees. org/coast; they include an 11-minute documentary-style video; two 360-degree panorama tours with video and narration embedded throughout; three podcast episodes produced in partnership with Doug Parsons, host of “America Adapts;” and a whitepaper series that summarizes stakeholder input— including thoughts and preferences on the current state of the properties, and potential resilience options for the future.

“We hope our members, friends, neighbors, and supporters will not only

Office of Coastal Zone Management, information on the vision and strategies behind our coastal initiatives, and more, please visit thetrustees.org/coast.

explore this dynamic content, but will also share it with their own networks,” added O’Shea. “The imagery is stunning, and the products importantly tell the story about what these coastal places face in the coming years, and what the options may be to protect them for future generations.”

FALL 2020

9

VOLUNTEERING UPDATE

The Gift of

Help

Strengthening our volunteer core

©TRUSTEES

©TRUSTEES

©TRUSTEES

10

THE TRUSTEES

©TRUSTEES

V

©TRUSTEES

Volunteers are the heart of The Trustees— communities of individuals, organizations, and companies committed to preserving, protecting, and creating a sense of welcome at the places we love for all to enjoy.

Volunteerism has been a cornerstone of The Trustees since its founding in 1891 and continues to play a vital role today and as we shape the future.

The Trustees is actively growing its volunteer program and emphasizing its importance to the organization. A new Director of Volunteer Services position— to oversee the implementation of a new

statewide strategy for volunteering—has recently been established. The updated volunteering framework includes a refreshed website with complete details on opportunities as well as special tools, resources, and stories. And, you can explore the site for help needed by impact areas, such as Agriculture, Horticulture, Ecology, Curatorial, Stewardship, Trails, Events and Programs, and Skilled Trades.

In addition, the Volunteer Services team, along with the Trustees’ Director for Coast and Natural Resources, Tom O’Shea, is developing greater opportunities for individual and group volunteers to support our coastal initiatives. This work focuses on caring for wildlife, storm damage effects, new planting, dune preservation, and more. And, in response to Covid-19 and the changing climate, the Volunteer Services team has prioritized developing and promoting virtual/socially distant opportunities for individual, corporate, and community volunteers.

In other words: come and volunteer!

Please visit our refreshed volunteer page on the Trustees website: thetrustees.org/ volunteer. Enjoy the outdoors, the beauty, the mission, and the fun!

Fall Back…Go Forth!

©R.SMITH

Get out and enjoy an autumn packed with events and programs for the whole family

W

What will you do with the extra hour when we turn the clocks back to Standard Time?

Are you the type to fall back for an extra hour of shut-eye, or do you see it as a chance to go forth—grabbing that bonus hour to exercise, play, or just get out and do? We of course recommend the latter, but whatever your pleasure, this is the time to enjoy crisp air, brilliant colors, and all the glories that come with fall in Massachusetts! Check out the Things To Do highlights on the next two pages to see a variety of special Trustees programs happening across the state this season. Or join one of the many events and activities that you’ve been meaning to try— visit thetrustees.org/things-to-do to see the full list and to register. There’s something for everyone throughout the magical fall months… whenever you’re ready to go forth!

NEW ADVENTURES Ever been kayaking, gone on an outdoor date night, or tried night hiking? New adventures await you at a Trustees reservation this fall.

At the Crane Estate in Ipswich and Essex, we’ve got lots of kayaking expeditions, like Sunset Kayak in the Crane Wildlife Refuge, Kayak Adventure on the Castle Neck River, or Kayak to Choate Island with BYO Picnic—weekends throughout October. And have we got cool hikes for you, too—venture out on a Brew Moon Hike or Hike with Goats at Chestnut Hill

©TRUSTEES

©D.PELLEGRINO

Farm in Southborough, join a Meteor Madness Hike, a Hound Hike, or even an Ugly Sweater Night Hike at Rocky Woods in Medfield!

OUTDOOR DISCOVERIES Lots of learning opportunities and self-guided tours have been set up for you and your family to enjoy. In Walpole, come to Francis William Bird Park to learn about Indigenous people who lived on land that is now the park with the First People Trail. Or take a walk down Fairy Lane with Fairy Fun at the Park to see where some local sprites live—and maybe build your own fairy house while you’re at it. Find some magic in the woods at the Charles W. Ward Reservation in Andover & North Andover on a Hike & Seek: Mini Beast Detectives adventure.

Curious kiddos will love discovering the tiny world beneath their feet and right under their noses! There are StoryWalks on the Trails at

©TRUSTEES

Chestnut Hill Farm in Southborough, and a Nocturnal Animal Pumpkin Trail at The Stevens-Coolidge Place in North Andover. And kids in grades 1-5 can even take an outdoor learning expedition to investigate the diverse flora and fauna of the famous drumlins in STEAM at World’s End in Hingham.

SPOOKY TIMES This fall brings a fantastic occurrence—we may associate Halloween with images of enormous, round, and glowing moons but having a truly full moon on October 31 actually happens only once every 18 or 19 years. The Hunter’s Moon is also the second full moon of October, making it a Blue Moon as well. Make this rarity an event to celebrate!

Halloween at deCordova provides a series of ghoulish activities for the whole family at CONTINUED ON PAGE 14

FALL 2020

11

October | November | December

FALL 2020

THINGS TO DO

Ah, Fall! For many, this is the favorite time of year to be out and about in Massachusetts.

Come for a short visit or pack up the family and spend the day (or, in some cases, the night!) at a Trustees reservation near you. Our staff has created a wide variety of special events, programs, and happenings across the state and throughout the season for your enjoyment—all with safety and the continued good health of all participants foremost in our minds. Please be sure to check our newly updated website at thetrustees.org/things-to-do before venturing out to any program or event, as details may have changed, and as many also require pre-registration or advance ticketing.

Fall Fun on the Farm

There’s no better place to be than on our farms in fall—pick from activities that include hayrides, barnyard animals, food, beer, apples, pumpkins, live music, and more!

Appleton Farms, Hamilton & Ipswich Chestnut Hill Farm, Southborough Powisset Farm, Dover Check thetrustees.org/things-to-do for dates, times, available activities, and to register. ©TRUSTEES

Free Days

Enjoy free admission to most reservations that normally have a fee. See thetrustees.org/freedays for full details.

Indigenous Peoples Day – Reservations are free for residents of that site’s county | Monday Oct 12 Frontline Worker Days – Free for frontline workers and their families, with our gratitude! | Tuesday Oct 13 & Monday Nov 16 Veterans Day – Free for veterans, active, and retired military and their families | Wednesday Nov 11 ©@BOSTON_PHOTOGRAPH

Cooperative Nature School – Preschool Open House events

Meet school staff, enjoy the beautiful farm, and learn more about our successful nature-based approach to learning.

Moose Hill Farm, Sharon Wednesday Oct 7 & Tuesday Oct 13, 10AM-12Noon To reserve a space: 781.806.6156 ext 7 or sharonnatureschool@gmail.com.

COURTESY OF THE COOPERATIVE NATURE SCHOOL

12

THE TRUSTEES

sharonnatureschool.org

Saturday Artisan Markets

New England juried artisans fill the campus with quality varied media. Handmade glass, wood, pottery, photography, fiber art, stationary, fine art, and clothing plus more.

Fruitlands Museum, Harvard Saturdays, through Oct 17 | 11AM-4PM thetrustees.org/artisanmarkets ©AGATHO PHOTO

Camping on the Grand Allée

A once-in-a-lifetime experience—make s’mores around the campfire, sleep under the stars, and wake to magnificent estate and ocean views.

Castle Hill on the Crane Estate, Ipswich Fridays, Oct 9-23; Saturdays, Oct 17 & 24; Sunday, Oct 11 | 5PM-9AM ©M.GARDNER

The Incredible Naumkeag Pumpkin Show

Explore the famous gardens, transformed into a celebration of autumn with hundreds of mums, countless gourds, and over 1,500 jack-o-lanterns!

Naumkeag, Stockbridge Wednesdays–Sundays, throughout October 4-9PM ©TRUSTEES

Building One Waterfront – A Speaker Series

Open-space visionaries and resilience experts share lessons learned.

UPCOMING VIRTUAL EVENTS Thursday Oct 22: Funding a Resilient, Sustainable Waterfront for Future Generations Wednesday Dec 9: Green Solutions for a Waterfront City 6-7:30PM For info and to register: thetrustees.org/onewaterfront ©TRUSTEES

Winterlights

Our beloved tradition returns this winter, with guidelines in place to make for a safe and happy holiday experience.

Naumkeag, Stockbridge Eleanor Cabot Bradley Estate, Canton Wednesdays–Sundays, Nov 27-Jan 2 | 4:30-8:30PM thetrustees.org/winterlights

©ABOVE SUMMIT

*Note: Due to construction on its new gardens, The Stevens-Coolidge Place in North Andover will not offer Winterlights this year. Mark your calendars to see a brand-new show in the new Stevens-Coolidge Place gardens in 2021!

FALL 2020

13

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11

deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum in Lincoln, or check out Hillside Halloween at Fruitlands Museum in Harvard for a family trick-or-treating walk on the campus and yellow trail. You could also enjoy your Friday evening (“All Hallows’ Eve Eve?”) with Full Moon Hikes at Appleton Farms and Castle Hill in Ipswich, and World’s End in Hingham, or go on a Halloween Date Night at the Eleanor Cabot Bradley Estate in Canton. It’s a full weekend of full moon fun!

COOK, CRAFT, MAKE!

©TRUSTEES

Finding time to learn a new skill or hone a favorite craft is not necessarily easy—but you can find time to get your hands busy making

©TRUSTEES

Experience Massachusetts’ largest Nordic ski area!

©TRUSTEES

with The Trustees! Whether it be delectable dishes or artful creations, we’ve got lots of options to choose from. Come to Powisset Farm in Dover for socially distanced, limited participation cooking classes in our bountiful and beautiful farm kitchen: Powisset Cooks presents programs for kids, adults, or the whole family, from Teens in the Kitchen: Brick Oven Cooking to Savory Autumn Pies for adults to a Mexican Fiesta for the kiddos and much more. Want to try painting or ceramics?

Try your hand at Introduction to Watercolor Techniques with Ami Fagin at Fruitlands Museum in Harvard, or Creative Clay Canisters: Online Workshop with expert guidance from deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum in Lincoln. Indulge your creative side!

For the full list of fall programs, visit our newly updated website at thetrustees.org/ things-to-do. All of our programs follow Covid best practices and guidelines for your continued good health and safety. Event details are subject to change, especially if state guidelines for gatherings are revised, so please check the website for updates and to register. Whatever your preferred pursuit, go forth, stay active, and do!

X-Country Ski and Snowshoe on 25 miles of trails through 3,100 acres of rolling Berkshires terrain Member discounts available: • Early-Bird Season Pass $45 through Nov 30 (regularly $65): thetrustees.org/skipass • 25% off ski tickets and programs on-site • 10% off rental gear and retail purchases Notchview | Route 9, Windsor thetrustees.org/notchview ©J.MONKMAN

EXHIBITIONS on VIEW

ART & CULTURE

After months being closed due to the Covid crisis, we are delighted to report that Trustees indoor galleries are once again open at Fruitlands Museum and deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum.

Occupancy limitations and all state-mandated safety standards are in effect.

Visit thetrustees.org/museums for exhibition details and the latest information on admission.

KIM WESTON (b.1969)

SUE MCNALLY

Medicine 2018 archival photographic inkjet print, edition 5 40 x 60 inches

DECORDOVA SCULPTURE PARK AND MUSEUM 51 Sandy Pond Rd., Lincoln

FRUITLANDS MUSEUM 102 Prospect Hill Rd., Harvard

Visionary New England

Recruiting for Utopia: Print and the Imagination

October 8, 2020 – March 14, 2021 Inspired by New England’s history of visionary, mystical, and utopian leaders, this multi-disciplinary group exhibition incorporates contemporary paintings, photography, sculpture, unique site-specific installations, and historical artifacts that highlight New England’s place as an incubator for alternative types of community and social reform.

Through March 21, 2021 Recruiting for Utopia: Print and the Imagination considers the influence of printed matter on Utopian thought in 1840s New England. The exhibition has historical and contemporary sections that creatively observe the capacity of print and the schematic imagination to build community in both the early nineteenth century and the twenty-first century.

Transcendental Modernism

Polly Thayer Starr: Nearer the Essence

October 8, 2020 – March 14, 2021 Transcendental Modernism connects to the Visionary New England exhibition, while focusing on artistic developments in Massachusetts from the 1940s through the 1990s. The exhibition examines the Boston Expressionists, Afrofuturism in Boston, and utopian collaborations between artists and scientists.

Through March 21, 2021 Polly Thayer Starr was an artist who lived beyond tidy definitions. Classically trained and well-spoken, she bounded onto the 1930s art scene, gaining fame for her formal portraits of Boston’s elite. This exhibition contains not only her paintings of nature and portraits, but also many studies and sketchbooks to reveal the artist’s search for beauty and truth.

Revisiting Ascutney: Mcnally Bierstadt 05.2020

Sue McNally: Ascutney Revisited Through November 8, 2020 For Ascutney Revisited, McNally created a new painting in dialogue with Albert Bierstadt’s 1862 Mount Ascutney from Claremont, NH, from the famed Fruitlands collection of Hudson River School landscapes. She traveled to find the view that Bierstadt captured and created a painting that is both a tribute and a course in contrasts.

Decolonized Map of Massachusetts Through March 21, 2021 Fruitlands Museum Artist-in-Residence Elizabeth James-Perry, an enrolled member of the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head-Aquinnah, has created a remarkable decolonized map of Massachusetts which will be a centerpiece for the New England section of Fruitlands Museum’s permanent collection of Indigenous objects.

thetrustees.org/museums

FALL 2020

15

Outdoors Essential Staying safe and well in the outside world

N

BY MATT HEID

Nature heals. Nature soothes. With the pandemic and all its stressors still fully upon us, the welcoming space and beauty of the great outdoors beckons. As fellow travelers, hikers, and visitors to the 120 Trustees properties across the state, it is crucial that all of us be mindful of—and prepared for—the outdoors during these times, especially as fall advances and open spaces continue to welcome more people in search of peace, solitude, and relaxation.

©REBECCA HYMAN PHOTOGRAPHY

It’s all about respect Now more than ever it is a time to respect the health and space of others. “This really includes a lot of the basic Covid recommendations,” explains Winslow Dresser, The Trustees’ Associate Field Director. “Wear a mask. Step off the trail when needed—many of our trails are narrow and could otherwise bring you in close proximity to other people. Take turns on boardwalks and bridges. Keep all dogs leashed and close at hand. All of these go a long, long way to make other visitors feel safe and secure.”

Respect also extends to leaving no unwelcome trace of your visit for others to find, especially items like used masks and gloves, but also uncollected dog waste and discarded poop bags. Bag your trash and, if there are no receptacles available on-site, take it home with you to discard there. It’s always beneficial to leave a place a little cleaner than you found it.

© @KIRA_MAE

Plan ahead and prepare

©TRUSTEES

16

THE TRUSTEES

©T.KATES

More people are out exploring and enjoying the outdoors during the pandemic, a good thing. This means, however, that some locations—especially popular and wellknown destinations—may be busier than usual or may require obtaining a timed-entry pass prior to arrival, in order to keep visitor numbers at safe levels.

Even during a pandemic though, all the usual truisms of beating crowds still hold—

©TRUSTEES

heading straight toward popular World’s End in Hingham, including nearby Whitney and Thayer Woods, or heading to New Bedford to visit Haskell Public Gardens or the 50+ miles of trails in the 13,600-acre Southeastern Massachusetts Bioreserve—a complex of conservation land that includes Copicut Woods in Fall River.

No matter where you live, chances are there’s a great outdoor destination— Trustees or otherwise—near you. “During the pandemic, we’ve really been trying to encourage people to visit properties in your local part of the state,” Dresser says.

Be well

©TRUSTEES

get out early, late, or on weekdays if possible.

Seek out lesser traveled destinations. And consider coming back another day if you see that the trailhead parking lot is full.

Note also that some amenities may be temporarily unavailable during the pandemic, especially shared facilities like bathrooms and picnic tables. Check the Trustees website for the latest information and come prepared with a picnic blanket or whatever else you need to be self-sufficient during your visit.

On a longer hike or during the fall season, when cooler weather arrives and darkness falls earlier every day, you’ll want to carry other essential gear. Dresser, who manages the Trustees trail crews for eastern Massachusetts, encourages everybody to consult one of the many available ‘10 Essentials’ lists out there, but flags two items as particularly important—and often forgotten: a headlamp or flashlight and a paper map.

An emergency light source is critical should you be stranded after dark due to an accident, getting lost, or because of some other unforeseen delay. Without a light, it can be difficult to impossible to navigate back to the trailhead, leaving you stranded in darkness as temperatures drop. This is especially true if you’re out on a longer adventure deeper in the backcountry.

©TRUSTEES

You should of course avoid getting lost in the first place by always having a printed map of your destination—trail maps for nearly every Trustees property are available for free download and printing at thetrustees.org. (And, yes, it is possible to use your phone for both light and map, but only for a short time—it won’t help you once the batteries run out.) “Many of the other things on the ten essentials list are important,” Dresser notes, including a first aid kit and additional layers, “but those two things are really, really helpful.”

Seek (local) hidden gems Most people flock to the most popular and easy-to-find destinations, especially people who may be exploring the region for the first time during the pandemic and are unfamiliar with the multitude of other options out there. “We’re lucky here in Massachusetts,” notes Dresser, who manages ten Trustees properties in southeast Massachusetts. “In a lot of areas there are hidden gems that just need a little seeking out.”

These include dozens of lesser-traveled Trustees properties, as well as a multiplicity of state, federal, and town conservation lands throughout the Bay State. For example, in southeast Massachusetts, Dresser suggests exploring other destinations instead of

These are difficult times. Taking care and protecting yourself and your loved ones is crucial, not only from Covid-19, but also from the stress and emotional wear brought on by the pandemic. Nature and the outdoors can be a helpful tonic to soothe and recenter us as we move inevitably forward.

So get out. Savor it. Revel in it. And come home ready for whatever comes next.

Matt Heid is a freelance writer and the author of AMC’s Best Backpacking in New England.

TrailTips Trail Before heading out, always check for the latest information on accessing Trustees properties during the pandemic by visiting thetrustees.org/covid19, where you’ll also find our Trail Tips videos with pointers on best practices when you’re out for hikes during this time. And to find out how to access some of the Commonwealth’s regional trails and trail systems, see our Statewide Map on the following pages.

FALL 2020

17

HIKE Outside Did you realize that there are a number of regional trails and trail systems that connect to Trustees reservations throughout the state? Perhaps your hiking prowess has grown recently as you have sought fresh air and exercise during the pandemic. Or maybe you’re an experienced trekker eager to see more of the Commonwealth’s natural wonders. Whatever your motivation to hike “outside the lines,� use one of our special places as the launching point for expanded explorations and adventures this fall.

Here are just some of the many regional trails and trail systems accessible from Trustees reservations.

Note: Trustees maps generally do not show or may not accurately represent trails linked outside of Trustees property boundaries. Before venturing out on any of these routes, be sure to read up on the trails and download maps from their respective websites.

18

THE TRUSTEES

Field Farm

Bear Swamp Notchview

Chapel Brook

Bryant Homestead Chesterfield Gorge

Petticoat Hill

Glendale Falls Naumkeag The Mission House Monument Mountain

Goose Pond Reservation Tyringham Cobble McLennan Reservation Ashintully Gardens

Ri v er

Bullitt Reservation

C o n n e c t i cu t

the Lines

Appalachian Trail Mountain Meadow Preserve

Mount Warner

Little Tom Mountain Dinosaur Land of Providence Footprints

Dry Hill Ashley House

Questing

Springfield

Bartholomew’s Cobble

New England Trail

Appalachian Trail Accessible from Goose Pond Reservation and Tyringham Cobble

The Appalachian National Scenic Trail—known simply as the “A.T.�—is hiked by millions each year. It is the longest hiking-only footpath in the world, measuring roughly 2,190 miles in length, and traveling through 14 states from Springer Mountain, Georgia, to Mt. Katahdin, Maine. In Massachusetts, the trail covers 90 miles through Berkshire County, and includes the state’s highest peak, Mount Greylock.

New England Trail Accessible from Royalston Falls and Little Tom Mountain (through Mount Tom State Reservation trails)

The New England National Scenic Trail (NET) is a well-marked and easyto-follow, yet rugged at times, 215-mile hiking route that travels through 41 Connecticut and Massachusetts communities from Long Island Sound through the highlands of Massachusetts’ Pioneer Valley to the New Hampshire border. The NET includes most of the Metacomet-Monadnock-Mattabesett trail system, and connects with the Tully Trail at Royalston Falls.

Tully Trail Accessible from Doane’s Falls, Jacobs Hill, Royalston Falls, and Tully Lake Campground

The Tully Trail is a 22-mile scenic loop trail that encircles the largely undeveloped Tully Valley in the towns of Royalston, Orange, and Warwick. With some of the region’s most scenic properties and views, the route includes the summit of Tully Mountain and the cascades of three Trustees waterfalls. It briefly intersects with the New England Trail beginning at Royalston Falls.

Visit thetrustees.org/tullytrail for more information and a map.

Midstate Trail Accessible from Redemption Rock

The 92-mile Midstate Trail extends through Worcester County, from Rhode Island to the Wapack Trail in New Hampshire. It’s a highly accessible, easy-to-hike scenic footpath, with occasional steep and rugged sections, that includes the summits of Mount Wachusett and Mount Watatic.

Tully Trail Royalston Falls

Weir Hill The Stevens-Coolidge Place

Jacobs Hill

Gov. Hutchinson’s Field & Pierce Reservation

The Bay Circuit is a recreational trail designed originally as an “outer Emerald Necklace� greenbelt to mirror the string of Frederick Law Olmsted-designed parks threading through urban Boston. Beginning at Plum Island in Newburyport and ending at Kingston Bay in Duxbury, the Bay Circuit now comprises more than 230 miles of trails that provide close-to-home recreation for Eastern MA residents. The trail is open to hiking, trail running, and snowshoeing, and certain parts are also suitable for cycling, horseback riding, and cross-country skiing.

Southeastern Massachusetts Bioreserve Accessible from Copicut Woods

The Southeastern Massachusetts Bioreserve is a vast swath of forests, streams, and wetlands, and is one of the largest

Dunes’ Edge Campground

Bay Circuit Trail and Greenway

Southeastern Massachusetts Bioreserve

Cape Cod Bay

Lyman East Over Reserve Reservation and Hales Brook & Sippican River Tract Allen C. Haskell Public Gardens y

Copicut Woods Westport Town Farm

Holmes Reservation

Cornell Farm

Lowell Holly Mashpee River Reservation

unfragmented Nantucket Sound Slocum’s River forests in the Reserve Cape Poge state. Stretching Wildlife Refuge Coskata-Coatue Wildlife Refuge across 13,600 acres The Brickyard Mytoi Menemsha Hills of Freetown and Fall Wasque River, the Bioreserve Long Point Wildlife Norton Point is home to more than 50 Refuge Beach The FARM miles of interconnected trails and Institute roads for hiking, mountain biking, trail running, and dog walking through several distinct tracts, including the Freetown-Fall Currently connecting 26 open spaces through River State Forest, Watuppa Reservation, six Metro West towns, it is hoped that the Ridge Hill Reserve, and the Trustees’ own Link will ultimately provide a connection Copicut Woods. between the Bay Circuit and downtown Boston. zz

Accessible from Old Town Hill, Appleton Farms and Grass Rides, Charles W. Ward Reservation, The Old Manse, Rocky Narrows, Shattuck Reservation, and Noon Hill

Two Mile Farm

Bay Circuit Trail and Greenway

Gov. Ames Estate

Norris Reservation

Midstate Trail

Whitney & Thayer Woods

Cormier Woods

Bradley Estate Signal Hill Archives & Research Center Moose Hill Farm

Tantiusques

Francis William Bird Park

World’s End Weir River Farm

Bu

Quinebaug Woods Peaked Mountain

Boston Community Gardens & Parks City Natives

Ba

Worcester

Massachusetts Bay

Boston

Coolidge Reservation Agassiz Rock Misery Islands Crowninshield Island Gerry Island

Long Hill

Chestnut Hill Farm

Moraine Farm

Mary The Old Manse Fruitlands Cummings Museum Park deCordova Dexter Sculpture Park Charles River Link Trail Drumlin and Museum

Rock House Reservation

Malcolm Preserve

Pine & Hemlock Knoll

ds

Swift River Reservation

Quabbin Reservoir

Farandnear

Elliott Laurel Redemption Rock North Common Meadow

Bear’s Den

Doyle Community Park & Center

Charles W. Ward Reservation

Appleton Farms & Grass Rides

Old Town Hill Greenwood Farm Hamlin Reservation Stavros Reservation The Crane Estate (Castle Hill, Crane Beach & Crane Wildlife Refuge) Halibut Point Reservation Mount Ann Park

Ravenswood Park

ar

Doane’s Falls

Jewell Hill

Bay Circuit Trail and Greenway

Charles River Link Trail

Accessible from Chase Woodlands, Peters Reservation, and Pegan Hill

The Charles River Link, which opened in 2009, is a 16-mile trail along one of the most scenic parts of the Charles.

For more information and links to these regional trails and trail systems, visit: thetrustees.org/traillinks

FALL 2020

19

ICYMI #THETRUSTEES

You tag us. We

“Knowing trees, I understand the meaning of patience. Knowing grass, I can appreciate persistence.”

—Hal Borland

find magic in the moment

20

THE TRUSTEES

you!

©KRISTA PHOTOGRAPHY

©TRUSTEES

©KRISTA PHOTOGRAPHY

Make a difference Founders Circle members are vitally important partners in ensuring The Trustees continues to grow and thrive. Join this network of friends and support The Trustees’ mission to protect and share our special places across Massachusetts. Through annual giving of $1,000 or more (just $84 a month,) you’ll receive special invitations to interact with our expert staff, plus private tours of reservations, fantastic events, and more!

We count on your generous support to make our work possible.

Join the Circle today: thetrustees.org/founderscircle The Trustees is Massachusetts’ largest, and the nation’s first, conservation and preservation nonprofit. We are supported by members, friends, and donors. Explore 120 amazing places across Massachusetts, from beaches, farms and woodlands, to historic homes, museums, urban gardens, and more.

Jocelyn Forbush Executive Vice President Paul Leech Chief, Finance & Administration Matthew Montgomery Chief, Marketing & Audience Development Christine Morin Chief, Places & Engagement Edward Wilson, Chief, Development & Strategic Partnerships EDITORIAL

Wayne Wilkins Director, Brand & Content Editor Jeff Harder Contributing Editor Chris Costello Senior Graphic Designer Matthew Mullin Graphic Designer Haley Nunes Graphic Designer

We invite your input, letters, and suggestions.

Please send them to:

What if you could support The Trustees while also making your own retirement more financially secure?

Special Places | The Trustees 200 High Street, 4th Floor Boston, MA 02110 tel: 978.921.1944 email: marketing@thetrustees.org

A charitable gift annuity with The Trustees is a gift that gives back—it can provide you and/or another beneficiary with stable income for life, reduce your tax burden, and help protect the Massachusetts landscapes and landmarks you love for generations to come.

For information about becoming a member please contact us at 978.921.1944, email us at membership@thetrustees.org, or visit our website at www.thetrustees.org.

Special Places, Fall 2020.

Volume 28, Issue Number 3. Special Places (ISSN 1087-5026) is published quarterly and distributed to members and donors of The Trustees of Reservations.

Copyright © 2020. All rights reserved.

Printed by Universal Wilde, an environmentally responsible printer in Massachusetts that strives to minimize waste, maximize recycling, and exceed environmental standards.

CURRENT RATES FOR SINGLE LIFE ANNUITY*

Age 65...........4.2% Age 70...........4.7% Age 75...........5.4% Age 80...........6.5% Age 85...........7.6% Age 90...........8.6%

©T.KATES

Barbara J. Erickson President & CEO

Income for Today, a Legacy for Tomorrow

For a personalized illustration or more information, please contact Julie Lazarus at 617-542-7696 x1815 or mylegacy@thetrustees.org. To find out more about all our Planned Giving options, visit thetrustees.giftplans.org * Rates effective July 1, 2020, and are subject to change.

Two-life and deferred rates available upon request.

#thetrustees | A big Thank You to our Instagram followers who allowed us to print their fall photos, including

@beermartyr (Wasque), @alikhil (Old Manse), @maev.d (deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum), @carriesanity (Appleton Farms), @and_cookies_fortune (Norris Reservation), @drivinmissdavis (Ashintully Gardens), @jschleyjohnson (Naumkeag), @katiebysicphotography (Fruitlands Museum), @kira_mae (Glendale Falls).

FALL 2020

21

THE TRUSTEES

200 High Street, 4th Floor Boston, MA 02110-3044

RETURNS

safely and

See our gardens in a whole new light Naumkeag STOCKBRIDGE | Eleanor Cabot Bradley Estate CANTON Wednesdays-Sundays | Nov 27—Jan 2 | 4:30-8:30PM For tickets, updates, and more information: thetrustees.org/winterlights Tickets available beginning at 12Noon: Friday, Oct 9 (Members) | Friday, Oct 16 (General Public)

thetrustees.org