Pontoosuc Lake Park Improvements Starting SoonBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff 12:36PM / Monday, February 24, 2025 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The first phase of improvements to Pontoosuc Lake Park will begin as soon as the ground defrosts. Work on the south side bordering Hancock Road will kick off in March and run through the summer. This will enhance the accessibility of the 23-acre parcel and add a boardwalk along the shore. "We are in an Arctic freeze moment here in the Berkshires. We really can't get in there and do anything with the ground up at the park but it'll be a very active March, April, May, June into July," Park, Open Space, and Natural Resource Program Manager James McGrath told the Parks Commission on Tuesday. "It will take about four or five months for
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Volunteers Say Springside Park Has Gotten CleanerBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff 05:50AM / Friday, February 21, 2025 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Volunteers say Springside Park has generally gotten cleaner over the years. On Tuesday, the Parks Commission approved the Springside Park Conservancy and the Friends of Springside Park's annual cleanups on April 19 and Sept. 20. Longtime members Bernard Mack and Esther Anderson gave a positive report about the park's upkeep. "The park has been getting cleaner and cleaner every year, which is very exciting to see that people are taking more interest in keeping it that way," Mack said. "And a lot of other things have been happening at the park, which we're happy about as well, improvements and such." He reported that 25 years ago,
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Centuries Old Pittsfield Dam Eyed for RemovalBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff 04:19PM / Tuesday, February 04, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The state is looking into removing a West Pittsfield dam that dates back to the early 1800s. The Healey-Driscoll administration last week announced $400,000 from the Department of Fish and Game's Division of Ecological Restoration for preliminary design studies on dam removals. Pittsfield was one of eight municipalities to receive funding, which will allocated near-evenly resulting in about $50,000 for the project. The privately owned Shaker Grist Mill Dam, located nearest to 321 Lebanon Ave., is the first dam on the Southwest Branch of the Housatonic River. Its removal would reportedly benefit cold water species in a core aquatic habitat and
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Drinking Water Advocates Applaud Well Water Bill05:54PM / Monday, January 27, 2025 | | WORCESTER, Mass. — The Coalition for Safe Drinking Water is applauding legislation filed this month that would enable Massachusetts to develop minimum statewide water quality standards for private wells and expand a financial assistance program to remediate wells affected by PFAS ("forever chemicals") and other harmful contaminants in drinking water supplies. The filing of bills SD.847 by state Sen. Jamie Eldridge of Marlborough and HD.3597 by state Reps. Natalie Blais of Sunderland, Meghan K. Kilcoyne of Clintoin and Danillo A. Sena of Acton, is not only suppported by the coalition, a grassroots group led by RCAP Solutions, but also the Health Foundation of Central >> Read More |
BNRC Names Nick Pitel as Director of Conservation 04:20PM / Monday, January 27, 2025 | |
LENOX, Mass. — Nick Pitel has been promoted to director of conservation, effective January 2025, by the Berkshire Natural Resources Council. Pitel succeeds Beth Mills, who retired at the end of 2024 after three years of service to land conservation at BNRC. Pitel will lead the organization's conservation efforts across Berkshire County. A lifelong explorer of nature, Pitel grew up in Otego, N.Y., where he developed a deep connection to the outdoors. He holds a bachelor of science in field biology from Paul Smith's College and a master's degree in forest ecology and management from the State University of New York's College of Environmental Science and >> Read More |
Counting Birds Now a Christmas Tradition By Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff 06:38AM / Saturday, December 28, 2024 | |
 The bird counts are important in collecting data for ornithologists and conservationists. PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A team of birders will be heading out across North County on Saturday to participate in the annual Christmas Bird Count. The count has become a tradition for many over the last 125 years while providing valuable environmental insights for researchers, conservation biologists, wildlife agencies, and others. Participating in this wildlife census allows people to observe and interact with birds in their local environments directly and can inspire a deeper connection to nature, instilling a desire to protect it, said Tom Tyning, former >> Read More |
Berkshire Green Drinks Feature BEAT Update12:26PM / Thursday, December 05, 2024 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Join Berkshire Environmental Action Team (BEAT) for their final Green Drinks presentation of 2024, where BEAT staff will talk about the organization's work of this past year and explore what comes next as the new year approaches. The virtual gathering will take place by Zoom on Wednesday, Dec. 11, from 6:00 to 7:15 PM. Be part of the discussion and hear about the ongoing air quality monitoring work BEAT's Breathe Easy Berkshires program is doing, the organization's continued work in improving aquatic and terrestrial wildlife connectivity, progress made on BEAT's Environmental Leadership & Education Center,
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BEAT Looks to Decarbonization of Last Berkshire Peaker PlantBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff 01:31PM / Monday, November 25, 2024 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Environmentalists feel community cooperation may help move the needle on the county's last peaker plant transitioning to clean energy. During Wednesday's Berkshire Green Drinks event hosted by the Berkshire Environmental Action Team, Rosemary Wessel discussed possible green outcomes for Pittsfield Generating Co. on Merrill Road. "It might be in the interest of the city to leave behind yesterday's technology and start looking at what a clean energy future might look like," said Wessel, No Fracked Gas in Mass program director. "By replacing it, decarbonizing our last peaker power plant could show that Pittsfield is forward-looking, an
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Dalton Green Committee Needs Survey Participants By Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff 12:24PM / Saturday, November 09, 2024 | |
DALTON, Mass. — The Green Committee needs more responses for its climate action plan survey. Only 40 responses have come back, 33 digital and seven hard copies, which is only about a third of the way to the committee's goal of 96, committee member Todd Logan said during Wednesday's meeting. The plan aims to guide the town toward achieving the state's net zero goal by 2050 by seeking strategies to decrease its dependence on fossil fuels for homes, businesses, municipal facilities, and vehicles. The plan should be detailed enough that the town knows what it needs to do and when to complete each subproject on time. A key >> Read More |
Dalton Green Committee Member Receives MassRecycle AwardBy Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff 05:45PM / Saturday, September 28, 2024 | |
Thomas Irwin DALTON, Mass. — Local environmental activist and Green Committee member Dr. Thomas Irwin was awarded the inaugural outstanding volunteer award during MassRecycle's 29th annual award ceremony. MassRecycle is a statewide non-profit coalition dedicated to improving sustainable materials management, recycling, and organics reduction and diversion. According to its website, it works with various stakeholders, including municipalities, institutions, waste service providers, and others, to advocate for "sustainable materials management policies and programs." During the ceremony, the nonprofit recognized several individuals, >> Read More |
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