On Friday June 15, 2018m 18 student and 6 adults made a huge differences at Lake Mansfield! Leaders and student volunteers from Great Barrington Land Conservancy, Housatonic Valley Association (HVA), Berkshire Natural Resources Council (BNRC) and Monument Valley Middle School worked together as part of the middle school Youth Engagement Service Day. Students learned about paddle safety and clean water principles from Alison Dixon. The paddled the lake edges to search for and remove litter. Students learned about pollinators from Christine Ward, they completed the installation of a pollinator Garden. Their work included: removing sod to compost area within the forest. Falling the garden design to install over 100 native perennials (12 species total), plants were mulched and watered. The garden design was donated by Bridghe McCracken owner of Helia Land Design. Bridghe provided plants at wholesale cost with free delivery. The demonstrator pollinator garden was installed as a first step in Great Barrington's Pollinator Action Plan
Other Beach area improvements include the installation by the town of a new baby changing station on the outside of the changing rooms. This was accomplished by the DPW.
The garden and the changing station installation, funded through GBLC/ Lake Mansfield, were made possible by private donations and and a gift from Highmark Health. In the fall, additional support will go to bring improvements to the loop trail in the conservation forest.
Photos compliment of Sharon Siter, Alison Dixon, and Christine Ward