Blog

2021 Lake Mansfield Spring and Summer Volunteer Workdays 

River Walk is open for 2021. Come enjoy the trail! The river is running high and spring is just beginning to emerge. Although our native trees are still leafless, the buds of red maples are swelling and the upper branches of willow trees are erupting into a vibrant yellow. It’s a great time to tune into early spring changes when walking with friends and family.

Last year we developed an exciting series featuring Russ Cohen, author of Wild Plants I Have Known… and Eaten. Below are videos of Russ leading a virtual tour of Housatonic River Walk on July 29, 2020. In the videos he focuses on native plants with ecological value to birds and pollinators that people can nibble on too. The videos are an excellent resource as you begin to scan the forest this spring and think about how you can naturalize your yard.

Can you go ice skating on Lake Mansfield? The answer is yes! Snow is removed by volunteer community members and ice conditions are changeable, so it's good to keep your expectations flexible. Please scout out conditions before you make a plan. All skaters are responsible for their own safety, check the Mass.gov ice strength and safety guidelines. 

We have a present for you this holiday season! We have opened new outdoor spaces that will provide a respite from long winter hours indoors. We have completed two sections of the new Riverfront Trail-- accessible walking paths that can be enjoyed year-round-- bringing us even closer to reaching our dream of building an interconnected town-wide trail system just steps from downtown Great Barrington.