Two conservation groups want to “rewild” a golf course in western Massachusetts and build hiking and mountain biking trails. But to do so, they need to raise $1.5 million by June 30.
The Trustees of Reservations and Hilltown Land Trust recently announced they are working to purchase the Beaver Brook Golf Course in Williamsburg and Northampton. They said they want to rewild the property to create a dynamic hub for recreation and conservation.
The groups have launched a fundraising campaign to raise $1.5 million by June 30 to complete the purchase of 288 acres of floodplain, wetlands, and forest.
The groups plan to create a community park with accessible walking trails and scenic views. The surrounding wooded hills have informal trails that the Trustees said they would improve, providing enhanced connectivity and access.
The property and trails would support snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, and mountain biking, among other activities. The existing cart paths would provide accessible trails to accommodate wheelchairs, strollers, and walkers.
Existing buildings on the property would be repurposed to provide flexible space for community gatherings, a potential western Massachusetts headquarters, office space for the Trustees and its affiliate Hilltown Land Trust, and workshop space for the Trustees’ and HLT’s stewardship staff and equipment.
The Beaver Brook acquisition would fulfill many of the Trustees’ objectives in its new five-year strategic plan, which will accelerate conservation of large landscapes, build climate resilience, and connect more people to nature.
“Protecting and restoring Beaver Brook, one of the largest remaining tracts of open land in the Northampton area, will provide new opportunities for people to get outside while enhancing critical wildlife habitat, and building climate resiliency,” said Katie Theoharides, president and CEO of The Trustees. “As an organization, the Trustees is committed to continued support for critical conservation work in Western Massachusetts and look forward to stewarding this important community resource.”
The acquisition will include restoration of the Beaver Brook floodplain, focusing on replanting native species and restoring the floodplain habitat, which will allow the brook to naturally meander and store floodwaters.
Recognized by the state as a cold-water fishery and core aquatic habitat, restoration would also enhance the property’s biodiversity and climate resilience. The remainder of the property’s roughly 175 acres of forest would provide significant carbon storage and vital habitat for plants and wildlife.
The restoration process would be documented for scientific study to help inform future approaches to restoration and interpretative signage would engage visitors in the hopeful work of nature-based climate solutions.
“Beaver Brook is a great opportunity for residents of the valley to come together to save the largest remaining undeveloped property so close to a city in Hampshire County,” said Wendy Ferris, the Trustees’ vice president for the Central and Valley Region. “It’s a rare location that is part of a connected wildlife corridor, on a busy road and bus route, and part of a neighborhood. The property will feature accessible walking paths, diverse trails through the woodlands, restored ecosystems, and amazing potential for environmental and ecological education. It is our plan that it becomes a destination for education and recreation pursuits.”
Ferris said the property is also attractive because the existing 250-person pavilion will provide a beautiful and flexible sheltered gathering space with sweeping views.
The communities of Northampton and Williamsburg play important roles by applying for state grants which, if successful, will result in Williamsburg holding a conservation restriction on most of the property owned by the Trustees, with Northampton acquiring a smaller portion of the property that lies within its city limits.
The total cost of acquiring, activating, and endowing the project is $5.5 million, and the Trustees have public and private grants in the pipeline totaling $4 million.
It will take approximately two years for the new reservation to be fully activated, which includes rewilding the golf course area, installing signage, completing trail work, and converting the existing clubhouse into office space.