The Clam River

 

 

The Clam River Reserve – Complete!

Congratulations and thank you for helping conserve this scenic and strategic 55 acre parcel.

The Clam River in Sandisfield drops through a cliffy, forested valley.  Trout lurk in its pools, and a wide range of wildlife, from black bear to white tailed deer, browse from water’s edge to the higher forests.  BNRC owns approximately 530 acres on the west bank of the river, including this new 55-acre parcel.

The recent acquisition includes nearly a half-mile of frontage along the river.  Putting it together with BNRC’s holdings to both north and south creates a preserved greenway along the western bank nearly two miles long.  Now, walkers, anglers, hunters, and foot-dabblers can travel streamside from the bridge on Hammertown Road south all the way to Route 57.

In addition to river access, the new parcel also includes historic foundations and a beautiful isolated marsh along a cold water stream feeding into the Clam River.  Wildlife sign abounds.  The nearest houses are about a mile away, and with the land upstream to Lower Spectacle Pond all conserved by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, this is a remarkable riparian greenway.

The price to buy the land was $300,000.  Associated costs of closing the transaction and establishing BNRC ownership brought the total fundraising goal to $326,000.  This sum was raised entirely through private giving.  BNRC ownership guarantees public access to these beautiful lands, along with long-term conservation stewardship.

For more information on the Clam River or other BNRC projects, please call Tad Ames, Narain Schroeder or Doug Bruce at 413.499.0596. Thank you for your support.