The Pascommuck Conservation Trust conducted its annual meeting on Feb. 27 at Easthampton City Space.
Photo credit: Easthampton Media
EASTHAMPTON — The PCT, Pascommuck Conservation Trust, conducted its annual meeting on Feb. 27 at Easthampton CitySpace to reflect on the past year and discuss what they will be focusing on in the next year.
Formed in 1982, the PCT is a nonprofit organization that protects land and other natural resources in Easthampton for the public benefit.
As part of her president’s report during the meeting, Board President Dianne McLane said a profound theme from last year was people gifting the PCT different parcels of land for protection. According to McLane, some of the land that was gifted is on the Manhan River, including a 10-acre parcel that the PCT is in the process of acquiring.
“One of our major focus areas is the protection of the Manhan River,” McLane said. “If you look at it from a bird’s point of view, it does land in many cities and towns and deserves our protection.”
During her report, McLane mentioned how the PCT also established the Land Protection Committee to enable them to focus more on possible acquisitions of land for protection as well as a maintenance committee to focus on regular maintenance of land. McLane also noted later in her report that the PCT created a fundraising committee.
Because of intense rainfall last year, some of the trails PCT protects experience multiple erosion issues, and McLane added that there were many downed trees last year that the PCT had to deal with.
Besides those challenges, the PCT will also continue to complete repairs.
“There’s — of course — ongoing infrastructure repairs of bog bridges, stairs and maintenance of all our trails,” McLane said.
As for the present and future, the PCT is continuing to monitor the Sierra Vista Commons development at the former Tasty Top location by delivering input to the Easthampton Planning Department and Conservation Commission.
McLane added that the PCT continues to be involved in the Easthampton Land Protection Collaborative, which includes members of the PCT, Kestrel Land Trust, Fish and Wildlife and city of Easthampton.
“It’s a unique group,” McLane said. “Most towns or cities don’t have this coordination of different entities, so we’re really happy to have that. We will create and install new signages, land protection sites that are now being vetted.”
To close her report, McLane said that the PCT will continue to do what they do.
“We continue to supply scholarship to a high school grad, our plant sales, and we’re trying to sign up for two newsletters this year,” McLane said. “We continue to monitor and maintain our PCT properties.”
During the meeting, the PCT also reelected members for another three-year term and nominated two new members, and also celebrated their clerk Dawn Ackley, who is planning to leave the position in a few months after over two decades in that role.
“She’s been our point person,” McLane said, of Ackley. “We want to wish her well.”
Readers can learn more about the PCT by visiting their website: pctland.org.
