Saving the Notch Forest
In 2024, the Notch Forest and the historic Bellows Pipe Trail, both located at the base of the renowned Mount Greylock State Reservation and a mile from the Appalachian Trail, were threatened by an industrial logging plan. When citizens became aware of this destructive plan, disguised as "climate-smart forestry," they became active in stopping it.
This is the story of a successful act of community resistance to a secretive logging plan that would result in the destruction of a beloved, historic forest and hiking trail, and the contamination of the sole drinking water supply reservoir for North Adams. We will continue to be watchdogs and advocates for protection of this special place.
This Land ...
The Notch Reservoir Forest, Bellows Pipe Trail, and Mount Williams Reservoir are beautiful tourist attractions and home to diverse wildlife and dense areas of trees that protect the reservoirs and our climate! These two reservoirs are crucial to the clean public water supply of North Adams. The Notch Forest is home to the renowned Bellows Pipe Trail, awarded the Condé Nast Traveler's Best Fall Hike in America award in 2024. This scenic area is only a mile from the Appalachian Trail and sits right up against the Mount Greylock State Reservation, both of which attract thousands of outdoor enthusiasts each year. It is a truly special area - beautiful and valued by generations of visitors and residents. Yet - it was threatened by logging that would have clear-cut dozens of acres of OUR public municipal land, right next to the entrance to the Bellows Pipe Trail and the world-famous Mount Greylock Reservation, where Henry David Thoreau once hiked and wrote about the beauty of this beloved place!
But, we stopped the logging!
Here are three different 2025 GIS-map overlay views of the public forests that surround the two reservoirs:
Timeline
Saving the Notch
July 28, 2024
• Article appeared in iBerkshires alerting citizens to potential logging at the Notch
July 29, 2024
• Activists from MAforests.org share information and assistance to North Adams residents to help them save their town forest from a deceptive "Climate-Smart" logging plan.
August 2024
•Citizens of North Adams and beyond form an action group and the Friends of the Notch Forest Facebook page connects people to action items.
August 2024
• A group of 9 FONF members meet with the North Adams Conservation Commission to express their concerns about the planned use of herbicide chemicals on their Notch Reservoir, which is their main public drinking water supply.
August 2024
• The Conservation Commission, Mayor, and Commissioner of Public Works agree to cancel herbicides and use only manual means for removal of invasive species.
August 2024
• The growing FONF group walks the Notch Forest with representatives of Mass Audubon, New England Forestry Foundation, the City of North Adams, and the representative logger. Concerns grow as plans are revealed to clear cut several areas of the Notch Forest and to use heavy log haulers on 24 new logging roads cut into delicate, sloping, land leading directly down into the Notch Reservoir.
August 2024
• Petition launched on Change.org quickly garners over 2000 signers opposed to logging at the Notch.
August 2024
• Three members of FONF talk with the Enviro Show podcast resulting in wider visibility for the issue.
August 2024
• A massive letter to the editor writing campaign ensues decrying the Notch Forest logging plan.
September 2024
• Letter writing continues and the first Action Network letters are out to city and state public officials in collaboration with Trees As A Public Good (TAAPG) Network.
October 2024
• FONF holds a public meeting and educational presentation at All Saints Episcopal Church in North Adams. Over 70 people attend in person, with more attending via Zoom.
October - November 2024
• Public protests take place outside City Hall and Save the Notch Forest street signage is placed throughout the city.
October - December 2024
• Members of FONF and citizens attend City Council meetings to voice their concerns.
November - December 2024
• Trees As A Public Good with FONF sends a call to action campaign out through Action Network to the Mass Audubon Board and executive leadership.
December 20, 2024
• Mayor Jennifer Macksey sends formal announcement to media outlets that she is CANCELLING the logging project. VICTORY for our forest!
Ongoing
• FONF continues to advocate and work to protect our our public forest and water supply. We are working with other environmental organizations to educate and campaign for tree and forest protection and the development of more permanent, forever wild forest reserves, and for accessible, forested public parks.
