CLICK PICK: Highland Communities Initiative

Located between two of the area’s most pristine river systems, the Connecticut and the Housatonic, is a territory in western Massachusetts referred to as the Highlands, which, while sparse in population, houses a wealth of ecologically diverse features, such as unspoiled forests and large working farms.

When development threatened this land, concerned residents joined together to form the Highland Communities Initiative—under the umbrella of the Trustees of Reservations—to preserve its natural resources.

Bringing awareness to the community, the program’s website details the rich history of the area’s thirty-eight verdant hill towns (in Berkshire, Franklin, Hampshire, and Hampden counties) and the historic figures who once called its fertile ground home. Including timely features such as detailed maps and newsletters touting current concerns and activities, the website is a proactive support system for a region that is in danger of getting lost in the scenery. (JUNE 2009)
 

THE GOODS

Highland Communities Initiative
www.highlandcommunities.org