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Conservation Committee

The Conservation Committee hosts a variety of events throughout the year, including invasive plant removals, nature hikes, and trash cleanups. Recent webinar topics have addressed wildlife conservation on Mt. Tom, forest health and carbon sequestration, invasive species, reptiles in Western Massachusetts, and the AMC's policy on solar siting.
The committee also tracks legislative agendas relating to conservation. Recent items to the MA House and Senate concern solar power development, increased funding for environmental programs, and advocacy for wildlife. View the items on our radar here.

What You Can Do

While out on the trails and rivers, be on the lookout for actual or potential damage. Follow local news reports. Collaborate with town planning and zoning bodies and participate in meetings and hearings. Keep an eye on regulatory issues, communicate with government entities, and lobby legislators. Send us your thoughts, ideas, and research finds!
Let your voice be heard »

Upcoming Activities

Click or tap on the Register links to learn more and/or register for activities.

Annual West Springfield Levee Cleanup

Location: West Springfield, MA
Date: 03‑Nov‑2024
Register »
Once again sturdy volunteers are called upon to help remove trash alongside the Westfield River along the River St. Levee near the Big E. Annual cleanups have made a significantly positive impact on the 10+ years of neglected trash along the trails and riverbank. We truly appreciate the opportunity to work with the City of West Springfield who always goes above and beyond to assist.
Gloves, trash bags, grabbers, and light snacks provided. Please bring your own filled water bottles. Parking is through the Levee gate or you may park on a side street across the road.

Recycling Facility Tour

Location: White River Junction, VT
Date: 08‑Nov‑2024
Register »
Join us to tour Casella's Recycling Facility to follow the full lifecycle of our recyclables, collected at the Highland Center, transported to this sorting facility, and sorted and baled for reuse in the U.S. and around the world. Members of our operations team will join us to gain firsthand insights into the complexities and innovations behind comingled recycling. This tour is a part of our ongoing efforts to pursue best practices in sustainable operations. Understanding the functional side of recycling will empower our team to implement more effective waste management practices.
AMC is dedicated to achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. We currently do not account for many of our indirect emissions, such as those from purchased goods, waste disposal, and downstream transportation. For example, the resources used to grow food served at the Highland Center, the packaging materials for that food, the trucking to deliver the food, the transport trucking for waste, and the decomposition of waste in the landfill all contribute to our carbon footprint. While we do not measure these indirect emissions in our operations, the most sustainable approach is clear: reduce waste first, then prioritize reuse, recycling, and composting, with landfilling as the last option.

Activity Schedule

All activities are subject to cancellation due to poor weather conditions. Check volunteer opportunities on outdoors.org for up-to-the-minute additions not yet shown here. Not all activities may be posted yet.
Executive 20s/30s A.T. Management Bicycling Communications Conservation DEI Family Programs Hiking Membership Mountaineering Net Management Paddling Training and Education
Conservation Committee members pose for a photo
Kayakers in a water chestnut mat
  HEATHER WYMAN
Cinquefoil
COMMITTEE HIGHLIGHT

Tell Congress: Protect Imperiled Species & the Endangered Species Act!

The Endangered Species Act (ESA) turns 50 this year, but it is still vulnerable to attacks. Contact your legislators and ask them to oppose all attacks on the ESA and to protect whales, wolves, grizzlies & other species. SIERRA CLUB »
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