Volunteer Activities

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Chapter Conservation Chair

Are you passionate about conservation issues and the outdoors? Come help support the AMC and Western MA Chapter's conservation mission and goals as chair of the Conservation Committee. The Conservation Chair is a member of the Western MA Executive Committee responsible for organizing and directing the Conservation Committee, coordinating conservation events, managing related budgets and supplies, and serving as the liaison to the Chapter Executive Committee.

Chapter Chair, Family Programs

The AMC Western MA Chapter is looking for a Volunteer Family Programs Chair to join our Executive Committee! We're an active, welcoming chapter, and this role is a great opportunity to support family-friendly outdoor adventures across western MA.

NET Volunteer Work Party - Southwick Campsite

Join us for a fun day of trail work on the New England National Scenic Trail! This project is special, as we are preparing to build a new backcountry campsite. To ensure our campsite is as sustainable as possible, we are constructing two wooden tent platforms and a backcountry toilet (aka a privy).

Drainage Improvements at Upper Goose Pond Access

We will install waterbars across the access trail for UGPC caretakers and maintenance crews. Work involves digging a trench across the access route and installing a flexible water bar that diverts runoff but does not block wheeled vehicles. Not very romantic, but badly needed. Zero mile hike to the work location!

Wildlife Transect, Clarksburg SF, Bear Swamp Area

An end of summer check on what the wild residents of our trail lands are up to. This time we'll be in for a looong day as we'll be checking the Clarksburg SF, Bear Swamp area up near the VT border. So come prepared for a longer day than usual for our transects.

Crystal Mountain Campsite Privy Work

We will be converting the privy at the Crystal Mountain campsite from a pit privy to a moldering type. This involves constructing a ~2ft tall "crib" of stacked lumber on the ground to hold the waste, rather than it being deposited into a pit. Contained above the ground, the waste can decompose (moulder) relatively quickly; in a pit, it would linger for years, even decades. Using a moldering privy keeps the environment cleaner, smells less and doesn’t require a new pit to be dug every three to four years. Nearly all privies on the A.T. are of this type.

Wildlife Transect, County Rd to Finerty Pond Area

On this occasion, we'll be checking what the wild residents of our Appalachian Trail lands are up to in the County Rd to Finerty Pond area of October Mtn SF. This area has an interesting mix of forests of various types, open and wooded wetlands and of course Finerty Pond. Thus we are apt to find a wide variety of wildlife sign.

Complete Crystal Mountain Privy Work

We will be completing the work begun on September 23. Most, if not all, of the materials have been moved to the site. We'll complete the construction and mount the privy onto the crib. Work involves simple construction with basic hand tools. A brief period of heavy lifting by everyone is required to move the privy onto the new crib - this requires a minimum of 4 people.

Wildlife Transect, Cady Brook Area

It will be a bit over a year since we last looked in this area, but a check is in order because of prior history. This area has been inactively used by wildlife for a number of years, after years of activity by beaver, moose, otter, etc. So, we'd like to keep an eye on this area more frequently than we typically do.