Buttonbush pool in May
Masson Ridge came into existence in 2007 when the 185 acre property, located in west Northfield, MA, was put under a “forever wild” conservation restriction with Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust. Since that time the owners of the land, Bill and Christine Copeland, have made connections with local environmental groups, educators, schools and colleges to encourage educational and low impact recreational uses of the land. The primary resources on the property that support these activities are a high concentration of vernal pools, healthy stands of large trees, highly varied topography and relatively diverse animal and plant populations. New discoveries continue to be made and the forest and wetlands continue to change in the direction of deeper, less compacted soils, reduced erosion, more established stream beds, and larger trees as the disturbances of the recent past recede. Efforts to remove invasive species, monitor the health of the vernal pools and complete the inventory of biodiversity have been linked to internships with Greenfield Community College and with environmental groups such as the New England Wildflower Society and Mount Grace LCT. Other partnerships are anticipated in the future. Please check back from time to time as this site is being built over the next six months. We hope you enjoy it.