Berkshires Awarded Grants to Boost Woodland Restoration, Tourism

• An Invasive Plant Management Plan for Greylock Glen: Prepare an Invasive Plants Management Plan for Greylock Glen, focusing on areas under the Town of Adams' lease with the Commonwealth. 

• Hoosac Range Climate Smart Forest Stewardship Plan: Develop a Forest Stewardship Plan for BNRC's Hoosac Range Reserve, a 992-acre property located in North Adams and Florida. 

• Trail Kiosks: Install two informational trail kiosks on the Ashuwillticook Rail Trail for recreational users. 

• Fire Department Communications Upgrade: Purchase five new portable radios utilized by the Fire Department to ensure compatibility with digital upgrades to the E911 system. 

• Purple Trails Mountain Bike Trail Improvements: Construction of a one mile segment of critical intermediate level mountain bike trail within a professionally designed 20+ mile trail network in the mountains of Williamstown. 

Clarksburg Students Write in Support of Rural School Aid

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
07:25AM / Sunday, March 15, 2026

Mason Langenback calculated that Clarksburg would get almost $1 million if the $60 million was allocated equally.

CLARKSBURG, Mass. — Eighth-graders at Clarksburg School took a lesson in civic advocacy this week, researching school funding and writing letters to Beacon Hill that call for fully funding rural school aid. 

 

The students focused on the hardships for small rural schools and their importance to the community — that they struggle with limited funding and teacher shortages, but offer safe and supportive spaces for learning and are a hub for community connections.

 

"They all address the main issue, the funding for rural schools, and how there's a gap, and there's the $4 million gap this year, and then it's about the $40 million next year, and that rural schools need that equitable funding," said social studies teacher Mark Karhan.

 

A rural schools report in 2022 found smaller school districts cost from nearly 17 percent to 23 percent more to operate, and recommended "at least" $60 million be appropriated annually for rural school aid. 

 

Gov. Maura Healey has filed for more Chapter 70 school aid, but that often is little help to small rural schools with declining or static enrollment. For fiscal 2027, she's budgeted $20 million for rural schools, up from around $13 million this year but still far below the hoped for $60 million. 

 

Karhan said the class was broken into four groups and the students were provided a submission letter from Rural Schools Advocacy. The students used the first paragraph, which laid out the funding facts, and then did research and wrote their own letters. 

 

They will submit those with a school picture to the governor.