Berkshire Natural Resources Council Receives Grant To Improve Trailheads
LENOX, Mass. — Berkshire Natural Resources Council (BNRC) has been awarded $180,000 from the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism's (MOTT) Destination Development Capital (DDC) Grant Program to enhance the visitor access and wayfinding at several of the most-visited BNRC reserves across the Berkshires.
The MOTT award requires a 1:1 match, and the Jane and Jack Fitzpatrick Trust recently provided BNRC with a $75,000 grant to support the project and help meet the match.
The project will upgrade trailhead infrastructure, improve accessibility at selected sites and enhance wayfinding so residents and visitors can more easily and comfortably enjoy the region's conserved lands year-round.
"This project reflects exactly what the Destination Development Capital Grant Program is designed to do, which is to strengthen the places that matter most to our communities while preparing them for the future," said Kate Fox, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism. "BNRC's thoughtful approach enhances access to some of the Berkshires' most beloved trails while incorporating climate-resilient features that protect these landscapes for years to come. Investments like this help ensure that residents and visitors can enjoy safe, welcoming, and sustainable outdoor experiences across the region."
The grant funds will support targeted improvements:
- More welcoming and informative trailhead kiosks and signage
- Accessibility improvements at selected trail entrances
- Parking changes at busy trailheads
- Incorporating climate-smart features like permeable parking surfaces, native plant rain gardens, and usage of durable, sustainable materials
"In the Berkshires, outdoor recreation is increasingly a key reason people come, and a key reason they stay," said Jenny Hansell, BNRC president. "We are grateful to the Healey-Driscoll administration and the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism for recognizing that conserved lands are central to the Berkshires' visitor experience and our local quality of life."
The award is part of a broader investment by the Healey-Driscoll administration to strengthen tourism infrastructure across Massachusetts. Through the DDC program, MOTT funds capital projects that expand, restore, or enhance destinations such as museums, historic sites, and outdoor recreation areas that support local economies.
"With this funding, we can make it easier for people to get outside, whether they're seasoned hikers, families with young kids, or someone visiting the Berkshires for the first time," said Doug Brown, BNRC's Director of Stewardship. "Improved parking, clearer signage, and accessibility improvements may seem like small details, but they can be the difference between someone turning around or feeling confident enough to explore."
