Judge Tiffany Nature Preserve
Location
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Directions
Parking and access is best gained through our adjacent West Branch Green River Conservation Area. Please note: There are no trails in this area, and a stream crossing is required to reach the Judge Tiffany Nature Preserve through this route.
To reach West Branch Green River Conservation Area: From the roundabout at Field Park, head south on Route 7 for 4.1 miles. Turn right onto MA-43 (Hancock Road). Drive another 0.8 miles (4.9 mi. total) and turn left on Old Mill Road. After 0.2 miles, a small parking area will be on your right.
Overview
This 14-acre parcel off of Hancock Road is distinct in that it is bordered on two sides by water. Two streams — the West Branch of the Green River, the other is unnamed — run from the south and north, respectively, before joining dramatically at a narrow spit of land at the property’s eastern point.
The land is generally flat on its western side. As you traverse east, it slopes down to meet the streams. All of it is forested: white pine and eastern hemlocks dominate. Hardwood species can be found along the streams and near Hancock Road. A small patch of gnarled apple trees sits along the property’s western boundary.
The Judge Tiffany Nature Preserve is adjacent to WRL’s West Branch Green River Conservation Area. Together, their conservation protects a nearly 2000’-long corridor of the Green River’s West Branch, a sub-basin of the Hoosic River.
The protection of land along waterways is important because climate change disproportionately affects cold-water stream communities. The species you might find here – Appalachian brook crayfish, or brook trout, for example – need clean, cold water in order to thrive. A riparian buffer of protected land helps to create these conditions.
This parcel is permanently protected under a Conservation Restriction held by the Berkshire Natural Resources Council.
Conservation of this parcel was made possible by Anne L. Tiffany, who gifted it to WRL in 2022 in memory of her late husband Judge James B. Tiffany.
Size: 14 acresLongest Walk: No trails.
Acquired: 2022
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