February 4th - 5th, 2012 at Appleton Farms, Hamilton, MA
Our Beneficiaries
Rolling grasslands, grazing livestock, stone walls, and historic farm buildings are part of this pastoral landscape – a rare glimpse into New England’s agricultural past. A gift of Colonel Francis R. Appleton, Jr., and his wife Joan, Appleton Farms is the oldest continuously operating farm in the country, established and maintained by nine generations of the Appleton family before it was deeded to the Trustees of Reservations in 1998.The Trustees of Reservations are more than 100,000 people like you who love the outdoors, who love the distinctive charms of New England, and who believe in celebrating and protecting them, for everyone, forever. We enjoy and care for more than 100 special places – nearly 25,000 acres – all around Massachusetts. Together with our neighbors, we protect the distinct character of our communities and inspire a commitment to our special places. Our passion is to share with everyone the irreplaceable natural and cultural treasures we care for. Find our more at www.thetrustees.org.
Essex County Trail Association
The Essex County Trail Association exists to protect access to the trails and open lands throughout the 6 towns we work in. We partner with both public and private landowners to ensure that the experience of open trails is positive for them as well as the trail users.Trail Easements: We work with private landowners to give permanent trail easements to ECTA. ECTA often maintains these trails at the landowners request, ensuring safety and protection of the resource.Trail Maintenance: ECTA quickly responds to requests to clear and maintain over 400 miles of trails throughout our communities. We clear downed trees, fix holes and muddy areas, repair fencing, and mark trails.Trail Repair and Construction: ECTA completes major repair and construction projects each year. As an example, in 2009 we spent over $35,000 in Bradley Palmer State Park repairing popular but often unuseable trails. We have installed culverts, brought in new stone and pack trail surfaces, and installed water flow devices to mitigate beaver impacts.Trail Management Plans: ECTA has developed Trail Management Plans for 4 of the 6 towns we serve. These TMP’s allow us to manage trails throughout the town on a streamlined basis in order to save the town, landowners and ECTA money and time.Trail Assessments: We conduct detailed Trail Assessments that allow us to formulate and enact a plan for trail repairs, using GPS and photography, followed by a cost analysis of each area.Events: ECTA holds many athletic, educational, and social events throughout the year designed to promote the outdoors and to bring in funds for the organization.
Each year, thousands of animals arrive at the Noble Family Animal Care & Adoption Center at Nevins Farm. Almost every animal that is surrendered to the MSPCA at Nevins Farm is in need of some type of medical care. Some may only need basic vaccines or routine surgery, while others may be suffering serious injury or living with undiagnosed and treated illnesses. As a non-profit organization, our resources are limited when it comes to caring for expensive and time-consuming medical cases. That is why the development of the Angels for Animals Fund became necessary to help those animals most in need of our care and suport.
This special fund is supported through the donations of generous people like you, who help us care for the sick and injured animals who cannot care for themselves. Since it was developed in 2003, Angels for Animals has helped address the medical concerns for thousands of animals, including dental extractions, emergency leg amputations, hip surgery, and open chest heart surgery. With your help, we can make a difference in the lives of even more animals in need!
Visit www.mspca.org/angelsforanimalsfund to learn more.
Essex County Greenbelt Association
The Essex County Greenbelt Association is a member supported nonprofit land trust that has conserved nearly 14,000 acres of land in Essex County. Greenbelt works with local communities and landowners to acquire and protect ecological areas, farmland and scenic vistas. One of our major goals is the creation of "greenbelts" consisting of river, trail, and other natural corridors, coastal systems and visually intact landscapes.
