CW Marks 40 Miles of Boundaries at 10 Wildlife Management Areas in Western Mass

With compass, survey, and tree scribe in hand, Molly Hale led us into the woods on a year long adventure marking 40 miles of boundaries at 10 of the Department of Fish and Game’s most off the beaten path Wildlife Management Areas in Berkshire, Franklin, and Hampshire counties. Work included using surveys, deeds, and municipal Assessor’s parcel information to locate corners and lines, then clearing the lines of brush and marking them with a tree scribe, signs, and painted blazes. Weather conditions last winter posed some challenges—in addition to bitter cold, the snow was so deep that even on snowshoes we sunk 18 inches into the powder with each step. Despite the snow, no iron pin escaped detection thanks to Molly’s metal detector and expert orienteering skills. One of the more enjoyable features of this project was being able to spend so much time in the woods encountering interesting plants and animals.  Some of our favorite sightings included a giant ichneumon wasp (Megarhyssa macrurus) laying eggs, an ovenbird nest, and round-leaved orchid (Platanthera orbiculata), a purple fringed orchid, (Platanthera  sp.), and three-birds orchid (Triphora trianthophora), state listed as endangered. Not a bad day at the office!