|
|
Regional Context:
Franklin County
The Franklin County region has important natural, cultural, and economic potential. This large area located in western Massachusetts has a large amount of attractions; some of the landscape elements include Mount Sugarloaf, Mount Toby and Northfield Mountain. Another landscape attraction is the Quabbin Reservoir; a man-made reservoir that was once a number of small towns before the land was flooded. The long history and rich culture of this region provide many opportunities for recreational activities, ranging from its historic architecture, its many farm fields, to canoeing, hiking and sightseeing.
A large variety of trail systems make their way through the
Franklin County. These trails provide a great opportunity to link
the existing trails and open spaces into a comprehensive plan.
The Robert Frost Trail, the Norwottuck trail and the Metacommet/Monadnock,
Mohawk and many trails that exist in the regions state forest
have the potential to create necessary links to help complete
the greenway plan.
Many of the existing trail systems have the potential to connect
sensitive areas that have been safeguarded from development. The
state forestlands, conservation restriction lands, significant
agricultural areas, federal and state protected wetlands, and
river corridors that exist throughout the region, and in Montague,
compose a small but important unifying element.
These areas could provide crucial destination points and scenic
opportunities along the proposed greenway. The Connecticut River
is a very crucial corridor, which includes extremely important
agricultural lands that are worthy of protection. It is vital
to understand how important the river and the lands adjacent to
it are to the historical, environmental, and economic concerns
of the communities in this region.
link to Montague's Greenway Vision.