The Upper Housatonic Valley National Heritage Area was designated in 2006 by the National Park Service as one of 48 Heritage Areas in the US. MCLA and the BERC are playing active roles in educating the community, Berkshire County, and the region on the vast historical, cultural, and environmental resources within the area. The Upper Housatonic Valley Experience is a graduate level course offered by MCLA that is geared toward K-12 teachers throughout and beyond the Heritage Area. The course is designed to introduce the enrolled educators to the various facets of the area and the information and experiences are intended to be taken back to the classroom, with the opportunity for field trips for the students.
Greylock Glen is located in Adams, MA, a few miles away from MCLA. It is a 1,000+ acre landscape that is variable in terrain and has a diversity of possibilities for use. A proposal exists to help preserve the integrity of the land by developing an Outdoor Recreation and Environmental Center facility that will cohesively blend benefits to be gained by the town of Adams and the Region, while maintaining most of the Glen as protected lands according to uses described by the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR). Partnering institutions on the generation of this project include MCLA, Mass MoCA, Mass Audubon Society, and the Appalachian Mountain Club. The ongoing process of determining best use is a demonstration of environmental and public policy in the works, and the land is a resource for MCLA and the community.
Many companies and public and private organizations contribute to the BERC's outreach and education endeavors by supporting student internships, classroom projects, and collaborative work.
Center for EcoTechnology (CET)
Berkshire Photovoltaic Services (BPVS)
UMass Amherst Center for Energy Efficiency & Renewal Energy (CEERE)
Williams College Center for Environmental Studies
Berkshire Community College (BCC)
Christodora, Inc. Manice Education Center
Hoosic River Watershed Association (HooRWA)
Williamstown Rural Lands Foundation (WRLF)
Berkshire Environmental Action Team (BEAT)
The Berkshire Regional Planning Commission (BRPC)
Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR)
Massachusetts Riverways Program
