Lenox Garden Club - Pleasant Valley Wildlife Sanctuary
Lenox Garden Club, Zone I
03/15/2022
Set amidst more than 1,400 acres in the Berkshires hills located in Lenox, Massachusetts, the varied trails (ranging from easy to strenuous) of Pleasant Valley Wildlife Sanctuary (PVWS) wind through forests, meadows, lush wetlands, and along the slopes of Yokun Ridge, making this site an excellent location for hiking and observing wildlife and educating the public about the interactions among flora and fauna.
In recent years, the LGC has also awarded PVWS two community grants to support the establishment of a native plant garden at the entrance to the sanctuary and another to restore the hummingbird garden.
In July, 2021 a series of severe "microburst" storms occurred in succession within a short period of time causing an estimated $400,000-$600,000 in damage from downed trees and disrupting both floral and faunal communities, which will require extensive restoration. Microbursts, also called "downbursts," are a sudden downward burst of wind from the base of a thunderstorm. The air can rush towards the ground at speeds of 60 MPH before impacting the surface and spreading out in all directions. Winds at the surface can exceed 100 MPH in the strongest microbursts, often causing extensive tree and building damage such as what occurred this past summer at PVWS.
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