Life at Katywil: The land
Katywil is located on 112 acres of land in Colrain, a small mountain town in the eastern Berkshires. Roughly sixty acres lie on a south-facing slope overlooking the West Branch of
the North River and the rest lie on the north
face of Stone Mountain. Katywil is protected on its other sides as well. South-southeast is a view down the river valley to Catamount. The northeast corner of the property nearly abuts the H.O. Cook State Forest whose 1,620 acres offer hunting, fishing (brook trout in more than five miles of streams), hiking and horseback riding trails and winter activities. On the east, the property is protected by wooded mountains owned by the state, but not designated as state park. West of Stetson Brothers Road, two families hold the land in trust.
Two graduate students at The Conway School of Landscape Design produced a master plan for Katywil, which identifies wetlands, rare species habitat, and Colrain land use. The plan also shows solar orientation, slope analysis, clearance for solar gain, a proposed land-use plan, soil composition at various sites on the property. Based on this information, the plan then illustrates how best to locate Katywil's homes, community building, its private and community gardens, orchards, berry patches, meadows, honeybees, edible forest gardens, hiking paths, centers for quiet retreat, and even potential areas for chickens and livestock should the community decide to incorporate them. The master plan culminates in a detailed list of herbs, garden shrubs, trees, and vines best suited for Katywil weather and soil. The list shown is but one of four such pages.
Flowing south through woodlands into the river is Vincent Brook, a year-round rocky stream, that will furnish hydropower for Katywil if the Department of Environmental Protection approves our plan. An old farm road parallels the creek for much of its length. To the east of the brook is open pastureland. All wetland areas have been surveyed and flagged for protection by New England Environmental.
About 50 acres of woods and pasture lie across the river from Katywil and reach about halfway up Stone Mountain, protecting the south view. A network of nature trails is planned both up the mountain, through the meadow, and along the brook.
Chris Stone, a Licensed Massachusetts Forester, has completed a comprehensive ten-year plan for sustainable forest management, a program administered by the State of Massachusetts as part of the Forest Stewardship Program. Our goals for the plan are to improve wildlife habitat, increase wildlife diversity, protect land from soil erosion, protect water resources, and develop portions of the forest for a sustainable wood supply for Katywil's residents. Also in the plan are interconnected trails for hiking, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing. Several stands of maples have been identified for maple sugaring.