Mount Grace organizes hikes in Hidden Valley Memorial Forest to encourage people to discover the landscape that Arthur Cronquist studied for decades. Photo courtesy of Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust.

This bronze plaque marks the beginning of Hidden Valley Memorial Forest where Arthur Cronquist, a world-renowned botanist, spent endless hours examining and photographing native flora. His widow, Mabel Cronquist, donated the family’s 66 acre parcel to Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust in 1996 in memory of her husband.

A view of the open field on the east parcel taken in April 2005 with the forest in the background. Trails are mowed with a push mower.

Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust is fortunate to have 3 staff persons working on land protection and stewardship. (L to R) Alain Peteroy, Stewardship Coordinator, Leigh Youngblood, Executive Director, and Dan Laroche, Director of Land Protection.

Leigh Youngblood is the Executive Director of Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust. She has been with the organization for 11 years.

Lynne’s Falls is named after Arthur Cronquist’s daughter and is a popular destination for hikers in Hidden Valley Memorial Forest.

The former home of Margaret Biggs is now the office of Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust. The house and property are located on Athol Road and are surrounded by 40 acres of open fields and forest.

Hidden Valley Memorial Forest abuts Wendell State Forest on 3 sides, and the M&M trail crosses the parcel in 2 places. This sign notifies hikers that they are leaving state land, gives a brief history of the parcel and describes land management efforts here.

Glenn Freden heads up a tour to discuss regeneration and early successional habitat on a site recently harvested on one of Mount Grace’s properties. Photo courtesy of Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust.

A group of school children look for butterflies with Dave Small, a Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust Board Member. Photo courtesy of Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust.

A hike during an active cut gives people an opportunity to see woods work in action. Here Leigh Youngblood sits in the driver’s seat of the skidder. Photo courtesy of Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust.

In keeping with Margaret Biggs’ wishes that the property would be “a welcoming and restful place for everyone who wishes to visit”, this sign at Skyfields Arboretum welcomes visitors.

A post-harvest tour gives the public an opportunity to observe what forest management looks like immediately following a harvest operation. Photo courtesy of Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust.

A view of a historic stone wall and the open field on the west parcel taken in April 2005. The field is mowed biennially to encourage early successional habitat.

Glenn Freden explains silviculture to an interested crowd during a hike through Whitney Murdock Memorial Forest in Winchendon, Massachusetts. Photo courtesy of Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust.