FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 19, 2007
The Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) has released a new “Deerfield River Map and Guide” to promote four-season recreational opportunities in the Deerfield River Watershed, which stretches from Stratton, Vermont to the Greenfield/Deerfield town lines in Massachusetts.
A useful tool for visitors and local residents, the map and guide highlights outdoor activities that include paddling, fishing, and hiking in the Deerfield River Watershed, along with local and natural history, outdoor stewardship, and safety information. River segment descriptions and information on public boat access, dams, whitewater areas, and river flow make this an especially helpful resource for paddlers.
Appalachian Mountain Club cartographer Larry Garland developed the map and guide with the support of grant funding provided by the Deerfield River Enhancement Fund, which is administered by the Vermont Community Foundation, and the Kodak American Greenways Fund, a partnership of the Eastman Kodak Company, The Conservation Fund, and the National Geographic Society.
Publication of the map and guide was also made possible, in part, by generous contributions from sponsors that include TransCanada Hydro Northeast, Brookfield Power, Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation, New England FLOW, Zoar Outdoor, and the Greater Boston Chapter of Trout Unlimited.
Educational information about the Deerfield River Watershed’s landscapes and regional history serves to enhance the recreational user’s appreciation of the region’s natural resources and preservation of recreational access.
The map and guide:
- Serves as a reference for year-round recreational opportunities in the region, including: boating, hiking, fishing, camping, swimming, cross-country skiing, downhill skiing, horseback riding, and mountain biking;
- Highlights shelters and campgrounds, visitor information locations, and picnic or rest areas;
- Provides an overview of the regional landscape, including conservation land;
- Highlights a rich local and natural history, including plant and wildlife populations;
- Promotes responsible recreation and stewardship by highlighting:
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- Paddler preparedness and river safety guidelines;
- Leave No Trace low-impact use principles and Catch and Release guidelines;
- Federal, state, and local sources of recreation and conservation information;
- Contact information for river flow forecasts and water level reports;
- Whitewater classification descriptions and river descriptions by section, noting level of difficulty;
- River etiquette for multiple use
The map and guide is available for purchase through the local and regional sponsors, as well as online through AMC’s store at http://amcstore.outdoors.org/amcstore/. The retail price is $4.50.
The Deerfield River Map and Guide is the third in a series of interpretive river guides produced by the Appalachian Mountain Club. The series also includes the Saco River and Androscoggin River located in New Hampshire and Maine.
Founded in 1876, the Appalachian Mountain Club is the oldest conservation and recreation organization in the nation. With 90,000 members in the Northeast and beyond, the nonprofit AMC promotes the protection, enjoyment, and wise use of the mountains, rivers and trails of the Appalachian region. The AMC supports natural resource conservation while encouraging responsible recreation, based on the philosophy that successful, long-term conservation depends upon first-hand enjoyment of the natural environment.
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