AMCBerkshire.OrgThe Western Massachusetts chapter of the Appalachian Mountain Club

This is an executive summary of the Noble View Committee’s long range plan for the camp, including mission statement.

Introduction and Purpose

As Richard Burt’s poem demonstrates, Noble View has been loved and supported by AMC members since 1930. Noble View occupies a ridge top and provides a spectacular view of the Pioneer Valley. The rustic camp, featuring a homestead built in 1831, two cottages, and a barn, is steeped in history and involvement by AMC volunteers. It serves as an overnight facility from June to September and can be used for recreation and some meetings year round. The hills, streams, woodlands, and 360-acre rural setting give users a sense of serenity and opportunities for healthy, outdoor activities. The 30,000-acre Cobble Mountain Reserve adjoins Noble View. According to the Trustees of Reservations, Noble View sits in a 35-mile long, 117,000-acre swath of open, protected space, private conservation lands, and state and town parcels. A very large potential user population in Springfield, Albany, Boston, and New York City can easily access the property from Interstates 90 and 91.

Noble View Mission Statement

The purpose of the AMC Noble View Camp is to support the broader AMC mission of protecting and enjoying the outdoors. The AMC volunteers who manage Noble View are committed to providing a natural retreat for all ages and abilities in a mountain top location featuring hiking, whitewater kayaking, cross country skiing, educational programs, and conservation programs. Our programs and facilities build an appreciation of AMC’s conservation, education, and recreation mission.

Vision of Success

Noble View has enormous possibilities as a modernized yet rustic self-service camp. It will become a target destination for families with children, other small groups, community members, and those who are unable or unwilling to take advantage of the opportunities in the White Mountains. Noble View offers peaceful, less challenging terrain, a connection to nature, low impact recreational access, and education programs.

We will have achieved one form of success by making AMC’s Noble View Camp accessible to greater numbers of visitors than in the past. Our vision requires the updating of Noble View facilities to bring them up to state codes, but it also includes maintaining the rustic character and quiet simplicity of Noble View while maintaining the dignity and feeling of historic Noble View

Historical Summary, Assumptions, and Risks

Traditionally Noble View has very strong ties to the AMC Berkshire Chapter. At one time, members viewed Noble View as a “private club” for the chapter. Over the past year, this has successfully been changed and public usage has dramatically increased. Day usage in 2002 increased by 460% and overnight usage increased by 340% over the previous year.

According to the Ecotourism Society, 48% of vacationers in this area participate in nature-based activities. The Nature Conservancy and the Trustees of Reservations have included the region around Noble View as part of their Highlands campaign to preserve and protect a large landscape. The Westfield River watershed, which includes Noble View, is part of the National Wild and Scenic River system. And recently a new National Forest has been proposed for the region.

The volunteers who manage Noble View strive to maintain its historic character with strong ties to the local community, while increasing its visibility to a wider population through marketing, education, and conservation program development. We fully expect that the plans described in this long range plan will lead to increased usage of Noble View.

The primary risk seen by the committee is providing the funding needed to complete the Action Plan outlined in this document.

Goals

• Become a destination AMC facility between Fire Island and the White Mountains.
• Retain the rustic, relaxed and historic atmosphere and character of the Farmhouse, cottages, and barn.
• Repair buildings to comply with applicable code requirements and inspection reports.
• Provide minimal modern conveniences to lodgers (e.g. bathhouse facility).
• Maintain the ecological balance of the hills, woodlands, streams, and low impact recreational opportunities.
• Continue to encourage and support volunteer activities and the strong dedication of the community to Noble View.
• Establish a nature center in the barn.
• Attain maximum usage of facility and be financially self-sustaining.

Strategies (currently in progress)

• Retain and expand the newly organized Noble View volunteer committee, including a diverse membership committed to Noble View.
• Implement new policies for reservations and a new fee structure.
• Rely on a community of dedicated volunteers to host lodgers, repair buildings, and maintain trails.
• Apply for grant funding to offset capital improvement costs.

Operations and Management

• Self service Volunteer Managed Facility (VMF).
• Paid on site summer coordinator, as conditions require.
• Volunteer “friends” group to manage housekeeping, tend to maintenance, and arrange conservation and education programs.
• Reservations through a designated Noble View committee member, coordinated with AMC central reservations in the future.
• Part time paid or volunteer caretaker for grounds keeping and minor repairs.
• Supervision, coordination, and evaluation by Noble View committee in conjunction with paid non-resident AMC staff.

Programs

• Social: Laurel Day tradition, Independence Day celebration, winter cross-country skiing day.
• Volunteer work weekends for opening and closing cottages, woodcutting, and trail maintenance.
• Creative writing workshops.
• Education workshops in partnership with environmental, nature, preservation, and outdoor organizations such as the New England Naturalist Training Institute, Mass. Audubon Society, and The Nature Conservancy, and with educational institutions such as the Greenfield Community College and Springfield College outdoor leadership program, Mass. teachers’ continuing education credit programs, youth school groups, and others.

Finances

Our financial goal involves making the most efficient use and maximizing the potential of the Noble View assets. Our financial plan shows a positive cash flow from the first year and projected through 10 years. It uses modest growth assumptions and a modestly improving economic environment. The positive cash flow includes a full depreciation schedule and reserves to replace facilities.

The Vision for Noble View

The Vision for Noble View is one that complements and supports AMC’s Vision 2010. Centrally positioned among southern New England AMC chapters, Noble View has a convenient location near major highways and population centers. Featuring self-service, three-season accommodations and an educational and training center, it will be geared to providing young families, new members, and the elderly and physically handicapped with a local alternative to the White Mountains. The visit will be slower paced, self-service, less challenging, and closer to home. Programs will offer an introduction to outdoor recreation including hiking, climbing, and camping in addition to conservation, leave-no-trace, trail maintenance, composting and recycling, and outdoor safety.

As Noble View moves into the future, we will strive to maintain its rustic, historic ambiance and traditions. Our greatest risk is in finding the funding to complete the Action Plan. We will meet all code requirements and well will be a good neighbor.

In order to accomplish the Vision, we want to achieve these goals over the next five years:

• Meet our commitments in response to Shawn Bergeron’s inspection in order that we can offer full lodging capacity.
• Upgrade the barn to become the educational and training center.
• Improve and expand the infrastructure to include a potable water supply, a two-lane access road, electricity, a bathroom and shower house, and an approved septic system.
• Complete repairs to the North Cottage and the Double Cottage so they can be brought back into production. This will include fire escapes, proper ventilation, cooking facilities with gas stoves, and handicapped access.
• Upgrade the farmhouse to provide an open-plan first floor for meetings and gatherings, first floor living space for host/hostess or summer manager, second floor lodging, and a central wood furnace with forced air heating.