Bakke Mountain is a summit located in the town of Florida, Massachusetts

Florida, Massachusetts

Florida is a town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 676 at the 2000 census. It is home to the east portal of the Hoosac Tunnel, as well as Whitcomb Summit , the highest point of the Mohawk...

. It was named for Master Sergeant Roald Bakke, who died in the collapse of Texas Tower 4

Texas Towers

The Texas Towers were a set of off-shore radar facilities used by the United States Air Force during the Cold War that were modeled on the offshore oil drilling platforms first employed off the Texas coast...

. The mountain is the scene of wildlife and forest conservation efforts and serves as one of the primary sites of the Hoosac Wind Project. The Bakke Mountain Wind Farm

Bakke Mountain Wind Farm

Bakke Mountain Wind Farm is a proposed wind farm located in Bakke Mountain, Massachusetts. It is also known as the Hoosac Wind Project.-History:...

  is a proposed alternative energy wind plant located on the mountain.

Forest and Wildlife Management

Part of the Bakke Mountain property, which in total covers between 700 and 750 acres (3 km²), was at one point a turnip farm owned by the Tower family. When the property was first purchased by the Bakke family in the 1960s, the fields and meadows lined with rock walls used for small livestock grazing were still open and free of tree growth. As time went on and the fields went unused, low brush sprang up, followed by saplings, which by 2000 had become a full-fledged forest. Much of the unique New England wildlife attracted by the grassy fields, such as black bear

American black bear

The American black bear is a medium-sized bear native to North America. It is the continent's smallest and most common bear species. Black bears are omnivores, with their diets varying greatly depending on season and location. They typically live in largely forested areas, but do leave forests in...

, White-tailed Deer

White-tailed Deer

The white-tailed deer , also known as the Virginia deer or simply as the whitetail, is a medium-sized deer native to the United States , Canada, Mexico, Central America, and South America as far south as Peru...

, Ruffed grouse

Ruffed Grouse

The Ruffed Grouse is a medium-sized grouse occurring in forests from the Appalachian Mountains across Canada to Alaska. It is non-migratory.The Ruffed Grouse is frequently referred to as a "partridge"...

, moose

Moose

The moose or Eurasian elk is the largest extant species in the deer family. Moose are distinguished by the palmate antlers of the males; other members of the family have antlers with a dendritic configuration...

, kestrel

American Kestrel

The American Kestrel , sometimes colloquially known as the Sparrow Hawk, is a small falcon, and the only kestrel found in the Americas. It is the most common falcon in North America, and is found in a wide variety of habitats. At long, it is also the smallest falcon in North America...

, and other species, began to disappear.

In an effort to regain some of these displaced species, a state-funded conservation project occurred in 2002-2003, clearing about 100 acre (0.404686 km²) of land. According to the plans for the area, 50 acres (202,343 m²) of this area will be maintained as field, while the second 50 acres (202,343 m²) portion will be maintained as staggered wildlife environment, ranging from low brush to the majestic trees native to New England. Many of the target species have already begun to return to the area. Sightings have included kestrels soaring and diving over the resurrected meadows and moose walking along the forest’s edge.