Perry and Jane Johnson have lived a life of dreams. They dreamed of owning a cabin in the woods and in 1986 they were able to buy their first 6 acres of land with a cosy cabin. Over the next 2-7 years they acquired 114 more acres where they raised their two girls and set out on ventures such as selling Christmas Trees and firewood. None of this came easily or simply for the Johnsons but their spirit of dreaming lead them to manage their land for recreation, hunting and future generations.

Perry and Jane both grew up in Colrain, Jane on a dairy farm and Perry on a small tract of land in town. Perry attributes his love of nature to his father and his childhood spent roaming the hills and creeks around Colrain. His father taught him, for example,  that "nature treats everyone the same". From this love of nature they taught themselves how to manage their land with a copy of  “Working with Woodland – A Landowner’s Guide” by Mollie Beattie, Charles Thompson and Lynn Levine. Perry learned to use a chainsaw, bought a small tractor and developed a “healthy fear of logging”. He used his chainsaw skills to clear trails and thinned the forest employing the forestry practices learned from the book, with a goal of developing   uneven aged stands of timber. He worked in a local mill as a day job and worked on their land during weekends.  In 1994, part of their land was affected by a microburst of strong winds that knocked down 10 acres of woodlands which lead them to their first log sale. Through this experience and others they found loggers and a mill that would give them fair prices for their wood products. The process of doing the logging himself allowed Perry not only to follow the principles learned in the book but also to be "in his church". The forest he says is the “greatest church ever built,” a place where he can find peace and tranquility.

Perry and Jane’s children live close by. They have a strong connection with their grandchildren to whom they will pass their land and  “leave them a place for them to learn.” In 1993, they submitted their Forest Management Plan with the goal of improving the quality and quantity of the forest, promoting habitat for birds and animals and open the land for recreation. In the winters the local snowmobile club uses the trails for recreation that Perry cleared. They have a wonderful relationship with the club because it has taken great care for the land. Due to their interest in wildlife, they have installed a motion sensor camera on one of the trails of their property. Over the past 5 years they have captured images of every large mammal species known in Massachusetts except a bobcat and the elusive mountain lion. Perry and Jane see their property within the context of the region which supports a wide diversity of species. They would like to cooperate with other landowners to develop and protect corridors for wildlife. Perry is an avid hunter and is interested in conserving the sport of hunting because he says “what’s dear to my heart about saving this land it’s not the dollar, it’s the wildlife.” The future of their land is a place for their grandchildren and those wishing to explore and respect the land.

Perry and Jane’s property has a history similar to many New England woods, crisscrossed with stone walls hearkening back to when the forest was but a field for grazing livestock. The stone walls are marked by wolf trees, the oldest trees in the forest because they were used as reference points at this time when the forest was a field. Perry and Jane have perpetual dreams for their land and like the wolf trees left by farmers before, they too will leave a mark on the land and in the hearts of all who know them.