Trail Crew

Last week we cleared the trails at Carrington Lowell which also involved removing quite a few downed limbs and several trees.   This week we are going to Mednells Folly to get it ready for the Poetry in the Woods walk on April 13.  We need to: Install the 2 poetry plaques that are on stakes; Install the poetry plaque on the bird stand (which will require a couple screws and a screw gun); Secure the base of the railing at the bird stand, which is a little wobbly; (Joe?) Possibly remove some limbs blocking the view from the bird stand; Clear the White Birches trail and the spur going to the bird stand of leaves and debris;  Remove debris from the stone crossing below the dam and allow more water to pass through; Remove invasives along Toby's Trail. Useful tools will be loppers, leaf blowers, a long handled saw, shovels, and a screw gun. We will meet at the Van Epps parking area, 390 Beacon Road at 9 AM, Wednesday April 2.

Last week at Whispering Pines all the downed limbs from the recent storms were moved off the trails.  At Hidden Brook, a stone crossing was established on Atwater Road where a stream has developed.  On the Sisyphus Trail a major stone crossing was greatly enhanced at the point where the trail parallels the stone wall, and was very mucky and there weren't enough stepping stones. This week we are going to clean up Carrington Lowell and also work at Split Rock where the sign needs reposting and the trail probably could use a clean-up. Useful tools will be a chain saw, probably leaf blower, loppers, shovels for any invasives encountered, and small hand saws. We will all meet at the end of Cedar Lane and divide up from there.  9 AM, Wednesday March 26.

Last week we had a huge crew and prepared for the April Poetry Walk at Mendell's Folly.  We cleared the trails and checked to make sure that the QR code on the plaques we will be installing worked in our wooded locations, and cited where the readings will take place.  We also noticed a lot of recent beaver activity...including the recent downing of the huge yellow birch tree they had been working on for over 2 years.   This week we are going to work on clearing the trails at Whispering Pines and on through to Hidden Brook.  Plus at Hidden Brook there are 2 stream crossings that need stone work, one on the trail and one on Atwater Road.   Useful tools will be trail clearing ones including loppers, leaf blowers, a hand saw and a chain saw, and rock moving tools including metal bars and plastic sleds. We will meet at the end of Village Lane and then disperse from there at 9 on Wednesday.

t's been a long time, but last Friday we were finally able to finish putting in the trail at Hershman's Hollow and now it looks like we will be back on our regular Wednesday schedule. This week we are going to work on the trails at Mendell's Folly, getting them in shape for the hike on April 13 when we will also have the drama of members of the CT Poetry Society doing  readings of certain select poems.   To clear the trails after the last ice storm useful tools will be leaf blowers, loppers, hand saws and possibly a chainsaw.  We will meet at the Van Epps Preserve Parking Area, 390 Beacon Road at 9 AM on Wednesday. Hope to see you there! Carol The crew last week, including Joe and his maple stepping stones...

Last week 6 brave, hearty and indomitable members of the field crew tackled the wilds of Hershborn Hollow despite the 20 mph winds and freezing temps.  But everyone quickly warmed up with the physical effort of carving a path. We slashed through tall thickets and downed trees and were able to open up a trail along the boundary line to allow markers to be posted.  This week we plan to return and continue cutting in a trail, following the lines of a previous trail.   For this work brush cutters, a chain saw and loppers are the most useful tools. We will meet at 9 AM on Wednesday January 23 and park along the road at 658 Litchfield Turnpike.

Last Wednesday there was no field work but that afternoon, quite a few folks joined the hike snaking through Whispering Pines, Carrington Preserve and Hidden Brook. This week we are planning to tackle Hershman's Hollow.  This preserve took a direct hit from both of the tornados and the trail was totally decimated.  After the first tornado we cleared some of the downed trees that fell onto the neighbor's property and a short amount of the trail, but then the second tornado brought down more and we haven't been back since.  Our job on Wednesday is going to be to try to cut a path along the boundary lines so that they can get marked.  (This is the only remaining preserve that has not had its boundaries marked.) There are a lot of prickers and briars and downed trees and limbs. So useful tools will be long and short handled hedge trimmers, loppers, a chainsaw and anything else that might help to cut the path.    Hershman's Hollow is located at 658 Litchfield Tpk, and we will meet there on Wednesday at 9 AM.  Dress warm, but it looks like it will be sunny!

BLT Field Work Report/December 11 Cancellation Due to Rain Last week we continued work cutting down barberry and a hydra of bittersweet vines (see below) to put in a trail through Luke Hill Preserve.  We were able to reach the stream which feeds into the Sargent River.  One tool that has proved very useful for getting under barberry and other brambles is the long handled hedge trimmer. The boundary marking crew started in on Hershman's Hollow, which was ravaged by the macroburst in 2018 and again took a direct hit the following year. This is our only preserve where the fallen trees have not been cleared, making the trail impassable and boundary marking very difficult.  We plan to resume when the full field crew can join in. We had planned to clean up the Whispering Pines/Carrington Preserve/Hidden Brook trails complex this week in advance of the hike planned there for January 1, but with the weather forecast predicting an inch of rain, this will have to wait until December 18.  Hate to miss out on trails work this week, but the forecast does not leave much doubt that we will be facing steady rains all day.

Last week we continued to make progress installing a trail at Luke Hill Preserve, removing Japanese Barberry, Euonymous, Multi-floral Rose and many downed trees and limbs.  We got a little distracted when we came across a vine suitable for Tarzan and Jane and of course everyone had to try swinging on it.  In addition, the boundary at Podgewaite Preserve got marked.  This is the one at the intersection of Rt 69 and Rt 42.  The paint is fading on the wooden sign and it could use a little resoration work.  It could be removed to do this indoors.  Anyone want to volunteer? This week we are going back to Luke Hill and the boundary markers are going to work on Podgewaite Preserve. For the Luke Hill work, tools for cutting down the invasives, digging them up where possible and cutting through the downed trees and branches will be useful. We will meet at Luke Hill Preserve, Wednesday December 4 on Luke Hill Road between #80 and #96.