Thanks to all who helped with walks and cleanups of land trust properties in the last year.

Winter 2012-13 Volunteer Projects

Veterans Memorial Park
Thanks to all members of the Town Trails Team who participated in the Eastern and Western Park Walkabouts: Beth Rondeau, Cynthia Fuller, Dan Horne, Jedd Sullivan, Sandra Wyatt, Tim Faulkner, Rick Greenwood, Susan Hoagland and Helen Tjader. Your insights will be helpful in guiding the improvements at the park and the future work of our team.

It is not too late to get involved, sign up for the Town Trails Team by contacting Helen Tjader at helen@acornnpsolutions.com.  Upcoming projects get posted to the trust’s Facebook page – so ‘like’ us to get updates as new projects are planned and photos of our results.

Jonathan Cavanagh completed his Eagle Scout project with Boy Scout Troop 6 removing invasive plants along the length of the red trail from the bike path to the park road behind the ball field. What a difference – thank you!

James Cappelletti also completed his Eagle Scout project with Boy Scout Troop 2 working to remove invasive along the park road behind the ball field all the way to the water. An outstanding job in snowy, sloppy conditions – lots of vines are cut and the trees rescued for at least ten years.

A local community service volunteer worked throughout the holidays and snow to clear trash and cut back invasive plants along the blue and red trails – thank you!

Each of these volunteer projects has improved our park; please get out and enjoy these trails!  The latest trail map can be found at Explore RI’s website.

Marshlands
Owen Jackson completed his Eagle Scout project working with trust steward, Dan Cullman, and neighbors of Adams Point to construct a new osprey nest. Ready in time for the return of the ospreys – hope they move in soon!

Sowams Woods
Sandy Greenberg has completed many service projects at Sowams Woods as a scout with Troop 6.  Sandy recently completed his Eagle Scout project removing invasive plants along the Jenckes Trail entering from South Lake Drive. Sandy also installed a new interpretative sign at this entrance.

Luke Douglas has continued his Senior project work with Helen Tjader working on invasive plants at Sowams Woods, cutting back bittersweet and sawing down enormous burning bush plants.

National Grid is charged with removing trees that endanger the power lines. Recently they met with us in advance of needed tree removals along Washington Road. Although we were saddened to lose a number of large trees, they worked with us to leave one of the dying oaks standing. Unlike the others, its trunk core had potential use as habitat refuge for wildlife. Although branches and brush were removed along the road to discourage dumping, large trunks have been left on the ground to decay and become ‘nurse trees’. New trees will often grow in a decaying trunk that serves as a container of moist composted material. Be sure to look for older nurse trees on your next walk to see this effect.

Before leaf out this spring, you can also clearly see the emergence of a new generation of pine trees throughout the woods. As the dying red pines fall, these new evergreens are growing rapidly in the newly sunny gaps in the forest canopy as predicted by our forestry study.

Fall 2011 to Fall 2012

Greg Niguidula returned for a second summer as an intern writing stewardship management plans for key land trust properties. Great job!

Allin’s Cove East Earth Day 2012  – ongoing cleanup of hurricane debris – thanks to many friends and neighbors including: Carol Bannon, Carol Dorros, Emily Katz, Jim McCloskey, Pat Keefe, Paul Bannon, Sidney Skurkovich and Helen Tjader. After the ospreys left their nest Department of Public Works chipped the large brush piles – thank you!

Lombardi Park – projects have taken place throughout this year as we work to prepare the park for its rededication in November. Peter Burke, property steward, has led the effort to gain permissions for the access improvements and worked to remove invasive plants and clear fallen trees from trails and overlook. Don Leighton designed the site plan.  CVS Caremark Foundation sponsored improvements including stone stairs, overlook bench and park sign.  Department of Public Works installed the sign and bike rack. This summer Jessica Almeida and Helen Tjader installed native plants adjacent to the stairs. Jedd Sullivan made sure they stayed watered all summer. Overlook and trail work this fall included: Peter Burke, Luke Douglas, Susan Hoagland, Sandra Wyatt, Bob Read and Helen Tjader.

Sowams Woods – Sandy Greenberg of Boy Scout Troop 6 worked to remove invasive plants and Helen Tjader worked to clear trails after last year’s hurricane. Sandy will be completing his Eagle Scout project later this fall to remove invasive plants along the Jenckes (red) trail off South Lake Drive. Thanks to Dave Parkhurst and Saundy Patrick for their work cutting trees fallen across trails. National Grid will be working this fall to remove dead and dying trees along Washington Road. One of the trees will be cut below the power line height; we hope that it will become a new home for the great horned owls.

Veterans Memorial Park – the land trust continues to partner with the town and other local groups and volunteers to improve the park now that the 2 year National Park Service River and Trails Program grant with John Monroe has ended. We continue to organize projects and lead walks. Thanks to Barrington Middle School Aqua Cluster students for their work cleaning up the park with Helen Tjader in advance of our Veterans Day walk: Matt Collyer, Jacob McNair, Bryce Dolan, Abby Voight and Caleb Sun and parents, Susan Collyer and Carrie McNair. Spring cleaning took place at the park thanks to: Cyndee Fuller, David Boyes, Doug Materne, Sandra Wyatt, Tim Faulkner and Helen Tjader. This fall, Cindy Pierce, Luke Douglas, Sandra Wyatt, Sandra Patrick and Helen Tjader used stone gravel and dust to improve two trail entrances.

Boy Scout Troop 6 continued their strong service involvement at Veterans Memorial Park with three additional Eagle Scout projects.  Brandon Purcell led work to construct four sign kiosks at the major trail entrances and water access points on the eastern and western sides of the park. Andrew Anderson and Nicholas Sayegh led projects to create two sections of a new loop trail through the park. These scouts and their teams devote many hours to planning and carrying out these improvements – raising money where needed – all to benefit our community. Throughout the year scouts in the troop spend many, many weekends lending muscle to these significant park improvements. We salute your outstanding work!