WINTER 2019 Chapman Way/Lowe Pond Boardwalk by Bonnie Lucas
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
Acorn
Chapman Way/Lowe Pond Boardwalk by Bonnie Lucas
WINTER 2019
The new 120 foot long boardwalk over Lowe Pond at Chapman
Way officially opened on a chilly December 8th with a ribbon
cutting ceremony that was well attended by many in town. Nancy
Merrill, the driving force behind keeping our trails open, cut the
“ribbon” (grape vine.) This crossing reopens an important link in
the Bay Circuit Trail, which runs from Plum Island to Duxbury, over
230 miles through 37 towns as it circles Boston. A map of the area
can be found on page 53 of the Boxford trail guide.
The boardwalk is five feet wide and was built with rough hewn
decking for equestrians as well as hikers, runners, and bikers to
enjoy. There is even a cantilevered bench mid-way where you can
pause to enjoy the beautiful area of Lowe Pond. This structure
replaces two boardwalks constructed over the years that have
been flooded by beaver activity. Since this boardwalk was built over the original crossing, the
beaver dam and a beaver lodge can be clearly seen as you enjoy the view.
On behalf of the town, BTA/BOLT applied for and received a recreational trails program
grant administered by DCR in August 2016 for $35,810. As part of the grant agreement, we
were required to match 20% of that amount, either through funds contributed or volunteer
time. We were able to exceed our match through the generosity of many people with over
700 volunteer hours which equaled over $20,000 toward our match all coordinated by Rich
Tomczyk.
This boardwalk was designed and built by Bob Weatherall of Weatherall Designs. Bob’s
professional guidance, hard work, and patience motivated 35 volunteers through all kinds
of weather from September through November. BTA/BOLT also
wants to thank Greg Hochmuth,
Environmental Specialist and
Jim MacDougall, Environmental
Specialist, for volunteering their
services and Timberline Lumber
and Building Materials for their
generosity. Ross Povenmire,
Alan Benson and his staff,
and the DPW crew were also
instrumental in moving this
project along.
Page 2 the Acorn Winter 2019
Trails Update by Jeff Hixon
Late summer and fall have found us
focusing on finishing up our bigger
projects from the summer.There has
been a large amount of work on our property at
Hemlock Junction as well as the fabulous new
boardwalk on the Bay Circuit Trail at Lowes Pond
(see associated articles on each). We also have
an ongoing project to upgrade some of our
signage around town and the first signs have
started to roll out and show up out on the trails.
These aim to be more descriptive and provide
guidance to trail and road intersections. Look for
some of the early signs out in Lord and Ericson
Woods and the Heron Rookery and Jack Pearl
Trails in West Boxford. Certainly, a lot more of
them to come!
Following on the Lowes Pond boardwalk,
we’ve also been awarded a MA Dept of Conservation and Recreation - Recreational
Trails Program grant to build a similar boardwalk on the town owned Nason Property
in West Boxford. We’ve started the paperwork and permitting process and hope to
construct that crossing this summer if all goes well. We’ll be looking for volunteers to
help with the building. We’ve also been cleaning up the trails
in preparation for winter and the associated winter activities
of cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and hiking. Get out
and enjoy the beautiful Boxford trails in winter. Either by ski,
snowshoe, or hike, depending on what kind of winter we get,
there is nothing quite like the beauty of the woods in winter.
We have so many wonderful spots to explore, whether it
be a hidden, ancient stonewall in the middle of the woods,
an old homestead site, or just the peaceful quiet of a snowy
walk in the woods, winter is a wonderful time to get out.
Keep an eye on our facebook page for trail condition updates
throughout the winter for snow activities, and please use the
email address: trails@btabolt.org to report any issues that
you encounter, or if would like to volunteer to help out.
Winter 2019 the Acorn Page 3 2018 trail Running Festival by Priscilla Welch Thank you ‘Boxford Trail Running Festival’ race participants, volunteers and sponsors. BTA/BOLT, Inc.’s second annual Boxford Trail Running Festival, held on October 21st in West Boxford, was very well attended and attracted families and runners of all ages. The events included a 1K kid’s fun run, 5K walk, 5K run, 10K run and 20K run followed by a cookout, awards ceremony, DJ and free raffle. We would like to thank all those who sponsored, volunteered and participated in the event. All the proceeds help support our mission to conserve and protect open space, as well as maintain over 100 miles of trails which are open to the public. For detailed race results, visit: www.coolrunning.com. For race photos visit: https://lindsaywelchphotography.pixieset.com/btabolt/
Page 4 the Acorn Winter 2019 The Soapbox by Natasha Grigg Another silence is coming upon us, or, more accurately, that we are creating with our chemicals and inability to control the changing climate of our making. In the fifties, when I was in college in NYC, everyone was hanging on subway straps rocking to the trains’ rhythm, reading Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring (still as important a book as ever). Now, no one has even noticed, except for a very few, that our bugs are slowly/maybe not so slowly vanishing. On 12/02/18 the NY Times Sunday magazine cover story was titled, “The Insect Apocalypse is Here”. So, who cares most of us will say. “I hate bugs”! A common statement. Really? They are one of the bulwarks of life on our planet. Without them we will perish. Sort of an apt revenge, when you consider the billions of dollars and hours spent destroying them, without a trace of remorse. Multi-billion dollar corporations, I can think of several off-hand: Monsanto, Dow, Dupont, Bayer, Scott... have dedicated large portions of their research and manufacture to the destruction of insect life, not to mention “undesirable” vegetation. Bigger is better? So, plants have the greatest bio- mass (weight) on earth, and ants equal our (human) bio-mass - that is a lot of ants. According to E.O. Wilson, professor emeritus of entomology at Harvard and probably the greatest expert on ants in the world, if we manage to destroy enough ants, our soils will collapse without them and we with them. We have the lowly dung beetle that disposes of manures and dead wood all over the planet; without them, we cannot live. Then, of course, there are the pollinators - we are probably tired of hearing about them... Without pollinators, most flowering plants will perish along with their oxygen producing capacity. Have you noticed, when you come home from a drive there aren’t any bugs on your windshield? When you bicycle at speed, you aren’t “eating” bugs anymore? Do you hear many crickets at night, see many fireflies? Not too many mosquitos here in wet Boxford this past wet summer. Hooray, but what will the tree swallows, fly-catchers and all the other insect eaters munch on? The trout and salmon have fewer mayflies and mosquito larvae to catch, except for ones on the end of a hook. So, while we are concentrating on large species losses and approaching extinctions, which are heart-breaking and widely considered (with no effect on the tragic outcome) what we aren’t paying attention to is the gradual, inevitable degradation of habitat and the inexorable loss of all animal life. Animals (insects, fish, birds, bacteria) can only function effectively in their environment when there is an adequate number to support, inter-act and influence the entire eco-system. Too few, and they cease to benefit the complex natural pattern as well as to exist. We are beginning to live in the Eremocine Age (a definition coined by Wilson), the Age of Loneliness, rather than the more recent, “popularly” named, Anthropocene Age, the Age of Man. The two are probably equal - where we go, we usually end up alone. Reading/references: NY Times, 12/0218, E.O.Wilson, anything... Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Andres Garcia, David Wagner(U.Conn)
Winter 2019 the Acorn Page 5 Hemlock Junction by Jeff Hixon We have spent a lot of time this summer working on our newly acquired property at Hemlock Junction. This property is located at the corner of Kelsey Rd and Hemlock Rd and is uniquely situation at the intersection of 3 major trails – The Bay Circuit Trail, the Border to Boston Rail Trail, and the East Coast Greenway. In reference to its central location, both in all these trail networks and in town, we have worked to create a spot to allow residents as well as long distance travelers a place to start their journey or take a break. A crushed stone trail bed has been put into place through the property to allow easy travel by foot or bike (or ski/snowshoe – tis the season!!) We’ve created a parking area for a few cars, added 2 picnic tables to accommodate family lunch breaks or snack stops, and, thanks to the Topsfield Bike Shop, a new bike rack! We are still working to finish up a kiosk to complete the space. The kiosk is to contain maps of the larger surrounding areas to guide people on their treks – look for it in spring! Many thanks to the Boxford DPW and the volunteers who have help to make Hemlock Junction a warm and inviting destination for trail travelers.
Page 6 the Acorn Winter 2019 Natasha’s Notes by Natasha Grigg A new year is upon us, time flying faster than ever, it seems. BTA/BOLT built a bridge over the waters at the Chapman Way entrance over Lowe’s Pond this past Autumn. Under the supervision of Rich Tomszyk, organizer, project manager and head carpenter, with a major assist from Bonnie Lucas, former board member and grant writer, many, many volunteers helped build the bridge with support from the DPW and John Dold. The Conservation Commission and the Community Preservation Committee stepped up with some welcome additional funding as well. The formal opening of the bridge was attended by many from all over town, and as someone said, this project brought out what is best about Boxford, and sometimes hidden, our sense of community and neighborliness! There will be another bridge built, with another grant, enabling an alternative access from Lake Shore Road onto the beautiful 46 acre town-owned property on Hovey’s Pond, connecting directly to another large piece of land, achieving almost 300 acres of contiguous open space in West Boxford, which is such an incredible boon not only for us, but for the great variety of birds and wildlife in this area, creating a safe and beautiful environment, with even more land available, including the Town Forest and preserved agricultural land. And, we hope there might be even one more bridge to build- in Wildcat - once we figure out how to skin that cat, pardon the pun. So BTA/BOLT has become a bridge-building organization, we hope, in more ways than one. Help us, join us!
Winter 2019 the Acorn Page 7
Membership & It’s purpose by Bev Ingalls
Membership is essential to various organizations and charities. The income generated
by memberships determines what the organization or charity can accomplish towards
its mission. BTA/BOLT, Inc. relies mostly on our membership for income. Other sources
of income are our Annual Appeal, the Fall Trail Run, the Dog Show, the Apple Festival
and grants for specific projects such as the bridge
across Lowe Pond that has just been completed. Our
purpose is to provide trails for passive recreation and
the preservation of open space. Open space allows
for nature to rejuvenate itself and provides the trees,
plants, birds, insects and wildlife what they need for
well being and our well being.We are an all-volunteer Board. We do hire some help
for trail clearing in the Spring and Summer. Much of the trail maintenance is done by
volunteers like you, our members. We sponsor special events such as the annual Dog
Show, a Fall trail run, the Pumpkin Hunt and presentations of interest like our reptile
speaker and others. Our Land Trust directs efforts to preserve the rural character of
Boxford and provide access for the enjoyment of it.
Thank you to all of our members for supporting our mission.
The purpose of BTA/BOLT, Inc. is to preserve,
BTA/BOLT, Inc. Officers protect and acquire natural and aesthetically
Natasha Grigg - President
important land including fields, wetlands, wood-
Jessica Grigg-Vice President
Jennie Bridge - Secretary lands and trails in order to maintain the rural and
Kathy Wallace - Treasurer agricultural character of Boxford. An all
volunteer association, BTA (Boxford Trails As-
Board Members At Large
Alison Chase Dave Ingalls sociation) was founded in 1978, to protect and
Steve Davis Nancy Merrill maintain trails for passive recreation. In the
Chris Delaney Dennis Pyburn
Bruce Eaton Angela Steadman
1990s, BTA became a land trust in addition to a
Judy Gore Richard Tomczyk trails organization so the name was changed to
Jeffrey Hixon Priscilla Welch BTA/BOLT, Inc.
Bev Ingalls
(Boxford Trails Association/Boxford Open Land
visit our website for updated Trust).
information
btabolt.org
In This Issue..... BTA/BOLT, Inc.
Boxford Trails Association/ Non-Profit Org.
Chapman Way/ Lowe Pond 1 Boxford Open Land Trust, Inc.
U.S. Postage
Trails Update 2
PAID
Running Festival 3
The Soapbox 4 Boxford MA 01921
Hemlock Junction 5 Permit 95
Natashsa’s Notes 6
printed on recycled paper
Membership & It’s purpose 7
7 Elm Street
P.O. Box 95
Boxford, Massachusetts
TUESDAY MORNING HIKES WITH STEVE
Check the website for directions and times
Jan 8th - Georgetown Rowley State Forest
Jan 15th - Den Rock Park
Jan 22nd- Sharpners Pond
Jan 29th - Chapman Way
Feb 5th - Wildcat
Feb 12th - Ipswich River Mass Audubon
printing done by Computer Creations 4u Diane Hayden
Feb 19th - Bradley Palmer
Feb 26th - North Andover Town Forest
PRESERVING THE NATURE OF BOXFORD FOR MORE
THAN 40 YEARS
Mar 5th - High Ridge Trail
(changes will be posted on website) Winter 2019
You can also read
