Trail Crew
Trail Crew meets every Wednesday from 9 am to 11 am, except during bad weather and around holidays. Details on upcoming Trail Crew sessions will be posted here. Our work focuses on RRCT’s many public access properties, sometimes spending several weeks in a row at the same site. RRCT is also happy to help out at partner properties when Trail Crew is available.
There is a job for everyone, no matter your shape, skills, or strength. Join us the one week you have time or interest, or put Trail Crew on your calendar as your regular Wednesday morning ritual. It's a great way to experience a new preserve, get to know someone new, and learn new trail work techniques. Trail Crew tackles a variety of trail projects including clearing trail corridors, invasive plant removal, route finding and trail alignment, trail marking, constructing bog bridging and bridges, and improving signage. RRCT brings specific tools that will be helpful. We encourage volunteers to bring personal tools as well. Hand saws, pole saws, and loppers are favorites. Crew members should bring a water bottle, and wear sturdy shoes, work gloves, and the right clothes for the day.
Trail Crew is led by RRCT's Stewardship Director Hanae Garrison. If you have any questions or concerns, you can reach me at (973) 255-7513 or Hanae@RRCT.org
There is a job for everyone, no matter your shape, skills, or strength. Join us the one week you have time or interest, or put Trail Crew on your calendar as your regular Wednesday morning ritual. It's a great way to experience a new preserve, get to know someone new, and learn new trail work techniques. Trail Crew tackles a variety of trail projects including clearing trail corridors, invasive plant removal, route finding and trail alignment, trail marking, constructing bog bridging and bridges, and improving signage. RRCT brings specific tools that will be helpful. We encourage volunteers to bring personal tools as well. Hand saws, pole saws, and loppers are favorites. Crew members should bring a water bottle, and wear sturdy shoes, work gloves, and the right clothes for the day.
Trail Crew is led by RRCT's Stewardship Director Hanae Garrison. If you have any questions or concerns, you can reach me at (973) 255-7513 or Hanae@RRCT.org
Upcoming Trail Crew Sessions:
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Wednesday, July 8th, 9:00 am to 11:00 am - Today we will continue where we left off last week, helping the North Yarmouth Parks Committee construct a series of infiltration steps at Old Town House Park! Infiltration steps are steps built with timbers and filled with crushed stone that slow down and infiltrate runoff.
There is a short steep section on the Riverbank Trail that is rapidly eroding. Last week, we dug trenches for the 6"x6" risers and side timbers and anchored them by driving rebar into pre-drilled holes. We’ll haul in gravel to the site and excavate the dirt inside the steps. We also will construct one more step at the top. We’ll then fill the steps with 6” of gravel. If we finish early, there’s invasive plants including Asiatic bittersweet and shrubby honeysuckle along the trail we can hand-pull. We can also do some light trail trimming on nearby trails.
The gravel will be dropped off by Public Works close to the site. RRCT and the North Yarmouth Parks Committee will bring wheelbarrows, shovels, pick mattocks, levels, mallets, a circular saw, and other tools. If you have a wheelbarrow, please bring it! Bring plenty of water, work gloves, a hat, and sunscreen.
Parking: Meet at the parking lot at 470 Memorial Highway (Rt. 9), North Yarmouth.
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Wednesday, July 15th, 9:00 am to 11:00 am – Granite Falls Preserve, North Yarmouth. Install two new medium kiosks at the trailheads, trim back the trails, construct a bog bridge over a wet section, and selectively remove invasive plants along the trails and picnic area. More details to come.
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Wednesday, July 22, 9:00 am to 11:00 am – TBD
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Wednesday, July 29, 9:00 am to 11:00 am – Intervale Preserve Lower Village, New Gloucester. Prep for the Community Picnic on Aug 2nd!
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SAVE THE DATE for a Community Picnic on Sunday, August 2nd, 11 am to 2:00 pm! – We'll gather at Intervale Preserve in the field area by the intersection of the Foxcroft Trail and Stevens Brook Trail. There will be live music, curtesy of Cumberland Crossing, a local bluegrass band! Chris will be grilling hot dogs and burgers, but feel free to bring a salad, side dish, or dessert to share. All RRCT volunteers are invited! There is a suggested donation of $5 for community members (volunteers are free). More details to come.
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*Photography and Filming Note: Your attendance at Trail Crew may be photographed or filmed and your attendance indicates consent to have any images or footage featuring you at the event to be used for RRCT-related materials and outreach. Should images or footage appear in marketing materials that you don’t wish to be featured in, email Hanae@RRCT.org, and RRCT will cease to further use your image or footage for any new materials going forward.
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Wednesday, July 8th, 9:00 am to 11:00 am - Today we will continue where we left off last week, helping the North Yarmouth Parks Committee construct a series of infiltration steps at Old Town House Park! Infiltration steps are steps built with timbers and filled with crushed stone that slow down and infiltrate runoff.
There is a short steep section on the Riverbank Trail that is rapidly eroding. Last week, we dug trenches for the 6"x6" risers and side timbers and anchored them by driving rebar into pre-drilled holes. We’ll haul in gravel to the site and excavate the dirt inside the steps. We also will construct one more step at the top. We’ll then fill the steps with 6” of gravel. If we finish early, there’s invasive plants including Asiatic bittersweet and shrubby honeysuckle along the trail we can hand-pull. We can also do some light trail trimming on nearby trails.
The gravel will be dropped off by Public Works close to the site. RRCT and the North Yarmouth Parks Committee will bring wheelbarrows, shovels, pick mattocks, levels, mallets, a circular saw, and other tools. If you have a wheelbarrow, please bring it! Bring plenty of water, work gloves, a hat, and sunscreen.
Parking: Meet at the parking lot at 470 Memorial Highway (Rt. 9), North Yarmouth.
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Wednesday, July 15th, 9:00 am to 11:00 am – Granite Falls Preserve, North Yarmouth. Install two new medium kiosks at the trailheads, trim back the trails, construct a bog bridge over a wet section, and selectively remove invasive plants along the trails and picnic area. More details to come.
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Wednesday, July 22, 9:00 am to 11:00 am – TBD
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Wednesday, July 29, 9:00 am to 11:00 am – Intervale Preserve Lower Village, New Gloucester. Prep for the Community Picnic on Aug 2nd!
************************************
SAVE THE DATE for a Community Picnic on Sunday, August 2nd, 11 am to 2:00 pm! – We'll gather at Intervale Preserve in the field area by the intersection of the Foxcroft Trail and Stevens Brook Trail. There will be live music, curtesy of Cumberland Crossing, a local bluegrass band! Chris will be grilling hot dogs and burgers, but feel free to bring a salad, side dish, or dessert to share. All RRCT volunteers are invited! There is a suggested donation of $5 for community members (volunteers are free). More details to come.
**********************************
*Photography and Filming Note: Your attendance at Trail Crew may be photographed or filmed and your attendance indicates consent to have any images or footage featuring you at the event to be used for RRCT-related materials and outreach. Should images or footage appear in marketing materials that you don’t wish to be featured in, email Hanae@RRCT.org, and RRCT will cease to further use your image or footage for any new materials going forward.
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Trail Crew at Mèmak Preserve, April 2026