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, June 24th, 9:00 am to 11:00 am - Join us at the River Elf property in New Gloucester! RRCT has received a grant to remove patches of invasive Japanese knotweed along the banks of the Royal River.
In March, we completed the first step of this project - an initial knockdown of last year’s dead knotweed stems. Erik Lema from Basswood Environmental will have cut down the main/largest patch of new knotweed growth by today, so we will work on dragging the stems back from the river. In August and September 2026, Erik will apply herbicide treatment to the knotweed stems that sprout up once again.
The knotweed target areas are in the floodplain areas on either side of the Royal River, close to the inactive railroad tracks. Be prepared to walk into the site on the railroad tracks and then hike off trail on uneven and likely slippery or muddy terrain.
RRCT will bring tools to cut the knotweed stems. If you have tools that may come in handy like a machete, please bring them. Don’t forget to bring plenty of water, sunscreen, boots, and work gloves.
Parking: Meet at the River Elf Trail parking lot at 400 Cobbs Bridge Rd, New Gloucester. We will then carpool or shuttle folks to a smaller parking area by the railroad tracks.
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WST Workday: Sunday, June 28th, 9:00 am to 1:00 pm - Come help maintain the West Side Trail in Yarmouth! Work will include moving and spreading gravel to upgrade the trail surface on the Sandy Point Loop to make it more accessible. We'll also do some trimming along the trail edges.
Tools will be provided, but bring work gloves, plenty of water, snacks, and sunscreen.
Park at the Sandy Point Beach parking lot on Cousins Island. More details can be found on this Facebook event.
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Wednesday, July 1st, 9:00 am to 11:00 - Today we will help 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. In this section, we'll need around 6 steps, building off of a model step already in place. To construct the steps, we will dig trenches for the 6"x6" risers and side timbers. Once the timbers are level, anchor them by driving rebar into pre-drilled holes. We'll hold off on excavating inside the steps and fill them with gravel another time.
RRCT and the North Yarmouth Parks Committee will bring shovels, pick mattocks, levels, mallets, a circular saw, and other tools. Bring work gloves, plenty of water, sunscreen, and any tools that may come in handy.
Parking: Meet at the parking lot at 470 Memorial Highway (Rt. 9), North Yarmouth.
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Wednesday, July 8th, 9:00 am to 11:00 am - Old Town House Park infiltration step construction continued. Or we'll work on the River Elf Trail. More details to come.
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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.
****************************
Wednesday, June 24th, 9:00 am to 11:00 am - Join us at the River Elf property in New Gloucester! RRCT has received a grant to remove patches of invasive Japanese knotweed along the banks of the Royal River.
In March, we completed the first step of this project - an initial knockdown of last year’s dead knotweed stems. Erik Lema from Basswood Environmental will have cut down the main/largest patch of new knotweed growth by today, so we will work on dragging the stems back from the river. In August and September 2026, Erik will apply herbicide treatment to the knotweed stems that sprout up once again.
The knotweed target areas are in the floodplain areas on either side of the Royal River, close to the inactive railroad tracks. Be prepared to walk into the site on the railroad tracks and then hike off trail on uneven and likely slippery or muddy terrain.
RRCT will bring tools to cut the knotweed stems. If you have tools that may come in handy like a machete, please bring them. Don’t forget to bring plenty of water, sunscreen, boots, and work gloves.
Parking: Meet at the River Elf Trail parking lot at 400 Cobbs Bridge Rd, New Gloucester. We will then carpool or shuttle folks to a smaller parking area by the railroad tracks.
**************************************
WST Workday: Sunday, June 28th, 9:00 am to 1:00 pm - Come help maintain the West Side Trail in Yarmouth! Work will include moving and spreading gravel to upgrade the trail surface on the Sandy Point Loop to make it more accessible. We'll also do some trimming along the trail edges.
Tools will be provided, but bring work gloves, plenty of water, snacks, and sunscreen.
Park at the Sandy Point Beach parking lot on Cousins Island. More details can be found on this Facebook event.
*************************************
Wednesday, July 1st, 9:00 am to 11:00 - Today we will help 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. In this section, we'll need around 6 steps, building off of a model step already in place. To construct the steps, we will dig trenches for the 6"x6" risers and side timbers. Once the timbers are level, anchor them by driving rebar into pre-drilled holes. We'll hold off on excavating inside the steps and fill them with gravel another time.
RRCT and the North Yarmouth Parks Committee will bring shovels, pick mattocks, levels, mallets, a circular saw, and other tools. Bring work gloves, plenty of water, sunscreen, and any tools that may come in handy.
Parking: Meet at the parking lot at 470 Memorial Highway (Rt. 9), North Yarmouth.
**************************************
Wednesday, July 8th, 9:00 am to 11:00 am - Old Town House Park infiltration step construction continued. Or we'll work on the River Elf Trail. More details to come.
*************************************
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.
*************************************
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