Scroll below for program details and description. Join us!
SCHEDULE:
Wednesday June 26th, 10:00 am: Big Falls Preserve, 381 Woodman Road, New Gloucester. (Preserve parking is at the northernmost end of Woodman Road). We’ll be doing a board tour the following week so we’d better get the place spiffy. There’s not a lot that needs to be done, but we’ll lean into future needs too. Tasks:
- There a small bit of woods trash left, after the contractor removed 99.9%.
- We have new small kiosks to install with simple bolts to trees, and new maps (already on line) to put on the kiosks.
- It must have been a utility tree service that left a pile of small logs in the parking lot. We’ll move them.
- Branches feed into peoples’ faces on the driest most solid shoulders of the old woods road; we’ll prune, etc.
- We’ll review how the small stream (swale) crossings are holding up after a month of foot traffic, and perhaps move a few stones (or make future plans), perhaps create a few log crossings (or make future plans).
- We might cross the stream if the water is low, to scope the site for a possible tent site (fire pit, privy). Fording the stream is bad in the spring, and effortless in dry months. We’ll noodle.
Big Falls is our newest preserve, donated in December of 2018. Our relocated trails at Big Falls are now mapped! Maine Trail Finder has been updated with the new trail location, we’ve also updated RRCT’s maps. Soon we’ll install new kiosks and maps onsite. Great fun to note that the neighbors (Norumbega) are keeping pace with us mapping, promoting, and improving their connecting trails.
Wednesday July 3rd, 10:00 am: Knight’s Pond Preserve (FAA trailhead, end of Tree Lane/Tower Lane (off Henry Road) in North Yarmouth. This is the day before the holiday, so we expect light turnout. Certainly email us at info@RRCT.org if you certainly plan to attend. We want to scope the blue trail a bit more, edit that trail a bit more, and other work as needed depending upon how many people show up.
Future weeks TBD. We need to continue to focus on Big Falls and Littlejohn and Knight’s Pond. We like the idea of a bonfire at Littlejohn to dispose of the washed up dock. Contractors have picked up the debris piles (tires, metal, etc) at Big Falls Preserve! Contractors just installed a key culvert-entrance at RRCT’s Granite Falls Preserve (North Yarmouth), we’ll plan a “look-see” in the near future to scope future volunteer work. We’ll update this plan as plans emerge.
Wednesday TBD, 10:00 am: Big Falls Preserve, 381 Woodman Road, New Gloucester. (Preserve parking is at the northernmost end of Woodman Road). This is our newest preserve, donated in December of 2018 with trails in transition. Our relocated trails at Big Falls are now mapped! Maine Trail Finder has been updated with the new trail location, we’ve also updated RRCT’s maps. Soon we’ll install new kiosks and maps onsite. Great fun to note that the neighbors (Norumbega) are keeping pace with us mapping, promoting, and improving their connecting trails.
VOLUNTEER NEEDS NOT BIG ENOUGH FOR A TRAIL CREW DAY:
NOT YET ASSIGNED:
- There’s some minor barbed wire and an unusable metal gate at our small parcel (boat access) on Penney Road in New Gloucester (eastern bank of the river). Re-moving the gate with bolt cutters or a hacksaw would be a simple step (with a pickup for disposal). Re-moving the barbed wire would require wire cutters and a heavy-duty trash bag.
- We have in mind the construction of a tent site (fire ring, privvy, picnic table) across the stream at Big Falls Preserve, but for now we can’t justify much staff time. Interested in leading a volunteer project? Let us know.
- Stay tuned for other needs, or give us a call if you have an interest in scoping trails, running stewardship errands, or more. If you’re interested in working, we’re interested in giving out assignments!
ASSIGNED/COMPLETED: Thank you to volunteers who recently did work on evenings-weekends at Littlejohn, at Intervale Preserve, at Runaround Pond Recreation Area, Knight’s Pond FAA, and more!
Program Details
Trail Crew is you. Royal River Conservation Trust’s weekly volunteer trail construction program is staffed, and compliments our annual stewardship field work. Work sessions are planned for two hours, always Wednesdays, always at 10:00 am. We push forward each week focusing on RRCT’s many public access properties, often spending several weeks in a row at the same site. Trail Crew attendance in winter-spring 2019 has included between two and eight volunteers each week, women and men, mostly retirees or folks who work at home.
There is a job for everyone, no matter your shape, skills, strength, or mobility. Join us the one week you have time or interest, or put it on your calendar as your regular Wednesday morning ritual. The focus will be on creatively, sustainably, safely, and efficiently completing RRCT’s physical work goals. Trail Crew will address a variety of on-site trail building including boundary identification and marking, route finding and trail alignment, brush and wood clearing, water management, wetland and stream crossings, treadway stabilization, and signage.
RRCT will bring specific tools that will be helpful. We encourage volunteer crew members to bring their own tools. Hand saws, pole saws, and loppers are favorites. Crew members should bring a water bottle and should wear sturdy shoes, safety glasses, gloves, and the right clothes for the day. Dogs are not encouraged to attend this program (mostly for their own safety) though we don’t mind if the right dog joins us. The trails we build will be perfect to return to with dogs and the entire family.
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