Trail Crew

Trail Crew meets every Wednesday from 10am to noon, 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 23rd, 10:00 am - We’re back at River Elf Trail in New Gloucester! The first 500ft of the trail along an overgrown farm road has been mulched, but there’s lots of clean up to do before it’s ready for the public. This will be a normal 10 am start.
We’ll tidy up the trail corridor, spread out some woodchips, level the trail tread, and cut back invasive plants along the field edge and trail.
RRCT will bring hand saws, loppers, pole saws, rakes, a wheelbarrow, shovels, and other tools that may come in handy. Come prepared with sunscreen, bug spray, lots of water, and work gloves!
Parking: The 4-car trailhead parking lot is across the street from 401 Cobbs Bridge Rd, New Gloucester. The rest of us can park along the road shoulder, on the same side as the parking lot.
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Wednesday, July 30th and August 6th, 9:00 am – These next two weeks we’ll spend building a 20ft bridge on the 2-mile River Elf Trail by the Royal River! This bridge is the last project we need to complete before we can open the trail to the public. These trail crew sessions will start at 9 am and will last 2-3 hours.
The 20’ sleepers and decking boards will ideally be delivered to the tree line closer to the bridge site. We’ll still need to hike a mile from the parking lot and carry in the lumber at least 500 ft. Once we have the materials on-site, we’ll construct the bridge, aiming to have it complete by the end of Trail Crew on Aug 6th.
RRCT will bring lumber, screws, a driver, circular saw, levels, shovels, rogue hoe, measuring tape, and other bridge building tools. We’ll also have loppers, hand saws, and a pole saw for finishing touches on the trail corridor. Come prepared with water, sunscreen, bug spray, and work gloves. Feel free to bring personal tools that may come in handy.
Parking: The 4-car trailhead parking lot is across the street from 401 Cobbs Bridge Rd, New Gloucester. The rest of us can park along the road shoulder, on the same side as the parking lot.
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Wednesday, August 13th, 10:00 am - Riverfront Woods Preserve in Yarmouth. 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, you must notify RRCT at Info@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 23rd, 10:00 am - We’re back at River Elf Trail in New Gloucester! The first 500ft of the trail along an overgrown farm road has been mulched, but there’s lots of clean up to do before it’s ready for the public. This will be a normal 10 am start.
We’ll tidy up the trail corridor, spread out some woodchips, level the trail tread, and cut back invasive plants along the field edge and trail.
RRCT will bring hand saws, loppers, pole saws, rakes, a wheelbarrow, shovels, and other tools that may come in handy. Come prepared with sunscreen, bug spray, lots of water, and work gloves!
Parking: The 4-car trailhead parking lot is across the street from 401 Cobbs Bridge Rd, New Gloucester. The rest of us can park along the road shoulder, on the same side as the parking lot.
*****************************
Wednesday, July 30th and August 6th, 9:00 am – These next two weeks we’ll spend building a 20ft bridge on the 2-mile River Elf Trail by the Royal River! This bridge is the last project we need to complete before we can open the trail to the public. These trail crew sessions will start at 9 am and will last 2-3 hours.
The 20’ sleepers and decking boards will ideally be delivered to the tree line closer to the bridge site. We’ll still need to hike a mile from the parking lot and carry in the lumber at least 500 ft. Once we have the materials on-site, we’ll construct the bridge, aiming to have it complete by the end of Trail Crew on Aug 6th.
RRCT will bring lumber, screws, a driver, circular saw, levels, shovels, rogue hoe, measuring tape, and other bridge building tools. We’ll also have loppers, hand saws, and a pole saw for finishing touches on the trail corridor. Come prepared with water, sunscreen, bug spray, and work gloves. Feel free to bring personal tools that may come in handy.
Parking: The 4-car trailhead parking lot is across the street from 401 Cobbs Bridge Rd, New Gloucester. The rest of us can park along the road shoulder, on the same side as the parking lot.
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Wednesday, August 13th, 10:00 am - Riverfront Woods Preserve in Yarmouth. 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, you must notify RRCT at Info@RRCT.org, and RRCT will cease to further use your image or footage for any new materials going forward.
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