Join Weston Conservation Staff and Weston Forest & Trail Association volunteers to construct a new trail. The new trail will bypass an area that has become flooded due to increased beaver activity at College Pond Conservation Area over the past couple of years. We’ll let the beavers be beavers and work around them. Stewardship Saturday is held the third Saturday of every month: the next one is Saturday, September 23 from 10 am to noon.

The Owl would like to impress upon you all the absolute glamour of being on the executive board for WFTA. Two weeks ago, a group of us plus Conservation staff tromped about the woods above the muddy old trail to find the right place for the new trail. Spider web hairnets, a slide or two in the yuck and debates about the best place to cross a stone wall. On the plus side, one gets to see a space that normally is off limits and be the first small steps for humankind, or something like that.

Work will involve the removal of woody growth and other obstacles within the proposed trail corridor (rocks, downed logs, etc), raking back the upper leaf “duff” layer to carve in the new trail, and retiring the old section of trail by utilizing the leaf debris from the new trail and other nearby deadwood to re-naturalize the area. 

This is also an event where the town deer hunters come out and volunteer their time and get their hunting permits. If you have always wanted to meet the ghost hunters (seriously they have appeared out of the mists in their camouflage a few times and it is always heart-racing) and know about the program, this is a good casual way to do so. Weston’s hunters are a good lot–they volunteer time and have helped occasionally with lost dogs. Hunting season begins October 1 and there will be more information available from the Conservation Department and here on this page.

For Saturday’s activities, we will meet and park at the Town Brush Dump across from the Community Gardens on Merriam Street and hike in from there. MAP

How to Participate

No previous experience is necessary. Conservation and WFTA will provide all the know-how. To sign up, contact conservation@westonma.gov. Children at least 13 years of age must have parental supervision, ages 16+ do not need parental accompaniment.

Bring work-appropriate clothing, no open-toed shoes, water and snacks, durable work gloves, and a good attitude!

No tools are necessary for this work event.