Sunday, September 04, 2011

Fwd: Trails after Hurricane Irene

Board of Aldermen,

We all know how Hurricane Irene took down trees and toppled them over wires throughout the region.  Now pause for a moment to think where there are a LOT of trees - throughout our City Open Space.  As you can imagine, our trails network was quite impacted with trees down absolutely all over the place.  They were across the RecPath in many spots, and with some limbs hung up in the trees above potential hikers - there was a danger factor as well (such limbs are affectionately called "widow makers")

We didn't ask Park & Rec to help, nor the Tree Warden to approve what to do, or use Conservation Commission budget money to hire tree service companies.

What we did, over the past several years, was to prepare an inventory of tools (purchased almost entirely with grant money) such as chainsaws, bars, cutting tools, and our "gator" 4x4 to transport equipment and volunteers to distant locations.  The Trails Committee volunteers hit the ground running this week (several of them are retirees).  They were out there clearing the trails - and boy is the public using them a lot, especially the RecPath as our contractor has completed his project recently.

Take a look at this entry in the volunteers blog to illustrate some before and after photos of what they have accomplished.  PHENOMENAL.  They were even clearing blow-downs from the Great Ledge property (Bures family parcel) that was just purchased by the City this week. (and Thank-you for your part in accomplishing that)


The above hyperlink has several photos.

Thank you for supporting the Trails Volunteers via our Conservation Commission budget.  For a small investment, you are leveraging a tremendous amount of value in the labor of these individuals.


--
Thomas Harbinson - Chairman
Conservation Commission.





--
Thomas Harbinson
skype: harbthom

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