Spring Service Day 2023

There’s a new trail in town! Many thanks to our amazing group of ACT members, Scouts and AP Environmental Science students who helped clear a 1/4 mile loop trail off the Assabet River Rail Trail today. We had about 50 volunteers, and as you can see from the album below, they did an incredible job!

The Stonefield Farm Loop Trail is on the Acton/Maynard border, along the ARRT. Please keep dogs off this trail due to agricultural production on the farm.

Thank you to the Fields Pond Foundation for grant money to help purchase the agricultural preservation restriction (APR) on Stonefield Farm. 50+ acres permanently protected!

The entire group was introduced to the task of cutting the trail and the tools available. Gloves and knee pads were provided, and  small groups were organized and shown to work sections.
The flagged trail was carefully laid out beforehand. We discussed invasive species which would need to be removed.  Every group received a trash bag for detritus, which was filled with a wide variety of trash!
Amazing volunteers
Getting instructions
A few extra details
Everyone gets gloves and tools
Need to remove this
Before…
Before…
After… a section of the new trail
Have tools, let’s build a trail
Wonderful group leader and students
Trophy rock was point up in the ground. Jeffrey and Prakul used a weed wrench and muscles to remove it.
John and the enormous bittersweet vine
Water break
Snacks too…
Walking along the AART to the new trail
Hazardous wire fence was embedded in the ground at the trail entrance. Scout volunteer mom removed it with wire cutters and skill!
Great job everyone!
The final touch

John is expert at removing winged euonymus. These were huge and filled one corner of the property.

Walking a section of the finished product!