Volunteer Opportunities to Work on Groton's Trails

Two trail projects need volunteers.  If you can come to only one, make it the Oct. 3 project.

Saturday, Sept. 26, 10 a.m. - Wattles Pond parcel, Longley Rd.

Reopen this great trail connection around picturesque Wattles Pond. The trail from Longley Rd. to the Still Meadow parcel off Nashua Rd. is blocked in several locations by trees and large limbs and width of the trail also needs to be increased in places.  A couple of hours of clearing /cleaning should do the trick.  Bring loppers/pruners/bowsaws and work gloves.  There is some parking along Nashua Rd. near Wattles Pond or on Paquawket Path (across from Wattles Pond). 

Saturday, Oct. 3, 8 a.m. - Rich State Forest, Nod Rd.

The Trails Committee received a state grant and supplemented it with CPA funds and now they are ready to build a fully accessible trail from Nod Rd. to the OxBow of Nashua River in J. Harry Rich State Forest.  Trail needs to be prepared for contractor work that will be done in November and this involves clearing course of the trail (clearing all bushes/shrubs and cutting all small trees flush with the ground), clearing off all duff (loose material above the soil), and marking the trail with survey flags. The same needs to be done for rest areas and parking area. 

A large group of volunteers is needed to make this work short and easy. With 20 or more volunteers, work should be completed by noontime. Entrance to trail is at southern gate (not gate at intersection of Nod Rd. and Common St.), about half way from Common St. to Rte. 119.  Park as far off Nod Rd. as you can, and use only one side of road (whichever one is first used!) to avoid traffic congestion and improve safety. Bring short-tined garden rakes, loppers, bow saws, and work gloves.