winter to spring 2010

This winter I offered ski trips in Nicks Woods on January 2, 9, 18, 30, and skied there on those dates and Dec 20, Feb 14, 20, 27, and hiked on March 19 (with volunteer coordinator Mary Caulway) and March 20. Trash and other abuse appeared to be very light. After snowmelt and the heavy rains of March 13 - 15, erosion on many areas of the trails seemed worse than usual, but unrelated to negligible motorized vehicle use, and streams were clear with no obvious siltation. The ATV trails west of Richard Nietsche's house were covered with leaves, preventing erosion. The concrete blocks from the previous year's maple sugaring area were thrown around. We hauled broken bottles from the party fire area near the hydrant. Mary and I recommend a trash can and labeled recycling container there. The stone causeway at the water line trail was barely passable without getting wet feet. The City does not appear to have made any effort to clear the large trees that fell in the December 2008 ice storm on their water line trail. Should we help or call them, or do we prefer to keep that trail blocked to vehicles unless the City needs access? The only other fallen tree I couldn't remove from a trail by myself the previous winter is on the diagonal trail from the water line to the breached dam.

Red Cutlass Sierra

A Board member sighted what looked to be a red cutlass sierra down along the cart road in Nick's Woods from Rte. 122A.

The call was sent out to the Volunteers and Rangers and Ranger Kim took up the charge and headed out.

Kim's Report:

Viewing from most cart roads, I find no cars in Nicks Woods or Sargents Brook parcel. I collected about 20 beers cans and 60-80 cups and some trash, mostly at the fire pit near the hydrant. Some partially burned old railroad ties were there, with no obvious creosote now, and probably not much when they were burned. The gate near the RR was gone, and the gate near the power line was still mangled on the ground, but all 4 posts seemed fine. As usual for 24-hours after a storm peak in summer, all streams were very clear. There were some (recent?) backhoe ruts on the roads near the sewer meter box, but no obvious excavation. Someone had lost a 5x8" spiral notebook climbing under a fallen tree on the water-line easement. It had general strategic planning notes, like from a class, apparently not project-specific, and it was ruined by rain, so it's in my basement trash can until pickup Monday (Tuesday?). The washouts in the road at and east of the Esta Brook culvert looked worse, but probably still passable in a zigzaging 4WD (not a cutlass sierra, even before the storms).

Thanks to the passing by board member for looking, and to Ranger Kim for the report!

Bancroft School Help

The Bancroft Middle School were out on the Nick's Woods property this past Thursday the 8th.
They were cutting trail west of the Sargent's Brook running south from the dam and brook crossing. They got as far as the north-north-east corner of the boulder field, which ic a whole lot farther than I would have thought they could have cleared.

On the way out we caught sight of a giant "have a hart trap." It was large enough for a coyote, or possibly a deer, or a squatter. The paper sign on it said that there was an escapee from the Worcester Animal Rescue League and they were trying to get it back. Run, boy, run!

The Bancroft kids were great, did great work, and the trail they were working on is presently flagged with orange flagging tape.

Additional work to complete the trail length will hopefully come this spring.

Sugaring

GWLT staff were out at Nick's Woods today, setting up a small sugaring operation with some middle school students from the Bancroft School. Taps are set up in the big maple grove, and will be checked by staff and volunteers over the next few weeks. Periodical boils will take place as people are available.

If you're interested in being a part of it, contact anne@gwlt.org

This may be the last sugaring for some time, as the USDA will be treating maples up at this end of the city with insecticide to prevent infestation by the Asian Longhorn Beetles, thus making the sap unfit for human consumption. Enjoy it whist you can!

skiing

See http://sevenhillswheelmen.org/index.php?a=currentschedule for ski dates.
Woods are beautiful. Trails are reasonably clear of storm damage, except many large trees accross steep unskiable water line easement, and 1 tree across trail sloping from water line down to breached dam. Snowmobiles made crusty snow a little more skiable by Jan 31, 2009. Most of our new fences are down, and a few of our trail markers are damages.

Possible Bear?

This past weekend a family headed out to Nick's Woods to take a Sunday hike and look around.

Their thoughts?
"The place was awesome!"

And that was despite the beer party trash at the northern end of the property.

The Saturday night rains had swollen the Sargents Brook to a roaring torrent.

The sun was out, the breeze was nice, and it was a perfect late summer day.

Now, rhyming with beer.... is steer?

No, no.

Bear.

Ok, it doesn't rhyme.

On the way back they came across a fresh print and it looked to big and too wide to be a dog, so they came home and looked it up on-line. Sure enough the print looked quite stronly bearish.

Now admittedly, we don't have photos of the print, and

no one saw the bear directly,

But....

There was a print much like this on the way back that wasn't there on the way up.

Folks in the neighborhood should keep an eye out!

Thanks Shelia!

Asian Longhorned Beetles

Meeting tonight at Quinsigamond Community College on the beetles in general.

Moving forward we are going to NEED volunteers to identify the beetles.

Like it says.... Contact Anne!