Stockmal & Willis Woods Work Party

Yesterday, we removed two large blowdowns & improved a trail thru a floodplain in the White Hills.

We moved logs off the trails.  Here's Bill, Gino, and Tony doing their version of the Shelton caber toss on the Stockmal Trail.

 Meanwhile, Mark, Luis, Bob & Graham wacked a large blowdown near Rt. 110.  You can now see the Nicholdale Land Trust Preserve on the other side of the road, and you don't have to schootch under the tree any more.

It was a good sized oak tree that came down across the trail.

Meanwhile, back in the floodplain, Ellen and Val started placing rocks for an elevated turnpike thru the uneven hummocky ground.  We dug up rocks and gravel from other areas on Stockmal Trail, and wheelbarrowed or used buckets to get the material where it was needed.  Tony, Gino & Ellen brought a lot of the gravel and rocks over to the swamp.

Luis, Mark, and Gino were digging up gravel and carrying it over after they finished cutting up trees.

These are some of the blowdowns that were cleared along the Willis Woods Trail.  One tree fell, knocked down another tree, which hit another tree - and you have woodland dominos.

Teresa Gallagher cut out portions of the Willis Woods trail and benched in some steep sections on Friday ahead of the work party.  Val, Bill & Ellen also cut back brush along sections of both trails while the blowdowns and gravel hauling were taking place.

This is the "after" picture of the elevated turnpike thru a portion of the floodplain with Bill, Ellen, Tony & Gino standing on their handiwork.  The grade of the trail was raised just above the floodplain (hopefully) using rocks and gravel going from hummock to hummock to improve the footing.

The goal is to improve the trail with a low elevated wooden bog walk that will allow the floodwaters to pass under it during Spring freshetts.  The elevated turnpike will link to the bridge with an S-shaped bog walk.

It was a good Saturday work party and thanks to everybody who helped out; Tony, Bill, Gino, Ellen, Mark, Luis, Graham, Terry, Bob, and Val.  Both trails make a nice walk combined with the Nicholdale trails. 

Trail Safety Tip: Remember to wear bright colors during hunting season.