ADOPT-A-TRAIL PROGRAM OPENING DAY TRAIL CLEAN UP

submitted by Leslie Wong

The Sturbridge Conservation office will be holding a Trail Clean Up on May 16, 2010 at the Leadmine Mountain Conservation Land. The trail clean up will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. At 10:30 Patricia Lalli, Children’s Librarian at the Joshua Hyde Library will be holding a children’s Story Book Walk featuring the book “The Dragonfly Door”. At noon there will be a picnic lunch with bagged lunches provided by Rovezzi’s Restaurant (for those that have pre-registered by May 10, 2010). A memorial tree planting will be held at 12:30 p.m. to commemorate the first Adopt-A-Trail Program Volunteers, The Hoy Family. The tree is being planted in memory of Pam and Jordan Hoy’s late son, Eli Hoy. The memorial tree was donated by with funds provided by the Massachusetts Forest Stewardship Program, administered by Berkshire-Pioneer Resource Conservation &Development, Inc., for the Massachusetts Farm Bureau. The Forest Stewardship Program is one part of the MA Department of Conservation and Recreation Working Forest Initiative - helping landowners learn ways to sustainably manage and protect their woodlands.

Following the Tree Planting there will be an “Adopt-A-Trail” dedication ceremony Senator Stephen Brewer and State Representative Todd Smola. From 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. a Forest Walk will be held with Michael Downey, Service Forester with the Department of Conservation and Recreation, as well as representatives from the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife. Assisting with this event will be the Tantasqua Skills USA students. Volunteers are being asked to pre-register for the event by contacting Leslie Wong, Open Space Assistant. Volunteers registering after May 10, 2010 will need to bring their own bagged lunches. Volunteers will be required to submit a signed waiver forms and take a volunteer “Do’s and Don’t’s” safety sheet. Volunteers are being asked to bring rakes, and work gloves.

For additional information please contact Leslie Wong, Open Space Assistant or Erin Jacque, Conservation Agent in the Sturbridge Conservation Department.

Contact: Leslie Wong Open Space Assistant Town of Sturbridge lwong@town.sturbridge.ma.us, or Erin Jacque Conservation Agent Town of Sturbridge 508-347-2506 ejacque@town.sturbridge.ma.us