Trail Crew
Trail Crew meets every Wednesday from 9 am to 11 am, except during bad weather and around holidays. Details on upcoming Trail Crew sessions will be posted here. Our work focuses on RRCT’s many public access properties, sometimes spending several weeks in a row at the same site. RRCT is also happy to help out at partner properties when Trail Crew is available.
There is a job for everyone, no matter your shape, skills, or strength. Join us the one week you have time or interest, or put Trail Crew on your calendar as your regular Wednesday morning ritual. It's a great way to experience a new preserve, get to know someone new, and learn new trail work techniques. Trail Crew tackles a variety of trail projects including clearing trail corridors, invasive plant removal, route finding and trail alignment, trail marking, constructing bog bridging and bridges, and improving signage. RRCT brings specific tools that will be helpful. We encourage volunteers to bring personal tools as well. Hand saws, pole saws, and loppers are favorites. Crew members should bring a water bottle, and wear sturdy shoes, work gloves, and the right clothes for the day.
Trail Crew is led by RRCT's Stewardship Director Hanae Garrison. If you have any questions or concerns, you can reach me at (973) 255-7513 or Hanae@RRCT.org
There is a job for everyone, no matter your shape, skills, or strength. Join us the one week you have time or interest, or put Trail Crew on your calendar as your regular Wednesday morning ritual. It's a great way to experience a new preserve, get to know someone new, and learn new trail work techniques. Trail Crew tackles a variety of trail projects including clearing trail corridors, invasive plant removal, route finding and trail alignment, trail marking, constructing bog bridging and bridges, and improving signage. RRCT brings specific tools that will be helpful. We encourage volunteers to bring personal tools as well. Hand saws, pole saws, and loppers are favorites. Crew members should bring a water bottle, and wear sturdy shoes, work gloves, and the right clothes for the day.
Trail Crew is led by RRCT's Stewardship Director Hanae Garrison. If you have any questions or concerns, you can reach me at (973) 255-7513 or Hanae@RRCT.org
Upcoming Trail Crew Sessions:
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Wednesday, March 25th, 9:00am to 11:00 am – Come prune trees along the River Elf Trail in New Gloucester! This session will be led by tish carr, a licensed arborist and RRCT’s Administrative Coordinator.
The first 500 ft of the trail runs along a stone wall with neglected apple trees and other woody vegetation. Today we will prune the trees along the trail to encourage healthy growth.
First, we’ll remove any dead, broken or diseased branches. Crowded or crossing branches should be thinned, especially if they are rubbing against each other and causing damage. Remove branches that are growing into the center of the crown. Weak growth coming from the base of the tree (also known as suckers) should be removed as well. We want to limit the number of branches we cut to no more than 30% of a tree’s branches at one time (not including dead branches) to avoid shocking the tree. We’ll continue to prune the trees every year, so don’t remove all the large branches at once. Limbs should be cut at the branch’s bark collar so the tree can compartmentalize and heal over correctly. Linked here is a great article on pruning techniques.
RRCT will have safety glasses, loppers, hand pruners, hand saws, a pole saw, and a chainsaw. Bring work gloves and any personal tools that would be helpful. If you have a ladder, bring it!
The trailhead parking lot is at 400 Cobbs Bridge Rd, New Gloucester. Once the parking lot fills up, park along the road shoulder, on the same side as the trail.
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Wednesday, April 1st, 9:00 am to 11:00 am – Today we will be at Little Meadow Preserve in New Gloucester, constructing bog bridges over wet sections of the trail. We’ll also fine tune the trail and cut back pesky invasive multiflora rose and Asiatic bittersweet vines. Wear thick, thorn proof gloves and long pants!
For the bog bridges, RRCT will provide lumber, circular saw, speed square, screws and impact driver. We’ll also have loppers, hand saws, and a pole saw for trail maintenance. Feel free to bring personal tools that may be helpful.
Parking: After the 2-car parking area between 247 and 269 Peacock Hill Rd is full, park along the road shoulder of Peacock Hill Rd.
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*Photography and Filming Note: Your attendance at Trail Crew may be photographed or filmed and your attendance indicates consent to have any images or footage featuring you at the event to be used for RRCT-related materials and outreach. Should images or footage appear in marketing materials that you don’t wish to be featured in, email Hanae@RRCT.org, and RRCT will cease to further use your image or footage for any new materials going forward.
****************************
Wednesday, March 25th, 9:00am to 11:00 am – Come prune trees along the River Elf Trail in New Gloucester! This session will be led by tish carr, a licensed arborist and RRCT’s Administrative Coordinator.
The first 500 ft of the trail runs along a stone wall with neglected apple trees and other woody vegetation. Today we will prune the trees along the trail to encourage healthy growth.
First, we’ll remove any dead, broken or diseased branches. Crowded or crossing branches should be thinned, especially if they are rubbing against each other and causing damage. Remove branches that are growing into the center of the crown. Weak growth coming from the base of the tree (also known as suckers) should be removed as well. We want to limit the number of branches we cut to no more than 30% of a tree’s branches at one time (not including dead branches) to avoid shocking the tree. We’ll continue to prune the trees every year, so don’t remove all the large branches at once. Limbs should be cut at the branch’s bark collar so the tree can compartmentalize and heal over correctly. Linked here is a great article on pruning techniques.
RRCT will have safety glasses, loppers, hand pruners, hand saws, a pole saw, and a chainsaw. Bring work gloves and any personal tools that would be helpful. If you have a ladder, bring it!
The trailhead parking lot is at 400 Cobbs Bridge Rd, New Gloucester. Once the parking lot fills up, park along the road shoulder, on the same side as the trail.
***************************
Wednesday, April 1st, 9:00 am to 11:00 am – Today we will be at Little Meadow Preserve in New Gloucester, constructing bog bridges over wet sections of the trail. We’ll also fine tune the trail and cut back pesky invasive multiflora rose and Asiatic bittersweet vines. Wear thick, thorn proof gloves and long pants!
For the bog bridges, RRCT will provide lumber, circular saw, speed square, screws and impact driver. We’ll also have loppers, hand saws, and a pole saw for trail maintenance. Feel free to bring personal tools that may be helpful.
Parking: After the 2-car parking area between 247 and 269 Peacock Hill Rd is full, park along the road shoulder of Peacock Hill Rd.
****************************
*Photography and Filming Note: Your attendance at Trail Crew may be photographed or filmed and your attendance indicates consent to have any images or footage featuring you at the event to be used for RRCT-related materials and outreach. Should images or footage appear in marketing materials that you don’t wish to be featured in, email Hanae@RRCT.org, and RRCT will cease to further use your image or footage for any new materials going forward.
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