Ponkapoag Section Trail Work Reports – 2022
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Date | Name | Trail | Hours | Work | Volunteers | Remaining Work | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-01-19 | Ann Schunior | Ponkapoag Trail | 6 | Fishermans Beach to Dam | Suzanne Mrozak, Ann Colegeo | ||
| 2022-01-16 | Bob Flagg | Boardwalk | 3 | Started pondside brushing trail of branches growing over the trail. Cleared to the first large clearing. Lots of small stuff to cut. Pond frozen solid so easy to get to base of bushes for close cut. | Lots of brushing remaining, helpful when pond is frozen to get close to brush to cut. One large tree across the boardwalk most of the way in the trail. | ||
| 2022-02-10 | Hiroshi Abe | Ponkapoag Trail | 1 | Safe to walk on the paved main trail approximately 10 feet from the gate. Beyond the point, unsafe to walk due the trail was still covered by packed snow and icy. | Ryan P., Bradley T. | ||
| 2022-02-18 | Danielle Cote | Ponkapoag Trail | 0.25 | There was plenty of dog poop on the trail, mostly at the beginning where the fencing was. | |||
| 2022-04-02 | Jesse Gordon | Duck Pond Foot Path | 0.25 | Scouted the foot path to Duck Pond -- there are two trees in need of chainsaw work (they're fallen and blocking the trail) about 20 yards from pond an 100 yards from trail marker #5385. Sizes are about 12 inches and 18 inches. | Bob Flagg | Two tree trunks to cut by chainsaw | |
| 2022-04-02 | Jesse Gordon | Three Pines Path | 0.5 | Downhill from trail marker 5381 we cleared an existing runoff route. This was already built with a barrier of stones; we dug out the leaves and deepened the dirt a bit, and piled the dirt onto the existing barrier of stones. Photos: https://jessegordon.com/BlueHills/IMG_5334_Map.PNG = location https://jessegordon.com/BlueHills/IMG_5335_Before.JPG = before https://jessegordon.com/BlueHills/IMG_5336_After.JPG = after | Bob Flagg | Should be good until the summer or autumn but could check back then. | |
| 2022-04-10 | Jesse Gordon | Hemlock Road | 1 | Near trail marker 5395 we cut one tree and dragged off another, as well as numerous branches and debris. 3 people for 20 minutes; pictures before and after: https://randolphemeraldnecklace.com/IMG_5436_Before.JPG https://randolphemeraldnecklace.com/IMG_5435_Location.PNG https://randolphemeraldnecklace.com/IMG_5439_After.JPG | Bob Flagg, Michael | Further south on Hemlock Trail are two more large downed trees. They'll need a chain saw. | |
| 2022-04-10 | Jesse Gordon | Acton Path | 0.5 | On spur off Acton Path toward Barry Road in Deer Park neighborhood, there's a tree blocking the path. This was my first visit to this spur which is on my adopted path list -- so mostly I just "mapped" what's where -- but I'll list three trees to be cut! This is #1 of 3. You can see the tree in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g55ZlMSQL-s at 0:55 thru 1:15, and you can see the context at the "Point 3" section of http://RandolphEmeraldNecklace.com/BlueHills.htm | Major downed tree-cutting project #1 of 3. Needs a half-day with a chain saw for all three. | I'm working with the Randolph Community Preservation Commission to get the Barry Road side of this trail open to the public with a "Welcoming" map sign. | |
| 2022-04-10 | Jesse Gordon | Acton Path | 0.5 | On spur off Acton Path toward Canton Ave in Deer Park neighborhood, there's a tree blocking the path. This was my first visit to this spur which is on my adopted path list -- so mostly I just "mapped" what's where -- but I'll list three trees to be cut! This is #2 of 3. You can see the tree in this video: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Z3DSJK_6S6U right at the beginning I show the tree next to a gas pipeline marker, and you can see the context at the "Point 6" section of http://RandolphEmeraldNecklace.com/BlueHills.htm | Major downed tree-cutting project #2 of 3. Needs a half-day with a chain saw for all three. | I'm working with the Randolph Community Preservation Commission to get the Deer Hill side of this trail open to the public with a "Welcoming" map sign. | |
| 2022-04-10 | Jesse Gordon | Meadow Road | 0.1 | On spur off the Donovan School parking lot toward Reed Street, there's a tree blocking the path. Picture at: http://randolphemeraldnecklace.com/Pix/IMG_5449.JPG | Major downed tree-cutting project #3 of 3. Needs a half-day with a chain saw for all three. | I'm working with the Randolph Community Preservation Commission to get the Donovan School parking lot trail open to the public with a "Welcoming" map sign that's on the "usable" side of this tree! | |
| 2022-04-23 | Jesse Gordon | Ponkapoag Path | 8 | Cleared downed tree on east side of Horse Bridge near trail marker #5413. Pictures before and after: BEFORE: https://randolphemeraldnecklace.com/Pix/IMG_5508_Before.jpg AFTER: https://randolphemeraldnecklace.com/Pix/IMG_5523_After.jpg INCOMPLETE (see notes below): https://randolphemeraldnecklace.com/Pix/IMG_5510_incomplete.jpg | Mimi, Paul, and Ruth | There is one big fallen tree just off the trail, impinging a couple of feet onto the paved section of the Horse Bridge "onramp". It was too big for manual tools so we cleaned off small branches but left the main trunk for a chainsaw. | |
| 2022-04-23 | Bob Flagg | Hemlock Road | 21 | Installed grade reversal at 5362. | Russell Parkman, Tom Taylor, Michael Pratt, Grace Whouley, Shubha Chungi, Cheryl Kelly | ||
| 2022-05-04 | Hiroshi Abe | Ponkapoag Trail | 6 | The students and teachers walked from the gate to the point of 5343. Even branches on the trail were cleared by us last Wednesday (4/30/2022), we found that more branches were on the trail. The other teacher found Apple AirPods on the trail between 5241 and 5343. The AirPods will be brought to an Apple Store by the teacher. | W.K., R.C., D.S., J.G., I.P., Elliot C. | Still needs to pick up branches on the path and trim hanging branches. | Confirmed and taken pictures of the three trees that are engraved with letters and numbers. (I found them on Wed., 4/30/2022.) The location of the trees are approximately half mile ahead of the gate (5241) where the trail runs parallel with Ponkapoag pond. The pics will be emailed to Chris later. |
| 2022-04-27 | Hiroshi Abe | Ponkapoag Trail | 6 | The students and teachers walked from the gate to the point of the engraved trees (approximately half mile a head of the number sign, 5241. Branches, that had been left on the trail, were removed. Some branches were hanging over the trail have already cut. We found two trees engraved by someone (approximately half mile a head of the number sign, 5241). I confirmed some letters and number were engraved (e.g., A,B,C,D). | W.K., R.C., D.S., J.G., I.P., Elliot C. | Needs to keep patrolling to the point, 5374. | Will take pictures of the engraved trees and email them to Chris next week (during the week of 5/2/2022). |
| 2022-04-26 | Hiroshi Abe | Ponkapoag Trail | 4 | Walked from the gate to the sign, 5241. Continued to the sign, 5218, and found it's not our assigned trail so that made a U-turn to go back to the point of 5241. Walked for approximately a quarter mile from the point 5241, then, walked back to the gate. Removed branches were left on the trail between the gate and the point of 5241. Found some poison ivies have grown just along with the trail from 5320 to 5241. A part of log is still laid on the left side of the trail (facing toward 5241) around the point of 5311. Too big to be cut or moved by us. | Z.L., T.B., I.C., Anthony M | Still need to keep walking up to the point of 5374. Will continue to remove branches on the trail and trip hanging branches over the trail. | |
| 2022-04-27 | Hiroshi Abe | Ponkapoag Trail | 6 | The students and teachers walked from the gate to the point of the engraved trees (approximately half mile a head of the number sign, 5241. Branches, that had been left on the trail, were removed. Some branches were hanging over the trail have already cut. We found two trees engraved by someone (approximately half mile a head of the number sign, 5241). I confirmed some letters and number were engraved (e.g., A,B,C,D). | M.R., D.S., R.C., I.P., J.G., Anthony M. | Needs to keep patrolling to the point, 5374. | Will take pictures of the engraved trees and email them to Chris next week (during the week of 5/2/2022). |
| 2022-05-03 | Jennifer Brodbeck | Acton Path | 8 | Picked up dog poop from the parking lot to Fisherman’s Beach then left to the path from the temple and right to the entrance for the AMC cabins. | |||
| 2022-05-11 | Hiroshi Abe | Ponkapoag Trail | 9 | Walked from the gate to the point of 5371. Picked up trash and branches. Cut the branches hanging over the trail around the point 5371 (Dangerous to the hikers, bikers, and runners). Threw branches back into the woods. Found dog's feces on the trail (approximately a mile ahead of the point 5241). A 2.5-long log is left on the trail (parallel, looks left there for long time, not too annoying the hikers, bikers, or runners) around a quarter miles ahead of the point of 5241. Too big (heave) to lift or move. | M.R., J.G., D.S., I.P., R.C., Elliot C. | We would still like to reach the end of the trail (5374). Will keep picking up branches and trash. Will cut/trim hanging branches will be dangerous to the hikers, bikers, and runners. | Looks more trash will be dropped because the number of hikers, bikers, runners, even dogs is increased. |
| 2022-05-21 | Judy Lehrer Jacobs | Acton Path | 12.5 | We removed garlic mustard by the YMCA camp. The group was the Milton Key Club teens plus one teacher. We pulled 2 bags of garlic mustard. | Isabelle Feloney, Abigail Raymond,Taliah Gabriel ,Annette Swenson, Ms. Leonice Bernard | ||
| 2022-06-07 | Jennifer Brodbeck | Acton Path | 1 | Picked up and counted dog poop for baseline data. | Unable to access Beach due to the number of off leash dogs on the beach. | ||
| 2022-06-08 | Julia Scapicchio | Ponkapoag Trail | 1 | My daughter Julia and I picked up trash at trail head/parking area at exit 3. We disposed of trash in the reciprocal located near map. | Kate Scapicchio | ||
| 2022-06-11 | Pete Tierney | Hodgdon Foot Path | 1 | Brushing | |||
| 2022-06-11 | Pete Tierney | Prescott Foot Path | 1 | Brushing | |||
| 2022-06-24 | Charlie Crosby | No Name Path | 1.5 | Cut Japanese Knotweed at Temple Beth David parking lot, adjacent to Fisherman's beach and Acton path | |||
| 2022-07-05 | Jennifer Brodbeck | Acton Path | 1 | Picked up 31 dog poops | |||
| 2022-07-29 | Ruth Bigio | Smith Trail | 17.5 | We brushed and cleared the entire Smith Trail up to where it joins Pipe Line at marker #5425. It had been neglected and was very overgrown, especially the first half section. Now the beginning of the trail is visible. Also removed a downed trail at #5425. Trash removal at trail head. | Bob Vogel, John Schepis, Jim Briand, Maxim Leonov, Molly Rodin, Yi Ping Wang | Trail is in excellent shape. Probably needs to brushed in a year. | |
| 2022-08-02 | Jennifer Brodbeck | Acton Path | 1.5 | Picked up dog poop | |||
| 2022-08-18 | Jennifer Brodbeck | Acton Path | 0.5 | Surveyed trail for dog pool. 28 poops 1 bagged. | |||
| 2022-09-20 | Jennifer Brodbeck | Acton Path | 2 | Surveyed dog poop | |||
| 2022-09-12 | Pete Tierney | Boardwalk | 10 | Removed tree that had fallen across boardwalk, brushing | Bill, Skip, Paul | Ongoing repairs | |
| 2022-09-19 | Pete Tierney | Hodgdon Foot Path | 0.5 | Light brushing | |||
| 2022-09-19 | Pete Tierney | Prescott Foot Path | 0.5 | Light brushing | |||
| 2022-09-23 | Ruth Bigio | Acton Path | 10 | Brushing, raking out ditches. We worked from marker #5321 (Fisherman's Beach) along Acton Path in the direction of the dam, about 1/4 mile. | Marnie Bolstad, Charles Crosby, Christine Grundy | Path is overgrown in the area of the dam. Lots of poison ivy between marker 5216 and 5175. Loppers are not the best tools, a mower could cut these weeds much better. | |
| 2022-09-25 | Jesse Gordon | Meadow Road | 3 | Report on Donovan School entrance: "Meadow Road" from Reed Street Randolph between markers 5420 & 5414 -- * Tree blocking Reed Street entrance has been removed (cut fallen tree) * We cleaned up litter near the Donovan parking area -- all the little entrance trails are heavily used so I'll do litter pickup regularly! * I got funding from the Randolph CPC for signage at this entrance -- to apply at our discretion using DCR signage guidelines -- the Donovan parking area is first priority! * Funding for signage also applies to High Street "baseball field" entrance -- biked from Donovan to that entrance -- could use some input on best location for sign (maybe at the snack stand? a grassy entrance). | Kathleen Camara | Work with the Town of Randolph to place CPC-funded signage on Town property adjacent to the Blue Hills property at Donovan School and on High Street. | |
| 2022-09-25 | Jesse Gordon | Meadow Road | 3 | Report on Donovan School entrance: "Meadow Road" from Reed Street Randolph between markers 5420 & 5414 -- * Tree blocking Reed Street entrance has been removed (cut fallen tree) * We cleaned up litter near the Donovan parking area -- all the little entrance trails are heavily used so I'll do litter pickup regularly! * I got funding from the Randolph CPC for signage at this entrance -- to apply at our discretion using DCR signage guidelines -- the Donovan parking area is first priority! * Funding for signage also applies to High Street "baseball field" entrance -- biked from Donovan to that entrance -- could use some input on best location for sign (maybe at the snack stand? a grassy entrance). | Kathleen Camara | Work with the Town of Randolph to place CPC-funded signage on Town property adjacent to the Blue Hills property at Donovan School and on High Street. | http://randolphemeraldnecklace.com/BlueHills.htm/Pix/IMG_6498.JPG Fallen tree is now cut, at Reed Street entrance http://randolphemeraldnecklace.com/BlueHills.htmPix/IMG_6500.JPG Location of proposed signage spot - northwest corner of Donovan parking lot |
| 2022-09-25 | Jesse Gordon | Acton Path | 1 | Report on mini-trails off of Acton Path: * See IMG_6514.JPG - The gas line trail to Sunset Drive still has a fallen tree blocking it which DCR should cut up. People can (and do) walk around the tree but it makes it look uninviting. * We picked up litter all along these trails - which shows it is being used -- we left in place some garbage bags near Sunset Drive -- which shows it is being abused too. * See IMG_6508.JPG - the street entrance to the gas line trail (intersection Sunset Drive and Connolly Street) is called "Jessie Key" -- I will check with Town of Randolph where exactly are the property lines -- this could be a nice neighborhood pedestrian entrance (but DCR looked with Judy and thought it was too residential, so I didn't include it on CPC funding list -- it'd be for next year) | Kathleen Camara | * See IMG_6517.JPG - at end of Acton Path near trail marker 5355 is a thin trail that connects to marker 5395 (my adopted trail at Hemlock Road). This trail and Hemlock Road are marked "no bicycles". I'd like to suggest that those be changed to "No motorized vehicles" -- bicyclists DO use these rough trails and few pedestrians do! * See IMG_6514.JPG - The gas line trail to Sunset Drive still has a fallen tree blocking it which DCR should cut up. People can (and do) walk around the tree but it makes it look uninviting. | http://randolphemeraldnecklace.com/BlueHills.htmPix/IMG_6414.JPG The gas line trail to Sunset Drive http://randolphemeraldnecklace.com/BlueHills.htm/Pix/IMG_6508.JPG "Jessie Key" street entrance tp://randolphemeraldnecklace.com/BlueHills.htm/Pix/IMG_6510.PNG Location of Acton Path leading to Jessie Key ttp://randolphemeraldnecklace.com/BlueHills.htm/Pix/IMG_6517.JPG Connecting trail to Hemlock Road http://randolphemeraldnecklace.com/BlueHills.htm/Pix/IMG_6516.PNG Location of connecting trail (Why not bicycles?) |
| 2022-09-24 | Jesse Gordon | Hemlock Road | 1 | * We picked up litter all along Hemlock Road - which shows it is being used -- we left untouched in place several garbage bags near Turner Drive -- which shows it is being abused too -- making this an "official entrance" would cut the garbage bags, I think! * See IMG_6506 & IMG_6507 - someone tried to help on this little mud spot -- we added a few more sticks and then fetched 20 lbs of bluestone gravel from the Acton Path leftovers - I don't think this is the recommended action here -- could someone advise me? The bicycle tracks are not ours -- others DO bike here! * We also patched several "potholes" on Acton Path for the horses to avoid tripping. DCR did a nice job delivering the bluestone gravel in the spring and "patching" the big dips in the summer -- there was a leftover pile along Acton Path so we distributed 100 lbs of it. * Posted pictures at http://randolphemeraldnecklace.com/BlueHills.htm#Sept2022 for all three projects. | Kathleen Camara | * See IMG_6505 -- I brought a saw to cut this log (I had started in spring) but it needs better tools. Like an axe and a two-person saw -- which I'll bring next time. | * See IMG_6502 -- This is a white supremacist group "stenciling" the Horse Bridge. I reported this to the Randolph DPW to ticket them for defacing public property, and I recommended to the ADL that we prosecute the group for publicly advocating violence. Their website indicates that they have stenciled this same hate message all over Massachusetts -- I will follow up with other Town Councilors in other targeted towns to try to jointly prosecute. I asked DPW if they could paint this over -- maybe DCR can? (I will paint over it myself, if not done quickly). |
| 2022-10-04 | Jennifer Brodbeck | Acton Path | 1.5 | Picked up 43 dog poops | |||
| 2022-10-04 | Jennifer Brodbeck | Hemlock Path | 2 | Removed 4 tires and collected 3 bags of trash and left on the old 128 (east) for DCR | Several more tires need to be removed from hemlock path. | ||
| 2022-10-06 | Jennifer Brodbeck | Old Route 128 East | 2 | Cleaned up trash/dog poop. | Was informed of an intentionally set fire over the summer, took pictures and sent them to DCR. | ||
| 2022-10-23 | Jennifer Brodbeck | Meadow Road | 2 | Removed Dog poop from Trail | |||
| 2022-11-01 | Jennifer Brodbeck | Acton Path | 1.5 | Cleaned up 19 dog poops. | |||
| 2022-11-02 | Paul Schell | No Name Path | 9 | Finished cutting fallen tree, and moved it off of path. Cleared small section of the trail using leaf blower. | 1 staff, 7 BHS students | ||
| 2022-12-14 | Jennifer Brodbeck | Old Route 128 East | 0.5 | Emptied 2 trash barrels into trash bags and replaced trash bags in barrels. Picked up trash in the area of trash barrels. Notified DCR of trash bags needing removal. | |||
| 2022-12-14 | Jennifer Brodbeck | Old Route 128 East | 0.25 | Picked up trash | |||
| 2022-12-31 | Melissa Nelson | Three Pines Path | 1 | One tree down across the trail. Unable to move due to size. Located approximately 1/8 mi from 5383 trail marker. | Cameron Nelson | Will need a chainsaw to remove fallen tree. | |
| 2022-12-31 | Melissa Nelson | Madden Road | 1 | Tried to move downed tree approximately 1/4 mi in from marker 5374. Need to go back with hand saw. | Cameron Nelson | Will go back this week with hand saw and trim part of downed tree that is on path. |
