Trail Management
Maintaining trails can be dangerous work, especially when downed trees are being cut with a chainsaw. If you are walking on the trails and hear — or see someone working with — a chainsaw, please be careful. Don't approach unseen, and keep your dog(s) on a leash or under close control.
For more information and to report problems with the trail system, email westonforesttrail@gmail.com.
Wondering WHO keeps our trails passable and cleared?
It's Lynn Atkins, a wonderful and dedicated former Forestry and Wildlife technician for the US Forest service in Idaho and Alaska, now living in Massachusetts.
Here's what she says about herself:
“I hold a BS in Forestry with an emphasis in silviculture from the University of Montana and an AS in Rural Resource Management with emphasis in sheep husbandry from Sterling College in Vermont.
“At this point in my life, I am most interested in healthy ecosystems and helping people connect to the natural environment. I hope my work makes the WFTA trails more comfortable and fun for people to use. I love to hike trails and to sculpt vegetation. I enjoy the hard labor and Shinrin-yoku – Japanese forest bathing (breathing in fresh, healthy, forest air).
“A little about my past:
Early childhood years in southeast Massachusetts: barefoot in the swamps and cranberry bogs, hunting frogs; climbing trees – also barefoot; fishing for striped bass and hunting for shells on Cape Cod and Martha's Vineyard...
“Teenage summers at a farm/camp on the coast of Cape Breton Island, Canada: haying, trail maintenance, building pasture fence, vegetable gardening, Gaelic mods, contra dancing every Saturday night, swimming in the ocean, living in a treehouse, horse back riding, kayaking, backpacking trips and lots of hiking, watching pilot whale migration...”
Some pictures of Lynn in action are right here:
Our Association is fortunate to have Lynn's dedication and help in making our many miles of trails accessible, safe and enjoyable. You can read some trail reports from Lynn among our trail management news posts.