Our Spring Clean-up Day last Saturday was a great success, as we cleared branches and limbs, and finalized the routing of our new Nature Trail.  Suzanne and Gerry Ganse, Meg and Ken Class, Jenny and Davis Coniff, Betsy Beaugard, Steve Jaquith, Jerry Dunham and I created piles of branches along the Railroad Bed and all of that will be reduced to woodchips.  Jerry, Ken and Andy cleared the trail and educational areas in anticipation of the arrival and installation of our educational panels.  One of the highlights was Davis Coniff building a small rock wall to better define our pathways around the Cabin.  The new Nature Trail is really taking shape and will be ready for visitors by Memorial Day.  In addition, the Outlet Pond and Cabin area are being re-energized, and the area looks great.

The Conservancy will have a second spring clean-up day on Saturday, April 28^th from 9 AM to 2 PM.  Any and all are welcome to lend a hand as we complete the gathering of fallen branches, place woodchips along our Nature Trail and  prepare the area for our upcoming 2012 season.  Edwina will  add a note in her upcoming column in the Sullie as a reminder of this upcoming spring clean-up day.  Refreshments, lunch and goodies will be provided.  Please ask anyone coming to bring a pair of gloves.  I hope some of you can participate on the 28^th.  The heavy lifting is done.  Now, we are taking care of finishing touches.

Lock-in with EMAA
Tails and Trails
Snakes Alive
Astronomy Night
Bald Eagle Program
Letterbox Hunt
Pond Pokes and Bug Olympics
Gnome Homes
Sunprints at the Beach

Recreational Activities

Weekly hikes
Kayak Trip
Village Green Party

Preservation Efforts

Planting of new trees
Shade Tree Commission supporter
Trail Maintenance
Active member of PEMA Board
Forest Stewardship Day
DeWeese Reforestation area

We are planning some new events like Family Day and Grandparents Day and additional activities at the Beach with both the EMAA and the EMA, while we continue to offer our extensive educational programs, recreational hikes, evening speakers, forest stewardship activities and land preservation.  Other important projects include:

Long Range Planning Initiative

Earlier this fall, I asked our Vice President, Andy Rau, to lead a newly formed Long Range Planning Committee to help identify the Conservancy’s future direction, priorities, use of assets and broader mission statement.  This Committee will formulate recommendations that will be shared with your Board at our February 2012 meeting.  I will communicate to you in the spring any actions that the Board takes based on the Committee’s efforts.

New Meadow Location

The Meadow in the Eagles Mere Park on the previous Forest Inn location will be re-created on the other side of the access road further back on the property.  This will enable the Conservancy to cut the old Meadow, keep it a more attractive setting and encourage more variety of use.  The new Meadow will leverage the natural shrubs and protective vegetation, which should attract various types of birds and insects.  Efforts will also be made to plant various types of wildflowers and natural grasses, position selected birdhouse and define a walking path, all of which should enhance the new Meadow.

Click for an enlarged photo

New Nature Trail Being Developed

Our most visible and exciting project is the creation of a new, multi-generational, year-round Nature Trail near our Cabin. The generous contributions of six Eagles Mere families have enabled the Conservancy to initiate this project.  The trail map below illustrates the routing and multiple educational nodes and activities planned for the Trail.  Our preliminary phase involves the creation of the trail path, implementing 8-10 interpretative stations with signage, locating a information kiosk across from the Cabin near the Estey Trail entrance, placing informative trail markers and trail markings to better guide hikers, improve available parking, re-grade the railroad bed from the Outlet Parking lot to the Cabin and replace our older Welcome Sign.  As the first phase of our project becomes visible next spring, I will reach out to the community to ask for your broader help in funding phase two, which is the completion of our education nodes and pockets, new reforestation area and the possible creation of an exciting tree house.