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Town Forest Stewardship committee favors parking elsewhere; trails, grants and regional planning highlighted
Summary
The Town Forest Stewardship Committee reported a motion favoring permanent parking in town forest areas other than Cheney Field and outlined alternatives including temporary access days and a proposed 'easy-up' trail from the Shaw Center. Members also updated the group on youth trail work, a Climate Smart schoolyard planting and grant-seeking for a five-year youth-trails partnership.
Jeremy, speaking for the Town Forest Stewardship Committee, reported recent stewardship activity and program updates and read the committee’s motion: the stewardship committee favors permanent parking access to the Northfield Town Forest in locations other than Cheney Field and supports temporary vehicular access to Cheney Field only during special events and designated times.
Jeremy also updated the meeting on youth-trail improvements made by BYCC and volunteers — work included rerouting a bypass trail, installing benches at a Beaver Pond overlook and water-bar work — and described a proposal for a five-year partnership and fundraising effort. He said the stewardship group had spent roughly $1,000 on initial trail work and that the Select Board had previously authorized $40,000 in ARPA funds toward trail maintenance.
Members discussed an ‘‘easy-up’’ switchback trail from the Shaw Center as a potential route that would meet grade requirements and provide a dual-use uphill access (biking and broader-access hiking) that could reduce pressure on Cheney Field. Grant possibilities discussed included recreational-trails grants and a Northern Border Commission catalyst grant to support a multi-year program of youth trail work.
The meeting also heard a short report on a Climate Smart schoolyard grant that led to planting about 20 small trees in July; members noted questions remain about species and long-term maintenance responsibility. Additional stewardship business covered signage completion, another round of invasive-species treatment and coordinating outreach for River Day.
The commission agreed to continue these items in September and to invite interested residents and partners to participate in outreach, fundraising and planning for the stewardship priorities.
