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Permit for cross-country trail submitted; Land Trust raises vernal-pool concerns
Summary
Region 4 submitted a wetlands permit for a proposed cross-country trail; Deep River Land Trust flagged concerns about the trail’s proximity to a vernal pool and will consult experts in November before the committee decides whether to pursue an alternate route by Dec. 15, 2025.
The Region 4 Fields Renovation Advisory Committee was told on Oct. 29 that a wetlands permit application for a proposed cross-country trail and associated fire access road on district property has been submitted to the Deep River Conservation of Inland and Wetlands Commission. Chris Hulk, a FieldTurf representative, said the permit covers the portion of the trail and the fire access road that crosses region-owned land.
The Deep River Land Trust rewalked the trail on Oct. 17 with district representatives and raised concerns about how close the proposed route comes to a vernal pool. "The Land Trust expressed concerns about the proximity of the trail to the vernal pool," Hulk said, and the organization plans to meet with its board and a vernal-pool expert in November and then inform the committee of those outcomes.
Committee members discussed a construction window, noting work cannot occur between March and May because vernal pools and spring migrations are active then. The committee set a procedural deadline: if there is no agreement with the Land Trust by Dec. 15, 2025, it will recommend pivoting to an alternate route confined to district-owned property.
The permit application will be on the Conservation and Inland Wetlands Commission agenda in November, with the contractor and a district representative expected to attend that meeting for review. The committee said it hopes the commission will review the application promptly so the district can finalize trail layout without encroaching on sensitive wetlands.
Next steps include awaiting the Land Trust’s expert review and the CIWC’s November agenda decision; the advisory committee requested a follow-up meeting in the first week of December to review outcomes and any recommended route changes.
