properties in two others; Town Meeting voted to support CPA as a funding source for conservation land protection; 1992 Open Space Plan). The open space framework (Part I) was a reference and planning guide for decision-making by Town leaders and by residents in several of the above cases. B. Broad Open Space and Recreation Objectives The central overall open-space vision for the Town, as highlighted and portrayed by the Open Space Framework (Part I), is an open space network of large natural areas and large agricultural areas connected by major wildlife and water-protection corridors. Somewhat narrower objectives are: • A public trail network in Town adequate and convenient for residents, plus convenient access for residents to a regional trail network; • Adequate playing fields and other intensive-recreation facilities to serve residents of all abilities; • Protection of biodiversity, wildlife habitat, and connectivity for wildlife movement; • Ponds, streams and rivers with high quality water; and • Good protection of special sites of scenic, ecological, recreational, etc. importance scattered across the Town. Section 7: ANALYSIS OF NEEDS A. Summary of Resource Protection Needs Information and analyses in the preceding sections point clearly to the need to complete the network of large natural areas and large agricultural areas connected by major wildlife and water-protection corridors (Section 6: Community Vision, and Part I: The Open Space Framework). Individual issues and needs for each large intact area and major corridor are presented in more depth in Appendix I (Priority Open Space Resources). More detailed needs for other environmental resources are presented in context throughout the report. However, the needs for trails and handicap accessibility are especially important in Concord, and therefore are explored here in more depth. 1. Major Trails Trail activities, including hiking, walking, jogging, nature study, bicycling, horseback riding, and cross-country skiing, continue to be very popular at the state, regional, and local levels. In Concord there are many ways to obtain maps and information about open-space, conservation lands, and trail information, including: • Town of Concord Conservation Land Guide (June 2000) by the Town of Concord Natural Resources Commission 88 • A Guide to Concord Conservation Lands (March 1975) by the Concord Department of Natural Resources • Property Maps (1994) by the Concord Conservation Land Trust • Concord’s Mill Brook: Flowing through Time, a guide to the Lower Mill Brook, by Richard T. T. Forman, prepared for the Mill Brook Task Force and the Town of Concord Natural Resources Commission (1997, 2nd ed. 1999)19 • Mill Brook Historic Tour: Glimpsing Concord’s history through the eyes of the Mill Brook (May 2003) by the Mill Brook Task Force, Division of Natural Resources, Town of Concord Access to the land through a growing network of walking trails allows Concord residents to engage actively with their beautiful surroundings and has helped to build a strong constituency for land preservation. Concord continues to add to and improve its impressive system of trails (see four maps: Public Trails & Handicap Accessible Trails). In recent years much progress has been made in expanding or improving local and regional trails, as described below. Recent trail improvements in Concord Route of the Colonial Militia: On the 225th anniversary of the Concord Fight, the citizens of Concord voted in 2000 to designate an existing path on town land from Monument Street to Bedford Street a “Trail of the Colonial Militia.” It marks the path the Militia took from North Bridge toward Meriam’s Corner. Voters urged town officials “to accommodate the approximate route of this trail in any future use of the Town-owned land.” The portion from Bedford Street to Meriam’s Corner remains unfinished. There are several possible routes, including from Bedford St. to Birch Dr. to Ridgeway Rd. to Ripley School grounds to an “ancient way” owned by the Town to Meriam’s Corner. Mill Brook trails at Heywood Meadow: In 2000, a short, mulched trail was created through the woods along the edge of Heywood Meadow, providing good access to the Mill Brook.19 In addition, the Commission has cut a short rough trail providing additional access to the Mill Brook from conservation land behind the Middlesex County Courthouse. “Oxbridge Trail”. Minute Man National Historical Park has recently cleared this short trail off Route 2A at the Concord-Lincoln line. The trail along the old townline road provides access to a single-stone-slab bridge, apparently on an 1820s deed, over a former livestock route between fields to the east and an ox pasture and farmstead to the west. Deaconess Well Trail to Mattison Field: Upon acquisition of the Mattison Field Conservation Land in 1998, the Natural Resources Commission constructed a trail, circling the field itself, skirting Sudbury River wetlands, and connecting with an existing trail across Sudbury Rd. from the Town’s Deaconess Well. Walek-Dorvel Trail. In 2004 a new trail was cleared from Sudbury Rd. to Mattison Field, crossing a footbridge built by the Town. The trail follows an 89 easement granted to the Concord Land Conservation Trust by the previous landowner. Fairhaven Trail and trails in Wright Woods, Bigelow Field, Newbury Land, Hosmer Land, and Monument Farm/Two Rod Road. Through the efforts of the Concord Land Conservation Trust and others, conservation ownership and restrictions have provided open trails along the Sudbury River and Spencer Brook, in the Estabrook Woods, and abutting the Concord Country Club. These trails link to existing trails from Lincoln (Adams Woods), Walden Pond State Reservation, Bear Garden Hill, and the town of Carlisle. a). Proposed new local trails. More work is required to complete the Town’s system of trails and to increase its accessibility to all, including individuals with disabilities. The Town should continue its study and planning efforts toward creation of other local walking trails (see maps on pages 92-95) that have been proposed by various Town committees and task forces. Five in particular stand out. Assabet-Nashoba Trail. Concord Park, an independent living and assisted- living residence, opened in 2001 behind the West Concord railroad station. Its grounds along the Assabet River feature a picnic area and walking trail accessible to wheelchairs. Though modest in length, this beautiful new trail links the West Concord train station to two existing informal trails. One runs along the western bank of the Assabet and up the south side of Nashoba Brook to the arched footbridge (behind Nashoba Brook Bakery). The other follows the old railroad right-of-way that crosses Nashoba Brook and runs northwest between commercial buildings and the Concord Prison, intersecting Commonwealth Ave. not far from the public access road to Warners Pond. This right-of-way is proposed to become part of the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail (see below). Creating a confluence of regional and local trails linking Concord Park, the scenic junction of the river and brook, Warner’s Pond, and the arched bridge with the planned regional trail is an opportunity that should not be missed. The Town should take steps to formalize this informal trail network. It should also consider creating a new trail along the north side of Nashoba Brook, extending from the footbridge to the railroad right-of-way, completing an outstanding loop trail along the brook. Landfill and Brister’s Hill trails. Concord’s 2001 Town Meeting created a study group to work with interested residents and the Walden Woods Project to arrive at a permanent use of the Town’s 35-acre closed landfill site. In 2002, Concord’s Landfill Committee recommended that the Selectmen offer to swap the landfill site for a state- owned parcel on which the Town could continue public works functions, including yard waste recycling, mulching, and snow dumping. Municipal land west of the rotary is also a possible location for these uses. The state could then protect the former landfill site as part of the Walden Pond State Reservation (and possibly re-route Route 126 to better protect the internationally significant Walden Pond area). This would facilitate the creation of a permanent trail linking the landfill site to Goose and Walden ponds and, through a proposed overpass for wildlife and walkers across Route 2, to trails on adjacent Brister’s Hill and the Town Forest. In addition, the Walden Woods Project has proposed a loop trail through a Brister’s Hill interpretive site, which would be accessible from walking trails in different directions. If effective wildlife crossing of Route 2 is a priority, walking trails in the vicinity of the landfill and Brister’s Hill should be limited and carefully designed. Also the valuable pitch pine stand on Brister’s Hill requires 90 protection. Indeed the trail network on the Route 2 side of Walden Pond may already be excessive for a natural area. Thoreau-Emerson Trail. A proposed walking trail would run from Concord Center along the Mill Brook trail at Heywood Meadow, passing behind the Emerson House, following the new primitive trail behind the Middlesex County Courthouse, through Hapgood Wright Town Forest, crossing Route 2 through a proposed wildlife corridor and entering Walden Pond State Reservation. This would accomplish a long- recommended walking route, a “vegetated stream corridor with intimate walkways and footbridges.”19 This proposed trail would also serve as a beautiful link in the Bay Circuit Trail, permitting the latter to be re-routed off of Cambridge Turnpike. Heywood Meadow to North Bridge Trail. A proposed path running from Heywood Meadow to North Bridge, passing through Concord Center, riverfront Town conservation land (behind the Keyes Rd. Town facilities; see also Section 4C5) and Old Calf Pasture, crossing the Lowell Rd. bridge, and through the Minute Man National Historical Park to the North Bridge.