Preserve, Maintain, Respect Vol. 32 No. 2 Summer 2014 A View from the Chair To My Dear Friends of Essex County Trail Association, This is my last official “View from the Chair” newsletter contribution. At the August board meeting I resigned as the Chairman of the Board, and the board voted unanimously to appoint Susan Lawrence as the new Board Chair. This has been a very difficult decision for me to arrive at because there is still so much to do. But ultimately, that is why I have decided to step down. I have become too busy in my personal (read twin 5 year-old boys) and business (read Olympics 2024 bid) ECTA’s Vital Role in Land Conservation life. These endeavors are both fascinating and rewarding, but very How ECTA has become the common link across a wide network of time consuming. conservation interest groups ECTA has made great progress over Protecting and preserving the vast decade. Many of these properties the years and we have matured as areas of open space in Essex County are open to the public, including the an organization. However, since takes an astounding amount of Cox Reservation in Essex, the Julia we do not have a full time director, time, volunteer manpower, and Bird Reservation in Ipswich, the much of that responsibility falls fund raising. This goal can only be Pingree Woodland in Hamilton, and upon the Chairman of the Board. realized thanks to an intricate the Indian Hill Reservation in West Much as I have valued and enjoyed network of conservation groups, of Newbury, just to name a few. ECTA the day-to-day responsibilities of which ECTA is proud to be an helps Greenbelt keep up with trail managing our organization, I realize integral part. We have worked very maintenance by mowing several it requires and deserves more time diligently over our 32-year history properties and by taking on major than I can currently give. to form strong partnerships with a trail projects, such as the recent trail number of town, state and private repair done at the Pingree Woodland. In my opinion, Susan Lawrence groups all focused on the goal of is the perfect person to assume preserving our open spaces. We’d The Trustees of Reservations the role, and I believe she will be like to share with you how these TTOR preserves properties of very successful. She is a long time partnerships work and the exceptional scenic, historic, and trail user and contributor to ECTA ecological value in Massachusetts. who has a strong organizational important role that ECTA plays with each of these groups. The organization cares for more than and development background 100 properties and nearly 25,000 that the organization will benefit Land Conservation Organizations acres of land across the state. A few from. Above all, she is passionate of the TTOR properties in Essex about our trail system and our Essex County Greenbelt Association County include Castle Hill and Crane organization. I intend to stay As “Essex County’s Land Trust,” Beach & Wildlife Refuge in Ipswich, involved and to be as supportive as Greenbelt’s primary goal is land Appleton Farms in Hamilton and possible, and I hope all of you will conservation. Since 1961, Ipswich and Long Hill in Beverly. In do the same. Greenbelt has conserved over addition to performing trail repairs I would like to say thank you to the 15,000 acres and has been on several of these properties, ECTA following people: responsible for 75% of all Essex works closely with the staff at County land protected in the last Appleton Farms and Crane Beach to Continued on page 2 Continued on page 6 ECTA Board of Directors View, cont. Susan Lawrence, Chair To the Staff: Carol, Ashley and Ray, When you get elected as a board Rick Silverman, Vice-Chair do more than anyone knows, and I chair, in effect, so does your Chris Pulick, Treasurer am grateful for all they have done family. The difference is that they Susie Banta, Secretary and continue to do every day. All don’t get the personal satisfaction Peter Campot the little things that go unnoticed but are affected by your time and Susanna Colloredo but make the organization run energy commitment. So finally, Haskell Crocker smoothly are truly appreciated. I would like to thank my wife Carolyn. Ann Getchell To the Board: You are a fantastic Caroline Gregory board and you have been very With any luck you will see more of Deborah Hamilton supportive and have always me, but from now on it will be out Rob Martin stepped up to make things on the trails! Dan Mayer happen! You are passionate and Joe Sandulli very hands-on. Your dedication Thank you, Liz Wheaton will continue to be needed and I want you to know how much I ECTA Staff appreciate your ongoing help. Carol Lloyd, Dir. Trail Management To our Members: Without you, Ashley Hill, Outreach Coordinator the organization would not exist. Ray Denis, Dir. of Development There is always so much that needs to be done and you have Peter Campot Trail Stewards always found a way to support us. I cannot thank you enough! Essex Kay Joseph (978.768.6275) Julie DePaolis (978.768.3831) Hamilton Sue McLaughlin (978.468.7715) Upcoming Events Diane Curr (781.316.4452) Susanna Colloredo (978.468.3310) Susan Lawrence (978.468.1355) Aug 24 ECTA Day at Myopia Polo Bea Britton (978.468.2733) Liz Wheaton (978.468.7944) Sept 14 WNRDC Adventure Trail Ride Judy Milano (978.887.8044) Sept 20 10th Annual Run for the Trails Ipswich Joe Sandulli (978.356.7163) Sept 21 Trails & Sails Rail Trail Bike Ride Ralph Williams (978.948.7702) Nat Pulsifer (978.356.3655) Oct 18 Pan-Ipswich Challenge Joshua Regula (978.210.5212) Ashley Hill (978.500.4014) Alex Van Alen (978.289.7667) Visit the ECTA website at www.ectaonline.org for details and for the latest updates. Do you receive e-mailed updates from ECTA? If Wenham not, please be sure we have your current e-mail address. Contact Deborah Stanton (978.626.8424) [email protected] to connect with us. Become a fan of ECTA on Sue McLaughlin (978.468.7715) Facebook to keep up to date with ECTA happenings and give us your Topsfield feedback! Kathie Tremblay (978.887.8855) Elaine Robson (978.887.8789) Joe Geller (978.887.9572 or 7000) West Newbury Contact ECTA Ellen Alden (978.363.1170) PO Box 358 Felicity Beech (978.363.2021) Deb Hamilton (978.363.5793) Hamilton, MA 01936 Coltin Omasta (978.771.3928) 978-468-1133 [email protected] www.ectaonline.org 2 REI Stewardship Grant Turkey Hill Volunteer ECTA Trail Maps Received Trail Work Day Our updated 2014 Ipswich trail We are very excited to announce Essex County Trail Association, maps are here! that REI has selected ECTA to receive the Town of Ipswich Open Space an $8,000 grant for trail work at and Americorps joined forces this Prospect Hill and Willowdale State spring on a volunteer work day at Forest. the Turkey Hill Conservation area in Ipswich. On a beautiful April The existing Prospect Hill portion morning, 12 volunteers created 1200 of the Bay Circuit trail is severely feet of new trail extending into eroded and, in some locations, the 26 acre Pelletier Conservation extremely hazardous. Uphill portions Restriction parcel. of the trail have become gullies that continue to erode each year. Just Turkey Hill Conservation Area is a south of the Ipswich/Rowley town 23-acre property of mature wooded line, a section of trail has been so upland, with one of the highest badly eroded by an underground stream that a dangerous hole has undeveloped hilltops in Ipswich. developed in the middle of the trail. The existing 1-mile trail on the In coordination with the Bay Circuit property follows a steep incline to Alliance, we have proposed a new access the hill, but then becomes a route that avoids this eroded area fairly level loop around the top of completely, follows a much more the hill. The trails at Turkey Hill and gradual slope that is more appealing the Pelletier property are open to to trail users and reduces trail hiking, running, birding and cross- erosion. country skiing. ECTA will work with volunteers to The trail extension currently ends create a new trail along a gradually at the border of the conservation sloping ridge line and to close off the restriction, and trail users should Be sure to visit our website to existing eroded trail. The rerouted follow the trail back up the hill to see trail maps of all publicly portion of trail is approximately 2,600 the loop trail. We hope that this accessible spaces in our areas. feet. We will also improve the trail is the start of realizing a long-term Printed trails maps available at: head leading from Prospect Street vision for a trail network from Ipswich into the Dow Brook Conservation Turkey Hill to Willowdale State Area. Ipswich Greetings & Gifts Forest! Coastal Green Grocer In 2010, ECTA compiled a park wide Ipswich Bikes management plan for Willowdale. Town Hall Ipswich Visitor Center We began implementing this plan in 2012 with the replacement of the Wenham collapsed culverts on the “Three Wenham Sports Stop Pipes” trail, which has drastically ECTA Office improved water flow throughout the area, and the resurfacing of this trail Beverly with gravel and stone pac. There New England Running Co. are currently three more areas in Topsfield Willowdale where culverts need to Gil’s Grocery be replaced and the trail surfacing Topsfield Bike Shop improved.