About the Stewards

The Bedford conservation land stewards are a group of volunteers who care for the conservation areas of Bedford, Massachusetts. Established in 1995, we work closely with the Bedford Conservation Commission and Trails Committee but are an independent organization.

Stewards get to know our conservation areas over time and serve as a voice advocating for them in our town.We present field reports twice a year at our Spring and Fall meetings. Input from land stewards gives the Conservation Commission the information they need to best serve the town and preserve our natural spaces.

We need you! Become a land steward. Contact us at bedfordlandstewards@gmail.com. Come to one of our meetings. Send us an enrollment form.


Monday, November 14, 2011

Post Fall Meeting Note - Oct 2011

Here are notes about the Fall 2011 meeting from Yan Thomas, the head steward.

Welcomed attendees to the Fall Meeting of the Land Stewards on October
20th highlighting Phil Friden, the new steward of the Elm Brook
Conservation Area. Elizabeth Bagdonas, the Conservation Commission
Administrator, made copies available of the full roster of land
stewards, their emails and addresses, and conservation areas. If
anyone would like a copy, contact Elizabeth.

Be aware that the Head Steward of the Bedford Land Stewards attends
the regular monthly meeting of the Trails Committee “in order to keep
continuity between the two groups.” The Committee is provided with a
summary of the Field Reports completed by the stewards. After
approval of the Conservation Commission the Trails Committee moves
forward on many fronts to include obtaining funding for such projects
as building and installing bog bridges over wet areas, constructing
kiosks, sign post stanchions, setting out trail markers, brushing
trails, designing trail maps, and much, much more. The Field Reports
are important to the process.

It is hunting season again and the land stewards should be aware that
the National Wildlife Refuge land along the Concord River is the only
area in Bedford open to bow hunting and shooting basically to the end
of December. No hunting before or after sunset or on Sundays. It is
recommended that one wear bright colors when in or near these areas.
Any violations or questions call: 1-978-443-4661, US Fish & Wildlife
Service.

Elizabeth gave the history with a map of the new Massport- built
trails in southwest Bedford connecting to Concord’s Virginia Rd..
This involved many meetings with Massport and included their own
properties in Bedford. The results were exciting for both parties
resulting in a 2 mile-long trail system allowing Massport emergency
access to remote areas of the airport and Bedford an extended 42.5
acre area of trails. The Town will soon post a trails map of these
new trails on their website. Parking is next to the child care
center, Concord Rd., at the old RR bed.

Elizabeth is compiling a current list of those downed trees
obstructing trails and especially of those trees and limbs that one
might consider dangerous to the public. For her to hire a professional
to remove these trees it is important for you to determine whether the
problem still exists and to locate it on a map. And a few of you who
have not sent in your fall field reports she especially needs to hear
from you. For a map, please click the link, “Bedford Trail Maps,” on
the steward website: bedfordlandstewards.blogspot.com

Our website manager, steward Peter Desjardins, asked stewards if they
would list some of the special features of their conservation area for
the writing of a Bedford Trails Guide that he and others are working
on. The feeling is the stewards are the ones who best know the
conservation lands and can describe their unique characteristics.
This need not be a polished piece of writing but an opportunity to
point out what attracts you about your area. Try to send “this” on
soon so they can incorporate what you have to say:
bedfordlandstewards@gmail.com.

You’ve been encouraged to send your seasonal photos and sightings to
Peter of the steward website at bedfordlandstewards@gmail.com. Do see
the recent photos sent in by steward Bob Scoville of Wilderness Park
and Lantern Lane Conservation areas of a mother turtle and later her
hatchlings!

Wouldn’t you like to lead a trail walk sometime in your conservation
area, asks the Trails Committee? Walks are held the first Saturday of
the month, meeting behind the Library at 9:45 a.m. and carpooling to
the area. Usually there are only 3 or 4 enthusiastic people
appearing. Open to children. For details, contact Yan, and by the way
Nov. 5th has no one to lead a walk.

Remember to keep your map boxes full of trail maps. We’ve been very
remiss about this. Not everyone knows where they are going! And now
there are excellent individual trail maps available Contact Elizabeth
for map copies and if you need a map box. There will soon be more map
boxes distributed by the Trails Committee.

No comments:

Post a Comment