Alden Hughes has been collaborating with CELT for several years, which culminated in a successful Eagle Scout project completed this month, August 2024! His project included two parts: rerouting a trail in Robinson Woods III and constructing a new boardwalk in Chapel Woods.
The new Robinson Woods trail redirects users to higher ground with a beautiful path through the forest, successfully closing the previous short, lowland trail that frequently gave a muddy experience. Alden and his crew of volunteers raked and cleared the new trail, closed the old route, and hung trail signs and maps, making it officially open and welcome to the public!
Chapel Woods hosts approximately a quarter mile of the 7-mile Cross Town Trail. This section now has a fresh boardwalk over the long and notoriously muddy spot. Scouts and volunteers transported lumber, adjusted boards to fit with curves and bumps in the trail, and screwed the pieces together to create the new boardwalk. They constructed two wider areas for trail users to pass as needed, since the boardwalk is fairly long overall.
Both of these projects help to reduce the trail impacts on wetland areas and water flow. The boardwalk design intentionally allows water to flow underneath, perpendicular to the structure. Having a boardwalk also means that trail users will pass more toward the center of the trail rather than walking around, which helps prevent the trail from constantly widening around a wet area. The Town granted a Resource Protection Permit for this construction project at the July Planning Board meeting, just in time for Alden’s two weekends in August with volunteers.
Many thanks to Alden, the Scout community, the 30 volunteers, and to Hancock Lumber for their contributions to the project.
