Conservation Cleaning Up Storm-Damaged Trails

The Mansfield Conservation Commission met with the Natural Resources Trust president Lou Andrews recently to discuss the need for tree removal on the walking trails in Mansfield.

“The last couple of storms with the trails in the Great Woods,” Andrews said.

While volunteers and scout programs could remove much of the tree fall, some trees are just too dangerous for nonprofessionals.

“There are numerous trees physically over the trail system itself,” he said. “Some of the trees you really need professionals to do it.”

The overhanging branches are the chief concern, Andrews said, because they are not accessible from the ground without equipment. Some of the other trees are just too big to be chopped up by handsaws as well.

“We’ve got some nice trail systems and we need to do some things to enhance them,” Andrews said.

The town has a contract with Tony’s Tree Service for tree removal. Andrews said that the Conservation Commission would have to pay for such services, as it is in their jurisdiction.

Commissioners debated on where to get the funds for such a project, as the service would more than likely cost $90 an hour (though a formal estimate has not yet been made).

“My feeling is that there are at least three trees on the yellow trail that overhang the trails,” he said. “I think there’s at least on huge tree of these three trees that need professional help.”

Commissioners agreed that they could take the funds from one of their accounts, and not have the town pay for it. They agreed that they would probably use funds from the $20,000 gift that was given to the commission after was constructed. The gift was given to the commission for the development’s construction project that took out a large area of scenic value.

 “I think we could put that money to good use with the tree work that Lou was talking about because all the trails in our conservation areas are in very bad shape,” said vice chair Michele White.