Friends of Webster Trails

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1 Friends of Webster Trails advocates for the preservation of the natural character of Webster s open space lands. We promote this through sensible management, education and lowimpact access. We advise the Parks and Recreation Department and assist by planning, maintaining and promoting recreational trails in the Town of Webster. Inside this Issue: Connecting Trails 2 Wegmans Passport 2 Work Days 3 Meadow Remediation 5 Eagle Scout Projects 5 Membership 6 Treasurer s Report 6 Spaghetti Dinner 7 Newbie Gets Feet Wet 7 Friends of Webster Trails Fall 2008 Hal Harris As your new President, I would like to take this opportunity to recognize Rich Morrill for his service as President for the past three years. During Rich s leadership we developed many miles of new nature trails in the Town s newly acquired open space lands. We coordinated a substantial increase in the service contributions by community volunteers, sports teams and Scouts. Currently interest in the trails and enjoyment of their recreational and educational values has never been higher as indicated by the steady President s Message New causeway access connecting Whiting Rd. Nature Preserve to Webster Park Sunday Hike Series (2 pm, 3rd Sunday of each month) Nov. 16 Webster Park starting at WRNP Jan. 18 Whiting Rd. Nature Preserve Feb. 15 Hojack Trail starting at Vosberg Mar. 15 Gosnell Big Woods Apr. 16 Webster Park starting at WRNP Mark Your Calendars! growth in FWT membership and trail utilization. Since the early days when FWT was founded to focus on the Hojack rail-to-trail project, Rich has been a tireless worker for trails in Webster. In addition to his leadership during these recent years of growth, Rich has contributed many hours to trail building and maintenance. Perhaps the most visible sign of this is that Rich is the craftsman who created all of the beautifully made wooden trail signs you see on our trails. We all owe Rich a huge thank you for his past and continuing contributions. It s been a busy summer and fall. Several new trails have been completed connecting our major trail systems and thus creating many additional options for your outings. The newest addition to our trails is the Midnight Trail. You will find this loop trail off the south west corner of Webster Park. Access is only from the Park President s Message, cont d on page 4 The Ribbon Cutting for the Webster Park WRNP causeway is scheduled for the beginning of the Nov. 16 hike. FWT Monthly Work Days 1st Saturday of every month, May through November Next year s schedule begins May 2

2 Page 2 Hal Harris With a flurry of activity in September and October we have completed the long envisioned connection of our major trail systems. In 2005, as the Town began to acquire open space properties west of Webster Park, we realized that it might be possible to develop an off-road thru trail system that would connect the Hojack Trail at Vosburg Hollow Nature Preserve (VHNP) with the trails in Webster Park. We have kept that goal in mind as we developed the trails in Whiting Road Nature Preserve (WRNP) and the Gosnell Big Woods Preserve (GBWP). By last fall, plans were in place and we had completed one of the four connecting links; the WRNP White Trail from the Red Trail west out to Pellet Road. Additionally, the necessary Federal, State, County and Town approvals had been obtained for a causeway in Webster Park immediately east of Whiting Don Baird The Wegmans Passport is a program to get people out to walk the trails of Webster. It is co-sponsored by the Friends of Webster Trails, Webster Health and Education Network, The Town of Webster and Wegmans. You can pick up your Family s Passports at Webster parks & Recreation or at Wegmans Eastway or Holt Road locations. The passport has maps of the trails and the location of the trail Fall 2008 Connecting Trails Completed Road. A State grant of $25,000, obtained by David Koon to fund this project, was received by the Town this summer. This brings us to this fall. In early September, Brian Charland completed his Eagle Scout project, the connection of the VHNP trails to the GBWP Big Field trail at the corner of Vosburg and Baker Roads. (See Boy Scout Eagle Projects, page 5) The next connection is a trail in the Big Woods to run west from the Big Woods Trail out to Pellet Road near the WRNP White Trail. The Ridge Trail was approved by the Gosnell Preserve Planning Committee after lengthy deliberations. Don Baird and Larry Yost cleared this trail in mid September thus establishing the link between GBWP and WRNP trail systems. In mid September the Town Highway Department got busy and built the excellent causeway across the pond just east of Whit- Wegmans Passport to Family Wellness markers. As you walk each trail, record your visit in your passport by using a pencil or crayon to make a rubbing of the designated trail marker. The program runs from September 1, 2008 through July 1, After you have visited at least four trails, bring your passport to the Webster parks and Recreation Office, 985 Ebner Drive, and receive your Wegmans Coupon for free products. ing Road. Perhaps you have already noticed this trail entrance, directly across from the WRNP parking lot. We then worked with Brion Needler, the Park supervisor, to plan the quarter mile trail in the park. On our October 4, workday a large group of volunteers, including many of the Webster Thomas cross-country team, turned out. We cleared trail and built a foot bridge. By noon we had developed the final link, a lovely new quarter mile trail which connects with the Park s West Trail. If you haven t already, you will want to check this out. It is one of my favorite areas of the Park. Viewed as a liner trail, we now have an off-road trail that extends about seven miles connecting North Ponds Park with Webster Park. More importantly, we have connected six trail systems. With parking at each of the Parks/Preserves, we are fortunate to have many options for that next outing. Upon completion of six trails, bring your passport to Webster parks and Recreation to receive a T-Shirt and $5.00 Wegmans Gift Card. When you complete at least 10 trails, you will be eligible to win one of two grand prizes: a $100 Wegmans gift card or a free Wegmans picnic pack for you and 20 of your friends to enjoy at Webster s Liberty Lodge at Finn Park.

3 Jeff Darling This is our second year of monthly trail maintenance days. FWT members gather on the first Saturday of every month, May through November, to collectively improve the trail system in Webster. If you have been on the trails in or around Whiting Road Nature Preserve (WRNP) this fall, you ve seen the work that our members have done over the past year. Here is a summary of their work. May: Six yards of gravel was spread on the WRNP blue trail in an effort to raise the trail out of the mud. Gravel was spread further North and West from the Park- The Friends of Webster Trails newsletter is published semi-annually in Spring and Fall. Submissions Editor: Rick Taddeo Design Editor: Sylvia Klassen Send submissions, questions and corrections to: rtaddeo@rochester.rr.com or Rick Taddeo 1498 Chigwell Lane Webster, NY Fall 2008 Page 3 Monthly Trail Maintenance Days ing via wheelbarrow brigade and Rich Morrill s garden tractor. June: Eight more yards of gravel were spread and culverts were installed on the WRNP yellow trail. Work was also done to clear overhanging limbs and brush on the Hojack Trail, between Holt Road and VanAlstyne Road. July: Black Swallowort, an aggressive and invasive plant, was mechanically taken out on sections of the WRNP white trail, red trail, and orange trail. August: Woody plants and shrubs were Hal and crew build boardwalk on connection trail from WRNP to Webster Park removed to preserve the meadow habitat in the WRNP south field. September: The eastern spur of the WRNP orange trail was improved by regarding a sloped section of trail and spreading gravel to improve the footing and dry a perennial wet area. October: Thirty-seven volunteers (our biggest turnout ever!) worked to install a new bridge, clear brush, move downed logs, and mark the new connecting trail from Whiting Road into Webster Park. November: The white trail to the east of Pellett Road was improved. Switchbacks were installed to improve the grade and traction of this trail. I would like to thank the regular volunteers that make the trail system in Webster so enjoyable for us all. If you can work a shovel, rake, loppers or a wheelbarrow, we can use your help. If you are interested in helping out please mark your calendar for Saturday May 2, This will kick off next year s FWT trail maintenance days. FWT Board of Directors Hal Harris President (open) Vice President Karen Mischler Secretary Bob Guenther Treasurer Jeff Darling Trails Chair Dennis Kuhn Membership Don Baird Town Liaison Rick Taddeo Communications Ted Elstrom Member-at-Large Sharon Galbraith Member-at-Large Sue Stonewell Member-at-Large Rich Morrill Past President

4 Page 4 Fall 2008 President s Message, cont d from page 1 trails, a short walk in from the new Whiting Road entrance. Trail maintenance and improvement has been the focus in Whiting Road Nature Preserve (WRNP). Also in the WRNP, there has been a fairly successful effort to control invasive plants in the South Field and to reduce the spread of Black Swallow Wart from several hot spots on the trails. Articles in this newsletter will bring you up to date on several of these projects. I should mention that we have not forgotten about the missing section of the Hojack trail between North Avenue and the current terminus west of Holt Road. Unfortunately, the Town and Village have not yet been able to resolve an easement with RG&E. I am assured that our leaders value this rail-to-trail initiative and will continue to work toward a favorable resolution for this important connection. Our monthly guided hikes, the third Sunday of each month at 2:00, have been increasingly well attended, particularly for the Gosnell Big Woods (for October 19, we had 49). Not only do these hikes introduce people to new trails in a comfortable environment, the leaders provide interesting background information and nature interpretation. Thank you to the folks who have shared their time and enthusiasm by leading or assisting with these outings. At our October Board meeting, we discussed and then adopted a proposal made by the Gosnell Property Planning Committee (the citizens advisory and planning group for the Gosnell Big Woods). They proposed that we form a Habitat Preservation Committee in FWT to guide habitat preservation activities such as: assessment, maintenance, funding and education. This committee will consider all of the towns open space lands and operate similar to our Trails Committee which is an advisor to and volunteer arm of the Parks and Recreation Department. We noted that this committee would improve the planning and provide focus on this element of our mission: FWT advocates for the preservation of the natural character of Webster s open space lands. Norma Platt has volunteered to get the committee organized. If you have an interest in this area and would like to participate, please contact Norma or Board member Sharon Gailbraith. In response to your suggestions, we have revised the membership renewal process. We hope that these changes (page 6) will simplify renewal for both you and us. I would like to thank a few additional folks: The Parks and Recreation crew that repaired the split rail fences at both Gosnell and Whiting preserves; The Town Highway Dept. for constructing the attractive new causeway access to Webster Park from Whiting Road; Lowes for providing materials for many projects at a deep discount; The Scouts, sports teams and students for their community service projects; The United Church of Christ and the Masonic Lodge for naming FWT as the beneficiary of very successful fund-raisers. As our open space lands and the trail system have expanded, more of you have participated in work parties and our other activities. However, there remain a lot of additional opportunities where we just don t have the knowledge, skills, energy or ideas. I have urged the committee chairs to encourage more of you to get involved. As we start planning our activities for next year, we need much more than strong backs. For instance, projects might involve communication, real estate, legal or graphic arts skills. If you would like to get more involved, contact a committee chair or other Board member. Your suggestions and support are always appreciated. See you on the trails.

5 Norma Platt Members of the Friends of Webster Trails and the cross country team from Webster Thomas High School worked together to remove woody invasive alien plants from a meadow in the Whiting Road Nature Preserve (WRNP) in the town of Webster. Woody plants had been encroaching in the open area or meadow at the southern edge WRNP. Left unchecked, these woody plants would have filled in the open field area. Grassy habitats like this meadow are diminishing in today s world. Besides being pleasing to the eye, the meadows provide homes to unique bird, butterfly and flower species. This particular field is home to plentiful common milkweed and butterfly weed, both of Rich Morrill Our trail systems continue to benefit greatly from the results of Boy Scout Eagle projects. Members of the Friends of Webster Trails who work with these scouts to identify projects, approve their plans, and assist in construction have nothing but complements and praise on the performance of these young men. The bridges, boardwalks, stairs, kiosks, benches, etc. are very important to the completion of the trails. During the past four years the trails have benefited from the completion of ten Eagle Projects and we presently have two more Fall 2008 Page 5 Meadow Remediation in WRNP which provide nectar and larval food for Monarch Butterflies. The woody plants targeted for removal were ailanthus and bush honeysuckle, both of which are alien invasive species. These plants were introduced to North America from Asia. In this new environment there are no mechanisms for their control: they grow rapidly, make many seeds and even produce poisons underground to kill other plants. The volunteers worked in teams. Tasks within a team consisted of sawing/lopping off the woody plants and identifying the stubs to another member who would carefully paint the exposed cut surface with brush killer. Other members would drag the cut materials off to the Boy Scout Eagle Projects in progress. Two of the completed projects were done this summer since our last newsletter was published. Brian Charland of Troop #262 completed his project on Labor Day weekend. This is a 16 foot long bridge and 32 feet of boardwalk. This project in Vosburg Hollow now completes a trail connection from the Big Field Trail in the Gosnell Big Woods Preserve to Shipbuilders Creek in Vosburg Hollow. From that point hikers can walk up the stairs (a previous Eagle Project) to the parking lot in the Vosburg Hol- Eagle Scouts, continued on page 6 edge of the field to make brush piles which are good protective places for small animals. Don Baird organized the activity. Jim Brunswick, coach of the cross-country team, remarked that this is a good way to give back to the community. Norma Platt consulted on species identification and removal strategies. Now, thanks to the efforts of concerned volunteers, the meadow in the south field of the Whiting Road Nature Preserve will continue to exist. The day of the work party, there were numerous Monarch Butterflies flying in the field and nectaring on abundant milkweed flowers. Brian Charland on new bridge at Vosburg Hollow

6 Page 6 Fall 2008 Dennis Kuhn In the spring newsletter I had the opportunity to report a significant increase in FWT memberships. I indicated that there had been a steady increase in the number of families and individuals who became members and supported the development of a trail system in many of the open space properties throughout Webster. Renewals were due in May. Unfortunately a large number of members did not renew at this time. As a result there was a significant decline in total memberships. Fortunately about half of the members responded to a reminder and the number of memberships was partially reestablished. We currently have 117 memberships. The Board of Directors discussed this problem at great length and a number of suggestions were made to help with the Eagle Scouts, continued from page 5 low Nature Preserve or up to the Hojack Trail. This is an important link in Webster s connecting trail system. The second Eagle Project completed this summer was that by Chris Tytler of Troop #110. He built a large kiosk near the Gosnell Big Woods Preserve parking lot and a bench at the end of the Overlook Trail. As his high school senior community service project he will be building a somewhat smaller kiosk this fall at the junction of the Big Field Membership problem. Some of the changes forthcoming are as follows: 1. New memberships will be effective for one year from the date a member joined. Current memberships will continue to use May as the anniversary date. 2. Members will have an opportunity to join FWT for multiple years. 3. The newsletter will continue to include a reminder to renew and will have the membership expiration date on the mailing label. 4. A computer generated reminder will be sent to all members who have an address. The Friends of Webster Trails greatly appreciates your support as we continue to develop and maintain a trail system for your recreational enjoyment. and Big Woods Trails. The two kiosks will contain information concerning the habitats of the Gosnell Big Woods Preserve, the contribution of the Gosnells, a trail map and positive language regarding the hoped for use of the preserve. Alan Beadle of Troop #113 and Ryan Polk of Troop #474 are both working on their Eagle Projects now. Alan is building a trail on the former Koza property. This will be a loop trail off the north side of the Hojack Trail about 450 yards east of Drumm Treasurer s Report Bob Guenther, Treasurer Currently, the Friends of Webster Trails is in excellent financial condition. We ve had a good year. New members, generous donations and proceeds from two special events have added significant funds to the treasury. As of October 2008 our bank balance is $5735. In July we received $608 from the United Church of Christ sponsored concert. In October the Webster Masons prepared a fine spaghetti dinner and donated all the money after expenses to FWT. This added $1161 to our treasury. A New York State grant provided funds to install a large culvert on Whiting Rd. needed to connect the WRNP to Webster Park. The trails are in good condition thanks to the efforts of many volunteers and groups. We are very grateful for the monetary support and volunteer efforts of the many who contribute to the maintenance and improvement of our trail system. Road, and will be known as the John Ungar Nature Trail. Ryan is building a bird sanctuary on the Bird Sanctuary Trail, which follows the shape of an arc from Orchard Street to route 250, with access from North Ponds Park. Ryan has completed design plans for an informational kiosk, birdhouses, and two benches.

7 Dennis Kuhn and Karen Mischler The spaghetti dinner hosted by the Masonic Lodge was a great success thanks to all who came to enjoy the dinner and support the Friends of Webster Trails. In fact, it was a record crowd with more than 200 dinners served. The dinner raised more than a thousand dollars for FWT which will be used to help maintain and develop the comprehensive trail system throughout Webster including the Hale Property, the Gosnell Nature Preserve, the Big Woods and other properties are being studied for future development. Thanks to the many FWT volunteers that helped make the event successful, taking the record crowd in stride and never missing a beat. Dawn and Ted Rick Taddeo Not long after we moved to Webster about two years ago, my wife and I joined the Friends of Webster Trails attended its annual meeting. We were impressed, Fall 2008 Page 7 Spaghetti Dinner Ellstrom were the perfect host and hostess while Bob and Jane Guenther expertly handled the cash box. Ursula Kuhn and Nancy Gillette diligently prepared the fancy ice cream desserts. The dinners were served up by Don and Jan Baird, Jeff Darling, Hal Harris, Karen Mischler, Sue Stonewell, Polly Ashley, Rick and Kathy Taddeo, Eric Brown, Sharon Galbraith, and John Rider. KP duty (kitchen patrol folks need to know how to swing A Newbie Gets His Feet Wet and this led to me attending a board meeting (they are open to the public). Rich Morrill asked if I d be interested in joining the board. This led, in quick succession, to my dipping my toes in a stream of FWT activities. So far it has been fun and I haven t drowned. First I helped out at the ADK Expo in Mendon Ponds Park. Various outdoor groups set up tents to advertise and recruit. Early in morning Dennis Kuhn and Ted Ellstrom set up the FWT tent, and with a bit of help from Sharon Galbraith and me, we Full house enjoy spaghetti dinner around a mop) included Bob Franz, Craig and Sharon Pratt and Dennis Kuhn. The Friends of Webster Trails would like to extend a special thanks to Nick Haldoupis and his skilled team of Masons, as none of this could happen without their expert culinary skills. It was a great day for the Masonic Lodge and the Friends of Webster Trails. greeted folks of all ages and experience. One of the highlights was watching (and hearing) Dennis demonstrate to kids the vigorous use of a whistle as a safety tool in the event of getting lost or injured. He would send the kid off quite a distance and then blast away. I m not sure who was having the most fun, Dennis, the kids or their parents. Though the day turned rainy it didn t dampen our spirits. Next came the Webster Village Days. Again Dennis and the tent, this time smack dab in Dennis still smiling after night of washing dishes Wet Feet, cont d on page 8

8 Page 8 Wet Feet, cont d from page 7 the middle of Main St. near the bike shop. When I arrived, Don Baird was helping to meet and greet the endless parade of folks enjoying a beautiful summer day. Everyone from the town supervisor to county legislator to old friends and strangers stopped by. It was clear to me that as Webster has grown so has the opportunity for spreading the word about our expanding and improving trail system. Many showed keen interest and wanted to know where the trails were and how to get to them. The last special occasion I volunteered for was the annual FWT Spaghetti Dinner hosted by the Masons at their lodge on Fall 2008 Orchard St. As mentioned on page 7, it was a huge success. In addition to the many members who volunteered to set up, serve, clean up and clear up, special praise has to go to the selfless Masons who put in hours and hours of hard, hot work preparing, cooking and dishing out this meal. Of course, this first year also included my going on a couple of the guided hikes and participating in a couple trail work days. From the former I learned that if you re going to lead a hike, it helps to know something about the history and flora of the trail and to be comfortable talking to groups. From the latter I learned that one can expect a healthy workout. All part of learning the ropes. A note to any members who are hesitant to become actively involved. You do not have to be an engineer or forester to contribute to FWT. You do not have to be an olympic athlete to hike the various trails. You do not have to be young and fit to participate in FWT activities. You simply have to enjoy the outdoors. Each of us has particular interests and skills, and many of them can be use to a group dedicated to developing and preserving green space. So consider dipping a toe in the water. Friends of Webster Trails Webster Community Center 985 Ebner Drive Webster, NY Check your label for renewal date! F