DALTON, Mass. — The town's Open Space and Recreation Committee is chipping away at its initiative to rejuvenate the Pines Trailhead. 

 

The trailhead, located behind the Senior Center, is a hidden gem in the area that needs to be protected and more people should know about it, committee members said. 

 

"I think we all feel passionate about the environment and just having spaces like that for people to enjoy," committee member Cheryl Rose said.

 

"And, of course, getting people out in it is another way to protect it because people learn to appreciate it who maybe didn't quite see the value previously. "

 

When the Open Space and Recreation Committee was established in March 2020, following the update of the open space recreation plan, the committee decided the Pines was the most natural choice for a first project. 

 

The goal of the endeavor is to improve the community's awareness of the trailhead, improve its accessibility, and elevate the property's value as a town-owned open recreational space, 

 

During the development of the project the committee came up with a 10-year forest management plan, so they can be eligible for more grant funding. 

 

The plan is the basis that allows the committee to apply for more money so they can do more forest management projects, Rose said.

 

Included in the forest management plan is addressing the trailhead's invasive species. They include barberry and honeysuckle, which is a "huge" undertaking to resolve, Rose said. 

 

One of the biggest learning experiences this project has provided was the development of an accessibility trail, committee member Art Sanders said.

 

The committee would like to create a trail that is more accessible for older residents or those with mobility impairments. This trail would connect to the trailhead, Appalachian Trail and Senior Center, committee Chair Taylor Staubach said. 

 

The Pines already has a connection to the Appalachian Trail on High Street. 

 

The committee has been collaborating with the youth environment community organization Greenagers to apply for a Massachusetts Trails grant. 

 

The grant in the amount of $49,450 would fund the development of the accessibility trail. 

 

"One of the biggest takeaways we had from our meeting with Greenagers was that they vet and collaborate with the local high school," Staubach said.  

 

"So, not only do they use their own trail crew, but they pay and train high school students in the area. So, that's a great opportunity for [Wahconah Regional High School] students." 

 

In addition to developing the collaboration with Greenagers, the committee has also completed other tasks to improve the communities awareness of the trailhead including leading hikes through The Pines on Dalton Day and building a kiosk to house education material. 

 

The committee is also in the process of cutting a new trail because the old one residents had been using for many years belongs to Berkshire Concrete Corp., Rose said. 

 

Even prior to establishing the project some committee members participated in community cleanup days for the trail. 

 

Once the committee was established its members developed a plan for the space based on the objectives and goals set by the open space recreation plan. 

 

The objective in the updated open space recreation plan is to protect the town's  "treasured natural resources and parks and [maintain] the scenic beauty of the town."