Eagle Scout Project Benefits Wildlands' Great Neck Conservation Area

By Amy Markarian, Senior Copywriter

Local Eagle Scout Ethan Nardone and his team of volunteers, along with the Southeastern Massachusetts and Cape Cod chapters of the New England Mountain Bike Association (NEMBA) installed an impressive 240 feet of bog boards at Great Neck Preserve, in Wareham this month! This 24-inch wide wooden “bridge” is designed to accommodate both hiking and mountain biking. It allows trail users to avoid mud and standing water, and limits the impact of pedestrian and bike traffic on the trail and surrounding environment.

Nardone planned the workday for his Eagle Scout Service Project, recruiting volunteers and fundraising for the project. NEMBA’s generous contributions provided both financial and physical support. In coordination with Wildlands’ Director of Stewardship, Erik Boyer, Nardone’s friends and family, biking team members from a local school, members of both NEMBA chapters, and Wildlands staff and volunteers spent the day carrying lumber and tools onto the trail, then assembling the bog boards on site.  

The new bog boards are a fantastic addition to the trail at Great Neck Preserve, and Wildlands is grateful to benefit from this outstanding collaboration!

Photo credit: SEMass NEMBA Chapter President, Tommy Walker