Local towns and organizations band together to improve the Indian Head River trail system.
Hiker Preparedness Guide
By Outreach and Education Manager Rachel Calderara
Here at Wildlands Trust, we lead many hikes throughout Southeastern Massachusetts. With our second OkTRAILberfest on the horizon offering hikes of up to 11 miles, we want to share our guide for hiker preparedness with you!
Hiking is a great way to engage with nature - the best way in this writer's opinion. It is good for the mind and body, and helps build a sense of adventure and independence. But, the activity does come with some inherent risks like dehydration, injury, and exposure. Being prepared with suitable clothing and gear is the best way to keep yourself safe so enjoy your time on the trail.
Must Haves:
Appropriate Footwear. Not only is it important to take care of your feet to keep them from hurting, but it's important to support your foundation! If you're going to be hiking through strenuous terrain with steep inclines or rocky areas, we definitely recommend sturdy boots with good ankle support. Sneakers are okay for flat, short hikes. For guided hikes with Wildlands Trust, we require at least sneakers and prefer boots, and never accept flip flops!
Water. Have you ever felt a headache coming on while hiking? You're probably experiencing the first signs of dehydration. Dehydration can lead to disorientation, nausea, dizziness, heat stroke, and/or hypothermia. Departing for your hike without carrying water is just a bad idea. We recommend carrying more than you think you'll need - plus, the extra weight in your pack will give you a better workout!
Food. Keeping your energy level high is important for an enjoyable hike. Trail snacks with protein, sugar, and salt are great ways to keep your energy and electrolytes up! On especially hot days, drinking water isn't enough and you'll need to add some salt and sugar to your diet to avoid dehydration - of course, don't overdo it!
Rain Shell. We find that people are reluctant to carry a rain shell or poncho, but it can save you from hypothermia and is a small, light-weight item in your pack. The weather in New England is unpredictable, and it rains all year long. Keeping yourself and your clothes dry in a surprise rain storm is essential for your well being.
Sun Protection. The importance of clothing or sunscreen that will keep your skin protected from UV rays can never be understated.
First Aid Kit. A well-stocked first aid kit should live in your pack, always ready when you need it. If you're going on a guided hike with Wildlands Trust, your leader will have a kit as well!
We Recommend:
Long Pants. Even in the heat of summer, lightweight pants can help protect you from ticks, poison ivy, scrapes and scratches, mosquitoes, and the sun!
Hats/Sunglasses. Speaking of sun protection, keeping your face shaded and retinas protected form UV rays will help you stay cool and remain healthy in the long run.
Insect Repellent. New England has one of the highest rates of Lyme Disease and other tick-borne illnesses. Repellent can help make you hard to detect by ticks, mosquito, and other biting insects.
Flashlight. Getting lost can happen, even to the most experienced hikers. If you find yourself out past dark by accident, a flashlight is a useful tool and lightweight in the pack.
Navigation: maps, compass, and/or GPS. Trail maps for Wildlands Trust properties are available on our website for free. We don't recommend heading down a trail without a map!
Matches. Lighters can die, but matches kept in a waterproof case will go the distance. Keep a small container of strike-anywhere matches in your pack if you need to light a fire in a pinch.
Shelter. Carrying an emergency blanket, which folds up to about the size of a smart phone, can keep you warm in situations of unplanned overnight excursions or hypothermia.
Our goal at Wildlands Trust is to get your outside and enjoying nature, and to keep you safe while doing so. Please know that if you show up unprepared for a guided hike, you may be turned away for your own safety and the safety of the group.
For more information on how to be prepared, we recommend checking out REI's day hiking checklist and/or ten essentials list. Stay safe, and we'll see you on the trails!
Canvassing Increases Awareness, Participation for GGCP
Wildlands Trust hits the streets of Brockton to promote Greening the Gateway Cities
Tommy Blanchard and Conor Michaud with a recently planted tree at Brockton City Hall
Spring has launched the new planting season for the Massachusetts Greening the Gateway Cities Program (GGCP) and in Brockton, it’s off to a great start. As of April 27, 611 trees have been planted throughout the city, 179 on public land and 432 on private, putting the program on track to reach its overall goal of planting 2,400 trees within three years. Success will increase canopy cover by 5-10 percent and reduce heating and cooling use and costs for households throughout the planting zone.
Responsible for supporting the program's outreach initiatives, Wildlands’ Community Stewardship Program Coordinator, Conor Michaud, and AmeriCorps member, Tommy Blanchard, have met with community members throughout the planting zone and have received overall positive responses from residents. Many who utilize the program report they first heard of GGCP from a canvasser.
Conor and Tommy will be kicking off their first tabling event of the season at the Plant and Seed Swap at the Frederick Douglass Community Garden on Sunday, May 6, from 12:30–3 p.m. To learn more about the Greening the Gateway Cities Program, stop by their table or visit our website at wildlandstrust.org/greening-the-gateway-cities.
It's Tree Planting Season!
By Tommy Blanchard, TerraCorps Land Stewardship Coordinator
The City of Brockton has been selected to receive 2,400 free trees to be planted for environmental health and energy efficiency as a part of the Greening the Gateway Cities Program (GGCP), and we here at Wildlands are gearing up for the spring planting season! Planting trees in urban areas has many beneficial effects, from lowering energy usage and costs, to decreasing noise pollution, to improving air and water quality and reducing pollution, and much more – thanks, Science! So far, around 500 trees have been planted through this program, and the GGCP aims to plant all 2,400 trees in the identified area (below) before the end of 2019. In order to meet this goal, we must plant about 1,000 more this year and another 1,000 in 2019. We need your help to make this happen! Please share this with anyone you know who lives in the area of Brockton shown below. We have lots of trees that need loving homes!
Tree Planting Area
Greening the Gateway Cities, Brockton, MA
“We have over 40 different species of trees that the homeowner gets to choose from,” says DCR's Community and Urban Forester Matt Dyer. “The trees are free. The labor is free. This is truly a free program. We just ask that the residents water the trees after we plant them so the trees will survive.”
To request your free trees, call 617-626-1503 and leave your name, address, and phone number. For more information, visit wildlandstrust.org/greening-the-gateway-cities.
In addition, we are looking for GGCP volunteers! If you are looking to help a great cause and engage with members of a diverse and vibrant community, please email Tommy Blanchard at tblanchard@wildlandstrust.org to inquire about open volunteer positions, and learn more at wildlandstrust.org/volunteer-with-ggc.
And don’t forget to like/follow our Facebook and Instagram pages to keep up with the latest GGCP news!
Facebook: facebook.com/GGCBrockton/
Instagram: instagram.com/ggcbrockton/
Trees are planted on public and private lands at absolutely no cost. Volunteers help plant this tree in a Brockton park!
The Greening the Gateway Cities Program is a state funded initiative to plant trees in urban neighborhoods throughout the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Greening the Gateway Cities in Brockton is executed in collaboration with the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation.
Memorial Gifts to Give Great River Preserve a Face Lift
A long fought battle with cancer did not stop Mark Kaetzer from visiting the Great River Preserve nearly every week for two years with his wife, Judy. “It was what we looked forward to,” said Judy. “We would walk out to the same bench and just enjoy the peace and quiet.” When Mark passed away in August, Judy contacted Wildlands Trust and said that she wanted Mark’s memorial gifts - donated by their friends, family, and co-workers - to fund a face lift at the entrance to the preserve. Judy’s vision was for a new gate and fencing, a handicapped parking spot, plantings, and signage. As Mark’s illness progressed and his mobility declined, Judy became aware of the need for better handicap accommodations at the entrance to the preserve and this gift will go a long way toward helping mobility challenged people access the Taunton River. Wildlands will be hosting a volunteer workday next spring to complete this project. Thank you, Judy, for this really thoughtful gift!
