Eagle project enhances three ALT preserves
Eagle candidate Felicity Norlin of Troop 1846 recently completed an Eagle project that involved construction of bulletin boards at the trail entrances for three Attleboro Land Trust nature preserves. Felicity is shown in the center of the above photograph surrounded by her volunteer crew of Scouts, adult leaders, family, and friends, at the entrance to the Joseph and Margaret O’Donnell Nature Preserve.
A second bulletin board, shown above, was installed at Vaughan Memorial Forest. The third bulletin board was installed at the Colman Reservation.
Bulletin boards have been on the land trust wishlist for a while and we thank Felicity and her crew for fulfilling this need.
A spot of mid-winter color
Even in the middle of winter, an observant hiker can be rewarded with a spot of color while walking on one of the Attleboro Land Trust’s nature preserves. This is British Soldier lichen, Cladonia cristatella, photographed in February, 2007, at the Nickerson Walking Woods Preserve. The species gets its name because of the red caps that are a reminder of the red coats worn by British soldiers at the time of the American Revolution.
Like many lichen, this lichen is actually a combination of fungus and algae living in a symbiotic relationship. The fungus provides structure for the algae, while the algae turns sunlight into food which is shared with the fungus. The red caps contain reproductive spores.
North Attleboro’s Rural Landscape…Viewed from All Angles
On November 14, a group of more than 20 hikers met at the Chorney Property on Ellis Road to enjoy a rural landscape that has so far avoided development, despite being close to population centers. The hike was organized by the North Attleboro Land Trust Steering Committee (NALTSC), a group of citizens who want to help ensure the preservation of such landscapes.
Hikers crossed a bridge over the Seven Mile River.
Guide Gary Krofta led hikers to a spot populated by beech trees, which retain their leaves all winter.
Hikers headed north on Ellis Road, past working farms like this one.
Guide Jill Miller explained various state programs that provide economic help to farmers who want to preserve their land.
Approaching the historic Angle Tree Stone.
Getting closer.
The Angle Tree Stone is protected by bullet-proof glass. (This photo by Scspaeth https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Angle_Tree_Stone_2016.jpg. All other photos by C. Adler.)
Guide Ann Chapdelaine describes some of the history surrounding the Angle Tree Stone.
Hike to Angle Tree Stone
The North Attleboro Land Trust Steering Committee invites you to join them on a guided hike of the Chorney Property and nearby Angle Tree Stone on Sunday, November 14th at 2pm.
The Chorney Property is town land managed by the North Attleboro Conservation Commission.
The Angle Tree Stone is a nine-foot slate monument made in 1790 by a father and son team that manufactured gravestone markers. It replaced an actual tree that had long been used as a boundary marker between the Massachusetts Bay and Plymouth colonies. Today, the Angle Tree Stone marks the border between North Attleborough and Plainville, as well as the boundary between Bristol and Norfolk counties.
Hikers will meet at the parking lot for the Chorney Property, on Ellis Road across from the intersection with Metcalf Road. The hike will first walk the Chorney trails, through three open fields and over a boardwalk which crosses the Seven Mile River. Hikers will then walk 1.3 miles, via Ellis Road, High Street, a side road, and a path, to the Angle Tree Stone monument. After viewing the monument, hikers will return by the same route to the Chorney parking lot. The total length of the hike will be 4 miles.
Participants under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. The rain date is November 21. Any cancellations will be posted on the Attleboro Land Trust website: attleborolandtrust.org
Questions, please contact Susan Taylor at susan@susantaylorconsulting.com or 774-251-4616.
Here is a map of the hike area: Angle Tree Hike – Map
News About Your Land Trust and More
Click below to read our monthly electronic newsletter, intended for distribution over social media, that includes news of what is happening at our conservation properties, as well as general conservation topics. There are also articles on Attleboro history, with a focus on the Barrows Farm (now the Richardson Preserve) and what seasonal tasks the Barrows family might have been working on as they derived their living from this land 300 years ago. News of the Attleboro Community Garden is also a regular feature.
This publication is being produced by the Education and Outreach Committee of the Attleboro Land Trust, local volunteers, and some of the classes at Attleboro High School.
Contact us if you would like to subscribe to the email version of this newsletter.