Being Present

You may have noticed a few more people outside enjoying Weston’s Conservation Land and Trails over the past year. Getting outside into the fresh air of spring, summer, autumn, and winter was a silver lining of the pandemic and a boon for Weston as many people were introduced for the first time to the treasure that is the 2,000 acres of open space in town. Many also ventured out in the winter to enjoy cross-country skiing and snowshoeing in fresh snow.

Exploring nature brings a sense of peace and connectivity. It uses the senses that get dulled from screen use. It’s calming. Every part of the day and many types of weather deliver a special time -- be it early in the morning, late in the afternoon, in the full moon, during a light rain, or after some freshly fallen snow.

This issue is dedicated to the enjoyment and the care of our great outdoors so it can be shared with generations to come.

Weston Walks

Weston Forest and Trail Association (WFTA) invites you to join a guided walk through Nolte Forest, on Sunday, April 4th at 2 pm. You'll explore some of the 53 acres of wetlands and forests that made up a summer estate for a Boston family--you can even see remnants of the former bungalow.

All ages are welcome, as are well behaved dogs on leash. Walkers need not be WFTA members, but we encourage you to consider joining as dues support the maintenance of Weston's trails and open spaces. Because of the COVID-19 gathering restrictions, the walk needs to be capped at 40 people and masks will be required. Please register in advance using this form. Check WestonForestTrail.org for any last minute changes. Park at the trailhead on Audubon Road. If you should miss this one, the next guided walk focuses on the Gardens of Weston and will be on May 2.

Trail Etiquette with Dogs, Bikes,
and Horses

Did you know there are rules to shared-use trails? It’s referred to as trail etiquette and it is a set of common-sense guidelines all trail users should follow for everyone’s peaceful enjoyment:

Keep your eyes and ears open
Bicyclists yield to walkers, and everyone yields to horses
Please don't be a litter bug. Trash barrels are not provided at most conservation sites because of the “Carry In Carry Out” policy that is a foundation for all forests and trails. If you bring it in, you need to take it with you – and this includes dog waste
Dogs must be leashed when entering and exiting conservation trails
Do not ride, cycle, or tread on wet or muddy trails; this causes erosion and destroys sensitive flora
When you are walking a dog and you see persons, dogs, or horses approaching, call your dog to your side and keep it under control until the persons, dogs, or horses pass. Dogs should never approach another trail user unless permission is given
Dog waste must be picked up and disposed of at home. It is an environmental and health hazard and must never be left on the trail or in the woods
Do not allow your dog to chase wildlife

Muddy Trails and Bikes Do Not Mix

Spring weather brings wet and muddy trails and despite the excitement of warmer temperatures, trail bikers need to be a patient a little while longer. If you are exploring our beautiful Conservation Land on a bike, please help protect the trails and turn around if you come upon a wet area.

Muddy rails are vulnerable and bikes can cause damaging ruts and erosion, harms our wetlands and vegetation, and can leave the trail unsafe for others. Unfortunately, some trails have not yet recovered from misuse last year and there are signs indicating closed trails along our most sensitive wetlands. Bicycle riders should conform to the rules of the New England Mountain Bike Association, which offers the following recommendations:

Ride only on existing trails, don’t make new ones
Respect private property
Never ride when and where you will leave ruts, i.e. wet/muddy trails
Carry your bike through streams
Be careful not to widen trails by riding over vegetation alongside the trail
Don’t skid, don’t brake slide — this can degrade hills by forming gullies that water funnels down, and can create ruts in sensitive trails
Hikers and horseback riders have the right of way, so slow down, stop or pull to the side of the trail when encountering horses or persons on foot

painted turtles sunning on a log in a pond

Baby Birds are Hatching

Have you been listening to the birds chattering outside and ever wonder what you’re hearing? Have you ever found a bird’s nest you couldn’t identify? If you’re curious to learn more, check out the Cornell University Lab of Ornithology “Lab of O” website, All About Birds and particularly their Bird Academy.

In March, a webinar was held to offer tips and tricks for identifying common backyard nests and eggs. The video shares how to safely monitor nests and baby birds and reveal features of a good birdhouse. And a bonus - discover how you can turn your observations of nesting birds into scientific data with NestWatch.

Pupping Season

It’s not a well-kept secret that Weston has a healthy coyote population but this doesn’t mean you need to be fearful when out exploring the woods. Rather, it’s an opportunity to learn about these amazing song dogs.

We’re just now heading out of breeding season, when coyotes tend to be more vocal and we’re heading into pupping season, which is when the coyote pups are born. Nursing mothers are brought food by other members of the pack and the pack is protective of the dens. From late spring through early summer, coyote pups start to leave their dens to explore and learn to hunt. Adult coyotes will watch over the pups and dens to protect them from danger. During this phase of life, coyotes are known to "shadow" people and animals who walk through their territory. This is not to be taken as threatening behavior since coyotes are naturally afraid of people. The coyote is ensuring predators stay away from their young and intruders stay at a distance. If you happen to see a coyote shadowing you, make sure your pet is leashed and continue out of the area. To learn more about coyote behavior, visit Weston.org/Wildlife.

Wildlife Sightings at Home

Most people do not consider technology beyond binoculars when they hope to observe wildlife. However, game cameras are a great way to voyeur in your own backyard. Lots of wildlife can be especially active at night while you are cozy in bed. And you may finally answer the question “Who’s enjoying my garden before I can harvest those homegrown veggies?”

Keep an Eye Out for Amphibians

Big Night is a term often used to describe the annual ritual of certain frogs and salamanders when they migrate from their upland overwintering habitat towards their spring breeding ground. This is a great opportunity to view spotted salamanders, wood frogs, spring peepers, and other amphibians heading toward a vernal pool. Exactly when Big Night will occur is difficult to predict (it’s nature after all) but it generally happens on the first few raining nights in March and early April when the temperature is above 40 degrees.

So when it's a raining evening, it is time to be mindful of amphibians as they emerge and travel, often crossing roads.

Turtle Crossings

submitted by Charles Hamlin, Weston Wayland Rotary

Is there a place near your home or business where turtles nest? Do they cross a road to nest or to find a mate? Too many turtles are lost, not only because of road crossings, but because of development near ponds and lakes; eliminating their nesting areas. Turtles need sandy soil in full sun to lay their eggs. Developments sometimes leave no place for turtle nesting.

A member of the Weston Wayland Rotary Club is hoping to map some of these areas for the Town of Weston, so that we can preserve habitat for the next generations. If you know of a place where turtles are crossing, please contact Charles Hamlin at charlie1288@gmail.com.

The Peepers are Here

Do you hear that chorus of quacking coming from the woods? Those are spring peepers, a true harbinger of spring. All of the wetlands in Weston allows us to enjoy this magical, musical performance on spring evenings.

Learn more about the chorus frog from the National Wildlife Federation.

Calling All Dog Lovers

Do you love walking trails? Engaging with others? Have a passion for the environment? Are tired of seeing - or worse yet, stepping in - dog poop on the trails? Help us keep Weston’s trails and open spaces enjoyable for everyone by becoming a Bark Ranger! We need volunteers to assist Conservation staff and the Animal Control Officer in spreading awareness of the Town’s rules and regulations for dogs and dog walkers.

If you want to make a difference in your community, visit Westonma.gov/BarkRanger to find out more and complete a simple, online application.

Introducing the Dog Log

Weston dog owners and commercial dog walkers know and respect the rules regarding dogs in public spaces, which are detailed in Weston's Dog By-law. This by-law represents the shared wisdom of the community. It is a social compact that enables all users to safely and confidently share our common land, and protects our treasured open space.

To help ensure that we are maintaining a good balance of enjoyment and safety on our conservation lands, please share your dog experiences on Weston’s online Dog Log at WestonMA.gov/DogLog. Submissions are monitored by our Animal Control Officer and the Conservation Commission. The purpose of the Dog Log is simply to record user experiences on the trails – good, bad or neutral.

To Leash or Not to Leash

Dog are required to be on leash all the time on all of the Case Estates, including the Legacy Trail, the connector paths, and the abutting conservation land. Dogs must also be leashed all of the time on the Mass Central Rail Trail.

Currently (and only temporarily), dogs must be kept on leash from 10 am until dusk on all other conservation land and trails but when that temporary order lifts, dogs can be walked off-leash where allowed.

Off-leash walking does not mean dogs can roam free in the woods. Off-leash dogs must remain in sight of the dog walker and must be under voice control, meaning they come immediately when called. Dogs should never approach another trail user or dog unless permission is given. If your dog does not come to you immediately when called – especially when another person, bicycle, dog or wild animal is spotted - then off-leash walking is not yet for you. You will need to find additional training for you and your dog as a matter of safety for you, your dog and the other trail users. No matter how friendly your dog is, you do not know how the other dog or person will react.

Wetlands - Did you know…

Wetlands reduce flooding, provide wildlife habitat, recharge aquifers and cleanse water supplies. To do their job, humans should not ‘clean them up’ as wildlife thrives in areas with brush piles, rotting logs and other untidy things
Wetlands can be wet, wooded and/or meadow-like
Wetlands on both public and private land are regulated
Many activities in or near wetlands require a permit including:
- cutting of trees or shrubs,
- disposing of landscaping debris,
- grading, excavation, filling or reinstalling lawns,
- building structures, and
- changing drainage

Homeowners are responsible for all activities on their property. Before initiating any work near wetlands, reach out to Conservation staff at 781 786 5060 or Conservation@WestonMA.gov to see how the wetland regulations apply to your project.

Flagged piles of dog waste along a stream bank.

Clean Trails, Clean Water

submitted by Julia Barlow, Girl Scout Gold Award Project

I’m a sophomore at Weston High School and I've always loved walking on the trails of Weston. I decided to work on my Girl Scout Gold Award project and the goal is to keep Weston hiking trails clean from dog waste and trash, as this and harmful bacteria from it gets into our water.

I decided to bring awareness to trash and dog waste at Cat Rock as a part of my project. Part of my team and I hiked the trails and temporarily flagged all the dog waste we could see. In the end this was around 100 flags, we ran out at the end. Hopefully this will encourage hikers to pick up after their dogs and any trash they see. I'm really hoping that my project will bring awareness to this issue and educate those on the importance of picking up trash and after their dog. I also have an online survey about the Weston trails, I hope you will take.

Stop with the Dog Poop!

If you read this far, you’ve probably noticed a lot of talk about picking up dog waste. The thing about dog waste is that it is really, really harmful to our environment. Dog waste harms our natural waterways. The decomposing dog waste contains harmful pathogens that runoff into nearby water sources, which then can cause harmful algae blooms in our water ways. Algae blooms make the water murky, green, smelly, and unusable for swimming, boating, or fishing. The algae blooms, as well as the pathogens, can make humans and animals sick. Last year, a section of the Charles River was closed off due to these algae blooms.

Responsible dog walkers are a part of the solution to keep our waterways and environment healthy because they pick up their dog’s waste and dispose of it in a bin.