Welcome to the FALL 2022 Edition of Conservation Connections!

Conservation Connection is an electronic newsletter published by the Weston Conservation Commission. It features news and items of interest about Weston trails, open space and natural resources.

Wild Wild West(on) – Share your Talent

Are you a shutterbug who enjoys capturing Weston’s wildlife? We welcome your submittals – whether flora or fauna – and will share your observations in upcoming Conservation Connections. Please submit your photographs to Howell.D@WestonMA.gov. We look forward to seeing what YOU have seen.

Shout Out to the Teen Trail Team

In July, during one of the heat waves, WFTA was fortunate to have volunteer trail help from three high school boys, affectionately termed the Teen Trail Team. During one week, they cleared a new trail next to the Merriam Barn at College Pond connecting the livestock paddocks to the old stone ramp, and then cut down large swaths of invasive Japanese knotweed at the Conservation Land adjacent to the Woodland School. Thanks for the help, boys!

Junior Ranger Program

The WFTA Junior Ranger program is an activity-based program designed to bring a new generation into the unparalleled beauty of Weston Conservation Land which includes over 2,000 acres of land and 100 miles of trails. As part of becoming a Junior Ranger, kids are encouraged to explore some of these very special places. Junior Rangers are typically between the ages of 4 to 11, although people of all ages can participate. If you’re 8+, give yourself an extra challenge with Ranger Plus.
Interested children complete a series of activities around the trails and open spaces, share their answers with the program director, and receive an official Junior Ranger pin and Junior Ranger certificate. WFTA appreciates all feedback about the program. You can find more info here: https://www.westonforesttrail.org/get-outside.

Stewardship Saturdays

Join the Weston Conservation Department and Weston Forest and Trail Association (WFTA) on the third Saturday of every month for stewardship and camaraderie as we work collaboratively to manage over 2,000 acres of Conservation Land and 100 miles of off-road trails. Both organizations rely on volunteers to assist with the management of these incredible resources. Participants will get an overview of the trail system, and enjoy some quality time in one of Weston’s natural gems. Stewardship Saturday projects include invasive plant management, trail construction and maintenance, boardwalk and bridge construction, trash pickup, stone wall beautification, etc.

We invite you to our next Stewardship Saturday event on October 15, and you may sign up by emailing Conservation@WestonMA.gov. Children at least 13 years of age must have parental supervision, ages 16+ do not need parents in attendance. No previous experience is necessary. We will provide all the know-how. To find out more go to: https://www.weston.org/1718/Stewardship-Saturdays. 

Speaking of volunteering and teamwork… Founder’s Day at Regis College

Shout out to the students and staff at Regis College for celebrating their Founder’s Day with us once again at Highland Forest. Together we re-routed an often wet and soggy trail to improve the ecology and still allow for human enjoyment. Students also worked hard to maintain the water bars that were installed last year. When walking in the woods, have you ever walked over a trench cut diagonally across the trail? These trenches are called ‘water bars.’ They prevent a trail from becoming a stream bed by diverting water off the path and into the woods. This was a great opportunity to increase awareness and curiosity of Weston’s Conservation Land. We look forward to next year when we continue this annual tradition.

Guided Trail Walks

WFTA leads guided trail walks each month from October to May to help Weston residents and their friends enjoy and appreciate the wonderful nature that surrounds us. Walks start at 2 pm (rain, snow, or sunshine!) and run 1–2 hours in different parts of town. Upcoming walks are listed below.

• Nov 6 - Doublet Hill. Take a challenging hike up one of the three tallest hills in Weston to view Boston’s skyline through the fall foliage. Park at the end of Doublet Hill Road. 
• Dec 4 - Sears Land and Melone Homestead. Enjoy a special holiday treat and explore remnants of the old Sears Estate. Walk over the river and through the woods leaving right from Town Green. Meet at the old watering trough on the Green and join us for a wonderful journey down memory lane. Easy. 
• Jan 1 - Cat Rock and 80 Acres. Start the New Year with a tour of Hobbs Pond and 80 Acres, one of the nicest open fields in Weston. At the end of the walk, those who are interested can take a strenuous walk to the top of Cat Rock. Easy (except for the Cat Rock climb). 

WFTA leads guided trail walks each month from October to May to help Weston residents and their friends enjoy and appreciate the wonderful nature that surrounds us. Walks start at 2 pm (rain, snow, or sunshine!) and run 1–2 hours in different parts of town. Upcoming walks are listed below.
Members, visitors, children and dogs are welcome, though dogs should be leashed and must be under control by their owners. Up-to-date information on upcoming walks can be found at: https://www.westonforesttrail.org/get-outside.

Members, visitors, children and dogs are welcome, though dogs should be leashed and must be under control by their owners. Up-to-date information on upcoming walks can be found at: https://www.westonforesttrail.org/get-outside.

Deer Hunting Season 

As part of land management to control the deer population, bow hunting has been permitted in Weston since 2014. The upcoming season begins in early October continuing the ongoing effort to protect our forest from dense deer populations and the resulting damage. The Conservation Commission issues permits to approved hunters to bow hunt from temporary and stationary tree stands that are located well off the walking trails. Each hunter is required to pass a proficiency test as well as hold a Massachusetts’s hunting license. Bow hunting ends on December 31. For more information go to: https://www.mass.gov/news/september-marks-the-start-of-fall-hunting or https://www.weston.org/512/Deer-Management-Program.
Hunters are also asked to volunteer time to help further improve our Conservation Land. One such project was further removal of invasive knotweed at the Woodside School following up on work initiated by the Teen Trail Team. About a half dozen hunters joined us recently, and made a huge difference. Other volunteer projects included: replacing damaged bluebird boxes, planting trees at Case Estates, clearing the spillway at Hobbs Pond, installing signs, and clearing trails.

Don't Dump

Many people think that because leaves, grass clippings, brush, and other yard waste are ‘natural’, it is ok to dump huge piles in the woods or wetlands. However, dumped yard waste destroys the underlying vegetation and wildlife habitat; and prohibits new trees and shrubs from growing. Leaf dumping near water bodies has resulted in flooding problems upstream. Roadside ditches, used to remove road run off, can get clogged from leaves dumped there by residents and landscapers.

Homeowners seeking to dispose of leaves and brush are encouraged to make room in their yards for a small composting bin or area. A small area can be left in a natural state and ‘managed’ as natural mulch. Alternatively, Weston residents may bring their yard waste including leaves, grass, and brush to the Transfer Station off of Church Street or the Composting Facility (Brush Dump) on Merriam Street. Residents must purchase a current permit. More information is available from the Department of Public Works (DPW) or https://www.weston.org/305/Transfer-Station-Information. 

Drain Swimming Pools Wisely

Never drain pool or hot tub water directly into a body of water. The best option is to discharge chlorinated water over landscaping using the following steps: (1) shut off the chlorination system or stop adding chlorine one week before draining pool water; (2) make sure the pH level is between 6.5 and 8.5, the normal pH range of surface and ground waters; and (3) drain pool water where it will not flow directly into a street, gutter, someone else’s property or wetland. 

Weston Invasive Plants Advisory Group (WIPAG)

Over the summer months, WIPAG members have been piloting a project to collect data on Japanese knotweed infestations in Weston, particularly on public land and rights-of-way. The data will help WIPAG better prioritize and plan for Japanese knotweed management projects and to track their efficacy over time. Japanese knotweed is one of the most difficult invasive plant species in Weston to control, due to its fast growth rate and extensive rhizomes, so knowing which infestations to prioritize is key to a successful knotweed management program. Down the road, WIPAG will invite the public to help with collecting data on Japanese knotweed – stay tuned for an invitation in a future edition of Conservation Connections.
 
WIPAG is an informal collaborative representing Town organizations, staff and volunteers concerned with the preservation of Weston’s biodiversity and natural ecosystems. Learn more about invasive plants in Weston and what to do about them on the Weston Plant Advisory Group’s website. Several case studies provide insight into how others are managing invasive species in town. If you need quick answers for how to deal with invasive species on your property, check out this spreadsheet, which spells out manual and mechanical control options for the most common and aggressive invasive species in town. 

Black Swallowwort and Monarch Butterflies

Black swallowwort is an invasive plant that the endangered monarch butterflies confuse with milkweed (their only host plant), and therefore is harmful to the monarch population. The Weston Conservation Commission is partnering with the University of Rhode Island (URI) on an experimental method for control of the invasive Black Swallowwort at the Case Estates - Hillcrest Corridor South. A team from URI released a small number of Hypena opulenta - a specialized moth native to Europe whose larvae only feed on species in the genus Vincetoxicum (swallowworts) - within a netted enclosure just off the stone dust Legacy Trail on the south side of Wellesley Street. Canada and the U.S. have received permits to release H. opulenta as a biological control agent for management of invasive Swallowworts. Experimental releases are being conducted in Ontario, Canada, and in multiple states in the U.S. (RI, MA, CT, ME, NY, MI).

Decorating? Avoid Invasive Plants

Don't decorate for the holidays with invasives! Skip the Multiflora rose and Oriental bittersweet when decorating this holiday season. Invasive plants can cause severe environmental damage, invading habitats and crowding out native plants. Bittersweet can kill even mature trees through strangling. Learn more here: https://www.mass.gov/news/avoid-decorating-with-invasive-plants.