Some Trails are Muddy - Plan Wisely

Walking on muddy trails not only cause your feet to get wet, it often causes trail and habitat damage as people try to avoid the wet spots. It is best to avoid wetland trails for the next month or until they firm up.

Why?

Wet, muddy trails are vulnerable to damage from soil compaction and erosion. Walkers widen trails when they try to avoid wet areas, which means they step on vegetation along the trail edges. This increases erosion and habitat damage. Soil compaction degrades the quality of the trail by reducing its ability to absorb water, causing increased flooding later and making it harder for vegetation to grow.

If you must be one with nature, stick to low elevations and south-facing slopes, which tend to dry out earlier in the season. But even those places can be muddy so be prepared to turn around. Traveling on durable surfaces is one of the principles of the "Leave No Trace" outdoor ethics.

Finding Young Wildlife - Leave Them Alone

With spring and summer, comes the newborn and just-hatched wildlife and every year, the lives of many young animals are endangered by people who intend to help.

Wildlife almost never needs intervention from humans, in fact, it can have the opposite result. What should you do if you find young wildlife? Leave them alone. Nearly all wild birds and mammals are protected under Massachusetts law and they may not legally be taken from the wild or kept as pets. However, an injured wild animal may be assisted, but a person must deliver the animal immediately to a licensed rehabilitator. To learn more about what is actually happening when you see young wildlife and what you should do if you encounter young wildlife, please visit the Mass Wildlife website.

Clean Up After Your Dog: and take the bag with you, too!

Weston’s rules and regulations require that you must pick up after your dog and take it with you.

Carry a bag. Actually, carry two. Just in case
Do not bury the poop under leaves or kick it off the trail
Do not assume that it is OK if it is not on the trail
Do not assume that if no one sees your dog poop, it didn't happen

Do not leave the poop bag on the side of the trail, hanging from a tree branch (yes, we've seen this), or next to the kiosk - not even temporarily. It makes people think it's OK to copy you.

Besides being gross and unsightly, poop sticks on bicycle tires and in hiking boots. It contains nutrients that pollute our streams. It can contain parasites and other nasty things that can affect other dogs. And it breaks down far more slowly than you think.

Your dog. Your poop. Take it home. Don't leave it on the trails. Thank you!

Ticks are Active!

Taking advantage of the nice weather by spending time outside? Don't forget to check for ticks. They're out and they're hungry! Read the following information from Mass. Audubon:

Types of Ticks

The two species that are the most common are the blacklegged or deer tick (image on the left) and the American dog tick (right). The come in different patterns and sizes - the nymph stage deer tick is as small as a poppy seed.

An Attack from Below

Ticks wait in vegetation and grab on to a passing leg. They climb upwards looking for a place to bite.

Ticks Make You Sick

Deer ticks can transmit Lyme disease and other pathogens. Dog ticks don't transmit Lyme disease but can spread other diseases that are less common.

Tips for Staying Safe

Avoid brushy areas and keep a tidy yard
Use insect repellant (like deep woods Off)
Wear light colors and long pants
Tuck pant cuffs into socks
Perform very thorough tick checks

Learn More

Weston's Conservation Administrator and Public Health Director are a part of the Middlesex Tick Task Force. A wealth of information on how to avoid ticks - and not the outdoors - is available on the Town's website.

Quacking Ducks or Amorous Frogs?

Don’t assume that because you hear some quacking in the woods, ducks are responsible for making the sound. Now is the season for quacking frogs in much of the country. With the first warm, thawing rain of the spring, wood frogs emerge from their winter quarters—under logs or beneath leaf litter—and migrate to their favorite woodland ponds and bogs. When a frog reaches its destination, it starts calling for mates. That’s where the quacking part comes in: a chorus of male wood frogs sounds a lot like a flock of quacking ducks. Not familiar? Listen here:

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