Weston Joins the Bay Circuit Alliance

Wanted: Volunteer Bark Rangers

Do you love walking trails? Engaging with others? Or have a passion for the environment? Help us keep Weston’s trails and open spaces enjoyable for everyone.

The Town of Weston is actively seeking volunteers to assist the Conservation and Animal Control departments in spreading awareness of the Town's rules and regulations for dogs and dog owners.

Volunteer responsibilities will include hiking our trails, engaging and educating visitors about their dog walking habits, and collecting data, all while modeling good dog walking behavior. 

Requirements

• Attend a 2-hour training on Monday, March 25th from 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. 
• Commit to monitoring at least twice per week for at least 1 hour per visit 
• Submit a data collection report after each outing
• Be willing to approach strangers and provide positive reinforcement when good dog behavior is observed 
• Provide gentle reminders and suggestions when dog owners are behaving badly
• The ideal candidate would also be interested in providing outreach information at various community events (such as Spring Fling on April 27th) and/or greeting visitors at trailheads

Want to make a difference in your community? If so, please visit www.weston.org/BarkRanger to learn more and to fill out the online volunteer application.

Walk When It’s Wet

A note from Joel Angiolillo of Weston Forest and Trail Association

Weston Forest and Trail Association (WFTA) was founded in 1955 to acquire and preserve open spaces in Weston for the enjoyment of current and future generations. To provide access to the 2,000 acres of open space in town, WFTA built and maintains over 90 miles of trails, many of these on land owned by the Town and managed by the Weston Conservation Commission.

Many people do not realize that WFTA spends over $50,000 a year to keep our trails in good shape. We are proud of Weston’s trails, and we love to see people using them: walkers, runners, bikers, skiers, dog walkers, equestrians and bird watchers. All users add some strain on the trail system. This is unavoidable. Here I’d like to address impacts to trails from bike riders.

First of all, I want to say that many members of WFTA are bike riders, including some of our best volunteers, and indeed myself. However, riding through wet areas uproots the fragile vegetation and creates ruts that hold water, increasing the muddiness of the trails for all. This holds true in any season when we have wet conditions. For this reason, the Conservation Commission’s Land Use Regulations discourage bikers from using Weston’s trails in wet weather when the ground is soft (the same goes for horseback riders).  Some trail systems do not allow bikes in wet seasons, or only allow bikes on a limited number of trails, or even ban them completely. In Weston, we greatly appreciate that most bikers avoid riding on wet trails and encourage all bikers to do the same.  

The message is simple: If your tires will leave a rut, then walk. 

If you would like to help WFTA build and repair boardwalks and stone walkways in wet areas, please contact us at wfta1955@outlook.com. 

Bobcat in Weston Caught on Camera

In December, a Weston resident caught a photograph of a bobcat in Weston using a motion-activated wildlife camera mounted in a backyard. Bobcats are secretive and elusive animals that travel alone and therefore are rarely seen by people. Although bobcats are known to inhabit nearby areas, they are not common in Weston, and catching this one on camera was unexpected. 

Bobcats are the only species of wild cat in Massachusetts. They have been adapting to suburban areas as their habitats become increasingly developed, but they rarely cause conflicts with human activities. Bobcats most commonly prey on rabbits and squirrels but will eat mice, skunks, opossums, muskrats, birds, and snakes. Read more about these fascinating creatures online by Mass Audubon.