No Dumping, Please!

Sumner Smith signAs you were driving around Town this year you may have noticed green signs with the CCT logo popping up at various locations from Jerusalem Road to Beechwood Street.

These signs mark CCT properties. Many ask “No dumping please”.

While it may be tempting to dispose of yard waste on undeveloped lots, it is unsightly and may impede access onto the property. Help us protect our lands by taking your leaves, grass cuttings and brush to the Transfer Facility. The leaves and grass cuttings form a mountain that decomposes into a mulch that you can haul away in the spring for your planting beds.

Leaves of Three, Let it Be

This year the CCT found it impossible to keep the trails at Great Brewster Woods and Ingram Park free from poison ivy. The invasive plant flourished during the summer months making it hard to avoid when walking the trails.

As a solution, we contracted with Peter Barron of Pesky Pete’s Poison Ivy Removal to eradicate the nuisance plant.

No chemicals were used in the removal and damage to surrounding plants was minimal. The poison ivy was physically removed by loosening the dirt and pulling out the roots. The work is guaranteed for 1 year.

Tree Removal at Great Brewster Woods

Debbie & Dick chips GBW 2015

CCT President Debbie Shadd and Director Dick Avery spread wood chips at the trailhead to Great Brewster Woods.

In late June, an abutter notified the Trust that a wind storm had knocked down a tree located at the trail head at Great Brewster Woods.

The fallen tree was lying across the path and partially blocking the abutter’s driveway.

The blockage was removed but subsequent evaluation of the area showed that a number of trees in that area were dead or dying and should be removed for safety.

The CCT then contracted with a professional tree removal company and a number of trees were felled and chipped.

spreading chips Ingram 2015

CCT Directors, Dick Avery, Charlie Higginson, Steve Brown and Katie Holden, and local environmentalist Rich Silvia spread wood chips at Ingram Park.

The chips were spread at the Great Brewster Woods trailhead to improve the entrance for visitors and abutters. Some of the chips were transported to Ingram Park and spread at the entrance near the big sign.

This is an instance where the CCT needed to contract major work but the smaller work was done by Directors.

Click on links below for PDFs of GBW trail map and guide.

Trail Map to Great Brewster Woods & Dean’s Meadow

Trail Guide to Great Brewster Woods & Dean’s Meadow

Eagle Scout Project to connect trails at Ingram Park

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CCT Directors Katie Holden & Dick Avery enjoy the view from a ledge in Ingram Park. The view overlooks the Vedanta Center property.

Thus far the CCT has benefited from 3 Eagle Scout Projects to map and construct a walking trail in Ingram Park.

  • Robbie Hillman and team started the first trail from Norman Todd Road that included steps down from the road level and a lengthy board walk across the wet areas and a brook  and continued to the first stone wall.
  • Kevin Mack and team broke a trail starting near the new houses up to the rock that overlooks the Vedanta Center property and added a bench there for rest and relaxation.
  • Adam Benson and team built and installed the kiosk plus extended Robbie’s trail beyond the stone wall to form a loop encompassing views of rock formations, the Greenbush rail line, and an old cellar hole.
  • photo 1Now, George Bryan plans to break a trail that connects Adam’s loop to Kevin’s overlook. He will also put up trail markers and signs showing how to get back to the street.

This work should be done before the snow falls this season. When complete a network of trails will provide access to this natural resource area of 27.4 acres off Norman Todd Road between the railroad tracks and the Vedanta Center.

Click on the map for a larger view.

Students Help in Cleanup Efforts

IMG_7804 IMG_7810 IMG_7811This April marked the 8th year the CCT held its Annual Earth Day Cleanup of Bassing Beach with the help of the Cohasset High School Boys and Girls Lacrosse teams. Over 50 athletes along with members of the Trust removed trash from the coastline of the 3/4-mile long barrier beach.

Cohasset Harbormaster Lori Gibbons helped ferry the students from the town dock and the Cohasset Department of Public Works picked up the collected trash.

“It was a beautiful day to be outdoors and preparing Bassing Beach for spring and summer recreation,” said Debbie Shadd, president of the CCT. “The powerful winter storms stirred up debris that compromises the natural ecosystem. We are grateful to the members of the lacrosse teams who gave time during their school vacation to clean Bassing Beach and help preserve its natural beauty.”

This year the students removed about 15 large bags of bottles, cans and other trash as well as 10 lobster traps from the beach.

Coastsweep 2014 Scott's ShoreThis September Jack Buckley’s 9th grade High School students participated for the 3rd year in Coastsweep sponsored by the MA Office of Coastal Zone Management.

The students collected marine debris (trash, fishing line, and any other human-made items) on the CCT property Scott’s Shore and recorded what they found. This information is then analyzed by CZM to identify sources of marine debris and develop education and policy initiatives to help reduce it.