By John LaraBee With Essay Excerpts from Members of the Youth Conservation Corps (YCC)*
GET READY…
“Not that far from south Cove, you will find miles of well- maintained, interconnected hiking trails to transport you from your busy, everyday life to the quiet and lush forest.”
ON YOUR MARK…
“The Deer Path trail is in a magnificent and unique natural area, where you can explore a rare example of a superb evergreen forest.”
“There are many beautiful sights and different species of trees, lush plant life and rocks and minerals.”
“Here, nature can fend for its own. the trees hold rocks and the water self-filters.”
GET SET…
On June 30, Youth Conservation Corps students, along with Eastman hike leader Peter Hope, Lakes and streams Committee members susan Pratt, Jane taylor and chairman and YCC leader John Larrabee hiked Deer Path trail to the Ice Cascades as part of an Eastman watershed education project. the Ice Cascades, along with much of Eastman’s forested trails, is part of a 2,000,000-acre Quabbin Reservoir to Cardigan (Q2C) region of intact, interconnected, ecologically significant forest in New England. A key headwater of the merrimack and Connecticut rivers, Quabbin collects and naturally filters drinking water for 200 cities and towns, including Boston. Habitat conservation is extremely important in this area for both massachusetts and New Hampshire.
During the hike the students noted flora, the undulating landscape, and the granite ridge of the Ice Cascades. Peter Hope pointed out interesting highlights along the hike. John Larrabee reminded students to be thinking of ways to inform hikers and visitors of the importance of this region and, in particular, the Cascades.
After the hike, students assembled at south Cove to brainstorm vocabulary words and phrases that pertained to the hike, which were later e-mailed to the students to be used in writing a persuasive essay on the importance of Eastman’s Ice Cascades as part of the Q2C region. the following day the students reassembled to share their written essays and plan two kiosks that will be installed to inform hikers of the geology and watershed significance of the Ice Cascades and Deer Path trail.
GO!
“Along the way, you will be in awe of the size and majesty of the trees with their knotted arms rising as far as your head can lift.”
“This would be a great chance to practice your New England tree identification.”
“In the summer, hikers can admire ledges full of moss, trees and ferns. In the winter, however, skiers and snowshoe hikers will find that these rocks are coated in sheets of ice that look like a frozen waterfall, giving the site its name.”
“The Ice Cascades are a wonderful sight: huge rocks squished on top of each other like s’mores.”
“It is a cascade of wonder.”
“If you snowshoe by moonlight, you may even see owls.”
“This beauteous granite-made structure resonates what New England is all about; you are immediately awed by the enormity of nature. Here you will be able to witness the effects the powerful forces of nature left behind.”
“As the saying goes: ‘seeing is believing;’ come see for yourself what a great wildlife destination this is.”
And Remember…
“It is very important that we help to conserve and protect the Ice Cascades and the surrounding hiking and skiing trails.”
“All in all, the time you spend surrounded by nature’s beauty is something you will regret missing out on, so don’t!”
ARE YOU CONVINCED?!
* YCC members: Andrew, Claire and Emily Han; Caroline Wren; Elijah and Joshua Gardner Wood
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