This morning,REWHC hosted a delegation from the Aquidneck Island Land Trust that is doing the planning for the proposed Aquidneck Greenway, a trail that will run the length of the island. Julie Toland, Pat Chase and Sam Chase had heard about our trails and wanted to walk them for ideas to incorporate into their project. Coincidently, the Chases are our neighbors from the Chase Farm and have been farming this land for multiple generations, great stories about cows and swimming holes. They thought they might have some family photos that included the former poor farm site which would help REWHC's historical endeavors.

With Bill Saslow's help we took them on "Woodland Wander" and the "Poor Farm Ramble" and gave them a tutorial on siting, building and maintaining a trail. They were especially impressed with Bill's explanation of a trail theme and how siting to a theme adds to the hiking/learning experience. This was a morning hike and the birds were at full chat; especially rewarding was a female American Redstart that stayed very close to the trails edge, hopefully she had a nest nearby.

They are hoping to have a section of their trail open by July 2003.

Aquidneck Land Trust must love us, they came back for another walk. ALT is planning a public trail running the length of Aquidneck and we first hosted them in July, showing them the Raytheon trail system. Today they sent another delegation and Beth Tracy and I escorted them; again, Woodland Wander and Poor Farm Ramble were the focus of a walk that combined some of the stories you have all heard with a lessons learned tutorial on trail siting, building and maintenance. We have really had it easy compared to the formidable task they face. Let's all hope they overwhelm us with their success because this trail would be a huge benefit to all of us and the island.

The deer have definitly returned to campus. I saw two doe and their now large fawns near the junction of Tower, Ramble, and Wander. They have cleaned up all the pears and apples that Gustave knocked down near the stock well and are leaving their tracks on the trails. No sign of the stag yet but dating season is soon so let me know if you see him or observe his calling cards. (He scrapes a two foot clearing and licks the ground. He also rubs his antlers on the trees to leave his scent and itch the velvet.)

Last weeks rain was a real treat. I had gone down Ramble in the rain to make sure our "water management systems" were working and was amazed at the birds: They were all singing. I believe they were discussing the end of summer and whether they would migrate south for the winter. There were several groups of blue jays that I haven't seen since so maybe they did leave. The rain also caused the garlic and nettles to resprout and the bittersweet is seending out new shoots.

Unfortunately; and as usual, since a trail never has enough water breaks and camber, there is a little more work to be done. Then we will move on to Woodland Wander and bury some of those roots that have been exposed. It's amazing how every task now has to be done twice. We bury a rock/root or build a water break and the campus skunks immediately dig it up to see what we have hidden. (Actually they are nocturnal omnivores and are looking for worms and grubs. Yuk!)

Last Wednesday, Bill Saslow and I kicked-off Beth Tracey's new initiative: Every other Wednesday a REWHC adventure. We led a group of ten on a walk of Woodland Wander providing a mix of stories and nature lore. Let's be sure to get behind Beth and make this initiative successful. Please give her a call and let her know what you can do.