FoAGM Boardwalk Project Information


Work on the Second Boardwalk - September 25, 2005


Final Section of the First Boardwalk - July 23, 2005

Boardwalk Movies:
     On the first boardwalk 11/6/05:  BWM1 (QuickTime)
     On the second boardwalk 11/6/05:  BWM2 (QuickTime)

Organization info:

The Friends of Arlington's Great Meadows (FoAGM) is an unincorporated association of Arlington and Lexington residents committed to the preservation of Great Meadows as natural open space through public education and stewardship. Serving as a fiscal sponsor to FoAGM, the Arlington Land Trust is a community-based nonprofit organization established in 2000 to protect undeveloped land in Arlington.

Background:

Great Meadows is 183 natural acres of mostly wetland purchased by Arlington as a public water supply in the 19th century. It is near Arlington Reservoir, Whipple Hill, and several smaller conservation areas that have trails, and abuts the Minuteman Bikeway, the busiest conduit of non-motorized recreational traffic in the state. Great Meadows sees a diverse range of passive recreational use by local residents including hiking, running, cycling, dog walking, nature viewing, and cross country skiing, and is a growing school field trip destination. It is possibly the largest contiguous wetland in Lexington.

Overall project:

Part of a long term stewardship plan FoAGM has to improve the visitor support facilities and better protect the environment in Arlington’s Great Meadows

Long standing wetland trail problems: underwater and muddy for 2 to 6 months a year
Boardwalks will make trails usable in all four seasons
Total project size:  700 feet boardwalk
Remaining ~450 feet to be constructed in fall or next spring

First boardwalk details:

224 feet long 3 feet wide to accommodate the current range of human-powered visitors while preserving the narrow character of the existing trails and protecting the wetland below

All volunteer labor
Designed to have minimal interference with wetland biology
Designed to provide a safe route for visitors for at least 15 years without maintenance
Designed to withstand a 100 year flood
Made from non-toxic pressure treated lumber

Grant Information:

Recreation Trails Program (RTP) grant amount secured from the state Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), amount = $11,316. No municipal funds will be used to finance construction.

Project leader:

Mike Tabaczynski, is actively involved in several local and regional conservation organizations, including FoAGM, Citizens for Lexington Conservation, the Lexington Conservation Stewards, and the New England Mountain Bike Association. He is trained in trail design and construction, and has extensive experience leading projects at Massachusetts DCR state parks, Lynn Woods Reservation, the Middlesex Fells, and Lexington conservation land.

 More Information About Boardwalks