Brushing Trails at Brookhaven Park

I had a wonderful experience out in Brookhaven State Park on New Year's Day. The primal feeling of being in the woods with a small band of people always does a great deal to bring down my stress levels from the work week, restoring my basic sense of the world and my place in it. This day, Mindy set Harvey and I on a course to also do something purposeful while there, and so she brought Harvey and I to a small pond west of Tarkill Pond to brush a trail nearby.

Photo - Inspired By Ray and in Remembering Ray

The purpose of brushing a trail is to restore its integrity.

In this case, the trail by this pond, began to expand downwards towards it. To prevent erosion that can be detrimental to the plant and water life there, we set out to gather all the branches and brush we can find to block hikers from walking away from the original trail towards the pond. According to government website documenting the Pine Barrens, this pond is a "rare wetland" and is counted among the significant pine barrens communities that help support the "highest diversity of rare species in New York State." Erosion here, from what I understood, would interfere with the distinct zonation based on elevation, soil, moisture, and duration of flooding."

Brushing Over The Trail

I work as an educator and so think quite a lot about how we can maximize our relationships with one another and with our surroundings. I am interested in how people learn, and I suspect that improving the environment depends upon education. I am happy to see Quality Parks looking to implement guided programs in its "Master Naturalist" program, giving people like me pathways - - purposeful outings like this - - through which I can learn.

Protecting The Shoreline Edge