Author Archives: Eileen Samberg

SOLF’s Create in the Woods Challenge

Runs November through May

The Challenge:
• Go to a SOLF property that has trails.
• Go with no tools or materials.
• Explore and notice what is there: like sticks, rocks, colored leaves, fallen trees, acorns, etc.
• Choose a spot next to a trail and begin collecting things to build with or arrange.
• Create something using just your hands: like a shelter; a fun, little house; an arrangement of things. Hang things from branches, have fun with it.

Why?
Because it is so good for us! Being outdoors in a natural setting calms us. It is like a “reset” button to lower stress and anxiety. Children naturally “take to the woods!” Early exposure through family walks is a good way to establish this connection, especially if the walk is a “child-centered” one, focused not on exercise or conversation, but rather on being curious, tuning in to what is around us, standing in one place for a little while and just looking and listening. And then making something!

Rules:
Rule #1: bring no tools or materials.
Rule #2: create near but not on the trail.
Rule #3: take a picture and send it to info@solf.org, with subject “Create” and including the name of the property.
Rule #4: Do not touch anyone else’s creation.
Rule #5: Take as long as you want and even return to add more.

Please note that this program is for SOLF properties only. Regulations regarding building cairns or other structures may be different on other properties. View SOLF properties here.

Nature Walk at Beals Preserve on Sunday, October 20, 1 – 2:30 pm

Please join us for a Nature Walk at the Beals Preserve on Sunday, October 20 at 1 pm. The walk will be led by curious naturalist, artist, and SOLF trustee Debbie Costine.

Stroll in the meadows and woods, taking time to see what nature is doing at this time of the year. We will hear birds and insects, see the colorful leaves of different types of trees, look for mushrooms, moss and lichens, signs of animals and more.

Park in the SOLF lot located on the south side of Main Street between Northborough Road and Chestnut Hill Road. Follow the path down through the field go across the bridge and meet at the Kiosk. The walk will be about one and a half hours on fairly level terrain, and will be postponed in the event of rain.

All ages welcome. For question, email us at info@solf.org.

SOLF Trail Use Policy for Beals Preserve

SWCA Environmental Consultants Volunteer at Beals Preserve

SWCA Environmental Consultants members replaced 4 water bars near the Red Gate Lane entrance on Old Farm Lane at Beals Preserve today, as part of their “Gives Back” program where SWCA employees receive eight hours of paid time off each year to volunteer for events or for projects such as ours. Thank you SWCA! Other volunteers included Larry and Eileen Samberg, Vince Valvo, and Lawrence Spezzano.

Visit the SOLF booth on Heritage Day, October 14

Monday, October 14, 9:00 am to 2:00 pm, SOLF trustees will be at our booth for Heritage Day. Please stop by say hello and learn about the land that we have protected and things that volunteers can do.

Beals Preserve Seeding Project on Old Farm Lane

A section of Beals Preserve Old Farm Lane (the main walking path) has been loamed and seeded. Please do not walk on it and please keep your pets off. There is now a hard gravel path alongside that you can walk, as well as the grass on the edge of the loamed area. Thank you.

Important: Construction Project at Beals Preserve Sunday, Sep 29

Please note that a major project on Old Farm Lane at Beals Preserve will start on Sunday, September 29 and last through at least Tuesday, October 1. To address the spring and early summer wet area that starts about two hundred feet south of the kiosk, the trail will be improved. If you park at Main Street, please use the Meadow Trail to get access the rest of the property (after crossing the bridge and walking to the kiosk, turn right to go up the Meadow Trail), and use the Lone Wolf Trail from the Upper Meadow to access the rest of Old Farm Lane, and the Riding Ring and Hickory Trails.

Click on the image to view a larger image.

Picnic Table at the Main Street Field

Thanks to the Bancroft Family of Southborough, visitors to the Beals Preserve will now be able to enjoy our new Picnic table! The children gave half their profits of a yard sale to SOLF! (the parents also chipped in.)

Hickory Trail Re-route on August 22, 2024

PLEASE NOTE: At Beals Preserve, The Hickory Trail from the Hickory Road cul-de-sac to the split in the trail has been re-routed. The old trail, which had eroded badly, has been blocked off. The trail will be blazed soon, but should be easy to follow.

Hickory Bridge Replaced July 2024

Over the course of 3 days, July 23 – July 25, 2024, Trustee Larry Samberg and volunteers Vincent Valvo and Colby Chase, with assistance from “go-fer” Trustee Eileen Samberg, demolished and replaced the bridge on one of the Hickory Trail segments. A hearty “well-done” to the crew.

Art on the Trails 2024 at Beals Preserve

Southborough Open Land Foundation, in collaboration with Southborough Artist Catherine Weber, is pleased to present the 8th Annual Art On the Trails in the summer of 2024 on Beals Preserve. The art juror will be the amazing Marie Craig of Fountain Street Gallery. The call for art opens February 15. The installations will be on site from June 15 to September 15.

The 2024 Art on the Trails program is themed Legacy. It is dedicated to the memory of Whitney Beals, who passed away in September 2023. Whit was the President of the Southborough Open Land Foundation and dedicated his life to land conservation and forestry. As a child, the land across the street from his house, now Beals Preserve, was his playground. While he was well educated, he would attest that he was educated by and in the Forest. In his honor, we invite artists to consider the legacy that he and his family have left for the town of Southborough and propose art installations that support this theme. Visit the Art on the Trails website.

Volunteer Work Days in the Fall

Your volunteer work with us truly makes a difference. With the help of dedicated volunteers, SOLF maintains 15 beautiful properties, providing wonderful open space preservation and walking trails for all to enjoy. Reminder: All workdays start at 9:30 AM. Bring your gloves & bug spray! Even if you can only join us for an hour, it helps!

September 14 — Eastbrook Farmlands – sign up here.
September 21 — Bigelow Wildlife Refuge – sign up here.
September 28 — Beals Preserve – sign up here.
October 12 — Templeman Woods – sign up here.
October 19 — Lynbrook Hollow – sign up here.
October 26 — Kallander Woods
November 2 — Beals Preserve – sign up here.
November 9 — Templeman Woods – sigh up here.
November 16 — Barber Pasture
November 23 — Beals Preserve

Sign up on the volunteer interest list here.
Please also fill out our survey – we are eager to learn about your volunteer preferences.
If you have signed up as a volunteer, you will get an invitation on signup genius or email.

Please contact info@solf.org for more information.

Work Days at Eastbrook Farmlands and Bigelow Wildlife Refuge

On May 24 and May 25, board members and volunteers had work days at Eastbrook Farmlands, improving the street appearance, and Bigelow Wildlife Refuge, weeding and improving the appearance of the property.

Eastbrook Farmlands

Bigelow Wildlife Refuge – We were happy to see Eagle Scout Robby Stewart home for the weekend from Wentworth Institute and his dad Jim, as well as volunteer coordinator Kathryn Korostoff and SOLF Trustee Debbie Costine. Robby did a fine job doing all wetlands permitting requirements as well as reassuring any concerns of abutters. Now a beautiful trail goes down to his observation platform and there is now a native plant garden at the entrance!

Recipients of the Elaine Beals Conservation Award

Kevin Sanford Receives 2024 Elaine Beals Award

At SOLF’s May 2028 Annual Meeting, Trustee Debbie Costine presented the 2024 Elaine Beals Conservation Award to Kevin Sanford, a Southborough resident and friend of Whit’s who has transformed Beals Preserve this year – mowing the fields, clearing walls, thinning the woods by the pond, and so much more. Debbie presented the bluebird carved by Ben Keyes, with a plaque reading SOLF 2024 Elaine Beals Conservation Award. Debbie also recognized Mike Sanford, Kevin’s brother, for his work on the pump house and other work at Beals.

Scout Troop 92 Installs Bluebird Boxes at Beals Preserve

Local Scout Troop 92 has taken on a community service project in collaboration with the Southborough Open Land Foundation. (SOLF) Using a design created specifically for bluebirds, the scouts, under the leadership of Kevin Tyson and George Harris, carefully constructed four nest boxes and installed them at Beals Preserve. These boxes will help support the declining populations of bluebirds. SOLF THANKS THE SCOUTS OF TROOP 92!

Recap of SOLF Annual Meeting on May 8, 2024

The Southborough Open Land Foundation’s held its Annual Meeting on Wednesday, May 8, 2024 at the Community House at 28 Main Street in Southborough. The evening started at 6 pm with light refreshments, followed by Trustee remarks by President Destin Heilman, a presentation on raptor rescue at 7 pm, the presentation of the 2024 Elaine Beals Conservation Award, and a short business meeting.

Destin Heilman talked about Whit Beal’s legacy and the work being done by Kevin and Mike Sanford at Beals Preserve. He also gave an overview of SOLF’s other activities this year, including work at other properties and programming.

Jess Zorge, the founder of Raptor Tales Rescue of Shrewsbury, gave a presentation on her work with raptor rehabilitation. Jess holds both state and federal wildlife rehabilitation and educational permits. Raptor Tales Rescue admits injured and orphaned wildlife from members of the public, as well as State and Federal agencies. RTR has treated over 300 birds of prey since the start of the rescue in 2020. As part of her presentation, she brought Blue, a non-releasable barred owl.

Trustee Debbie Costine presented the 2024 Elaine Beals Conservation Award to Kevin Sanford, a Southborough resident and friend of Whit’s who has transformed Beals Preserve this year – mowing the fields, clearing walls, thinning the woods by the pond, and so much more. Debbie presented the bluebird carved by Ben Keyes, with a plaque reading SOLF 2024 Elaine Beals Conservation Award. Debbie also recognized Mike Sanford, Kevin’s brother, for his work on the pump house and other work at Beals.

Birding walk on April 27 – Beals Preserve

On Saturday, April 27, SOLF hosted a birding walk at Beals Preserve. Eleven people attended the Earth Day Birding Walk at Beals Preserve. Unfortunately the presenter was unable to make it at the last minute, so trustees Sally Watters and Debbie Costine led a walk featuring some property history (like “fox hunts”) as well as some botany and using “Merlin” to identify all the audible birds in the vicinity.

Beals Preserve Maintenance & Restoration

SOLF is undergoing some significant property restoration at the Beals Preserve. This includes the creation of a comprehensive management plan by “Conservation Works” that will include ecological resiliency. Our visitors have already noticed the beginning that has also created some pretty muddy areas in the process! We appreciate your patience!

Recently, Pete Westover from Conservation Works toured the property with Trustees Sally Watters, Debbie Costine, and Eileen Samberg. Also present were Freddie Gillespie Chair of the town’s Open Space Preservation Commission and SOLF Supporter and volunteer Kevin Sanford.

Left to right: Pete, Sally, Eileen, Freddie and Kevin.
Photo by Debbie Costine

Work at Bigelow Wildlife Refuge

This past Saturday, March 9, 2024, SOLF volunteers Kathryn Korostoff and Laurie Guertin joined trustees Lawrence Spezzano and Debbie Costine with some maintenance work at the Bigelow Preserve at the end of Bigelow Road. A large part of the work involved removing quite an excess of bittersweet vines and fallen branches.

On Saturday, March 16, SOLF Volunteers Kathryn Korostoff and Hannah Hayes joined trustee Debbie Costine to continue invasive vine removal at the property.

Upper left: Laurie and Lawrence return from assessing the necessary work. The viewing platform built by Eagle Scout Robby Stewart is in the background. Upper right: Lawrence pulling vines from a tree. Laurie working in the background. Lower left: Long time volunteer, Kathryn Korostoff cuts and tugs. Lower right: Trustee, Debbie Costine wallowed in the leaves and broken branches toward her goal of revealing beautiful moss on old logs.