SWCA Environmental Consultants Volunteer at Beals Preserve
Published on October 10, 2024 by Eileen Samberg
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.
Beals Preserve Seeding Project on Old Farm Lane
Published on October 4, 2024 by Eileen Samberg
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.
Picnic Table at the Main Street Field
Published on September 20, 2024 by Eileen Samberg
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
Published on August 22, 2024 by Eileen Samberg
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
Published on July 29, 2024 by Eileen Samberg
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.
Work Days at Eastbrook Farmlands and Bigelow Wildlife Refuge
Published on May 27, 2024 by Eileen Samberg
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!
Scout Troop 92 Installs Bluebird Boxes at Beals Preserve
Published on May 23, 2024 by Eileen Samberg
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
Published on May 9, 2024 by Eileen Samberg
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
Published on April 28, 2024 by Eileen Samberg
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
Published on April 4, 2024 by Eileen Samberg
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.
Photo by Debbie Costine
Work at Bigelow Wildlife Refuge
Published on March 11, 2024 by Eileen Samberg
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.
Riding Ring Circle Reclaimed at Beals Preserve
Published on March 11, 2024 by Eileen Samberg
In the early 1900s, Margaret Leland, daughter of Bostonian Samuel Carr, and her husband Charles Leland owned Chestnut Hill Farm and what is now known as Beals Preserve. The preserve was almost devoid of trees and was pasture land. A riding ring was built for the Leland family for horse riding practice.
The riding ring circle has now been brushed and is walk-able, with the old riding ring fencing and logs to mark the way.
Riding Ring then and now.
Winter 2024 Work at Beals Preserve
Published on February 4, 2024 by Eileen Samberg
SOLF’s Beals Preserve is getting some valuable maintenance done thanks to the generosity of SOLF supporter Kevin Sanford and his brother Mike. Kevin has a long-time love of both the Beals Preserve and the Beals family. He promised his friend Whitney Beals, who died this past September 14 that he would take care of the fall mowing, but his enthusiasm is now providing so much more! Thank you Kevin, so much!
Work has continued all through January and into February, with assistance from some SOLF trustees and Scott Mooney Tree Service. In addition to fields being mowed, some damaged trees were removed, and a significant amount of unsightly brush was removed to reveal the the beautiful stone walls.
Maintenance can take its temporary toll, and there are some sections of the trails with tractor treads and mud. This spring, when the ground has dried out, those areas will be smoothed out and repaired. We realize it can be an inconvenience for now, but please bear with us.
We are working with a view towards positive conservation and land management, and preserving a mix of habitat and levels of growth is best for the area, compared to a single wooded forest.
Rock wall along Old Farm Lane
Old Farm Lane, looking north
Path between the two meadows, looking towards Old Farm Lane
View from Upper Meadow, looking north
SOLF Presents: Nature Columns
Published on January 9, 2024 by Eileen Samberg
SOLF has been publishing a local nature series on MySouthborough.com. Read the columns here.
The Maple Syrup Making Presentation Now Online
Published on January 4, 2024 by Eileen Samberg
Have maple trees? Want to learn how to tap trees and make maple syrup?
On October 25, 2023, Tony Willoughby, an experienced maple syrup maker, gave a presentation on how you can make your own. You can now view the presentation!
The talk was courtesy of the Southborough Open Land Foundation in partnership with the Southborough Library. But it will be held in Cordaville Hall (aka the Senior Center).
Obviously, to actually take advantage of the tips, you have to have a maple tree on your property (or permission from someone who does). But even those who don’t are welcome to learn more about what goes into making syrup.
Tony Willoughby’s talk covered how to identify different maple trees, when and how to tap, boiling techniques, and filtering & bottling.
Beals Preserve Chronolog Project
Published on December 1, 2023 by Eileen Samberg
Announcing our new citizen science tool, Chronolog, a photo stand for our visitors to take pictures from the Upper Meadow (near the Lone Wolf trail) looking north towards Main Street (Route 30). The stand is right by our new beautiful bench built and installed by Cassie Melo for her Eagle Scout project. You, the visitor, take a picture and email it to the Chronolog site, helping to produce a time lapse set of photos all taken from the same spot over time and seasons. Let the fun begin! You will receive a confirmation with a Chronolog link for the Beals Preserve time lapse photos. Learn more at https://solf.org/beals-preserve-chronolog-project/.
The Chronolog project is co-sponsored by SOLF and SWCA Environmental Consultants.
SOLF Maintenance at Eastbrook Farmlands
Published on November 4, 2023 by Eileen Samberg
On Saturday, November 4, SOLF Trustees Eileen Samberg, Larry Samberg, Brett Peters, and volunteer Kathryn Korostoff worked near the entrance of SOLF’s Eastbrook Farmlands. SOLF does periodic maintenance of properties even when there are no trails. To improve appearance at the street, the group cleared around the sign, pulled invasive buckthorn, removed entangling grape vines, and cut back a fallen maple. The previous weekend, Trustee Debbie Costine made a good start on the grape vines, which encouraged the group to head back the following weekend.
SWCA Environmental Consultants Volunteer at Bigelow Wildlife Refuge
Published on November 4, 2023 by Eileen Samberg
On October 12, 2023, employees from the SWCA Environmental Consultants office in Southborough volunteered at Bigelow Wildlife Refuge, spreading gravel along the path to the viewing platform. This is the second year that SWCA has volunteered its time! SWCA also sponsors our Chronolog project at Beals Preserve. Thank you, Ariel and group for thinking of us!
Bancroft Children Donate to SOLF
Published on October 20, 2023 by Eileen Samberg
The Bancroft family of Southborough recently showed their support for local causes!
Paxton, Asher, and sister Flora held a sale of gourds, donuts, and cider and decided to give half their profits to SOLF! We were so touched by their interest and generosity that we, the board of trustees invited them to hand over the generous donation of $100.00 in person! Thanks to these thoughtful young people for helping our mission of preserving and protecting open space in town for the benefit of all! [Text from SOLF trustee Deborah Costine.]
Lower left are: Paxton, Asher and a helpful friend, plus little Flora (peeking) – and lower right, at the meeting: SOLF treasurer, Larry Samberg; Paxton with sister Flora, helpful neighbor Maya Nikhil and Asher. On the right is SOLF President, Destin Heilman.
Remembering Whitney Beals
Published on October 19, 2023 by Eileen Samberg
We are sad to share that accomplished conservationist Whit Beals passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by his family, on September 14. His long career included work with the Connecticut DEP, the Roaring Brook Nature Center, the Nature Conservancy in Maryland and Boston, the Town of Wayland, Sudbury Valley Trustees, and the New England Forestry Foundation, from which he retired in 2019. He served as an MLTC Board member from 2011-2021, and was a current member of MLTC’s Conservation Advisory Council. He also served as President of the Southborough Open Land Foundation and was a member of the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority’s Water Supply Citizens Advisory Committee for over 30 years. He was also the architect behind preservation of his family’s land – Chestnut Hill Farm in Southborough. In addition, Whit recently finalized a donation of 550 acres of beautifully managed forestland in Ashburnham to New England Forestry Foundation’s Pooled Timber Income Fund. The donation ensures the property will continue to be managed for forest products as it has been since 1920 and Whit’s two sons, as the designated beneficiaries, will receive a lifetime income stream from the Fund. Whit’s wisdom, positivity and support will be sorely missed. Arrangements are pending. (Taken from Mass Land Trust Coalition Newsletter.)
Whit’s Obituary from Short & Rowe Funeral Home ©2023
You can read a copy of Whit’s obituary here on our website
or follow this link to Short & Rowe Funeral Home.