Tree Trail growing, and open to all

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Photo by Susan Canavan

Walter Ford (r) and Eric Lukingbeal (l) demonstrate proper social distancing as they plant a Sweet Gum on the Holcomb Farm Tree Trail.

The Friends of Holcomb Farm Stewardship committee and volunteers have been maintaining trails and planting trees as our Tree Trail, launched in 2019, really begins to take shape. In addition to planting new trees, they have been freeing older trees, like apple trees, that were almost lost to overgrowth and invasives. In all, they have marked nearly 80 trees with identification tags.

We had hoped to offer a guided Grand Opening of the tree trail at our Annual Membership Meeting of the Friends of Holcomb Farm in June. Alas, good risk management practices mean that community gatherings of this sort need to await the scientific and medical breakthroughs that are sure to come. So, for now, we encourage all of you to enjoy the trails at Holcomb Farm in your own socially distanced and responsible ways. To that end, we have put together a guided Tree Trail hike, see page 19. Discover some trees—new and old—and breath the fresh air. Know that just as the fields and woods of Holcomb Farm have been through many more challenging times than any of us will ever know in our (relatively) short lives, we all will emerge from the current challenge, stronger than ever.

An old-growth apple tree’s blooms show how grateful it is to have been freed from overgrowth and promise fresh fruit to come. Photo by Eric Lukingbeal
Evidence of a caring community member found along the Holcomb Farm trails. Photo by Eric Lukingbeal