Twenty Students from Lee Academy Help Construct New ADA Trail
November 6, 2019
Last week, twenty students from Lee Academy in Lee, Maine, came to help construct a section of the new American with Disabilities Act accessible Musquash Esker Trail which will be opening in the Summer of 2020. The Musquash Esker Trail’s main purpose is to create a space where people have universal access to participate in outdoor recreation, hiking, and wildlife viewing. Thus far in the project, we have had volunteers with the Maine Conservation Corps and help from a local contractor, Danny Bailey with Bailey’s General Construction. As well as help from Dave McCollough transporting the viewing platform; the platform will be placed at the end of the trail in the Spring overlooking the 5000-acre domed bog and conserved wetland. This wetland is arguably one of the largest completely conserved bogs in the 1.4 million-acre conserved corridor stretching from New Brunswick through interior Maine.
The group was made up of outdoor education students and environmental science students. With their help DLLT’s education and events coordinator, Ms. Kendall O’Connell was able to complete about 100 feet of trail work in a low-lying area, where flooding was occurring. The students built up the flooded area using stones and gravel. They worked in teams to complete the task and pulled knowledge from previous projects they had participated in.
Their teacher, Ms. Susan Linscott, rallied them saying, “remember the teamwork you learned from the ropes course!”
The students then began to gather in teams of three to five carrying large basketball size stones lining a five-foot-wide path. Then, secondary teams of students began to fill in the five-foot section with smaller stones until finally, the path was high enough to cover with small gravel. Each student did an amazing job! Now that the area has been built up crusher dust will be placed on top and packed to create a hard surface. This will prevent future water issues and create a smooth surface to walk, roll, or run across.
DLLT is so thankful to have volunteers like those who have helped with this trail. If you or someone you know would like to volunteer with DLLT, you can call our office at 207-796-2100 or email us at info@downeastlakes.org.
