NORTHFIELD — Two years of physical labor have come to a close on Northfield’s first fully accessible hiking trail.
The Gunnery Sgt. Jeff Ames Accessible Nature Trail, at Alderbrook Meadows Wildlife Sanctuary, will open formally on Saturday, National Trails Day. The grand opening will be from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The path loops a half a mile through pine groves that are home to deer and birdlife, with an observation deck next to a beaver pond.
The land was donated to Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust by Bill and Nancy Ames, who named the trail after Jeffrey Ames, their son, who was physically disabled after 22 years of Marine Corps service in Iraq, Afghanistan, Japan, Somalia and the Ukraine.
“We are grateful for his service, which resulted in his being 80 percent disabled, and we wanted to honor that service by naming the trail after him,” Bill and Nancy Ames said in a statement. “This trail wouldn’t have happened without so many people and organizations playing vital roles. We are most grateful!”
At the 2014 Town Meeting, Northfield residents voted unanimously to help fund the protection of Alderbrook Meadows. The surrounding farm fields, which are still owned by the Ames family, are also protected, with public access limited to a snowmobile trail. Physical work on the trail has been going on for about two years through its completion this spring, according to Jay Rasku, land stewardship director and community engagement coordinator for Mount Grace.
“The town was very involved in making sure that that area will be protected,” Rasku said. “Northfield residents really value their rural heritage and their cultural heritage.”
Part of that heritage, Rasku said, is the thousands-of-years-old connection that native tribal people have had with the land. Members of four local tribes served as consultants for the project, advising on developing the land with respect to its history and inherent value, as did members of the Northfield Historical Commission and the Nolumbeka Project, a volunteer organization that works to preserve tribal heritage in the region. Representatives from three of the tribes will speak at 10 a.m. and at noon on Saturday during the grand opening ceremony.
“Like probably all land in Franklin County,” Rasku said, “there’s a Native American connection to it. Those tribal nations were here for thousands of years and they’re still here.”
Signs around the trail will describe the historic significance of the area: it was likely used as a site for war counsel during King Philip’s War.
“During the colonial era,” said Doug Harris, deputy tribal historic preservation officer for the Narragansett tribe, “this would be a (place) for multiple tribal leaders to come together to actually discuss whether their path forward with the colonials would be one of conflict or peace.”
The signs also note other interpretations of how native peoples used the land.
The trail opens to the public at 11 a.m. on Saturday.
The trail is south from Northfield town center on Route 63 on a 5-acre plot of woods. Parking is on the east side of Route 63, south of the intersection with Homer Road.
Julia Blyth, a Northfield Selectboard member and one of the volunteers on the trail, described the site as “a great addition to the recreational trail system in Northfield. As the first fully accessible trail in town, it brings us a little closer to our Master Plan goal of becoming an outdoor recreation destination. The rich history of the site will encourage visitors to delve into the past, as well as enjoying nature and getting some exercise.”
“This is a beautiful spot that’s very easy to get to and explore. I encourage everyone to come out on opening day,” said Fletcher Harrington, who has coordinated the trail building for Mount Grace for the past two years as part of his service through TerraCorps, a statewide AmeriCorps program run by Mount Grace that focuses on stewarding and connecting people to the land.
The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation awarded a $49,725 grant to Mount Grace to create the first universally accessible nature trail in Northfield. Thanks to donations of material and expertise by Lane Construction, Leaders Home Center, Heyes Forest Products, A Black Locust Connection, Conservation Works LLC, John Passiglia and his Pioneer Valley Regional School shop class, Michael Humphries Woodworking, Jerry Wagener, Celt Grant, Mim’s Market, and many others, the trail was designed and built to meet accessibility standards.
Alderbrook Meadows Wildlife Sanctuary was protected with financial assistance from the Massachusetts Land Acquisition for Natural Diversity Program, Fields Pond Foundation, the Northfield Area Tourism and Business Association, Northfield Community Preservation Act, Kiwanis Club of Northfield, Greenfield Savings Bank, the Greater Northfield Watershed Association, residents of Northfield, individual donors from across the Commonwealth and the Snowmobile Association of Massachusetts.
Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust is a regional land trust that serves 23 towns in Worcester and Franklin counties and is supported by 1,300 members. It protects land and encourages land stewardship in Massachusetts for the benefit of the environment, the economy and future generations. Since 1986, Mount Grace has helped protect more than 32,000 acres. Those interested in volunteering or donating can find more information online at: mountgrace.org