This event has been postponed again.  We are still trying to line up the equipment listed below.  Please stay tuned.

During our April 2 hike down Marrowback Rd, the many tires in the gullies below the road became a topic of conversation and concern. In addition to being an eye-sore, discarded tires are a convenient breeding site for mosquitos and can be a fire hazard.

Since that hike, we have talked with two major landowners and to the Town of Springwater about working to remove these tires and move them to a more appropriate place.

Our first day to work on this project will be May 23 at 10:00.  Please come as we develop methods for pulling the tires up to the road and transporting them to the Town highway barn for disposal.

What to bring:

1. Good work gloves.
2. Good hiking boots. If desired, traction devices to help climbing up to the road.
3. Rope to loop around tires.
4. Clothes that can get dirty while working around heavy, wet tires.

In addition to helping with your energy and your muscles, you may want to lend your farm equipment. We need the following equipment:

1. Power winches to pull the tires up the bank. If you have a vehicle with a power winch, we think that would be a great help in this project.
2. Trailers to transport the tires.
3. Trucks to pull the trailers. We will try to move the tires to the town Highway barn so the town Highway department can schedule disposal.
4. Ropes to help handling the tires and the winches.

If you can volunteer any of this equipment, please leave a comment in the Tire Forum or contact John at vp@springwatertrails.org.

One final comment. A $2.50 fee has been collected since 2003 on every tire sold in New York State. In addition, any Tire Service company is required to accept, on a one-for-one basis old tires for recycling when new tires are sold. As a result, you have already paid for the disposal of your old tires and you should be returning them when you purchase new tires. Please remember, you do not need to dump your old tires into our forests.

Spring is here!, and it is time to get outside.  The Finger Lakes Land Trust is sponsoring a volunteer opportunity at Wesley Hill. This is an opportunity for Springwater Trails to say thank you to one of our popular hike locations.

Wesley Hill is one of FLLT’s most iconic nature preserves, and on Monday, May 20^th, it will be turning 20 years old!  If you have never visited our westernmost preserve, this is your chance!  Wesley Hill is full of beautiful vistas, gorges, and old growth trees. 

Please join me on Saturday the 18^th to help refresh the hiking trails and clear a short reroute, as well as conduct habitat management.  At the end of the day, we will raise a glass of something bubbly to a magnificent place that is protected forever.  Tools, work gloves, and refreshments (including N/A options), will be provided.  We will meet at 11:00am at the WESLEY RD. parking area.  Directions can be found here.

Original email from:
Jason Gorman, Nature Preserve Manager
Finger Lakes Land Trust
202 E. Court Street
Ithaca, NY 14850
607.275.9487
www.fllt.org