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North Central Arkansas Master Naturalist
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Written by Dwan Garrison
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NCAMN Trail Patrol Cleans up Again 
Although it was generally passable and still enjoyable to hike, the Dogwood Trail at the Corps of Engineers Lakeview Park was in need of attention. The WHO (Women Hiking the Ozarks) took photos of the major problems and sent them to NCAMN. Several large trees had fallen across the trail, a number of “hangers” from the ’09 ice storm dangled over the trail, and tall weeds encroached on both sides for short distances in a couple of places. The small creek needed some stepping stones if one was to cross without getting wet feet. Our first planned work day was “snowed out”, but the second attempt turned out to be very nearly perfect - cool, crisp and sunny. The trail is 1 ½ miles long and ends on a bluff overlooking Bull Shoals Lake and Dam. The view there is stunning, particularly on a clear day.  Roger Howell, Park Ranger with the Corps of Engineers, met us at the trailhead at 9 AM with backpack blowers. Since the trial is not a loop and several of us were carrying heavy equipment (chain saws, blowers and a weed trimmer), we split into two groups. Most began at the trailhead and several were ferried to a point near the trail’s end so that we could work from both directions. Roy and Gerald put lessons learned in the chainsaw class to good use bucking up logs, so they could be moved off of the tread, and felling several trees with over the trail hangers. Dwan cleared the tall weeds and Ed blew the leaves so that the tread could dry. Pat, Anita and Ramona pulled limbs and lopped briars. Three hours later, the trail in much better shape, we took time for a cookie break before heading home.
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Last Updated on Wednesday, 10 March 2010 08:10 |
North Central chapter 