The Canton Land Conservation Trust will be featured in the display case at Canton Public Library for the month of May. The focus of this year’s display will be the Trailblazers program, a family adventure group that hikes once a month from October to April.
Trailblazer hikes usually take place on a Sunday at one of the Canton Land Trust’s many hiking trails. Each hike has a theme or is centered around an activity such as orienteering, night hiking under a full moon, a scavenger hunt, or a hayride.
“We hope that the hikes increase the enjoyment of our town’s open spaces and help families explore the trails and properties of the Canton Land Trust,” said Canton Land Trust member Mary Ellen Mullins. “We also want to encourage families to respect nature and woodland creatures through observation and education. Getting kids involved at an early age helps promote appreciation of the outdoors that we hope will continue for a lifetime.”
The purpose of the Canton Land Conservation Trust is “to conserve the natural resources of the Town of Canton—water, woodlands and open spaces; its plant and animal life; and its unique, scenic, natural, and historic sites.” A long-term goal of the Land Trust is to acquire attractive tracts of open land throughout the town so that the Canton of the future will retain as much as possible of its present natural charm.
The Land Trust has constructed and maintains fourteen hiking trails on Land Trust properties. The group has published a guide to most of the trails; the 3-ring binder guide is available for purchase or may be borrowed from the library. Land Trust volunteers plant, care for, and sell Christmas trees annually.
Chartered in 1972, the Land Trust has acquired parcels of land representing the preservation of 1800 acres within Canton. The Land Trust’s land has been acquired through land donation, land purchase, and conservation easement. Most of the Land Trust properties, including but not limited to those with trails, are open for “passive recreation and nature appreciation.” Trust encourages the use of the trails for hiking, cross-country skiing, and nature appreciation. The Land Trust currently maintains five hiking trails. Work is being done to create two more trails on other properties.
Canton Public Library is at 40 Dyer Avenue, Canton. Library hours are Monday-Thursday 10:00-8:00, Friday and Saturday 10:00-5:00. For information: (860) 693-5800.
