Volunteers to blaze new trail

A new nature walk will take shape on the campus of Trent University this summer, with the help of a group of up to 10 British volunteers.

Their working holiday, similar to one which took place in each of the last summers, will see volunteers clear and construct a walking trail up the drumlin behind Lady Eaton College, clear the trail along the drumlin crest and create lookouts. They are scheduled to be here from August 19 to 27, and will be linked in with the Working for Wilderness program of the Federation of Ontario Naturalists (fon).

Volunteers from fon, Peterborough Field Naturalists, Trent and the local community will join the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers.

Last August, seven British and three fon volunteers were assisted by local and Trent volunteers and five Quebec exchange students in clearing a trail and building a 35-metre bridge through a silver maple swamp. Their work created year-round access from the main campus to the trail system in the Wildlife Sanctuary Nature Area.

Prior to constructing the bridge, spring and fall flooding made the silver maple swamp impassible. Funding for the construction materials came from Mountain Equipment Co-Op and Canada Trust Friends of the Environment Foundation.

Anyone wishing to volunteer should contact Jim Cashmore (cashmore@oncomdis.on.ca) or Roger Jones, Department of Biology, 748-1312, fax 748-1205 or e-mail rjones@trentu.ca before August 1.

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