Six current and former Trustees met on Flanders Rd in Coventry to walk Schmid Overlook. John Hankins, Steward Chair, and Ann Dunnack, steward of the property, led Nancy, Chris, Warren and Karen through this recently acquired preserve. The results of the 50-person work party were evident. Much of the trash was hauled out and loaded onto a dump wagon, and a loop trail has now been blazed and mowed by a brush hog. What a positive transformation! Here are some photos from the trip.
~Karen Zimmer
3 thoughts on “JT Trustee Walk: Schmid Overlook”
Scoped it out today. Wow, lot of work. My respect for all. Looks like a good place for birds (and ticks, but the trail is wide and not weedy). The state stocks trout at the bridge there, but fishing is probably a minor issue and only in May/June. Good to continue protecting the river and its future ‘long trail’, and canoe/kayak access can potentially yield new members. Who owns the big riverbank parcel between Flanders Road and Mackey’s?
There’s about a dozen properties along the west side of the Willimantic River between the Schmid Overlook and Mackey’s (Rte. 66). Most are privately owned including our immediate downstream abutter. There’s also a town-owned property in there and a good-sized chunk of land owned by the State between Rte. 66 and the Route 6 Expressway. South of Route 66 on the Columbia side of the river is Potter Meadow, a delightful little Joshua’s Trust preserve with a good section of trail along the bank of the Willimantic River.
Congratulations to the Trust for preserving this Schmid property and creating access for myriad users. I recommend coordinating with The Last Green Valley Inc. with any plans for cartop boating and fishing access. This could be an important managed access site along the 22 mile-long Willimantic River Trail (a designated National Recreation Trail) which has only one portage site between Stafford Springs and Willimantic. The accompanying Paddler’s Guide can be amended to include this site. Each of the existing 10+ managed access sites have an attractive kiosk with site-customized map and graphics highlighting the water trail and trip planning tips.
Scoped it out today. Wow, lot of work. My respect for all. Looks like a good place for birds (and ticks, but the trail is wide and not weedy). The state stocks trout at the bridge there, but fishing is probably a minor issue and only in May/June. Good to continue protecting the river and its future ‘long trail’, and canoe/kayak access can potentially yield new members. Who owns the big riverbank parcel between Flanders Road and Mackey’s?
There’s about a dozen properties along the west side of the Willimantic River between the Schmid Overlook and Mackey’s (Rte. 66). Most are privately owned including our immediate downstream abutter. There’s also a town-owned property in there and a good-sized chunk of land owned by the State between Rte. 66 and the Route 6 Expressway. South of Route 66 on the Columbia side of the river is Potter Meadow, a delightful little Joshua’s Trust preserve with a good section of trail along the bank of the Willimantic River.
Congratulations to the Trust for preserving this Schmid property and creating access for myriad users. I recommend coordinating with The Last Green Valley Inc. with any plans for cartop boating and fishing access. This could be an important managed access site along the 22 mile-long Willimantic River Trail (a designated National Recreation Trail) which has only one portage site between Stafford Springs and Willimantic. The accompanying Paddler’s Guide can be amended to include this site. Each of the existing 10+ managed access sites have an attractive kiosk with site-customized map and graphics highlighting the water trail and trip planning tips.