Hubbardston open-space committee details plan, new grants and accessibility upgrades

Bob Hatch, chairman of the Town of Hubbardston Open Space Committee, presented the committee's Open Space and Recreation Plan and described recent grants and planned trail and accessibility improvements.

Hatch emphasized the plan's central role in securing state funding and said the town's most recent plan submission has been approved, keeping the town eligible for grants for the next seven years. "Without this plan we can't get grant funding from the state," he said.

Why it matters: The plan documents the town's natural resources, historic sites and trail inventory and provides the statutory and technical foundation the committee uses to seek state grants, coordinate with the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) and prioritize maintenance and capital projects.

Key announcements and facts

Hatch said the committee maintains roughly 10'11 miles of trails across the state forest and town-managed parcels and that the committee tracks and updates comprehensive documentation, including maps, habitat inventories and a multi-year action plan.

He reported a recent grant that funded an improved wayfinding and signage system for trails and described two newly awarded grants to be implemented over the next two years: a project to harden and surface an all-person (accessible) trail at Malone Road, and a second project to install flashing beacons at a hazardous crossing off Williamsville Road. "We won that grant and that's going to be implemented over the next two years," Hatch said.

Partners and stewardship

Hatch listed routine partners and collaborators: town committees (recreation, planning and the select board), regional planning organizations (MRPC), DCR which holds some conservation restrictions and regional land trusts that assist with acquisitions and stewardship. He said the committee uses Volunteer Stewardship Agreements (VSA) to authorize volunteer trail work in coordination with DCR.

Local projects and community engagement

The committee supports local projects such as a pollination garden developed with Girl Scouts, a volunteer-led "Hubbertson Hikes" program with expert-led walks, and ongoing brush-hogging and clearing near historic sites such as Gates Mansion. Hatch encouraged residents to attend meetings and volunteer for trail work and projects.

Natural-resource inventory and priorities

Hatch summarized the town's water and habitat resources, naming multiple brooks, ponds and rivers that feed regional reservoirs, and highlighted ecological priorities: maintaining meadows, controlling invasive species and preserving wildlife corridors that support species from migratory birds to deer and moose.

Next steps

Hatch said the Open Space and Recreation Plan prescribes a seven-year planning horizon and that the committee will pursue implementation of awarded grants over the next two years while continuing outreach, stewardship and site-specific planning. He closed by inviting questions and asking residents to contact the committee for volunteer opportunities and further information.