On a recent sunny Saturday afternoon, the ORR Community Service Learning Club, the ORR Environmental Club, and Mattapoisett Boy Scout Troop 53 came together to help the Mattapoisett Land Trust. Four students from the clubs and eight Boy Scouts met up at the MLT Santos Farm Property at the end of Bowman Road to help clear the property of vines and branches.
The property had recently been a pig farm and is being transformed by the MLT into an open space with trails leading to Grace Preserve and through the Old Aucoot District leading out to Route 6, Angelica Ave, and Prospect Road. It will eventually have benches, picnic tables, and a handicap accessible trail, but it is currently a mess of mud, debris, and brush. Clearing out the brush was very hard work and MLT greatly appreciated the assistance of the Community Service Club and the Scouts!
The students and scouts didn’t mind the hard work and appreciated the overall goal to transform this property and return the area to a natural environment that can be enjoyed by all. Many even volunteered to return another day to lend a hand!
“I’ve always been passionate about the protection of natural lands for public use. Working with the land trust allows me to help preserve these outdoor spaces for the benefit of our community” said ORR junior Julia Sheridan.
Emma Carroll, an ORR senior, said “I love nature, and I love lending a helping hand! I heard about the opportunity to volunteer at the Santos Preserve through our school’s community service club, and I was so excited to be out in nature and help a good cause. Being around other people who want to help simply because it brings joy makes me feel complete. I want to help out in the future for sure!”
It was a tremendous community effort, and we at the MLT would like to thank the ORR Community Service Club and Mattapoisett Troop 53 for their efforts.