Writer calls on municipality to act on trail restoration post haste
To the Expositor:
Tehkummah Municipality has received some $150,000 of funding for restoration of the Bowerman Nature Trails in South Baymouth. Having failed to respond to numerous requests to establish a support group to create a management plan and help maintain the trails, they have gone ahead with a Notice of Request for Quote (RFQ) for, “Repairs to bridges, stairs: creation of a rest area with rustic seats/table.”
The contract requirement must be well defined such that bids may be evaluated and compared on the basis of price and delivery. They are usually sent out to a number of companies and not publicly posted. Though this RFQ was posted on the municipal web site and I was given an application form when I requested one.
I believe it has been something like three years since Dick Bowerman, who created the trails, asked the municipality to help maintain them. Other than immediately removing the signs identifying the access points, they appear to have done nothing at all.
It seems logical that before putting out a tender, the trails would have been examined and places requiring immediate attention due to safety issues, would be addressed first. But the municipality could provide no specific details of the work to quote for. They appear to just want someone to start doing something somewhere.
They have produced no plan detailing how the trails should be developed, the points of ecological and geological importance, the species in need of attention and protection, interpretive signage or how the trail will be maintained and promoted. Essentially, anything to do with a nature trail.
It has been tragic to see how the trails have been allowed to deteriorate.
Sincerely
David Samuels
Tehkummah
