Wolcott Community Forest Walk on Oct. 22

WOLCOTT – There will be a community forest walk on Saturday, Oct. 22, at 9 a.m., and an informational meeting and discussion about the proposed 700-acre community forest and how it could be used on Monday, Oct. 24, at 6:30 p.m.

The public is invited to join members of the Wolcott Community Forest Committee for a walk of the proposed forest property, beginning at the Wolcott ball field on School Street. The forest committee invites community members to attend an informational meeting and discussion at Wolcott Elementary School.

Mariah Keagy, trail planner and designer, will discuss the opportunity to develop a sustainable, multi-use trail system accessible to a broad range of users.

“The town forest has the potential to strongly influence the character of our town as the next years and decades unfold. We could focus on recreation and events in the woods, and have it evolve into a destination that draws people here year-round, lending support to existing and potential new businesses and other activities in the town, or we could keep things more low-key. Different types of activities will draw different groups of people to our town, and now is a good time to think about all the possibilities,” explained Gordon Young, chair of the Wolcott Community Forest Committee.

The forest committee is conducting a survey to collect input from Wolcott residents and its neighbors from surrounding communities. Printed copies of the survey are available at the town office, the Wolcott Library, the Wolcott Store and Wolcott Elementary School. All completed surveys can be dropped off at the town office. To print a copy of the survey, contact Kurt Billings at 888-7145. The survey can also be completed online at tinyurl.com/WolcottWoodsSurvey2209. Surveys should be be completed and submitted by October 15.