news MCBC Trailwork Experience: A Full Weekend of Trail Love!

As the rains came down last weekend, MCBC helped recruit 60 volunteers to come out and directly care for our trails. Two days of work resulted in 170 hours of volunteer service – a great experience for all!

On Saturday, 25 volunteers fanned out, working on the Porcupine and White Hill trails which many cyclists use to access Camp Tamarancho and San Geronimo Ridge. Projects on the multi-use trail included light tread work and re-establishing the drainages to keep water off the trail. We also cut back vegetation that had encroached on the trail, improving sight lines.

Sunday dawned with 36 students and parents from the San Rafael High School Norcal Team pulling invasive Forget-Me-Nots along the Cross-Marin Trail at Samuel P. Taylor Park – even those of us who didn’t go to San Rafael High are chanting “Go Dawgs!” Though it was a damp day, that didn’t stop the inspired group from removing 15 bags of the invasive plant from 3 culverts.

Work like this instills a sense of pride and connection with the places we visit in nature. Volunteers also get a close-up view of the real impacts to trails from overuse and lack of maintenance. This firsthand experience will continue to gain value as we recruit new volunteers for all the new trails expected to come on line over the next few years.

Thanks to all who came out to help!

If this report inspires you to pitch in and be a part of the trail steward experience, look for upcoming trail work opportunities – or if you have an upcoming project, let us know and we’ll list it in our Events section.