Spring returns to Tantramar, and one local group is calling on residents to enjoy the trails and help keep them safe.
Listen here:
The Tantramar Outdoor Club, active since the 1970s, maintains about 18 kilometres of winter trails and another 8 to 10 kilometres for year-round use. Funded largely by memberships and community support, the club runs events and provides access to trails for hiking, cycling, paddling, skiing, and snowshoeing.
Board member Peter Manchester says the Crooked Tree Trail is a great place to start for anyone new to outdoor exploring.
“It covers several areas of biodiversity.” says Manchester, “You have the coniferous forest, you have the hardwood forest. If you are a fan of mossy landscapes, it’s perfect. There are little streams running through there… ample stuff for a small child to get completely enraptured by throwing little sticks in the stream.”
This season, the club is also asking for help – not to maintain the trails, but simply monitor them. Volunteers are encouraged to report issues like fallen trees or trail washouts directly to the website here.
“There are people on there every day, and so it’s good to know if a tree’s been knocked down or if there’s a washout. They’re by no means required to do that. We just need to be notified.”
Manchester says residents interested in volunteering can find more information at tantramaroutdoorclub.org or by visiting the club’s Facebook page.
If you’re hitting the trails with a dog, Manchester has one polite request:
“We encourage people, if they’re taking dogs… to, of course, pick up after their pets.”
