HCT volunteers clear trails: Cape Cod Foundation grant brings new chainsaw to the work party

Winter showed up this year on Cape Cod like a championship boxer. The one-two punch of wind and snow wreaked havoc on our fair peninsula, closing roads, schools and knocking out power. Lots of nature lovers were cooped up inside, waiting for the snow and ice to melt, and downed trees became hurdles on favorite hiking trails.

But the usual miracle of spring has its own power, and the snowpack was no match. Downed trees, however, are another story. That’s where the splendid team of Harwich Conservation Trust (HCT) volunteers comes in. With the strength of Paul Bunyan and the footwork of Margot Fonteyn, these brush-battling heroes grabbed tools and cleared HCT trails for all of us to enjoy.

We caught up with an HCT volunteer work party at the Muddy Creek Headwaters Preserve. Good cheer was the order of the day, with half the group slated to peel off to HCT’s D. Isabel Smith Monomoy River Conservation Lands.

“We have guided walks in both these places next week, so we want to get them clear,” said Connor O’Brien, HCT’s Director of Land Stewardship. 

The trusty HCT pickup truck was filled with the tools of the trade, including loppers, a pole saw and an intriguing axe-like object called a hookaroon, used to grab and move logs.

Cape Cod Foundation grants make a difference

The star of the show was a new Husqvarna chainsaw. O’Brien said HCT was able to acquire the tree-chewing champ thanks to a $7,500 grant from the the Priscilla Alden Sears Memorial Fund of The Cape Cod Foundation, part of the organization’s Blizzard 2026 Rapid Response Funding initiative.

These timely grants were made available by the the Priscilla Alden Sears Memorial Fund of The Cape Cod Foundation after a powerful storm pummeled the Cape in late February, to help nonprofits with blizzard-related impacts.

Several other Cape Cod land trusts, including the Chatham Conservation Foundation (CCF), received the grants. “This is the type of philanthropy that truly helps small nonprofits weather the storm,” said Lauren Arcomano, CCF’s Executive Director. CCF used the grant money to invest in a new electric chainsaw and hire professional arborists to help out where needed during clearing operations.

Both O’Brien and Arcomano expressed gratitude for the Cape Cod Foundation grants that immediately had an impact for cleanup operations.

Take a hike!

Back at Muddy Creek, HCT’s O’Brien provided an overview of the winter’s toll. “The snow got in the way of a lot of stewardship plans and stewardship projects,” he said. “We’re trying to catch up as we move into spring, with weeks of storm damage cleanup. We had 30-plus trees down on HCT properties.”

The crew at Muddy Creek made short work of some pesky fallen trees and branches. Then we joined the group at D. Isabel Smith to finish up work along the beautiful trails. The highlight was when O’Brien revved up the new chainsaw and cut through a burly tree like a hot knife through butter. Thanks to HCT volunteers and the Cape Cod Foundation, the trails are now clear in both locations.

Spring is here and there’s hiking to do–we hope to see you out on the trails soon!

—Sign up for HCT eNews, a great way to stay in the loop about exciting HCT events, guided walks and other interesting news.

—Your tax-deductible contributions help fulfill the mission of the Harwich Conservation Trust to preserve land that protects woods, water, wildlife and our shared quality of life. And your land-saving financial support helps us preserve beautiful properties that can become stellar trail destinations. Find out how to donate by clicking here.