Last Updated on November 20, 2024
Nature Trail Club
Bonnie Kawecki, Leader
Donna Ferrara, Co-Leader
The NTC works to preserve and enhance the beauty of the Nature Trail, the Butterfly Garden, the Rock Garden, and the Wildflower Garden by eliminating invasive plants and adding native plants and trees. Our interests extend to helping maintain the beauty and trail of the Lake Charles area including the Old Stone Bridge Trail. We also help the Charlestown community appreciate its natural environment.
Nature Trail Table at the September 2023 Fruits of Our Labor.
| SCHEDULE | TIME | LOCATION |
|---|---|---|
| 3rd Wednesday (Except December) | 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM | Music Room |
See information of their activities:
History of the Nature Trail
As Marie Brinsfield wrote in her brief history of the trail, it was the vision of Paul Gaudreau, a retired architect and early resident of Charles town. Once it was determined that the trail would cross Herbert’s Run, Paul researched bridge designs and produced the sketches from which the covered bridge on the trail was constructed. A plaque at the Cross Creek entrance to the trail is dedicated to him.
John Erickson was an enthusiastic supporter of the trail, and his assistant, Dick DeLottinville, worked closely with Paul Gaudreau to make the trail a reality. With the help of the Grounds Department, the covered bridge and the wishing wells were built and installed, the 4 x 4 timbers that form the curb of the trail were laid, and the banks of Herbert’s Run were stabilized. Later, residents using the wood shop contributed the several benches along the trail. Members of the Maryland Forest Service identified and tagged the 26 species of trees found along the trail.
Several other early residents of Charlestown made significant contributions to the development of the trail. Bill Bowles, Marie Brinsfield, Sally McBride, Ruth and Tom Hopkins, and Lou Romatowski worked to discover, identify, and mark plants and wildflowers, eliminate weeds, and strip ivy from tree trunks. Ruth Hopkins worked to eliminate poison ivy along the trail. Dorothy and Howard Jones planted over 130 ferns. Carl Tongier planted dozens of tiger lilies.
Howard Jones made and installed numbered markers every 25 feet on the curb of the trail. Over the 25 years since the creation of the trail, numerous residents have contributed to its preservation.
Where to Find the Trail
The Nature Trail on the Charlestown campus follows the course of Herbert’s Run, the stream flowing through the wooded ravine behind Brookside.
One entrance to the trail is behind the Cross Creek Station lobby. From this entrance, the path curves downhill to the right and a short walk leads to one end of the trail. To the left, the trail curves downhill, leads across the covered bridge and exits at the Butterfly Garden on Erickson Way. This entrance to the trail is across from the Lake.
The Nature Trail Committee
Paul Gaudreau formed the first Nature Trail Committee made up of the residents who helped to develop the trail. The current Nature Trail Committee meets once a month. It works with the Grounds Committee of the Residents’ Council and the Grounds Department to maintain the Trail, enhance the environment of the Trail, and preserve the numerous native wild flower species.
The Nature Trail Committee is currently made up of a Coordinator, a Secretary, a Treasurer, and about 15 other members, several of whom have assumed responsibility for, among other things, the Butterfly Garden, the Rock Garden, the Wildflower Garden, tree and flower signs, and invasive species. In the Spring, the Committee also stages Nature Fest in conjunction with the celebration of Earth Day.
All are welcome to enjoy the trail and to join in its continuing upkeep and preservation.
Please contact Bonnie Kawecki or Donna Ferrara, with any questions about the Committee. See their contact information in the Resident Directory.
Nature Trail Updates
Winter is still departing us, but some early crocuses are blooming in gardens, so there is hope for spring. Walking the Nature Trail at this time of year is an adventure, and not yet recommended for several weeks. Testing it out in late February, I found that I could slip on snow, ice, or mud, depending on where I was. In fact, my shoes got sucked off twice in mud, so wear something tight and sturdy if you venture out now.
On April 6 members of the Nature Trail Committee will have a Trail Clean-up Day, during which we will also clean any trash out of the Run and off the adjoining hillsides. This is not only spring cleaning, but is also preparation for our biggest day of the year, Wildflower Day, which this year will be on Friday, April 22, Earth Day. We will have Trail and nature displays, movies, raffles, and homemade cookies in the Cross Creek and Chesapeake lobbies from 11:00 a.m. to 2 p.m. We will also have at least one guided walk on the Nature Trail to discuss its features, especially any spring flowers in bloom.
One additional thought: The other day as I was entering the skywalk from Brookside to Edgewater, I looked down to the left (east) to see the Nature Trail. On the first windows you come to, I noticed ghostly images on the outer glass. There were more than a dozen before recent rains washed many off, but they were impacts from where doves flew into the glass. The reason for this was people feeding the birds from upper Brookside balconies. The birds would wait in nearby trees for the food and then either fly from the trees or balconies, with some hitting the glass of the skywalk. I looked on the ground below the skywalk and did not find any stunned or dead birds, so hopefully none were killed. The folks who were feeding the birds this way were asked by management to cease and desist, so this problem should be over, not to mention ending the rain of bi
rd poop on lower balconies and patios. At the end of February you could still see a few birds waiting in the trees, hopeful for a winter handout, but they will learn to look elsewhere. The attached picture (looking up at the eave of the skywalk) is my best effort to show the impact image of one bird, and if you look closely you can see the outline of the body and wings on the glass. Nature is always interesting, and animals will always take advantage of whatever food source they can find, even if they get knocked silly in the process.
Bert Clegern
Co-Chairman, Nature Trail Committee