October 2012

Clicking on a photo will open a larger version in a new window. All photos courtesy of Cherrie Corey.

The Gathering Circle will feature benches made from 19th-century ship timbers.  The timbers are from Southern live oaks and have been in Boston Harbor for over 100 years. The salt water in the harbor has driven out elements of decay so that the logs are very hard and well-preserved.  In these  four photos, the timbers are being unloaded and placed in the Circle. 

Photos right: Unloading mulch at the Playscape site. The mulch will help keep dust down during the winter and also restore nutrients to the soil so that it's ready for planting in the spring

The Woodland Trail is now paved with stonedust (top photo left) -- the next step is to install plantings along the Trail (bottom photo left).

Photo left: The Woodland Trail is being lined with split logs and paved with stonedust.

Photo left: Planting trees around the Gathering Circle.

Laying out the Gathering Circle.

Photos right: Two perspectives of the Woodland Trail,
from the trail entrance off the Ripley parking lot (top)
and a bit farther along the trail looking west.

Photos left: Removing the overgrown woodland on the Playscape's southern edge, which has been overrun by invasives.  Once this land is cleared, a woodland hedgerow habitat featuring native plants, paths and stepping stones, and natural play elements, will be installed.

.

Above: In fall 2012, Concord-Carlisle High School is offering a pilot interdisciplinary program viewing the phenomena of "Rivers & Revolutions" through the lenses of literature, history, science, math, philosophy and the arts. Students in the class will choose a local stewardship project, with the Playscape being one of the choices. Above, five CCHS students visit the Playscape site.