30 Show Up To Clear the Black Diamond Trail
Often, when I’ve mentioned the Black Diamond Trail here in Trumansburg, the response has been rolled eyes and little groans of disgust. I’m not a longtime resident, but I’ve gotten the message pretty clearly that there have been a lot of expectations for the Black Diamond Trail that have not been satisfactorily met in reality.
Yet, the Black Diamond Trail does exist. Oh, you may not be able to walk all the way from Trumansburg to Ithaca on it yet, but it does exist. This photograph is of a new stretch of the trail that was cleared today between Willow Creek Road and Agard Road, right here in the town of Ulysses.
About 30 people showed up to clear small trees, blackberries, wild roses, and a whole lot of honeysuckle, to make the section of trail usable. These people, who didn’t just talk about the need to value green space, or the importance of establishing transportation alternatives, or the benefit of reducing health care costs by encouraging exercise, deserve some thanks. They went through a bit of trouble to get out of their homes and got to work, and though the air was a bit nippy at first, after hauling the first few bunches of brush away, it was quite toasty.
My son came with me, and tried to work pruning shears for a while, before giving up and picking a goldenrod flower for his mother. Together, we found a bird’s nest with an unhatched egg from earlier this year still in the bottom of it. It was worth the time, and the burrs.
[...] There was a great work day for the trail last autumn, clearing a part of the trail around Willow Creek Road and Agard Road, which is in an area just to the south of Taughannock Falls State Park. About 30 people were in attendance. [...]