Moving 300 pounds of reinforced concrete through the woods…..a more than fair tradeoff for enhanced safety on our preserves!

It is no secret that there is a rich cultural heritage that exists both in the landscape, writ large, as well as on Avalonia preserves, a heritage that is intertwined with the ecological values we strive to conserve. Inventorying these, whether they be of Indigenous, Colonial, or Early American origin is an important part of stewardship and an effort in which we are actively engaged. There is a range of dwelling foundations, root cellars, dams, walls, historic cemeteries, and other stone features dotting and crisscrossing the preserves. 

And while we take great pains not to disturb the integrity of these cultural resources there are some instances in which safety must reign supremely.  This is particularly true with open wells!

Stewardship been working to identify any hazardous open or improperly covered wells and, rather than collapse them, plans are underway to cover them securely with 3–4-foot diameter cast, reinforced concrete well covers, each weighing close to 300 pounds.  There is little argument against this safety precaution, especially when these hazards are adjacent to our trails systems. And while I imagine that there is agreement that the aged stone piles that often “top” these wells are far more attractive than a circle of fresh concrete- safety trumps aesthetic in these cases. Once the concrete well covers are in place, we might consider repositioning the original stones atop the new covers. These safety measures may contrast, for a short time, with their more natural surroundings, but the shine will fade, and visitors (humans and pets) to the preserves will be measurably safer!