Chief Trail Patrol Warden’s Report
(Victor G. Henrikson)
TRAIL
|
# OF OUTINGS
|
# OF HOURS
|
Heritage Park
|
43
|
45.5
|
Salt Marsh
|
59
|
70.25
|
Shearwater Flyer
|
89
|
87
|
Bissett Lake
|
23
|
10.75
|
Forest Hills
|
0
|
0
|
*Other Nova Scotia Trails
|
37
|
45
|
**Out of Province Trails
|
15
|
21.5
|
TOTAL
|
266
|
280
|
* Atlantic View
Trail, Baker Drive Trail, Dartmouth Harbour Front Trail, and Portland Hills.
** Alberta’s Banff & Jasper National Parks:
Trundle Trail, Lake Louise trail, Bow Valley Trial Bow Valley Trial, Banff
Park, Canmore and Columbia Ice Fields. Drumheller:
Drumheller trail and Hoo Doo trail.
Lake Louise Bow Valley River Banff Highway Wild Life Corridor
Comments/Observations Reported by the Trail Patrol
Wardens:
1.
Trail Patrol Wardens constantly
clean the trails and parking lots of various
forms of garbage & dog feces. They restock the Dog Bag Dispensers
located at several trail heads. The Trail Brochures handed out to the many
trail visitors are greatly appreciated.
2.
Sadly, one of our own
passed away this month after a courageous battle with cancer. Elizabeth Niforth
had served CHPTA as a Board Member and Trail Patrol Warden. She will be missed.
3.
One Warden has been
fielding questions from trail walkers in French. He is also willing to
translate our trail maps into French.
4.
A Warden reported that he
covered 427km of the trails on his bicycle while another covered 475km. This is
fantastic not only for CHPTA but also for the many folks who are out enjoying
the trails. It gives them some sense of security and shows them that the
organization is committed to being there and their desire to be aware of what
is happening on the trails.
5.
Off-leash dogs are often
seen taking a swim or going after sticks/balls thrown into the water by their
owner. However, many trail walkers are being seen with their dogs on leash and are
very appreciative of the trails. They make a point of saying they keep their
dogs on leash and appreciate the efforts made by Wardens to remind people of
the need for leashes. Even when leashed, it is imperative for owners to keep
control of their dogs. One Warden would have been knocked over if he had not
anticipated a leashed dog was about to jump on him. Another Warden was charged
by an off-leash dog but managed to fend the dog off. He advised the owner of the
leash requirement. She replied that there was nothing he could do about it and
continued along her way the dog unleashed.
6.
Clam diggers are frequently
seen on the flats along the Salt Marsh Trail.
7.
The sighting of snakes
along the various trails continues. This python must have been at least 5
inches long and 1/10 of an inch wide. Can you guess who does not like snakes no
matter what their size?
8.
The picnic table on the
Salt Marsh Trail and our various benches along the trails are very popular. One
gentleman who has taken up sketching, with his daughter as the teacher, was
recently seen sitting on one of our benches sketching the surrounding scenery.
9.
Unauthorized signage has
been appearing at various trail heads. Wardens have been removing such signage.
10.
A Warden picked up and
disposed of a large amount of spent fireworks canisters by the West Marsh
Bridge.
11.
A Warden removed three
downed trees on the Salt Marsh Trail and two from the Atlantic View Trail after
a recent wind storm.
12.
Respiratory issues stopped
a gentleman from walking the trails. He now uses a motorized bike and has been
told many times that it is not allowed on the trails He contacted the Federal
Government’s ‘Parks Canada’ and they told him that electric bikes were allowed
in Federal Parks and therefore the gentleman concluded that it would be allowed
in provincial parks.
13.
Serious accidents involving
a walker and bicycle took place on the Salt Marsh Trail and Forest Hills Trail.
The need for care by both parties is required i.e. keeping on the right side of
the trail, use of bells/brakes on bicycles and travelling at a reasonable speed
could help to prevent such accidents. Several trail users have expressed
concern over bicycles not having bells and the cyclists’ speed.
14.
This large fire pit located
a few yards off the Shearwater Flyer trail continues to be used for various
purposes. On a recent checking of the site, two pairs of men’s underwear were
found. Makes one wonder just what is going on here.
16. Photographers, some with very long telephoto lenses, have been spotted on our various trails. They are very impressed with the scenery and variety of wildlife/insects.
17.
The Shearwater Flyer Trail
was used as a portion of the Maritime Race Weekend being held in Dartmouth/Cole
Harbour. Several Wardens patrolled the SF Trail to ensure the safety of the
runners.
18.
Good weather brought out
the party crowd. Often the remnants of a drinking bash are found in the various
parking lots and along the trails.
19.
A Warden assisted a woman walker
who got lost on Costley Trail by providing trail maps and directions to the
parking lot.
20.
A woman walker was scared
for herself and her dog when confronted with three German Shepard dogs on-leash
with two other large dogs which were off-leash.
21.
Several seagulls were
spotted eating apples they found in water along the Salt Marsh Trail.
22.
On many occasions,
especially on the weekends when the weather was fine, the parking lots were
completely full and the trails packed with walkers and bicycles.
23. A trail walking couple who enjoy the scenery in the Heritage Park have offered to make and install new crosses in the Poor’s Farm cemetery. This has been referred to the CHPTA Chair.
23. A trail walking couple who enjoy the scenery in the Heritage Park have offered to make and install new crosses in the Poor’s Farm cemetery. This has been referred to the CHPTA Chair.
Current crosses
to be replaced
24.
Household garbage being
deposited in the trail head garbage cans continues to be a problem. Also, yard
debris is often left at the sides of the parking lots.
25.
Once again, trail maps were
provided to the local Welcome Wagon representative to pass along to newcomers
to the Cole Harbour/Dartmouth area.
26.
As Fall approaches, many
trees along the trails are starting to turn colour.
Salt Marsh Trail Activity
From January
2013 to December 2013
Site Name Average Median STDV Min Max
Cole Harbour Salt Marsh (Bike)
|
1,443.9 1,491.5 973.4 120.9 2,901.0
|
|
Cole Harbour Salt Marsh (Walk)
|
6,751.8 7,472.0 3,435.9 2,233.0
11,468.0
|
NOTE:
Blue walk count results also include those on bicycles
Reported Wildlife/Insect Sightings:
American Pipit, Artic
Terns, Bald Eagles, Beavers, Blue Jays, Butterflies, Canada Geese, Caterpillars,
Cedar Waxwings, Chickadees, Chipmunks, Cormorants, Crane, Crows, White-tailed
Deer, Eastern Painted Turtles, Great Blue Herons, Herring Gulls, Marsh Hawk, Mourning
Doves, Osprey, Pigeons, Pheasants, Porcupines, Rabbits, Robbins, Sandpipers, Sea
Gulls, Snakes, Song Sparrows, Squirrels, Tree Frog, Various Duck species (Pintail,
Black & Mallards), and Yellow Leg Gulls.
Chris Peters
of the Nova Scotia
Bird Society toured the Salt Marsh Trail on September 8th.
He spent 4 hours and 20 minutes on the trail and wanted to share the birding
results of his walk on the trail. If the quantity says "X" that means
he saw that species but didn't keep totals.
Cormorant 20, Great Blue Heron 5, Northern Harrier 2, Accipiter sp.
1, Bald Eagle 1, Black-bellied Plover 37, Semipalmated Plover 11, Solitary
Sandpiper 1, Greater Yellowlegs X, Willet 2,Lesser, Yellowlegs X, Least
Sandpiper X, Short-billed Dowitcher 25, Ring-billed Gull 8, Herring Gull X, Great
Black-backed Gull 1, Mourning Dove 2, Belted Kingfisher 2, Northern Flicker 1, Red-eyed
Vireo 1, American Crow 19, Black-capped Chickadee X, Black-and-white Warbler 2,
Common Yellowthroat 1, American Redstart 1, Northern Parula 1, Magnolia Warbler
1, Yellow-rumped Warbler 2, Black-throated Green Warbler 2, Savannah Sparrow X,
Nelson's Sparrow 1, Song Sparrow 1, Dark-eyed Junco 1, Purple Finch 1, American
Goldfinch X.
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