Building A Better Boardwalk For Students

An Amherst wildlife sanctuary can soon be accessed safely thanks to a group of local volunteers.

Work on a new, sturdier boardwalk began over the weekend that goes into The Great Meadow, a 73-acre wildlife sanctuary across from Wilkins Elementary School. The new boardwalk is being constructed by a small group of volunteers, including members of Amherst Boy Scout Troop 613.

This project is the brainchild of Katzenberg and Rick Crocker, who wanted to give local students access to this area and learn more about the environment around them. The Great Meadow used to be used for environmental classes, but this ended as the old boardwalk decayed and made traveling on it unsafe.

“It is all for the children,” said Crocker as he worked with other volunteers on Saturday.

He said that the old boardwalk lasted about 25 years, and he expects this one to last at least that long. $1,500 in funding for the new boardwalk came from donations and the Amherst Conservation Commission.

Commission member and environmental expert Bill Wichman is overseeing the project. He was joined by local scout Jake Angulas along with Joe and Zack Anton on Saturday.

Katzenberg said that the team has about 40 feet to go, and the last scheduling of work will be set soon to finish the project. It is currently safe for walkers to carefully use, but will not be ready for the public until it is completed.

Superintendent Peter Warburton has seen the progress so far and is happy to have these dedicated volunteers working on something special for the school and local community.

“This looks great and our students and community members will get so much out of this over a number of years,” said Warburton in an email.