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By Stephen Press
Hometown Weekly Staff
When one visits Medfield's Rocky Woods, a 491-acre reservation administered by the The Trustees of Reservations, over the course of several seasons, it becomes clear that the only constant is change.
That suits Kira LaFosse-Baker, engagement site manager for the reservation, particularly well.
"It's greener. That's for sure," she says of her wooded surroundings, which look significantly differently than they did even just a few months ago. "It's very green. We've had a great beginning to the spring and summer with this nice balance of rain and dry and warm and so everything's really lush. Which is awesome for hiking, because it's really beautiful."
A bright door, painted in the Trustees' unmistakable green, welcomes visitors to the Chickering Cabin Visitors Center.
LaFosse-Baker, who always seems to have new, exciting plans afoot for this unspoiled corner of Medfield, relishes not only concocting and coordinating those plans, but explaining the more natural changes that come to a place like Rocky Woods as the seasons march onward.
Perhaps the biggest natural change this year? Some of the reservation's residents have taken it upon themselves to do some fairly radical remodeling.
"The beavers are out at the pond!" enthuses LaFosse-Baker.
It's not without its complications, though.
"The beautiful scenic footbridge … is underwater. If you were to walk across the footbridge now, you'd be up to your waist in water. Their dam is impressive. The lodge is beautiful. A lot of people have been asking what are we going to do about it. Our policy as a conservation organization is to leave them alone. It's an inconvenience - our trails are underwater right now - but we can kind of make new trails," she explains.
"We still go out every now and then to make sure we have a really nice boardwalk by the dam … But that's a really cool spot to be, because then you're lower than the dam. You can see all the construction there. We've had multiple people ask if we built it, because it's such an impressive dam."
As one would expect from a place that touts perpetual change, though, the opportunity to see the industrious architects is a fleeting one.
"Eventually, they are going to move on. Beavers build up as much as they can, and eventually, all of the good trees are too far out of the water for them to get at, so they'll move on to another pond," she says, encouraging members of the public to take a look while they still can. "Our footbridge isn't accessible and our trails are a little bit tricky out there, but it's still totally worth going out there, just to see the masterful work of these creatures that do everything with their teeth."
The beavers, of course, aren't the only reason to stop by Rocky Woods. With 6.5 miles worth of trails winding through the space, many area hikers come to the reservation simply to amble into the wilderness without leaving Medfield.
"I always try to encourage people to go for their hike, but then take a minute and just sit quietly. That's when you're going to see things," LaFosse-Baker says. "That's when you're going to hear things. That's when you have the best chance of sighting something."
And because of its closeness to home and relatively small size, it's ideal for children and families who are new to the great outdoors.
"We're awesome in and of ourselves, but we're not massive," admits LaFosse-Baker. "We're not the Maine wilderness or anything. It's a great opportunity for families to try out the outdoors [and] let their kids get used to it. Get a bug bite, get scraped on your knee, have some of these minor things that are great learning opportunities."
The learning opportunities extend beyond free exploration of the reservation, though. Rocky Woods, like many Trustees sites, plays host to a number of vibrant programs designed to engage the community.
"If you're looking for something to do with your kids - right in this area - we're going to try to offer lots of great opportunities to get outside," LaFosse-Baker explains. "You don't have to drive all the way to the city. You don't need to drive all the way to New Hampshire or the Cape. If you need a little something in your evening or in your afternoon - a lot of our activities are built around the afternoons and the evenings for kids and families - it's just a great opportunity to get outside into this lush, green space in a place that's not just your backyard.
"It's the perfect summer 'extension of your backyard' area," she smiles. "I love it."
To learn more about programs on offer at Rocky Woods, visit http://goo.gl/xkrp6H or follow the reservation on Facebook (rockywoodsma) or Instagram (@ rockywoods_trustees).
To become a Trustees member - benefits of which include discounts on Trustees programs, free parking, and the ability to book private events at Rocky Woods - stop by the office at the park or contact Rocky Woods at (508-785-0339).
