Swampscott To Open Forest River Conservation Area Connector

SWAMPSCOTT, MA — A window into the trail network of Salem's Forest River Conservation Area will officially open in Swampscott on Saturday with a ceremony and ribbon cutting for the Forest River Conservation Area Connector.

The ceremony, presented by the Swampscott Conservancy and the town, will be held at 10 a.m. at the trailhead located behind Swampscott Cemetery on Essex Street, weather permitting.

Special thanks will be given to the Swampscott Conservancy, the Swampscott Department of Public Works and Aidan Pulaski of Boy Scout Troop 53 for all their work on the project.

The DPW build a wooden sign for the entrance and surfaced entry to the trail with gravel and cleared the area. Pulaski built and installed an information kiosk, and cleared and marked the trail that leads into Salem and the FRCA's 2.5 miles of trails as part of his Eagle Scout project.

"Opening up this trail will enable residents from both Swampscott and Salem to hike all the way from the dog park to Salem State University's South Campus parking lot," Toni Bandrowicz, President of the Conservancy, said. "With COVID-19 restricting everyone's ability to participate in other types of activities outside the home, a walk in the woods may just be the antidote for shaking off some of the boredom and anxiety we're all feeling and help us feel better both physically and mentally."

This article originally appeared on the Swampscott Patch