The Essex County Trail Association exists to protect access to the trails and open lands throughout the 6 towns we work in. We partner with both public and private landowners to ensure that the experience of open trails is positive for them as well as the trail users.
Trail Easements: We work with private landowners to give permanent trail easements to ECTA. ECTA often maintains these trails at the landowners request, ensuring safety and protection of the resource.
Trail Maintenance: ECTA quickly responds to requests to clear and maintain over 400 miles of trails throughout our communities. We clear downed trees, fix holes and muddy areas, repair fencing, and mark trails.
Trail Repair and Construction: ECTA completes major repair and construction projects each year. As an example, in 2009 we have spent over $35,000 in Bradley Palmer State Park repairing popular but often unuseable trails. We have installed culverts, brought in new stone and pack trail surfaces, and installed water flow devices to mitigate beaver impacts.
Trail Management Plans: ECTA has developed Trail Management Plans for 4 of the 6 towns we serve. These TMP’s allow us to manage trails throughout the town on a streamlined basis in order to save the town, landowners and ECTA money and time.
Trail Assessments: We conduct detailed Trail Assessments that allow us to formulate and enact a plan for trail repairs, using GPS and photography, followed by a cost analysis of each area.
Volunteer Trail Days: After our successful initial Volunteer Trail Day in 2009, we plan to hold several more in 2010 and beyond. To
Events: ECTA holds many athletic, educational, and social events throughout the year designed to promote the outdoors and to bring in funds for the organization.
