Phil Knoettner sets to work clearing an oak tree that was felled by the Oct. 30 snowstorm on the Sprague Lands Conservation area off West Bare Hill Road. The tree is one of many clogging town conservation trails. (Photo by Lisa Aciukewicz)

The October snowstorm that dropped trees like jackstraws across Harvard's roads also left the town's conservation trails blocked by a jumble of massive branches and trunks. Even before the generators had sputtered into silence, volunteer crews took to the woods to begin a clearing effort that Phil Knoettner, trail coordinator for the Conservation Commission, says will most likely last well into spring.

Vice-chair of the Conservation Commission Wendy Sisson said that the oak trees on Holy Hill were hit especially hard by the storm, leaving much large, heavy debris to be cut and moved. She praised the work done by Knoettner and Bob Benson in that area, as well as the effort that the Harvard Snowmobile Club is putting into clearing the trails that its members use.

Harvard has about 22 miles of main trails on conservation land, not counting the many secondary paths, Knoettner said. By late November, he reported, the trails on Holy Hill and the Williams land were "pretty well cleared" and crews were working on the Clapp land and other areas.

Knoettner stressed the need for safety, explaining that he vets all volunteers to be sure they know how to safely operate a chain saw. Volunteers must also sign a waiver available on the town website. The two-person crews limit work sessions to one to three hours, because fatigue can lead to accidents.

"I tend to overdo it," Knoettner said, admitting that he could feel the previous day's work in his back.

Club president Tony Shaw said that the Harvard Snowmobile Club has removed fallen trees from paths on Dean's Hill near the transfer station, the Blomflet land, the woods around Bellevue Cemetery, the Dunlap property, and other areas.

The club maintains about 25 miles of trails, he said, some of which run through conservation land, while others cross private land that is open for use only in the winter.

The trail restoration work involves both young and old. Knoettner explained that the Den 3 Cub Scouts have been picking up sticks and smaller branches on Prospect Hill. And several older residents are marking and clearing trails as part of the senior property-tax work-off program.

Knoettner noted that the storm left many hanging branches that still pose a danger, especially on windy days. He reminded walkers, "Look up as well as down when you are in the woods."