 Trevor Bergeron, front left, John Spezia, front center, and Mark Spezia, front right, lead other members of South Berwick's Boy Scout Troop #338 in carrying a bridge support beam through the town forest. (Courtesy photo) |
By Amy Bevan, Seacoast Online
November 12, 2009 2:00 AM
SOUTH BERWICK, Maine — Residents and outdoor enthusiasts have local teen John Spezia to thank for two new bridges in the 88-acre town forest. John, a candidate for Eagle Scout ranking, spearheaded the construction project in an effort to preserve and protect the land off Knights Pond Road.
John learned of the need for a two-section bridge in the town forest after speaking with merit badge counselor Jack Kareckas and Pat Robinson, chairman of the South Berwick Conservation Commission. Mark Spezia, John's father, recently described the problems they found in the forest.
"A section of the trail, which crosses an old oxbow of the Great Works River, had become a muddy mess due to past vehicle use and, more recently, misuse by hikers who had filled drainage channels with small logs and branches in an effort to avoid getting their feet wet," he said. "The result was a large body of ponded water trapped behind an obstruction that resembled a small beaver dam. The dam significantly altered the ecology of the site and created a hazardous path across loose and rotting logs. Ms. Robinson proposed building a crossing that would eliminate the hazard."
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Go & Do The South Berwick Conservation Commission invites all to explore the town forest near 114 Knights Pond Road. A public hike will be held from 1:30 to 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 22 (rain date Nov. 29). Professional forester David Parker will answer questions about the recently accepted Forest Management Plan, and John Spezia, candidate for Eagle Scout, will show off his bridge project. For details, call Pat Robinson at (207) 337-2792. |
Robertson said the Conservation Commission is grateful to John for contributing in this way to the community.
"One of the missions of the organization is to enhance recreational opportunities for residents of South Berwick," said Robertson. "This project has greatly improved the trail that was created by previous Eagle Scout candidates."
John was supported by many members of his troop — 338 from South Berwick — as well as Troop 340 from Eliot. Because the Boy Scouts all belong to School Administrative District 35, John said, they really wanted to work together to support him and the town forest project.
Now that the structure is complete, John reflected on the experience with pride.
"I was a little overwhelmed by the complexity of my project, and I had to ask for help from a lot of other people. I learned from that process though, and I gained a lot of confidence. My project was a lot of work and worry, but now that it's done I feel a real sense of accomplishment."
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