Local Scout of America Helps Baltimore Woods

This fall the Friends of Baltimore Woods were indeed fortunate when Garrett Kaiser of Scout Troop 71, focused his beam of Eagle Scout volunteer light on the slippery dirt trail along the undeveloped portion of North Alta Avenue, which is a trail that walkers can use to access the postage stamp sized parcel of Baltimore Woods known as the Old Oak Lot.

To earn Eagle Scout status, one needs to plan, organize and provide leadership on a beneficial community service project.  To increase the safety for walkers, Garrett chose to mobilize his troop members to build a set of stairs and a hand rail along the steep dirt path. In verifiable leadership fashion, he contacted FOBW to explain his plan, assessed the physical conditions of the site, identified the materials needed, and how to acquire them along with designing the stairs and railing for the project.

On Saturday November 18, more than 30 volunteers from St Johns Scouts Post 58, Portland State University and Friends of the Baltimore Woods joined the stair building work party. Thanks to a donation of logs by Lars Limburg of Arbor Pacific Tree Works and his back hoe, logs were placed and bark chips distributed along the path to Cathedral Park. Native plants were also planted at the adjacent Old Oak property. So many accomplishments were achieved that day due to the enthusiastic hands of numerous generous volunteers. Thank you to Jim Barnas for bringing the donuts, all the wonderful participants, and especially to Garrett Kaiser for helping to lead such a successful trail upgrade for the Old Oak Lot of Baltimore Woods. The new stairs and railing are a sturdy and beautiful addition to the trail.