BEVERLY — The Essex County Greenbelt Stewardship team put members’ engineering and carpentry skills to use this spring to install a new 50-foot boardwalk on the Alt Reservation in Beverly.
Standing 2½ feet above the wetlands on a section of trail damaged by fallen trees, the new structure improves safety and access for visitors to the 62-acre property and its 1.6 miles of easy trails, according to Greenbelt.
It was also designed to allow for plenty of sunlight to reach the stream, vegetation, and wildlife habitat found underneath.
The boardwalk was built out of black locust lumber, a sustainable hardwood known for its durability and resistance to decay. The new structure is projected to last 15-20 years, which is nearly double the life expectancy of a similar boardwalk made with pressure-treated wood, according to Greenbelt.
“Black locust is an invasive tree that grows in this area and its wood is more environmentally friendly than other types of lumber,” said Dave McKinnon, Greenbelt’s land manager and trails coordinator who spearheaded the project.
“Pressure-treated wood has chemicals that leach into the soil and can damage the landscape.”
The project took about nine months to complete — much of the time was waiting for winter to pass, obtaining a wetland permit from the Beverly Conservation Commission, and prepping the lumber. The construction itself took two weeks and involved the entire Stewardship team, along with help from several volunteers.
The boardwalk is 3 feet wide and can accommodate a wheelchair or stroller. It also has ramps on either end and the deck boards are spaced in such a way to not pose a hazard for children, McKinnon said.
The Greenbelt Stewardship team also created a small parking lot on the property in 2023. The main entrance to the Alt Reservation is off Grover Street.