This winter, Evergreen Garden Playschool in Devens, MA, reached out to New England Forestry Foundation to find out if they could host a special event on NEFF’s Groton Place Community Forest in Groton, MA. With permission from NEFF’s Director of Forest Stewardship, the preschool visited Groton Place Community Forest to harvest evergreen branches to build wreaths for the holiday season.
The event was a resounding success, and one of the teachers, Kelly Niemaszyk, shared the experience in a few words and pictures:
“The event was truly wonderful from start to finish. Many of the participants commented that they felt like it really kicked off the holiday season for them. The hike was absolutely stunning as the woods and fields were covered in a new blanket of white. It was quiet and magical. Many of the participants commented on how much they would love to take their children to Groton Place for a hike. When we strolled through the rhododendrons everyone marveled at the beauty of it and wondered what it must look like in bloom. All of the participants agreed that they hope this will become an annual event for our school.”
Groton Place is one of NEFF’s 141 Community Forests throughout New England, located on Route 225 in Groton, MA, and is open to the public for light recreation year-round. Visit our Forest Finder Tool to get directions to the trailhead!