UPDATE: Repairs Complete | Storm Damage Forces Temporary Closure of NEFF’s Groton Place and Sabine Woods

UPDATE 10/31: Repairs are now complete, and Groton Place and Sabine Woods have fully reopened to the public. NEFF would like to thank the foresters, contractors and Town of Groton officials who helped us get the work done quickly and our beautiful properties back open for our visitors to enjoy, including Groton Place Forest Steward Rick Muehlke, Bob Pine of Pine & Swallow Environmental, Bennett Black Jr, Groton Land Use Director/Town Planner Takashi Tada, Groton Fire Chief Steele McCurdy, Groton Deputy Fire Chief Arthur Cheeks, Groton Chief of Police Michael Luth, Groton Department of Public Works Director Tom Delaney, and John Smigelski.

The repaired Nashua River bridge and dam at Groton Place, one of NEFF’s 150 Community Forests

Groton Place and its next-door Sabine Woods, two privately owned forestlands that are open to the public for recreation, are closed for at least two weeks after damage from heavy rainfall earlier this month. The New England Forestry Foundation (NEFF), which owns and manages the woodlands, is working to restore both the Nashua River bridge and a section of the dam that were washed out by the storm — infrastructure critical to safe trail access.

“With Groton Place’s main entrance now unsafe, both properties and their interconnected trails will remain closed until repairs can be made,” said Corey Wrinn, NEFF’s Stewardship Associate. “New England Forestry Foundation is working as quickly as possible to restore the bridge so the public can once again enjoy these beautiful woods.”

Repairs are set to begin in early October and are expected to last until mid-October. During that time, the parking lot will be closed to act as the staging area for materials and machinery. Follow NEFF on Facebook for the latest updates.

Groton Place and the adjacent Sabine Woods are some of NEFF’s most popular properties for recreation, with over a thousand visitors every month. In addition to their role as well-loved recreation destinations, NEFF manages Groton Place and Sabine Woods for carbon storage, sustainable and climate-smart timber, and wildlife habitat using the principles of NEFF’s own Exemplary Forestry management.

While walking dogs on leashes is allowed, dog owners are as always reminded to follow all posted rules to keep the woods healthy, safe, and welcoming to all visitors and to the wild animals that call these forestlands home. NEFF specifically manages its more than 150 Community Forests for wildlife, and keeping dogs on their leashes helps keep wild animals safe and shows them respect. View the property and its description on NEFF’s new interactive map.

If you enjoy the trails at Groton Place, or at any of our properties, please consider making a donation at newenglandforestry.org/support/donate.

Repaired Bridge Photos

The view from the repaired Nashua River bridge and dam at NEFF’s Groton Place Woods, photo by Kerry Castorano

A trail curves left to the repaired Nashua River bridge at NEFF’s Groton Place Woods, photo by Kerry Castorano

The repaired Nashua River bridge and dam at NEFF’s Groton Place Woods, photo by Kerry Castorano

Bridge Photos Soon After the Event

The Nashua River bridge and a section of the dam damaged by the September 2023 storm

About the New England Forestry Foundation

Through the application of its core expertise in conserving forestlands and advancing Exemplary Forestry, the New England Forestry Foundation helps the people of New England to sustain their way of life, protect forest wildlife habitat and ecosystem services, and mitigate and adapt to climate change. In partnership with land owners, New England Forestry Foundation has conserved more than 1.2 million acres of forest since its founding in 1944, including one out of every three acres of forestland protected in New England since 1999. It also owns and manages more than 150 Community Forests across the region.