Billings Loop Botanical Trail

Sharon’s Botanical Trail

Click for map.

For a long time I’ve harbored the notion of creating a botanical trail in Sharon.

The trail should meet certain requirements. It had to be in an accessible location and had to have varied terrain supporting different ecosystems. An opportunity came in 2012 when Rahul Polu was seeking an Eagle Scout project. I had been interested in an area on the Massapoag Trail between Billings Street and Robs Lane.

The terrain sloped from high ground into wetlands over a distance of about 300 feet. A year prior to this, a swath of land, about 11 acres, had been preserved for conservation and a trail—the “Billings Loop” was created through it. This loop trail became the basis for the botanical trail. For his Eagle Scout project Rahul cleared the trail and installed steps up the slope to higher ground. He installed a kiosk featuring a map of the trail and photographs of plants that inhabited it.

Later, with the help of plant experts, ( I am not very savvy about northern flora– having lived most my life in Florida. I can tell you the difference between a black mangrove and a white mangrove and why you shouldn’t eat oleanders) we were able to place tags on a few bushes and trees. So finally, we had the rudiments of a botanical trail.

This spring and summer of 2019 we hope to improve on the trail by creating a photo– and possibly a video– guidebook to the many, many plant species along the trail.

If you would like to help out with the trail please contact me: kurt237@comcast.net