In its seventh round in the fall of 2018, the Q2C Trail Grants program awarded 4 grants to projects totaling $24,785.33.  Grants were awarded to projects including trail feasibility studies, bridge construction and trail maintenance.  The projects that were awarded grants in round seven were:

Project:  Connecting the Gaps, Phase 2
Sponsor: Appalachian Mountain Club
Award:  $5,880.00

AMC seeks to conduct a feasibility study for building two trail sections to create a continuous North-South Trail in NH. Project goals include: 1) creating a new outdoor recreation resource that will enhance the identity of this part of the Quabbin-to-Cardigan region and highlight its significant natural resources; and 2) establishing a new long-distance hike through NH. This study is Phase 2, looking at closing the northern gap from Cardigan Mountain State Forest to the Appalachian Trail and/or the White Mountain National Forest trails network. This study would identify possible trail routes, approximately 15 -20 miles in length, to connect a number of existing conservation lands and trail corridors with other landownerships.

Project:  Rome Bridges 
Sponsor: North County Land Trust
Award:  $1,405.33

Three bridges will be built across streams that cross trails within the Rome Conservation Area trail system. The bridges will be 5’ wide and 12’ long. They will accommodate multi-use recreation including hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding. The Q2C funds will be used to purchase materials including lumber, screws and non-slip matting. Labor will be provided by NCLT volunteers. The residents of the local neighborhood and visitors from further afield enjoy the trails on both the Rome Conservation Area and the adjacent City land to which they connect.  It is hoped that with the new trail system and user-friendly water crossings the trails will become a favorite destination for many.

Project:  Sunset Hill Trail, Hay Reservation
Sponsor: Society for the Protection of NH Forests
Award:  $7,500.00

The Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests (Forest Society) was awarded a Q2C Trail Grant in the amount of $7,500 to fund a youth trails crew on the popular Sunset Hill Trail at the Hay Reservation in Newbury, New Hampshire. This crew will replace 30-40 waterbars/checksteps, which, at more than ten years old and located on the steepest sections of the trail, are deteriorating and unsafe. The communities in the Dartmouth-Lake Sunapee Region will benefit from this needed trail maintenance on the Hay Reservation’s Sunset Hill Trail. By replacing the failing drainage structures, the Forest Society ensures the trail remains sustainable for years to come.

Project:  Cunningham Pond Public Access Trail 
Sponsor: The Monadnock Conservancy
Award:  $10,000.00

The Monadnock Conservancy seeks to provide public access to Cunningham Pond by providing parking, creating over a mile of new trail, and improving 0.9 miles of existing trails on two abutting Conservancy owned properties. The Cunningham Pond Natural Area is the newest project for the Conservancy with ongoing fundraising for acquisition. The new trails will reopen the property to the public after years of posted boundaries and link the parking area with a historic carriage road, shorefront views, views of the Wapack Range and a variety of habitats.