Events

When Where What
Saturday,
Oct. 14th, 2017
9am-1pm
 Turtle Mound Work Party: AVIS Work Party at the Turtle Mound on Lakeside Cir. Leaders Ken Doran and David Dargie will be cutting brush and raking leaves to expose this unusual earth and boulder mound that is about 10' tall and 90' long with two caves and a passageway going through the structure. You can read about the Turtle Mound on the AVIS website under "Reservations" "Turtle Mound". For information on the work party please contact David Dargie, david@dargie.com, 978-996-4475.
Saturday,
Oct. 14th, 2017
2:00pm
 Baker's Meadow No Cause to Judge Them: A Narrated Hike Through Baker’s Meadow: Join the Andover Historical Society for a narrated history hike through land once owned by Rev. Francis Dane and his family in commemoration of his Oct. 1692 petition that helped to end the witch hunt. Meet at West Parish Cemetery Arch. This event is co-sponsored by Andover Trails Committee. Free and Open to the Public. For more information, go to the Historical Society website at Bewitched
Tuesday,
March 13th, 2018
6:00pm
 Old Town Hall
20 Main St, Andover
 AVIS Annual Dinner and Meeting: Please save the date.
Sunday,
Oct. 1st, 2017
2:00pm
 Goldsmith Reservation
491 South Main Street, Andover
 Monthly Hike: Meet at Goldsmith reservation parking lot. No need to register, show and go. The hike will leave from the parking lot at 2:15. We will hike on a wide, mostly flat trail to Foster’s Pond and return on same trail. The hike will take one to one and one-half hours depending on the pace of the group. For more information contact group leader Denise Boucher at (508) 265-3093.
Monday,
Sept. 25th, 2017
4:30pm
 Andover High School Mushroom Walk: Meet outside the Collins Center to walk on the Indian Ridge Reservation with Zaac Chaves, expert on fungi. Zaac is an administrator on the board of the Connecticut Westchester Mycological Association. He will help participants know how to identify wild mushrooms and edible fungi. Sponsored by Andover TV.
Saturday,
Sept. 23rd, 2017
9:30-11:30am
 Andover Historical Society
91 Main Street
Andover
 Walking Tour of Historical Mill District: Step back in time to the 19th century to explore Andover’s fascinating Historic Mill District! Participants will be led on a guided walking tour that examines the history of the buildings where 19th century Andover mill owners and factory workers lived, worked, and played alongside family and neighbors. The tour will cover about 2.5 miles over road and sidewalks with hills. Bring water, wear comfortable shoes. This is part of the Essex National Heritage Area Trails and Sails event. See Essex Heritage for more information.
Saturday,
Sep. 23rd, 2017
1:00-2:30pm
 461 River Rd.
Melmark School
Andover
 Trails and Sails Hike along the Merrimack River: Once again AVIS will participate in the annual Trails and Sails event sponsored by the Essex National Heritage Area. Join Fred Snell for a hike along the Merrimack River and see this newly acquired property – formerly the Franciscan Seminary.
Saturday,
Sep. 9th, 2017
10am - 4pm 		Downtown Andover Andover Day: Main St, Downtown Andover join AVIS and dozens of other vendors at Andover's traditional celebration. AVIS will have a booth on Main Street and welcomes all to stop by for a visit.
Sunday,
July 9th, 2017
2:00pm 		Andover's Recreation Park History and Hiking in Andover: On Sunday, July 9, 2017, Andover Trails will lead a family-friendly history hike along the surviving route of the original Andover & Wilmington Railroad, constructed in 1835 and in use until 1848, when the line was re-routed to accommodate the new city of Lawrence. Doug Mitchell and Jane Cairns from the Andover Historical Society will share stories of this early line and its development and operation, as well as more stories from the sandy plains and old gravel pits surrounding Pomps Pond and the Shawsheen River.

Here's a preview of just some of what you will learn:

Word spread quickly through Andover, on a summer morning in 1836, when the news came that the town’s first train – and only the second in Massachusetts – would be chugging into town that day. One embankment with a good view of the newly-laid tracks was “black with people, standing as thick as they could,” as most of the town’s population turned out to cheer the arrival of the two-four-wheeled cars, pulled by the “iron horse” named “Andover.”

Meet at the far end of the roadway at Andover’s Rec Park (approx 165 Abbot Street) at 2 pm to commence a moderately-paced walk of about two miles. We will finish back at Rec Park in approximately two hours.

Sunday,
Jun. 11th, 2017
 Shawsheen Greenway Celebration of the Shawsheen Greenway: The full day of events will include opportunities for guided paddling trips on the Shawsheen River and Pomps Pond, as well as guided hiking trips. Two hikes will be led on AVIS land, by AVIS Land Manager, David Dargie on the Vale Reservation and the Shawsheen River Reservation. There will be a morning hike from 10:00 to 12:00 and an afternoon hike from 2:00 to 4:00. Meet at the end of Dale St. at the canoe put-in. After the afternoon hike, all are welcomed to go to Pomps Pond for a get-together around a camp fire.
Saturday,
Jun. 3rd, 2017
 National Trails Day: For further details and updates check our website or just get out and enjoy the trails on your own.
Saturday,
May 6th, 2017
1:00pm - 3:00pm 		Deer Jump Reservation Work Party on Deer Jump Reservation: If you love nature and want to help, come and be part of an AVIS work party pulling invasive plants on a section of the Deer Jump Reservation. You can sample garlic mustard pesto and help us continue to enhance the biological diversity of this special habitat by removing aggressive invasive plants. We’ll bring large work gloves and loppers. It’s a wooded area, so ticks and poison ivy are present — long sleeves and pants are suggested. Our work over the past few years really shows this year—the native plants are starting to win the battle.

We’ll meet by the AVIS sign on Nollett Drive, off of River Road. For more information Amy Janovsky at 978-475-8655.
Saturday,
Apr. 29th, 2017
 Former Franciscan Seminary Celebration of New Reservation: All are invited for a fun day by the River. Meet at 461 River Road. The schedule for the day will be as shown below. For more information on this event contact John Hess, (978) 470-0806.

11:00 am - Hike to the River; led by AVIS Land Manager David Dargie.

12:00 noon - Bring your own picnic lunch and a lawn chair - desserts and drinks provided by AVIS, the Conservation Commission, and My Marketing Solutions. Activities for kids will be provided.

1:00 pm - Dedication Ceremony.

Following the ceremony, a second hike to the River; led by AVIS Land Manager David Dargie.
Wednesday,
Apr. 5th, 2017
6:00pm 		Old Town Hall, 20 Main Street, Andover AVIS Annual Dinner and Meeting: Guest Speaker - Rusty Russell, Director of the Merrimack River Watershed Council. Topic: Strangers in a Strange Land—Habitat and Water Conservation at the Dawn of a New Era (Slides... PDF) Mr. Russell recounted the river's major triumphs over the past four decades citing the extensive improvement in water quality (MRWC was founded in 1976, the year Jimmy Carter became president). He also highlighted some of the major threats the river continues to face, some of which are likely to intensify in the coming decades with cuts in financing for programs. He pointed to two important risks the river faces, combined sewer overflow and extensive pollution from storm water runoff. Mr. Russell concluded by saying that the MRWC will begin a water quality testing program once the funding is identified. See photo below.
April and
May 2017 		Annual Herring Run Count: Volunteers are needed to count the river herring in the Shawsheen River. See story in the Spring Update for details.

Photos from Past Events