After nearly 30 years on the board of Friends of Webster Trails, Board Member Hal Harris is stepping down.
Back in 1997, when Friends of Webster Trails was founded, Hal was there, and he was part of the leadership that evolved the organization to the force for good that it is today. At the start, the only task was maintenance of the Hojack Trail, but FWT quickly grew as the town’s open space initiative saw the acquisition of multiple new preserves, and Hal’s tenure as Board president from 2008 to 2015 coincided with that growth.
Preservation of open space was a key goal for Hal, and after his tenure as FWT president, he continued to advocate for more land preservation, particularly in areas of the town that were farther from existing preserves. For instance, he was a strong supporter of the acquisition of State Road Nature Preserve, adding the only preserve in the southeast corner of the town. Board member Denise Bilsback says, “Hal maintained a strong connection with the Webster Town leadership and always knew what was happening in town to help push the FWT agenda forward.”
His efforts didn’t stop with the establishment of new preserves, and many of the trails in town were designed by Hal. State Road Nature Preserve Trail Steward Tim Young notes, “I was impressed by the way Hal could look at a topo map and envision the trails. Even when things were wet and muddy in areas that I thought would be crazy to make a trail, he apparently could envision the trails in the summertime. We worked together to decide where to blaze the trails we thought would be most interesting and most passable. For example, the Red trail, between the pond and the creek, we had decided on a basic plan. I went out on my own one day to do some trailblazing only to discover markers that Hal had placed along the way. We then went out together and the resulting trail is a blend of my trail and Hal’s. I’m grateful for all that Hal taught me.”
Recognizing that the natural environment needed preservation, too, Hal supported the establishment of the Habitat Preservation Committee. That group has devoted hundreds of hours to fighting invasive species and planting natives throughout the preserves.
Much of the trail infrastructure in the preserves owes a debt to Hal as well. From designing bridges to organizing work parties to building just about anything, Hal’s legacy lives on. Past president Shari Gnolek says, “One thing that really jumps out to me is how he spearheaded the large bridge in Four Mile Creek Preserve and got that designed and built with his trusty crew.” Trail Steward Ron Happ concurs, “I really gained a lot of respect for him when he designed and coordinated for Gunther bridge at FMCP. ” And Trail Steward Rich Bilsback notes, “Hal has such strong leadership and engineering skills, particularly shown during the Four Mile Creek Bridge project, as well as his resourcefulness in enlisting the football team to help carry all the supplies.”
Through his long tenure, his experience was a welcome addition to the operations of FWT. Ron Happ recalls ” I was always in awe of Hal’s wisdom. He always was able to have an answer to whatever problem arose.” Denise Bilsback says, “Whatever problem we were trying to solve, Hal consistently offered thoughtful solutions.”
Advocate. Builder. Leader. Teacher. And so much more.
The legacy Hal leaves behind is written on the landscape and in the lives of all he worked with. We wish him well.