President’s Letter
by Anna Taylor, President Friends of Webster Trails
Finding Peace on Webster Trails
Why do you love our Webster trails? As a trail runner and hiker for over 20 years, I have found the trails to be a sanctuary for me. After 15 minutes on a hike or run, my shoulders relax, I breathe deeply for the first time that day, and my mind settles. Navigating rocks and roots, I notice: the quiet, the vibrant colors, the birds, and the surrounding trees. The trails offer a place to reconnect with myself, bringing balance and peace to my day. After spending time on the trails, I return to everyday life and work with renewed clarity. I know this is an experience shared by many in our community.
Our Mission: Preserving Webster’s Natural Spaces
The Friends of Webster Trails (FWT) mission is vital. We are committed to planning, maintaining, and promoting Webster Trails, and advocating for the preservation of the natural character of Webster’s open spaces. Our trails provide close, easy, and free opportunities for exercise and to spend time in nature for people of all ages. Just look at the parking lots at Four Mile Creek Nature Preserve or Whiting Road Nature Preserve on any Saturday to see how our trails serve as a community hub, where families and friends, hikers, bikers, and nature enthusiasts gather to enjoy time together.
Community Efforts and Upcoming Events
As we emerge from a long winter, I want to thank our dedicated FWT Chainsaw Crew and Trail Stewards for their diligent work in keeping the trails clear all winter.
Friends of Webster Trails will celebrate the Hojack Trail Improvement Project with Ribbon Cutting Ceremony in early summer. We will host monthly trail workdays and family events. Our Habitat Committee will continue removing invasive species, our Trail Stewards will complete projects, and our ReTree committee will plant trees. Check the calendar of events often to see what’s happening.
Invitation to Join FWT
Consider this newsletter your invitation to join Friends of Webster Trails. Donate to fund a trail project. We welcome your ideas, knowledge, and enthusiasm for the trails. Email us at contact@webstertrails.org and we can find a rewarding volunteer opportunity for you!
Spotlight on: Pat Smally, FWT VP
“Do Something Local”
Like many of us these days, Pat Smally was frustrated and restless with politics and was looking for a release valve. A magazine article encouraging people to take these feelings of frustration and “do something local” by making an impact in their own community resonated with Pat and prompted him to fill out the Friends of Webster Trails (FWT) membership brochure that had been languishing on his desk.
Pat started by signing up for a five-year family membership. Pat and his family had recently moved to Webster, and he is planning to retire from his work in Risk Management at LeChase in the next few years, so he not only wanted to be a FWT member, but also to be actively involved in FWT–volunteering with FWT as a way to meet new people in Webster and a way to stay busy when he retires.
Since he had been working on trails throughout his life, Pat imagined that he would be helping FWT with trail maintenance or similar projects. At age 10, Pat and his buddies had created trails and jumps for their BMX bikes. While living in Buffalo, Pat had resurrected a mountain bike trail that had fallen out of use, clearing out the trees and making the trail usable again.
Yet, right when Pat expressed interest in the open VP FWT position last April, he also learned that the FWT had just been awarded the Ralph Wilson, Jr. Trail Maintenance Grant to improve the Hojack Trail and the board needed a lot more than trail maintenance help. The Ralph Wilson, Jr. Trail Maintenance Grant and a generous donation from a member of the community funded the resurfacing the Hojack Trail from Holt Road to Drumm Road, along with adding drainage, plantings, signage, and benches. Leveraging his experience with contracting and project management at LeChase, Pat was able to help FWT get this project moving rapidly.
He has been impressed with the FWT members and volunteers, noting their dedication to maintaining the trails. “When I’m out on the trails, I often hear the sound of the chainsaw and I know Ron, the Whiting Road Nature Preserve Trail Steward is out taking care of the trails,” says Pat.
“Webster residents are fortunate to have these trails right in our backyards,” says Pat. He also appreciates how other local community groups are using the Webster trails. For instance, Genesee Regional Off-Road Cyclists (GROC) has talked about hosting beginner off-road rides on some of the Webster trails and has also encouraged youth in GROC to learn what it means to do trail maintenance. “Not only is it fun to use the trails,” says Pat, “it is also important to learn how to help keep our trails in great shape.”
Upcoming Events
The arrival of warmer weather heralds the start of our busy season on the trails. You can pitch in at a workday, plant a tree, or just get outside. A complete list of events is always available online. Follow the links below to register.
Sat. Apr. 18 – Hojack Cleanup – Tasks include trail clearing, drainage work, and trash removal.
Apr. 18 – Tree Planting with RG&E – Help plant small trees and shrubs along the Hojack Trail.
Sat. Apr. 25 – ReTree Earth Day Event – Celebrate Earth Day with this annual event, potting seedlings and planting in the preserves.
Sat. May 16 – Gosnell bridge repairs – The bridge from the Big Field to the Big Woods Trail is in line for some work. Help improve footing on the approaches to the bridge and assess the decking.
Sat. June 20 – Herman Road workday – Improve the trail switchbacks on the Red and Blue Trails, and spread gravel on the Green Trail.
Sat. July 18 – Four Mile Creek Preserve – Join the Webster cross country teams to spread gravel.
Sat. Aug. 15 – State Road Nature Preserve – Add resilience to the trails by helping to spread gravel.
Membership Report
by Denise Bilsback, Membership Chair
Membership continues an upward trend with 11 new members since the start of the year, for a total of 242. This is an eight percent increase since 2023.
Membership is the foundation of Friends of Webster Trails, and we are grateful for your continued support. If you like our trails, you’ll love being a friend.
Treasurer’s Report
Over the winter, Friends’ new Finance Committee established some additional protocols for more transparent tracking of expenditures. This should make for easier reporting going forward.
The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr Trails Maintenance Fund grant work is nearing completion, with the final expenditures planned for later this spring. Spending on trail projects will start to ramp up with the warmer weather. You can expect to see your donations and membership dollars on the trails in new infrastructure as a result.
Hojack Trail Work Wraps Up
Last year was the year of the Hojack. And what a year it was!
Enduring a few months of disruption for the drainage and resurfacing wasn’t fun, but the results are fantastic. The trail has been busy all winter with walkers, runners, bikers, and cross-country skiers enjoying the new surface and the benefits of the improved drainage.
We know there are a few remaining areas that need a bit of TLC, and we have a workday scheduled for April 18 to make that happen. Consider signing up to help.
Later this spring, you’ll see the addition of signage at each road crossing, and interpretive signs highlighting the history and the habitat of the trail. Be on the lookout for more benches, too, along with the planting of scores of small trees and shrubs.
This summer, one year from the start of all this work, we’ll be celebrating. A ribbon-cutting is in the works, along with some guided experiences to highlight the gem that is the Hojack. Watch your email and social media for details.
Habitat Preservation Springs Ahead
by Norma Platt and Chuck Carline
Get outdoors for the 2026 Habitat Preservation season! Enjoy:
- Good company
- Good exercise
- Making a difference
The FWT Habitat Preservation Committee consists of a dedicated group doing our best to keep Webster Open Space friendly to native species and free of invasive plants and insects.
This year Chuck Carline, a newly retired graduate of the SUNY ESF Ranger School will help set directions for our work, using his knowledge of conservation and forest technology.
The committee will continue its work to combat invasive plants. And it will continue to support the ReTree initiative.
During the summer season, we do fieldwork on Friday mornings. We choose areas that are mostly free of invasives – and try to keep them that way.
To participate, contact Norma Platt directly normap1@rochester.rr.com or the general FWT contact email contact@webstertrails.org
ReTree Gears Up for the Growing Season
by Sarah White and Norma Platt
After a windy winter, blown-down trees are evident throughout our preserves. But so is the evidence of ReTree’s continued work, with more than 650 trees and shrubs planted in the last four years.
We’re getting ready to add to that total with several events, starting with our popular Earth Day potting and planting event. This family-friendly event fills our nursery with seedlings that we nurture into larger specimens for planting in a year or 18 months.
This year, we plan to have a group move some of those larger plants into the preserves for their forever home.
RG&E is also donating larger specimens again this spring for Arbor Day. Because they are larger to start, these plants can quickly make a difference in how an area looks. The plants are arriving soon, and they need to get into the ground, so please consider joining on Sat. April 18. Friends of Webster Trails is extremely grateful for the continued support of this project by RGE and their employees.
Several other groups are partnering with ReTree this year, from corporate volunteer groups to scouts. These groups make it possible to add more trees to our preserves, and we’re grateful for their efforts.
Steward Reports from the Trails
Bird Sanctuary Trail
by Tom Gibbons and Linda Siple
Bird SanctuaryTrail had several updates this past year. The kiosk has been painted and now has the new regulations, map, and history panels in place. Before your next hike, take some time to read the history of the trail.
The two very old benches along the trail have been replaced. One is in the woods and the other is near the pond. Both have tables. In addition, many downed trees and “leaners” have been removed.
Come spring the section of the trail from Route 250 for about 1/4 mile will be very wet and muddy. It’s important to wear the right shoes and walk through the middle of the trail so as not to increase the width of the trail by walking around the puddles. It may seem counter-intuitive, but walking through the puddles is best for the trail. To keep your feet dry, consider using the Hojack or Charles E. Sexton Park trails until Bird Sanctuary dries out.
Chiyoda Trail
by Denise Bilsback
We’ve experienced a significant amount of wind this past fall and winter, resulting in many downed trees along the trail. In most cases, these are cleared within a few days, but we are not on the trail every day. If you come across a downed tree or any hazardous condition, we would greatly appreciate you letting us know through our website contact email contact@webstertrails.org . Including a drop pin or a photo with location information is especially helpful and allows us to respond more quickly.
Thank you for helping us keep the trails safe and accessible for everyone!
Gosnell Big Woods
by Jonathan Horvath
Last fall, Gosnell was the site of the popular Scavenger Hunt. This event brings hundreds of participants to explore one of Webster’s preserves with activities customized for kids of all ages. All proceeds were donated to Friends of Webster Trails.
Coming up this spring, we’ll be working to improve access to a bridge on the trail from the Big Woods Trail to the Big Field Trail, near the property border at Lake Road. You can join this workday on Sat. May 16 at 9am.
The spring also brings the return of ground-nesting birds to the Big Field, such as ovenbird, hermit thrush, black-and-white warbler, and dark-eyed junco. You can help protect them by making sure you stay on the trails and always keep your dog leashed, as required by town code.
Herman Road Forever Wild Forest
by Ben Wisniewski
Multiple improvements were completed in in 2025, including a new extension to the Green Trail connecting the Yellow Trail to the Pink Trail, the addition of many new puncheons, and the installation of visual screening trees, gravel, and an access-control bollard at the trailhead.
The plan for 2026 is to improve and lengthen switchbacks on the Red and Blue trails, add gravel to the Green Trail, and potentially realign the intersection of the Yellow and Pink Trails. If you would like to propose other changes or improvements, please email your suggestions to steward Ben Wisniewski (hrfwfsteward@gmail.com).
Your help to improve switchbacks and spread gravel is welcome; consider attending the HRFWF work day on June 25.
John Ungar and Michael A. Johnson Trails
by Norma Platt
As reported in the Fall Newsletter there’s a new side trail at JUNT and MAJNP (marked by the red line). It drops down from the main trail and skirts the low area to the south. It’s marked with some
nifty new trail markers.
I’ll take this opportunity to encourage you to visit the John Ungar Nature Trail and Michael A. Johnson Nature Preserve: off the beaten track where peace and beauty await, along with flowing waters, wildflowers, birds, mushrooms, lichens and sedges.
Midnight Connector Trail
by Terry Freehan
Last fall, FWT volunteers hauled and deposited several tons of gravel to help with low spots and frequent muddy conditions. They also filled in where a downed tree had damaged the trail.
The effort has shown exceptional results during the winter, and users should look forward to greatly improved conditions during the spring season.
State Road Nature Preserve
By Paul Della Pietra and Tim Young
The SRNP survived a brutal winter with minimal trees down, but the usual early season wet areas persist.
Last year’s improvements were many, and volunteers are poised to keep them coming. We hope to have another boardwalk built, significantly improve wet areas, and complete smaller endeavors like installing a walking stick station. Stewards will continue to widen trails, remove stumps and keep dying ash trees at bay. No doubt volunteers will identify more things to address as this area continues to grow in popularity. Overall, we’re looking forward to a great 2026.
Vosburg Hollow
by Rich Bilsback
The Vosburg bridge was completed last fall thanks to Eagle Scout Jacob Bowen and his volunteer bridge builders. This makes a direct connection from the Hojack Trail to Gosnell Big Woods through Vosburg Hollow, opening up miles of connected trails.
From the Vosburg parking lot, take the stairs down towards the creek and cross the new bridge. From there, take a left at the trail junction to access the Big Woods Connector Trail. Take a right at the junction and find a peaceful spot with a bench beside the babbling Shipbuilders Creek.
Whiting Road Nature Preserve
Brown Trail – by Sandy Wolkenberg
The Brown Trail offers a comforting walk, secluded but accessible. Spring has brought some mud, but that’s also a sign of the season to come. Many beginnings of spring can be spotted, especially with the help of an app like iNaturalist. You can see many species of buttercups, beginning their buttercup journey, as well as Avens and many fertile fronds of Sensitive Ferns that grow profusely along this trail.