History

In the 1970’s, a section of land was left to the town of Fairfax and the Roman Catholic diocese of Burlington. The portion of land left to the town of Fairfax was deemed the 100 acre wood and is located in north Fairfax. Over time different groups have used the land such as boy scouts, sugaring and other outdoor activities. Over time, with little overseeing the land was misused by all terrain vehicles and had extensive uncontrolled growth. Beginning in 2008, the town working along with Franklin county forester Nancy Patch began logging the land. This was to reestablish the forest and also create barriers to prevent more destruction by motorized vehicles. Around the same time as the logging began in the 100 acre wood, the Fairfax Parks and Recreation Board and Director became aware of the existence of the 100 acre wood and its potential as a recreation venue for the town of Fairfax. In 2011, the recreation department began to explore the development of trails in the 100 acre wood and walked the trails with the Vermont youth conservation corps. The recreation department also began a relationship with the Northwest riding club, a club of over 500 members with adjacent land to the 100 acre wood. In Early 2012, The Parks and Recreation board secured $27,000 from the money raised from the logging to be used as grant matching funds and to be used to improve the land for future recreation use by the citizen of Fairfax and surrounding communities. In the late summer of 2012, the Recreation Department brought together interested parties to start on trial design and work. We have brought together people from a variety of organization all willing to work together to establish trails in the 100 acre wood. In summer of 2013, the “blue central trail” was completed with the Watershed project at Project SOAR and the Vermont Youth Conservation Corps. In the summer of 2014, the east end of the yellow trail will be completed with a $20,000 recreation trails grant from the Department of Forests Parks and Recreation and in conjunction with local youth organizations and the Vermont Youth Conservation Corps. This summers’ work is noted on the 2014 summer work map. We have applied for a grant for the completion of the west end of the yellow loop for the summer of 2016.