Clearing away invasive plants and overgrown shrubs and trees from the trails and grounds at Nettleton Preserve were Eversource personnel and Lewis Tree Service members on Friday, April 12, during a Day of Service.

Enjoying a breezy spring day and lunch break just up the hill from the Newtown Forest Association (NFA) property and at the association’s headquarters at Holcombe Hill Preserve, the handful of workers stopped for pizza.

The group was “supporting the NFA” as employees from all over the state helped to clear trails and Lewis staff did some “heavier work,” said Eversource community relations representative Samantha Sojka.

Eversource conducts the outreach “to be a community partner, empowering communities,” she said.

Eversource also provided a grant of $1,500 for NFA to use on a future project, she added.

A property that has received years of work and attention from the NFA to reclaim its trails and fields from overgrowth, Nettleton Preserve is now a location where “we encourage more people to walk,” said NFA member Harvey Pessin. Nettleton is located at 13 Castle Hill Road, and from a bench placed there, visitors can see an iconic view of town overlooking the flagpole, church spires, and rooftops on Main Street.

A description from the NFA website at newtownforestassociation.org states, “The most spectacular view in Newtown, down to the Flagpole, Trinity Church, Congregational Church, and Town Hall. Panoramic. Majestic view of Newtown Center terminates five miles north on a horizon of rolling hills; truly showing its colonial charm.” The property is a gift from Howard T. Nettleton (1973) and D. Labelle (1996) and covers 26 acres. On the site is an “aged apple orchard which adorns the lower meadow,” the site states.

“We encourage people to come,” and walk through the orchard and trails and see the “breathtaking view,” Mr Pessin said.

NFA President Robert Eckenrode welcomed the “opportunity to enhance Nettleton,” which is one of the “most visited spots,” in the area, he said. He would “love to connect to Main Street,” on trails running downhill from the preserve, he said.

“The trails are beautiful,” at Nettleton, said Mr Pessin. In past years, volunteers, NFA members, Eagle Scouts, and others have spent time improving Nettleton. “It’s a work in progress and keeps getting better,” Mr Eckenrode said.

He was pleased to get a “huge chunk of work done,” last week.

Roughly 15 Eversource volunteers and 10 Lewis tree volunteers staffed the Day of Service.