Orange County MST Workday - Saturday, February 14th

WORKDAY LEADER:
Bill Boyarsky, FMST Task Force Leader, Orange County

For complete details about this workday, including the preliminary planned activities for the day and a list of 2025 workdays be sure to click on either of the following links:

ORANGE County FMST activity, Feb. 14th or if you prefer En español

Below is a summary of Bill's notes:

Hi Friends (of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail),

On our February workday, we'll return to the speedway to continue removing invasive plants, primarily autumn olive and privet.

Note: the April 11 workday is cancelled. Come join the Friends from across the state at the Gathering.

Date, Time: February 14th, 9 am - 2 pm+. If you can't stay for the entire time, please know that we are deeply appreciative of any effort you contribute.

Meeting Location:
The Historic Occoneechee Speedway parking lot (320 Elizabeth Brady Rd, Hillsborough 27278). 36.070, -79.085

If you can join the team: Please respond by email to Bill.Boyarsky@gmail.com by February 10th -- your response informs the breakfast preparation and tools that will await you, helps me plan the day, and puts you on the notification list for further updates (about this workday) or a workday cancellation message.

What to bring: You need to wear appropriate-for-the-weather work clothes (that can get dirty), solid shoes or boots, and work gloves. Bring lunch (if you plan to work into the afternoon), snacks, and water, . If you have a favorite tool, bring it.

What we bring: We will provide all tools, extra work gloves, and instructions. If you are new to this kind of activity, there will be experienced volunteers within asking distance: we are a supportive trail community that loves to grow.

Cancellation: If the workday is cancelled due to bad weather an email will be sent out no later than 10:00 p.m. the preceding day, **to all those who RSVP'ed to *Bill.Boyarsky@gmail.com***

Safety: Use tools carefully. If you do not know how to use a particular tool, or what to do in a particular circumstance please ask. Do not work too close together -- avoid hitting the person next to you. When walking past another volunteer, please say something so they know you are approaching. Do not lift anything heavier than you can comfortably lift -- know your own limits. Take plenty of breaks. Undertake different tasks with different tools throughout the day. Make sure to drink plenty of water, even when it's cold outside. .Be aware of ticks, chiggers, snakes, stinging insects, and poison ivy.

If you are not on our Eno/Orange County workday announcements email list (to get announcements like this one), but would like to be let me know by email (Bill.Boyarsky@gmail.com).

Next Orange County MST workdays (RSVP to Bill)

• Mar 14
• Apr 11 <-- CANCELLED (this is the Gathering weekend!)
• May 9
• Jun 13

Next Eno MST workdays (RSVP to Fred )

• Mar 7
• Apr 4
• May 2
• Jun 6

Next Alamance County MST workdays (RSVP to Andrew ).
The Alamance County team is working on trail along the Haw River. Andrew, the Task Force Leader, would welcome email about a workday or a request to be added to his Workday Announcement email list.

• Feb 21
• Mar 21
• Apr 18
• May 16
• Jun 20

Next Archaeological Conservancy (TAC/MST) workdays (RSVP to Bill).

• Feb 11, 22
• Mar 6, 15, 31
• Apr 9, 16, 29
• May 10, 23
• Jun 3, 14, 27

And thanks for all you do for the Mountains-To-Sea Trail,
Bill
[Bill.Boyarsky@gmail.com](mailto:Bill.Boyarsky@gmail.com)
Friends of the MST Task Force Leader, Orange County
(919) 451-2900
Pronouns: he, him
Check out the Friends of the Mountains-To-Sea Trail website

If you want to be added to the official MST email notification list to receive Falls Lake Trails workday announcements and details, email: **bbrown@mountainstoseatrail.org**

A Year End Thank You note from the staff at the Friends:

Volunteers,

2025 was an extraordinarily difficult year on the Mountains-to-Sea Trail. January started with the entire length of the MST closed in the mountains following the unprecedented destruction from Hurricane Helene in the fall of 2024. Tropical Storm Chantal dealt a follow-up punch to the middle of the state, with severe flooding in Alamance, Orange and Durham counties, where the trail follows alongside rivers and streams that swelled high above their banks. High tides along the Outer Banks often closed the trail along Hwy 12.

By the end of 2025, 97% of the MST had reopened in the mountains and tremendous progress has been made in the wake of Chantal in the Piedmont. Volunteer crews and park staffs have performed miraculous work to get to this point, and we know this wasn’t easy. This may have been the toughest year on the MST in its history.

Before we get too far into what we hope is a productive and more predictable 2026, we wanted to thank you for all you have done to bring the MST back. Even if you weren’t impacted directly by Helene or Chantal, every segment has had more storm maintenance, and more regular maintenance, than in years past. And with Complete the Trails funding, we’ll be adding more trail and infrastructure, creating more new opportunities for crews to get involved. Volunteers are what make the trail possible, and this past year reinforced that without people like you, there would be no Mountains-to-Sea Trail.

You are reliable, you are passionate, you are committed, and you are part of a large MST community that feels more like a family. The staff and board at Friends of the MST are humbled and so very proud to work with the thousand plus of you who give your time to make the trail a safe place of respite, recreation and adventure. And while they may not want to repeat this part out loud, you are led by tremendous task force leaders, whose knowledge and caring both for the trail and for each of you is unparalleled. They don’t do this for the glory, but like you, they are vital to the organization and the trail.

Here’s to another year of hard work, camaraderie, and adventure on the trail. While we wish for a year with no floods, ice storms, hurricanes or tornados, the MST is in good hands no matter what because of you. Thank you.

Betsy Brown, Brent Laurenz and the crew at the Friends of the MST