News

By Darlene Hecomovich

For several years I have been concerned about the deterioration of the Boggs Ridge Nature Trail sign at the Cobb Mountain Elementary School. This is at the location of the Friends of Boggs Mountain (FOBM) Interpretive Trail developed in 2015. The Nature Trail sign was created by Austin Daley as a Eagle Scout project in the Spring/Summer of 2011. 

As the 2020’s rolled around, the sign was badly in need of some attention. I reported this at a Friends of Boggs Mountain meeting and I was hoping I could get an Eagle Scout involved with the restoration or perhaps a Middletown High School Senior would take this on as a Senior Project. None of my attempts nor those of others proved successful.

Thus, at the April FOBM meeting, I threw up my hands in despair and announced I gave up presuming the sign would crumble into a pile of disintegrated wood, but NO! Joe Fusek and Peg Landini responded to my despair and took it upon themselves to restore the sign to its former glory. When I learned they were working on the restoration, I joined in as did David Thiessen. So, what was created by Austin Daley in the Spring/ Summer of 2011 was restored by the impetus of Joe and Peg 14 years later in the Spring of 2025.

The Friends of Boggs Mountain invites you to take a walk on the School Interpretive Trail and appreciate the restored Boggs Ridge School Trail sign!!

Next Saturday, in collaboration with The Redwood Trail Alliance, we have a trail work day planned to make some minor modifications on the in-slope turns on Mac’s trail as well as clearing sight lines. Please find the link to register below. As always, FOBM will be providing lunch. For the trail crew, Cal Fire will allow camping at Calso camp this weekend only. Calso Camp has been closed to camping for several years so this is a rare opportunity. Please no wood fires. Propane stoves only. This is a dry camp so bring your own water and leave no trace.

Please register no later than Friday morning May 16 so we know how many to plan for lunch!
https://rta.trailsalliance.org/event-6182904

Next weekend on Friday May second and Saturday May third Bike Monkey will be holding their 20th annual endurance race at Boggs. The event is a highlight of the year for the mountain biking community here in Lake County and the whole state bringing in professional and amature riders from all over to compete in the grueling race. Whether you’re a mountain biking enthusiast or just enjoy spending time in the forest I hope you’ll consider coming out to enjoy the fun. FOBM will have a booth selling beer, T-shirts, maps and other merchandise to support our goal of restoring all the trails at BMDSF. 
For more information you will find the Bike Monkey website with the race route and other details here.

Please join us in celebrating Earth Day at Calpine’s annual Earth Day event on Saturday April 26. Friends of Boggs Mountain will be hosting a booth with a variety of merchandise for sale including 75th anniversary commemorative maps, trail maps, T-shirts and more. We will also be raffling off an REI gift card so be sure to stop by and see us. All proceeds benefit Boggs Mountain Demonstration State Forest through trail building and maintenance, trail signage, trail maps, and support of recreation in the Forest.

By Darlene Hecomovich

Friends of Boggs Mountain members have recently taken on the installation of
a Purple Martin nest box on Mac’s Trail. The Purple Martin (Progne subis), is
the largest member of the swallow family in the world. They are uncommon
spring and summer visitors to Lake County, and we have been fortunate to
have them nesting in Boggs Mountain State Forest. Their typical nesting sites
are natural tree cavities or abandoned woodpecker holes. However,
throughout the United States the Martins are more and more breeding in
human-made Martin houses. So, several members decided to see if they could
entice the Martins to do so in BMSF. Darlene Hecomovich donated a nest
house with four nesting compartments; Joe Fusek provided the expertise of
mounting the heavy box on PVC piping to bring it to the desired height of 12
feet above ground level; and Peg Landini and David Thiessen rendered the
yeoman’s work of helping Joe install it. This nest site was selected because the
Martins have used tree cavities in this area in previous years.

The Violet-green Swallows as well as other passerines such as the Western
Bluebird are also cavity nesters and may Tind the Purple Martin nest box
desirable. What we don’t want to see is an appropriation of the nest box by
either House Sparrows or European Starlings, both highly invasive species
that would take over the Martin’s sites, destroy eggs, and kill nestlings.

So, Friends of Boggs Mountain extends an invitation to all of you to take a hike
up Mac’s Trail and in approximately three-Tifths of a mile up the trail on the
left-hand (west) side you will have a view of the nest, and hopefully, some
Purple Martins!!!