Mary Leach | Billerica Wicked Local | January 27, 2020
Hike Beautiful Billerica, an outdoor recreation group sponsored by the Billerica Recreation Department, explored the Warren Manning State Forest on Saturday, Jan. 25.
The group, which is led by Marlies Henderson, enjoyed a special visit by Yaakov Trek Reef, a park interpreter, who added a new perspective to this Billerica park.
The Warren Manning State Forest conservation land is owned by the Division of State Parks and Recreation and managed by the Billerica Recreation Department.
The property includes 35 acres and 1.5 miles of public trails. The group also explored the nearby Billerica State Forest, which is a state-owned forest managed by Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation. It is available for public use and offers many opportunities for nature study and hiking trails.
According to the town of Billerica’s website, Warren Henry Manning, 1860–1938, was an influential American landscape designer and a key figure in the formation of the American Society of Landscape Architects, along with a proponent of the National Park System. This state forest, which is located in Billerica, on land he donated, is named for him.
“Hike Beautiful Billerica familiarizes folks with great local open space areas to spend their time — year round — for a healthy mind in a healthy body.” said Henderson. “To enrich the activity, I tell about the heritage associated with those areas. Last Saturday we celebrated Warren H. Manning a nationally acclaimed Landscape Designer, a trendsetter in Environmental Planning, and he’s one of us: a onetime Billerica resident, with a heart for the community, including its future generations, which I find truly inspiring. The vibes were so positive last Saturday. 30 happy participants and DCR guest speaker Reef. I believe Warren’s spirit soared as well.”
For information about hiking in Billerica, visit https://www.facebook.com/groups/MarliesWalks/.
