Above: SOLF welcomes the public to explore the trails on their Beals Preserve — but only on foot. (photo previously contributed by Catherine Weber)
Apparently, Southborough Open Land Foundation has had an issue with people riding bicycles and motor bikes on the Beals Preserve Trail. A Trustee asked me to share that it isn’t allowed.
The use has been making it difficult for other visitors and degrades the trails. Below is a message that Vice President Debbie Costine has been sharing on social media:
Is The Beals Preserve public land or private land?
This needs to be brought up periodically because it is easy for visitors to assume that The Elaine and Philip Beals Preserve is owned by the town. It is not! It is private land owned by the Southborough Open Land Foundation (SOLF), which is a private, nonprofit organization established in 1988 by a group of citizens outside of town government to help preserve, protect, and enhance the natural resources in town.
The SOLF trustees welcome visitors to our properties but we do ask that they abide by the rules: dogs are permitted but must be on leash, and dog waste must be picked up; no bicycles are permitted; no motorized vehicles (including motorized bikes) are permitted except for maintenance purposes or by specific permission. Bicycles and motorized vehicles make it difficult for our other visitors and degrade the trail. Please abide by the rules. Thank you.
You can learn more about Beals Preserve and SOLF, including trail maps, here.
Thanks for the reminder on this. Also this holds true for the Town Forest and Turenne Land off Woodland and Walnut. People are always riding bikes, ATVs and electric bikes in that property. It startles the dogs and the people using the trails as posted. In addition, always an important reminder is to leash your dog. Just because your dog is “friendly” doesn’t mean mine is or isn’t skittish. Please obey the rules so we can all enjoy these wonderful properties.