Beginning today, the glade section of the Long Trail at the Springfield Conservation Nature Center will be closed temporarily to replace old wooden decking with recycled plastic boards. According to the MO Conservation Department, this is the last part of the trail improvement project that began two years ago. This portion of the Long Trail will be closed Monday through Thursday from the Long Bridge to the Fox Bluff loop for about 2 weeks. The trail will open on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays when the regional crew will not be working.
The Conservation Department says the regional team members doing the trail work have been busy working at other Conservation Areas to fix flood damage this winter, so this is their first opportunity to finish this project.
The recycled boards are expected to last much longer than the wooden boards and do not require annual waterproofing treatment, so they're better for the environment, according to the department.
