Alan French, chairman of the Bay Circuit Alliance, is credited with bringing into existance the Bay Circuit Trail, an "emerald necklace" of trails that loops around Boston.
Last week, French was awarded a different kind of accessory: a customized walking stick for use on these trails he's helped preserve. On June 17, French was awarded a hand-carved walking stick as a thank you from the Friends of North Andover Trails organization.
Fellow volunteer Phila Slade, a North Andover resident, also was recognized for her volunteerism with several North Andover nonprofits.The walking sticks were made by Walter Soule, a member of the Friends.
French, a longtime Andover resident and owner of outdoor sporting goods store Moor and Mountain, has been active in local conservation and trail preservation efforts for decades, perhaps most notably the Bay Circuit Trail. The trail extends through 34 towns in the Greater Boston area including Andover, linking close to 200 miles of open space.
