Allens Pond Wildlife Sanctuary has three independent trail systems, and soon, they will all be connected thanks to volunteer efforts.

Emily Fink, an AmeriCorps member serving an 11-month stint at the sanctuary, led seven volunteers to the Mass Audubon property on Allen Neck Road on February 17. The crew worked the first of what will now be weekly, three-hour endeavors to widen and elongate the trails.

"If we cut all this stuff before it starts growing, hopefully it will be more manageable," said Fink, pulling at thorns and branches.

Mass Audubon has three trail systems in town, but only two — located at the Stone Barn and the field station — are connected, explained Fink. Her goal is to connect those systems to the Allens Neck Trails, which would form a nine-mile roundtrip hike through the properties.

“It’s really, really increasing the time people can spend here,” said Fink. She explained that the crew needs to both clear the narrow, wet trails, as well as trailblaze about .6 miles of new trail.

Visitors will be able to walk through without coming in contact with as many ticks and poison ivy plants once the trails are three- to four-feet wide, said Fink. The team also hopes to install wooden bridges to help walkers conquer waterlogged parts of the trail.

Compensation for damage caused by the 2003 Bouchard oil spill is funding the project. The Bouchard Barge 120 discharged about 98,000 gallons of oil into Buzzards Bay, affecting 90 miles of shoreline, according to the Massachusetts Energy and Environmental Affairs.

“The Bouchard oil spill gave money to Mass Audubon for the loss of natural habitat and recreational opportunities,” said Fink. The monies will pay for the boardwalks, as well as an educational component “so that people are aware of the history of the area,” she added.

Fink said she would love to see the new trail open by the end of her service term in July, but added that building bridges for the trail could take more time.

Volunteers don’t mind putting in the work, though, said volunteer Garrett Stuck.

“It’s a great way to be outdoors and to work with other people,” he said. The team expects more volunteers as the program evolves.

Members meet every Friday, 9 a.m.-12 p.m., at the field station located at 1280 Horseneck Road. They then carpool to the Allens Neck Trails.

The Allens Neck Trails are located next to Round the Bend Farm at 92 Allen Neck Road. The Stone Barn is located at 786 East Horseneck Road.