Ellisville Marsh is a treasured community and environmental resource in Plymouth, MA. In 1991, the MA Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) acquired nearly 100 acres of marsh and upland, establishing the Ellisville Harbor State Park. In 2003, 51 acres south of the state park was donated to Wildlands Trust, establishing Shifting Lots Preserve. In 2007, the Friends of Ellisville Marsh, Inc. was formed, and Wildlands has worked closely with them to steward this unique preserve ever since.

Join Wildlands Trust for a 2-part Ellisville Marsh History Program with Eric Cody, co-founder and president of the Friends of Ellisville Marsh, Inc., and author of Rescuing Ellisville Marsh: the Long Fight to Restore Lost Connections. Learn the history of the land and how a community came together to conserve and steward Ellisville Marsh.

These are separate events, and registration is required for each event attending.

Part 1: The Talk - Learn More & Register
Wildlands Trust Community Conservation Barn, Plymouth, MA
Tuesday, Nov. 17, 5:00 - 6:00 PM

Part 2: The Walk - Register
Ellisville Harbor, Plymouth, MA
Wednesday, Nov. 18, 12:00 - 2:00 PM

See Ellisville Marsh for yourself on a 3-mile guided walk beginning at DCR’s Ellisville Harbor State Park and ending at Wildlands Trust’s Shifting Lots Preserve. Eric Cody and others will describe the history and natural features of Ellisville Marsh and its barrier beach and discuss ways in which Wildlands Trust, the MA Department of Conservation and Recreation, and their nonprofit partners have worked to revitalize these unique properties. Stops will include the landmark Harlow farmhouse, the historic Ellis's Tavern where Thoreau once stopped, and the shorebird nesting area on the barrier beach at Shifting Lots Preserve.

Walk registration closes on Wednesday, November 18 at 10 AM. Want to sign up after registration closes? Please email: events@wildlandstrust.org

Parking:

Park at Ellisville Harbor State Park, 1861 State Road, Plymouth, MA 02360. We will meet here and split into smaller groups before walking to Shifting Lots Preserve together.

What to Wear & Bring:

• Sturdy, closed-toed shoes - waterproof if possible

• Weather-appropriate clothing for outdoor activities

• Water

• Snack

• Sunblock or sun protection

• Bug repellent

What to Expect & Restrictions:

• A 2-hour walk with Eric Cody and Wildlands Trust

• Walking 3 miles along the road and on the sandy beach

• Traversing uneven, varied, and wet terrain along the shore

• Potential shallow water crossings along dirt roads

• Ages 18 +

• No pets

• Maximum 20 hikers

• Minimum 10 hikers

Programs are weather permitting. Cancellations and postponements due to weather will be announced online and registered attendees will be notified via email. In the event of postponement, the rain date is November 19.

Questions? Please email: events@wildlandstrust.org

About the Speaker

Eric Cody is co-founder and president of the Friends of Ellisville Marsh, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in Plymouth, Massachusetts. He has been deeply involved since 2007 in the organization’s efforts to revitalize Ellisville Marsh, which lies partly in the Wildlands Trust's Shifting Lots Preserve and partly in Ellisville Harbor State Park. His book Rescuing Ellisville Marsh: the Long Fight to Restore Lost Connections, was published in 2023 by the University of Massachusetts Press. The book weaves the story of a fragile ecosystem with a community's fifteen-year effort to restore its vitality. Eric is a graduate of Amherst College and Harvard University and a former Naval officer.

Eric Cody

Copies of his book can be purchased directly from UMass Press at a 30% discount by calling (800) 621-2736 or clicking here and entering the code "MAS068".