What’s New at Wildlands
Enhancing the Region Through Conservation
As a regional land trust, Wildlands Trust’s work throughout the South Shore benefits the fabric of our communities in many different ways.
By Membership and Communications Manager Roxey Lay
It’s a new year and with it comes a new year of projects, land acquisitions, public programming and more, all in the name of conservation. Since 1973, Wildlands Trust has committed to conserving and permanently protecting native habitats, farmland and lands of high ecological and scenic value that serve to keep our communities healthy and our residents connected to the natural world. And every year, you and many other supporters like you, make this work possible by renewing your commitment to Wildlands. But why do we do this work? Why are land trusts important?
The state of Massachusetts lists on its website five reasons why land conservation is “critical in preserving and enhancing the quality of life in Massachusetts.” [1] Read on to see how Wildlands’ work directly benefits our region and the residents who call it home.
Protection of water resources
Clean water is essential to any community. Nearly every property within Wildlands’ portfolio contains some type of water resource and a key factor in conserving these ecologically significant properties is that doing so protects against contamination. When water flows over the ground, it can potentially pick up a number of pollutants, “which may have sinister effects on the ecology of the watershed and, ultimately, on the reservoir, bay, or ocean where it ends up.” [2] Those pollutants can also soak into the ground and contaminate groundwater, “where it will eventually seep into the nearest stream…or into underground reservoirs.” [2] By conserving properties that contain and/or abut hydrological resources, Wildlands is able to limit the potential for pollution of those resources and habitat.
Wetlands at Striar Conservancy, Halifax.
Striar Conservancy in Halifax runs along the Winnetuxet River (identified by the National Park Service as one of the top four priorities for conservation along the Upper Taunton River) and combined with the town of Halifax property on the other side of the river, preserves 250 acres along the Winnetuxet. Striar is also host to vast wetland habitat, which, in addition to providing habitat to a number of local species, filters water running along the ground before it enters the river. “Wetlands are filters for water coming off the land, reducing sediment and chemicals in run off before it gets into open water. These chemicals and sediment could kill fish and amphibian eggs, smother bottom feeding wildlife and plants, and clog waterways.” [3]
If water resource protection is something you feel strongly about, you aren’t alone; clean water is a concern for the majority of Americans. In the 2019 Gallup Environment poll, 53% of respondents worry “a great deal” about the pollution of rivers, lakes, and reservoirs and 56% worry “a great deal” about pollution of drinking water. By supporting Wildlands Trust, you are helping keep critical water resources clean.
Providing open spaces and parks for our urban communities
Wildlands’ service region covers 45 towns throughout Southeastern Massachusetts. In Brockton, Wildlands staff have taken on a number of projects since first acquiring Brockton Audubon Preserve in 2012, ranging from land stewardship, tree planting, and youth education. In 2019, Wildlands worked with the city to restore and manage Stone Farm Conservation Area. Together, these two properties provide residents with 230 acres of open space for outdoor recreation, as well as health and environmental benefits that come with having access to public open space:
Hikers head out on a guided hike at Stone Farm Conservation Area during its grand opening at Brockton Nature Festival. (October 2019)
A sanctuary for escaping high summer temperatures and finding shade under a protective canopy.
Access to an open, living laboratory that provides opportunities for environmental education.
Maintaining habitat species biodiversity in Brockton.
Trees trap and store carbon from the atmosphere, as well as keep the city cooler.
In addition to our growing presence in the city, Wildlands’ community outreach manager, Conor Michaud, has recently been asked to serve on the city’s open space planning committee. Wildlands looks forward to continuing outreach efforts within the city and connecting residents to the land.
Creating and enhancing outdoor recreation opportunities statewide
Wildlands Trust’s monthly programming and events provide residents and visitors throughout Southeastern Massachusetts opportunities to experience the open space we protect. Offering a variety of options, participants can go on a general or themed hike, take a yoga or guided meditation class, get creative with arts and crafts projects, attend an educational presentation, and more.
Attendees watch intently during “Eyes On Owls”, a live owl presentation at Davis-Douglas Farm.
Wildlands’ public preserves are also host to trail systems that are inclusive to visitors of varying abilities. Trails can range from gentle field walks like at Cushman Preserve in Duxbury, to more challenging and hilly terrain like at Halfway Pond Conservation Area. In Bridgewater, the 125 acres comprising Great River Preserve (a vital link in a 1,400-acre stretch of river corridor) contains a handicap-accessible entrance and a wheelchair-accessible path leading from the property’s fields to the Taunton River.
With programs tailored to appeal to a number of interests and preserves with a wide-range of trail systems, Wildlands works to connect everyone to the natural world.
Interested in joining in on the fun? Find upcoming Wildlands programs and events at wildlandstrust.org/events or check out a trail map at wildlandstrust.org/trails
Preserving working farms
Wildlands’ portfolio contains a number of properties with Agricultural Preservation Restrictions (APR). This restriction protects the property from non-agricultural development and ensures it remains in a state of active agriculture. School House Field at Eel River Preserve is an example of how Wildlands partners with local farmers to help them find land while also maintaining the active agricultural status of a property. The most recent partnership on this land is with local brewery owner Paul Nixon, who has been growing hops on the property since 2018.
Cows graze in the fields at Anderson Farm, West Bridgewater.
Wildlands also works with state and town governments on APR projects. In 2004/2005, Wildlands brokered the deal to preserve the 145-acre Historic O’neil Farm in Duxbury. The restriction placed on this property, which has “been in continuous agricultural use since the early 1700’s” [4] and remains as the last working dairy farm in Duxbury, ensures it will continue to operate as a farm in perpetuity. In 2010, Wildlands also helped save the 116-acre Anderson Dairy Farm in West Bridgwater by working with the Massachusetts Department of Agriculture, town of Bridgewater, and the Anderson family to place an APR on the property. The farm’s importance lies not only in its significance to the town’s farming heritage, but also in its location. The property sits along the Town River (a tributary to the Taunton River) and Hokomock Swam (the largest freshwater wetland in Massachusetts), which provides habitat for various wildlife. Most recently, Wildlands is again working with the town of Duxbury, this time to save the 17-acre Herrington Farm.
The connection between Wildlands and local farms extends into its youth programming as well. During the summer, Wildlands’ Green Team members visit local farms like Bay End Farm in Bourne to learn about organic vegetable farming. Team members take part in the entire farming process, helping out with planting, weeding, harvesting and processing various crops. At Soule Homestead Education Center in Middleborough, team members assist in invasive species removal in pastures and learn about animal husbandry.
Protecting wildlife habitat
Prior to Wildlands acquiring a property, there are a number of criteria it must meet, such as outstanding or noteworthy ecological significance. Lands that fit this criterion contain rare or unusual habitat types, provide habitat for rare or endangered species, contribute to local and regional habitat diversity, and/or possess a BioMap Core Habitat or Supporting Natural Landscape designation.
Rich with diverse river habitat, including marshes and seepage swamps, along the Winnetuxet River, Striar Conservancy supports a variety of local species like the uncommon river otter, wood duck, woodcock, and ruffled grouse. The 168 acres of undeveloped land comprising the preserve also provides habitat for deer, fox, over 90 species of birds like the upland sandpiper and barred owl, as well as state-listed rare species, like the bridle shiner, Coopers hawk, and Mystic Valley amphipod.
Halfway Pond peaks through pine trees at Halfway Pond Conservation Area, Plymouth.
Halfway Pond, at Halfway Pond Conservation Area, provides habitat for the federally endangered northern redbelly cooter (formerly known as the Plymouth redbelly turtle), and also supports six mussel species, including two state-listed rare species. Southeastern Massachusetts is also host to the Massachusetts Coastal Pine Barrens, a unique ecoregion which can be found on Wildlands’ Plymouth properties. This specific habitat is critical to the survival of a number of species. In fact, “the Massachusetts Department of Fish and Wildlife has state-listed 182 species of plants and animals in the Pine Barrens ecoregion as endangered, threatened or a species of concern.” [5]
Climate Change
With nearly 10,000 acres of land in Wildlands’ portfolio, it has become increasingly important for Wildlands to consider the resiliency of these lands and the region overall. In 2019, Wildlands added a criterion into the organization’s mission statement which focuses on climate mitigation and the adaptation potential of a property acquisition. The intention of this benchmark is to help the organization identify lands that contain habitats which are expected to be affected by climate change more so than others (cold-water streams, tidal marshes, and vernal pools).
Wildlands has also incorporated this outlook into its current holdings. While creating this new criterion, Wildlands analyzed the properties currently in its portfolio, created a vulnerability assessment for each one, and a hybrid management strategy. Through the direct protection of critical climate-resilient habitats, adjacent land parcels, and modifying current management practices, Wildlands hopes to increase the region’s overall resiliency to climate change.
Supporting land trusts like Wildlands Trust is not just about protecting land, it’s about enhancing the quality of life within your community. The benefits that come from land protection and the organizations that serve that purpose, extend out into multiple aspects of our region and set an example for other parts of the state, country and world. We thank you for your dedicated support and look forward to continuing to enhance the beauty and health of Southeastern Massachusetts for years to come.
How can you help enhance the quality of life in Southeastern Massachusetts with Wildlands Trust?
Bringing Adopt-A-Preserve to Brockton
With 18 new Adopt-A-Preserve volunteers trained in 2019 and 29 preserves monitored, Wildlands looks to expand the program at Brockton preserves.
A path leads visitors through the dense woods at Brockton Audubon Preserve.
Since 2010, Wildlands Trust has welcomed TerraCorps service members onto its staff to help expand its organizational capacity in community outreach and land access. TerraCorps, formerly MassLIFT, is a Massachusetts-based AmeriCorps program with members serving at nonprofit land conservation and urban agriculture organizations across the state. This year, Wildlands is hosting two TerraCorps members, a community engagement coordinator – serving her second year at Wildlands with a focus on public programming – and a land stewardship coordinator, whose focus is growing Wildlands’ Adopt-A-Preserve (AAP) program.
Throughout the coming year, a focus for the AAP program will be at Wildlands’ Brockton Audubon Preserve and the city of Brockton’s Stone Farm Conservation Area. For those unfamiliar with the program, trained volunteers choose one or more preserves within Wildlands’ 1,500-square-mile service area to monitor on a monthly basis and submit reports to Wildlands’ staff on the state of the preserve.
Stewardship Manager Erik Boyer leads a group of hikers at Stone Farm Conservation Area during the Brockton Nature Festival.
Over the last three months, community members have expressed a heightened interest in stewarding the open spaces in Brockton - a direct result, we believe, from our recent work to promote community involvement on the properties. Efforts have included activities like guided hikes and community events such as the Brockton Nature Festival (BNF), held this past October at Stone Farm. Hosting events like the BNF are great ways to introduce preserves and Wildlands Trust to people within the local community and surrounding areas who may not have been familiar with Wildlands or our work prior. Stewardship staff have also recently hosted AAP trainings at both Brockton Audubon and Stone Farm.
By continuing to promote these preserves through various community engagement activities, Wildlands’ hopes to establish a solid group of volunteers to help keep these properties safe for wildlife and visitors throughout the year. Volunteer-based programs like Adopt-A-Preserve not only assist our stewardship staff in keeping our properties safe and ecosystems healthy, but to further connect our communities to the natural world, increase visibility of public open space, and encourage usage by visitors throughout the region. If you are interested in becoming an AAP volunteer in Brockton or at any other Wildlands preserve, please apply at: wildlandstrust.org/volunteer
Volunteer Spotlight: Rachel Thilbeault
By Eamon Horrigan, Land Stewardship Coordinator
Recently, Wildlands’ Land Stewardship Coordinator Eamon Horrigan sat down with long-time Brockton resident and Wildlands volunteer, Rachel Thilbeault, to discuss Brockton Audubon Preserve and her volunteer work at Wildlands:
How did you first discover Brockton Audubon Preserve and Wildlands Trust?
When I moved here, I realized right away that there were walking trails back behind my house. The trails were the same as they are now, apart from the trail with a boardwalk leading out to the [utility] easement. A friend from Brockton told me about Wildlands’ work at Brockton Audubon about 4 years ago.
How many years have you been involved with the property?
It has been 31 years since I first moved to Brockton and walked the trails back there. In 2005, I helped certify the vernal pool on the preserve by proving the presence of spotted yellow salamander juveniles in the pool.
A 20-foot-high glacial erratic can be found in the northeast section of the property.
What is your favorite thing to do while out on the property?
Watch for wildlife. [I’m] always looking to see animals like foxes and owls.
Do you have a favorite spot on the trails?
The huge glacial erratic at the trail intersection out there. It is amazing the way that is balanced. It looks like one of these days it is bound to fall over.
What is the coolest wildlife sighting you’ve had at the preserve?
Probably a great horned owl. It was perched on a large white pine tree and I was shocked by how large it was. I also saw two yellow spotted salamanders under a log, which was another cool sighting.
Do you have a favorite time of year to visit?
In the spring, when all the flowers are in bloom and before the leaves on the trees come out. I love to see all the violets around the vernal pool. I also really like to see the yellow of the marsh marigolds and the May apples that bloom on the right side of the trail near the parking area.
What is the most memorable moment you’ve had at the preserve?
Leading my first hike because it was nice to take people out and show them around. I liked having the chance to show people they can escape the rat race of the city and spend a couple hours relaxing in the woods.
What is it like being a volunteer hike leader with Wildlands Trust?
Well, it feels good to show people what is out there and makes me feel proud to have open, public land in Brockton. I think it is a privilege to have an opportunity to escape the hectic city.
A toad, one of many species found at the preserve, rests on the forest floor.
Do you think that property usage has increased since you first got involved or stayed relatively the same?
Definitely more people have been going out there. Many dog walkers. I talk to plenty of people who remark on how they did not know this [preserve] was out here. Whenever I am doing trail work or picking up trash, people are interested and ask what I am doing out here.
In addition to leading hikes, you’re also an Adopt-A-Preserve (AAP) volunteer at Brockton Audubon, what is your favorite thing about AAP?
Going out [to the preserve] with the company of my fellow, friendly Brocktonians, Cynthia and Alan. It’s a chance to tell stories about how Brockton once was.
Do you have a favorite Wildlands property to walk outside of Brockton Audubon?
Great River Preserve in Bridgewater. It’s a great place to ride bikes and it’s nice to sit at the benches by the water and take a rest after a bike ride.
Outside of Wildlands, are there any other trails you also like to hike?
Borderland State Park (Easton, MA) and Blue Hills Reservation (Milton, MA). Borderland has a lot of pretty trails and a nice mixture of terrain; really flat trails and more hilly ones. Blue Hills is great because of the Skyline trail, getting to see the weather station there, and climbing Buck Hill for a view of Boston.
Thank you to Rachel for sitting down and speaking with me about her experience volunteering at Widlands Trust and Brockton Audubon Preserve. If you’d like to learn more about Wildlands’ Adopt-A-Preserve program or any other volunteer opportunities at Wildlands, visit our volunteer page at: wildlandstrust.org/volunteer
Wildlands’ Volunteer Spotlight Series showcases the interests and experiences of Wildlands’ dedicated volunteers. If you’d like more information on volunteering with Wildlands, please visit our volunteer page or contact us directly.
Wildlands Teams Up with Sierra Club for Volunteer Service Week
By Stewardship Manager, Erik Boyer
Sierra Club volunteers and Wildlands staff pose for a group photo at Myles Standish State Forest.
This past August, twenty-four volunteers from the Sierra Club joined Wildlands Trust for a week of service on some of our trails on the South Shore. The group consisted of volunteers from all over the country who dedicated their time from August 5 – August 9 and helped improve the trails at Wildlands’ Tucker Preserve and the Equestrian Loop at Myles Standish State Forest. This is the fourth year of this partnership, which focuses primarily on volunteer work at Wildlands but has included service projects with the town of Plymouth and the Friends of Myles Standish.
This year, for the first time, we spent a day outside of Plymouth on the Indian Head River in Pembroke and Hanover. The first day, the group spent the day cutting back trails on the Indian Head River Loop (IHRL), a trail that passes through the towns of Pembroke, Hanover, and Hanson. A good portion of this work took place on Tucker Preserve, which is one of the entry points to the IHRL. A group also assisted a local Boy Scout for his Eagle Scout project, where they opened up the trails at the town of Hanover’s Iron Brook Mine Trails.
Sierra Club volunteers working together on a trail in Plymouth in 2017.
At the end of the week, the group worked with the Friends of Myles Standish and helped cut back vegetation on portions of the Equestrian Loop. Volunteers cut back the dense understory scrub oak and bayberry from the trails and cleared fallen trees with handsaws. Over 3 miles of trails were cleared over the course of two days!
Thanks to the efforts of Zehava Rosenberg and Madeleine Zember, two Sierra Club volunteers, over 20 volunteers come to Plymouth for a weeklong service trip each year. Due to the help of the volunteers this year, hikers will be able to enjoy these trails this fall. If you would like to learn more about the Sierra Club’s service trips, check out: content.sierraclub.org/outings/volunteer-vacations. For information on how you can volunteer with Wildlands Trust, visit our website at wildlandstrust.org/volunteer.
Youth Unplug for a Summer of Service
By Outreach and Education Manager, Rachel Calderara
Another July has come and gone, and with it, another Green Team program has ended, but not before 26 amazing teens put in over 700 hours of volunteer work on the protected lands of Southeastern Massachusetts.
Green Team 1 crew members get their hands dirty at Bay End Farm.
What is Green Team?
2019 marks the fifth year of Green Team, a keystone program in Wildlands’ Youth Unplugged Initiative. Green Team is an interactive opportunity for teens to engage in environmental learning through volunteerism. After applying to the program in the spring, each applicant goes through a thorough interview process in hopes of being offered a spot on the team. Only those who have proven their interest and motivation to work hard in the outdoors with their peers are accepted onto Green Team. This year, we accepted 13 middle school-aged crew members into the 1 week Green Team 1 program, and another 13 high school-aged crew members into the 2 week Green Team 2 program.
What does Green Team do?
Each day, the Green Team travels to various sites across the region to work on relevant, hands-on environmental projects with professionals in the field. This year was one for the books with more crew members, more hours, and more projects than ever before!
Green Team 1 Projects:
Trail clearing at Mass Audubon’s Great Neck Wildlife Sanctuary (Wareham)
Invasive species removal in the pastures at Soule Homestead (Middleborough)
Organic vegetable farming at Bay End Farm (Bourne)
Restoring the community garden pathways at Wildlands Trust’s headquarters (Plymouth)
Green Team 2 Projects:
Farm animal husbandry at Soule Homestead (Middleborough)
Organic farming and greenhouse restoration at Round the Bend Farm (South Dartmouth)
Trail maintenance at Northeast Wilderness Trust’s Muddy Pond Preserve (Kingston)
Picnic table and bench building for trails at Wildlands Trust’s Emery Preserve (Plymouth)
Blueberry harvesting and pruning at Cornish Fields Farm (Plymouth)
Garlic harvesting and processing at Bay End Farm (Bourne)
The service days are sprinkled with educational activities like tick safety talks, birding walks, farm tours, meditation, yoga and more. On the final night of Green Team 2, we take the team on an overnight campout where they enjoy dinner, a night hike, and a campfire.
Green Team 2 after harvesting garlic at Bay End Farm.
What’s next for Youth Unplugged?
Three weeks of Green Team are a whirlwind for staff and crew members alike, leaving us all thoroughly exhausted yet still wishing for more time together. These ambitious teens will not rest and we are left feeling like there is more we can do to keep encouraging their interest in the outdoors. This nagging feeling, along with numerous requests from the crew for continued volunteer opportunities, prompted us to pilot a new program we’re calling Service Learning Saturdays. Once a month, all Green Team alumni are invited to our Plymouth headquarters to work on projects ranging from invasive species removal to gardening and more. During the first Service Learning Saturday on August 24, four crew members helped us pull out overgrown invasive vegetation at both the barn foundation and the old oak tree.
The teens we have the pleasure of working with are intelligent, kind, caring young people who give us hope for the future. We thank them for another wonderful year of Green Team, and look forward to Service Learning Saturdays this fall!
Follow us on Facebook for Service Learning Saturday pictures and updates at: facebook.com/wildlandstrust.