July–September 2016 A Newsletter for the Members of Mass Audubon Message from the President During the spring of 1916, Dr. George W. Field…offered the use of “his large estate at Moose Hill, Sharon, as a Bird Sanctuary, it being hoped that it might be developed as a model… s we celebrate 100 Years of Wildlife Sanctuaries and our hundred properties this year, the above passage in the first Bulletin of the Massachusetts Audubon ”Society reveals remarkable A foresight—though its authors could never have imagined where we stand today as a 21st-century conservation leader. That original 225-acre estate in Sharon evolved into Moose Hill Wildlife Sanctuary, Mass Audubon’s first, which today welcomes visitors to an oasis of almost 2,000 protected acres. Yet Moose Hill is but one bright thread in a tapestry of sanctuaries spreading from the Cape and Islands to the Berkshires. The terms wildlife and sanctuary are both evocative words on their own. But in partnership, they serve as a powerful illustration of the sum being greater than its parts. Our foundational commitment was to the protection and promotion of birds and their habitats, and that legacy endures at each and every Mass Audubon wildlife sanctuary. In 2016, our sanctuaries and nature centers not only support a much fuller concept of species protection and biodiversity, but also serve as hubs for carrying out that work in service to the three core elements of our mission: conservation, education, and advocacy. And just as important, they exist as community-based resources for members and those in the general public eager to forge their own connections to nature through an ever-broader array of programs and activities for all ages, backgrounds, and abilities. Get up early for a bird walk. Stay out late for a lesson under the stars. Discover “ponding” (hint: kids are key). Explore our growing number of All Persons Trails. These are just a small sampling of experiences to be enjoyed at sanctuaries across the Commonwealth. Mass Audubon observed this rich heritage with a special “Sanctuaries 100th” celebration, which took place at sanctuaries statewide on Saturday, April 9. Staff welcomed thousands of visitors with a variety of free and fun activities, reminding members why they support this organization and encouraging newcomers to explore the breadth of what our wildlife sanctuaries offer. Our aim was to engage and inspire visitors, and we intend to keep the momentum going through the year. Our sincere wish is that Mass Audubon members will share that energy by visiting their favorite sanctuaries, participating in programs with families and friends, and spreading the word about how great it is to be a member. Sincerely, Gary Clayton, President 1 Dig in 3–4 A Timeline of Wildlife Sanctuaries 5–8 100 Excuses to Enjoy our Wildlife Sanctuaries The Joys of Walking in the Woods...Alone 9 Sam Jaffe’s Metamorphosis The Path to Leadership in Lowell 10 Things to Do This Summer 11 A Mother-Daughter Duo Visits 21 Sanctuaries in 5 Months 12 Outdoor Almanac 13 Ready, Set, Go Outside!: Milkweed: The Ultimate Sanctuary 14 Sanctuaries as Outdoor Laboratories Connect Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube Flickr Blogs massaudubon.org Coming This Fall! A new name and look Nahant Thicket Wildlife Sanctuary, Nahant for Connections. 2 A Timeline of Wildlife Sanctuaries he Mass Audubon Tboard accepts an offer from Sharon 1929 1960s resident George Field Mass Audubon is given an to use his Moose Hill acre of land in Norfolk to property as a bird build the Stony Brook Nature sanctuary, thus creating Center in cooperation with the very first wildlife the Massachusetts Department sanctuary. of Natural Resources. Other sanctuaries added in this The Pleasant Valley Bird and decade include Habitat Wildlife Flower Sanctuary in Education Center, Felix Neck, Lenox is established. and Broadmoor. 1969 Felix Neck’s first sanctuary director, Gus Ben David, hatches a plan to protect the Vineyard’s declining osprey population. 1949 Wildwood, Mass Audubon’s nature-oriented overnight camp for boys and girls, kicks off its first season. This decade sees a flurry of new sanctuaries, including High Ledges, Long Pasture, Blue Hills Mass Audubon purchases 2,000 acres in Trailside Museum, Topsfield to form Ipswich River Wildlife Canoe Meadows, and Sanctuary in 1951. This decade also North River. welcomes Wachusett Meadow, Wellfleet 3 1950s Bay, and Drumlin Farm. 1970s Explore the complete timeline at massaudubon.org/sanctuaries100 The Arcadia Nature Preschool rings its bell for the first time, marking the first nature preschool in 1976 Massachusetts (and one of the first in the country). 1971 A year before President Jimmy The first conservation restriction in Carter installs solar panels at the Massachusetts is put into effect when the White House, Mass Audubon development rights of 250 acres of shorefront installs a solar heating system as property in South Dartmouth and Westport a model project at Drumlin Farm. (adjacent to what is now Allens Pond) are transferred to Mass Audubon. The first Farm Day takes place in 1980 to 1978 fundraise for the creation of the Daniel 1980s Webster Wildlife Sanctuary. Joppa Flats and Allens Pond join the fold. 1981 Norman Smith, Sanctuary Director at Blue Hills Trailside Museum in Milton, begins researching snowy owls. Joppa Flats Education Center establishes 2008 its Bird Banding Station within Parker The first All Persons Trail, River National Wildlife Refuge to monitor universally designed for all visitors 1990s migratory passerines (songbirds) during including those with functional Mass Audubon expands its spring and fall migrations. limitations in vision or mobility, sanctuary network to three opens at Stony Brook. urban centers: Broad Meadow Brook in Worcester, Oak Knoll in Attleboro, and Boston 1998 Nature Center in Mattapan. 2014 Wellfleet Bay’s 30-year-old sea turtle rescue program experiences a record-breaking season. More than 1,100 stranded sea turtles wash ashore, compared to the previous record of 413. Mass Audubon has 56 wildlife sanctuaries with 160 miles of trails open for the public to explore. These sanctuaries provide school, camp, and other education resources to 225,000 children and adults and welcome 500,000 people annually. Have you visited them all? There’s no better time than the present. See you on the trails! 1970s 4 Excuses Exploreto Mass Audubon’s Wildlife Sanctuaries By Heather Demick Cooper n honor of 100 years of wildlife sanctuaries, check out I100 fun and fascinating ways you can enjoy and explore. Whether it’s visiting a butterfly garden or hiking to a summit (or anything in between), you’re invited to join the celebration! 1-7 8-11 12-33 See for Miles Camp Out Play Outside Get a bird’s-eye view of the Spend the night in the great outdoors, Hit the trails with seasonal Nature Bingo, Massachusetts landscape by hiking to either in a cozy cabin or at a campground. go on a Quest, or stop by a Nature Play a summit or climbing an observation Wake up to the salty ocean air, enjoy Area for unstructured play on stump tower. a paddle on a pond, or just relish the jumps and in wigwams. solitude of a sanctuary all to yourself. Summits Nature Play Areas Bluff Trail at Moose Hill • Summit Trail Cabins Pleasant Valley • Felix Neck • Oak Knoll Ipswich River • Pierpont Meadow at Pleasant Valley • Brown Hill Summit • Broad Meadow Brook • North River • (pictured) at Wachusett Meadow • Dutch and Mary Ipswich River • Boston Nature Center • Barnard Trail at High Ledges Wachusett Meadow • Drumlin Farm • Campgrounds Museum of American Bird Art • Arcadia Wellfleet Bay • Ipswich River/Perkins Towers Island Arcadia • Ipswich River (pictured) • Quests Chickatawbut Hill, Blue Hills Trailside Long Pasture • Moose Hill • Felix Neck Museum (via a program only) • Arcadia • North River • Broadmoor • Broad Meadow Brook • Daniel Webster • Boston Nature Center • Ipswich River • Wellfleet Bay 5 34-45 46-52 53-64 Hit the Water View Art Use Your Senses Embark on a guided paddling program, View paintings, sculptures, and Check out award-winning universally rent a canoe for self-guided explorations, photography from professional and local accessible trails across the state. In or set sail on a natural history cruise. artists, all inspired by the natural world. addition to rope-and-post guiding systems, these All Persons Trails feature audio tours, braille texts, and tactile Kayak Art Museum maps. Varying in length from 850 feet Joppa Flats Education Center • Museum of American Bird Art to one mile, All Persons Trails allow for Long Pasture • Felix Neck self-guided exploration for people of all Galleries ages and abilities. Canoe Broadmoor • Habitat Education Center Arcadia • Broadmoor • Ipswich River • • Joppa Flats Education Center • Pleasant Valley • Wachusett Meadow Wachusett Meadow • Moose Hill • Accessible Trails Broad Meadow Brook Boston Nature Center • Arcadia • Cruises Pleasant Valley • Attleboro Springs • Joppa Flats Education Center • Wellfleet Bay • Broad Meadow Brook • Wellfleet Bay • Long Pasture Blue Hills Trailside Museum • Habitat Education Center • Drumlin Farm • Stand-up Paddleboard North River • Broadmoor • Stony Brook Long Pasture Continued on next page... 6 65-84 85-95 Observe Animals See Gardens Grow Find endless opportunities to see birds, bugs, mammals, and more. Plus, watch sheep Experience the beauty of our native and goats give tractors a rest as they graze on invasive plants and sustainably manage gardens, where pollinating insects and meadows. Here are just a few