Ever wonder how long you could survive in the woods by living off the land? Southeast Massachusetts is home to more than 150 species of wild edibles and late summer is the season of fruits and nuts. From wild grapes and blueberries to hickory nuts and edible roots, you’ll enjoy an all natural snack during your walk with Trustees of Reservations Education Coordinator Linton Harrington, in the Copicut Woods Bioreserve, Indian Town Road, Fall River.
Copicut Woods, located approximately 10 minutes from downtown Fall River, is the southern gateway to the 13,600-acre Southeastern Massachusetts Bioreserve, which includes state-owned forest and wildlife management areas and the wooded landscape protecting the city’s drinking water supply.
The Bioreserve is large enough to sustain the native biodiversity of this region, from the dominant white pine-oak forest to the rare Atlantic white cedar swamps; from the nearly 100 species of birds to the endangered four-toed salamander. The landscape also has a rich cultural history and offers recreational opportunities suiting a range of interests.
Copicut Woods offers a splendid introduction to the ecological and cultural features of the Bioreserve. Walking trails wind through an array of natural communities and pass vernal pools, Miller Brook, and an abandoned farm settlement. A key attraction is the nearly mile-long Miller Lane, a 150-year-old scenic cart path lined with stone walls and featuring an underpass that enabled livestock to move between fields.
From Copicut Woods, visitors have easy access to adjacent protected land owned by the city and the state, although the unified trail system through the Bioreserve has not yet been designed and marked.
The Bioreserve was established and is managed cooperatively by The Trustees of Reservations, the City of Fall River, and the Massachusetts Executive Office of Environmental Affairs, Department of Conservation and Recreation, and Division of Fisheries and Wildlife.
There is no charge for this walk. Call 508-679-2115 for more information, or email bioreserve@ttor.org. Directions are available at www.thetrustees.org.
