Saturday, August 12 – Field Trip to Pepperell Springs Conservation Area
Join The New England Botanical Club and explore interesting places with great plants, led by local expert botanists. Participants must contact the trip leader 1 week in advance. The final summer trip will take place Saturday, August 12 to Pepperell Springs Conservation Area in Pepperell, Massachusetts.
This trip focuses on natural communities, including rich Northern Hardwoods forest (Sugar Maple – Oak – Hemlock Forest patches with Hemlock stands, occasional talus slopes, an intermittent stream) and mixed oaks with mountain laurel, hemlock stands, Red Oak – Sugar Maple Transition Forest. We’ll also visit a rock outcrop with a cedar glade-like area and patches of rich Sugar Maple – Oak – Hickory Forest, mixed with hemlocks. Anyone who wants to can return to Heald Pond with their own kayaks or canoe and explore areas with purple bladderworts, water lilies, floating peat islands with poison sumac, and acidic fen conditions). For more information go to Pepperell Trail Guide (PDF), Pepperell Springs Conservation Area (PDF), and Pepperell Springs Map (PDF). Level of Difficulty – Moderate – we’ll be mostly on trail on dry ground, with some steep sections. Trip leader: Pat Swain (pcswain@zizania.org). Pat will send meeting time, location, and directions to those who register for the trip.
