Boston Flora

Tag: Norcross Wildlife Sanctuary

  • Tuesday, June 5, 10:00 am – 12:00 noon – Ferns and Native Beauty at Norcross Wildlife Sanctuary

    Starting with a 100 acre woodlot, Norcross Wildlife Sanctuary founder and benefactor – Monson, Massachusetts native Arthur D. Norcross Jr. (1895-1969) – bought, bartered and traded to amass over 2,000 acres that he dubbed the Tupper Hill Sanctuary. Today, the Sanctuary is operated by the Norcross Wildlife Foundation and has grown to over 8,000 acres of forests, meadows and wildlands in Massachusetts and Connecticut. The Sanctuary is managed and maintained for the benefit of native plants and animals of New England, as Mr. Norcross originally directed.

    There are just under three miles of walking trails that traverse a variety of habitats and naturalistic wildflower gardens in the 75 acre Pocket Sanctuary, which represents the diversity that can be found at Tupper Hill. Plants grown here are native to the eastern seaboard, from the Carolinas to Canada.

    Hundreds of plant species can be found in the various habitats and 14 gardens maintained at the Norcross Wildlife Sanctuary. Among the wildflower collection are also a variety of ferns. Over 50 species of native ferns can be found along the trails ranging from the small, Dissected Grapefern (Botrychium dissectum), to the very large, Log Fern (Dryopteris celsa), and from the wetlands Netted Chain Fern (Woodwardia areolata) to the rock garden Wooly Lipfern (Cheilanthes lanosa). There is a variety of ferns growing in various habitat gardens. A walk through the gardens can help you identify ferns for every garden situation.

    Part of the conservation mission includes rescuing plants destined for destruction. Probably the most remarkable salvage operation involved rescuing the flora of a parcel in the Pine Barrens of New Jersey and transporting it lock, stock and Gentiana autumnalis (Pine Barren Gentian) to Massachusetts, where it still sits today. White cedars, gentians, cattails, pitcher plants, cranberry bushes, sphagnum moss, grasses and sedges, and several species of orchids all made the trip.

    You are welcome to bring a lunch to enjoy in the picnic area at the conclusion of this Ecological Landscape Alliance tour on June 5.

    Tour guide, Leslie Duthie will lead this inspiring walking tour through many gardens and wildlands and will provide detailed information about the wide array of native ferns that make their home in the Norcross Wildlife Sanctuary. Leslie Duthie, is a horticulturalist at Norcross Wildlife Sanctuary. She has been working in native plant horticulture and propagation for over 35 years. Her devotion to ferns started the first time she grew a fern from spore. The gardens of Norcross are full of plants that she has raised and her knowledge of the ferns is extensive. Leslie is a life-long gardener starting with her BS in Plant Science and includes experience in greenhouse growing, both landscape plants and native plants.

    Directions to the Norcross Sanctuary:

    The Sanctuary is located in Wales, MA between Rt. 32 and Rt. 19 on the Monson-Wales Road. If you use a GPS, enter 30 Peck Road, Wales, MA 01081. Turn onto Peck Road and then turn left into the parking lot.

    $20 for ELA members, $30 for nonmembers. Register online at https://www.ecolandscaping.org/event/eco-tour-ferns-and-native-plants-at-norcross-wildlife-sanctuary/

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  • Norcross Wildlife Sanctuary 2011 Winter Lecture Series

    Winter lectures at the Norcross Wildlife Sanctuary are given each Saturday at 1:30 pm at the Sanctuary at 30 Peck Road in Wales, Massachusetts.  Directions can be found at www.norcrossws.org.  These one-hour free talks are designed to capture your attention and pique your interest in the natural world.  Reservations are required as space is limited and printed materials are provided to each person.  Please call 413-267-4859 or email ohop@norcrossws.org for reservations and information.

    January 29 – Fabulous Ferns.  Ferns add color, texture and pizazz to your garden.  Do you have a place where nothing else grows?  Maybe a fern will fit there, too.  Fun and easy to grow, ferns are fabulous in the garden.  Leslie Duthie will lead the discussion.

    February 5 – Ecosystems on the Edge.  Some ecosystems do not function according to the “normal” rules of nature.  Today, Mike Tremblay looks at ecosystems that use chemicals like sulfur and methane as their primary source of energy such as sulfur vents, methane seeps and isolated caves.

    February 12 – Hit the Trail for Health.  Trail walking is a great way to get some fresh air, keep healthy, and get your bodies moving.  Where are your local trails, how did they get there, and who takes care of them?  Did you know there are exercise trails out there, too?  Every town has at least one trail to walk, and Stephanie Morin will introduce you to some great local trails for all ability levels.

    February 26 – Your Green Home. Help solve the earth’s rapidly changing environmental catastrophe through a change in buildiing materials and procedures.  Reed Coles, a local “green” builder and remodeler, will showcase materials and methods of sustainable building practices including passive and active solar and zero energy structures that define Energy Star and US Green Building Council’s LEED certified building codes.  He will also discuss harvesting equipment and green washing.

    March 5 – Small Native Trees for the Home Landscape.  Many native trees have great potential to enhance the enjoyment of your home landscape.  Some offer brilliant fall colors or interesting bark, some come to life with breathtaking spring flowers, some produce delicious fruit, and a few may encompass all these qualities.  This presentation by Vinny Normand showcases small to medium sized native trees that can be used in the home landscape.

    March 12 – Vernal Pools.  Jennifer Ohop presents a talk on the natural beauty and seasonal rhythm of this unique habitat.