Boston Flora

Tag: Species Of Birds

  • Saturday, November 21, 9:30 am – Arlington Great Meadows Nature Walk

    The Friends of Arlington Great Meadows’ next “3rd Saturday Nature Walk” at, naturally,  Arlington’s Great Meadows will be on November 21.  Meet them at 9:30am ,  in the nursing home parking lot, directions below . The walk is scheduled to end at approximately 11:30. Adults and teens are welcome, as are older children accompanied by at least one of their parents. Please bring: hat; insect repellent; binoculars and a hand lens (if you have one); wear long pants and appropriate footwear. You may encounter just a bit of mud along some trails, so bring appropriate shoes. No dogs, please. (Note: These events are sponsored by FoAGM and are free.)

    Arlington’s Great Meadows is a 183-acre parcel of land located in east Lexington.   It is the largest piece of undeveloped land in the Arlington/Lexington area.  It is part of the Mystic River watershed.  Once a glacial lake, it is now a wet meadow surrounded by uplands created by glacial outwash.  Great Meadows was purchased by Arlington in 1871 to serve as a supplementary water storage area, but was only briefly used for that purpose.   However, it remains a valuable buffer against flooding in the area.

    Arlington’s Great Meadows has long served as public open space and is a popular recreational spot, particularly since the opening of the Minuteman Bikeway on its southern border.  It also provides a home for local wildlife.  To date, 56 species of birds have been found nesting in Great Meadows, 12 species of amphibians and reptiles live there, and 251 species of plants grow in the wet meadow and uplands.  Last summer’s Biodiversity Days survey of the area recorded nearly 400 species of plants and animals in the Great Meadows area.

    Because it is situated between two schools, the Waldorf School of Lexington and Lexington Christian Academy, Arlington’s Great Meadows is a valuable resource for teaching children about nature and the environment.  The Citizens for Lexington Conservation organizes annual bird watching and geology walks in the Meadows.

    Meet at the far end of the parking lot on the right side of Golden Living Center – Lexington.   If you need more information, contact Don Miller at donaldbmiller@comcast.net, preferably, or 781-646-4965.  The web site for the Friends group is www.foagm.org.

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  • Saturday, September 19, 9 – 11 am – Wild Edibles Walk

    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.

    (c) TTOR, Copicut Woods, Fall River, Massachusetts