Category Archives: Wildlife Sanctuaries

The Western Greenway Project

Posted on April 9, 2013 by Hillary T.

Western Greenway BlazeHabitat Education Center and Wildlife Sanctuary in Belmont is proud to be part of the Western Greenway, 1,200 acres of interconnected open space in Waltham, Lexington, and Belmont. This corridor is a valuable and increasingly rare resource in our region, providing natural, cultural, and recreational benefits.

The interconnected lands of the Western Greenway, 20 parcels in all, continues to serve wildlife and people. Among the many species of wildlife living here are wild turkey, foxes, wood frogs, pink lady’s slippers, painted turtles, jack-in-the pulpit, and great horned owls.

Large contiguous open spaces, such as the Western Greenway, also provide us other services. For example, growing trees produce oxygen and remove and store carbon dioxide from the air, thus slowing global warming. Wetlands act as sponges soaking up rainfall and snow melt, thus preventing flooding. Wetlands also filter impurities from water before they reach our waterways.

The best way to appreciate the value of the Western Greenway is to walk its seven miles of emblazoned trails between Habitat in Belmont and the Robert Treat Paine Estate in Waltham, viewable on the Greenway Map. Habitat is offering a guided walk of this route on May 4.

To learn more about or to become more involved in protecting the Western Greenway, please contact us.

Spring Street Woodlands Success Story

Posted on March 26, 2013 by Hillary T.

Spring StreetThanks to an outpouring of support, Mass Audubon has raised enough funds to conserve the 31-acre Spring Street Woodlands property in Marshfield, officially adding it to North River Wildlife Sanctuary.

Before this achievement, Spring Street Woodlands, owned by the Hale family, was the largest parcel of unprotected land adjacent to the wildlife sanctuary. The forested property is also ecological diverse, providing a home to a range of native and rare species, from the red-backed salamander to mink to ruffed grouse. Adding the 31 acres to North River will create an uninterrupted corridor for wildlife to safely travel and thrive.

Spring Street Woodlands mapThe Spring Street Woodlands property also serves as the source of Hannah Eames Brook, an important freshwater stream that flows through North River Wildlife Sanctuary and into North River, the only state designated scenic and recreational river. By protecting the land, we can help ensure the high water quality of the brook for generations to come.

This addition doesn’t just benefit wildlife and water quality. The existing informal network of well-used trails will remain open for neighbors and the community to enjoy.

“Conserving this land is incredibly beneficial to North River Wildlife Sanctuary, to the wildlife and flora in this area, and to our local community. I’m extremely appreciative that so many people acted so generously and thoughtfully to make this happen,” said Sue MacCallum, South Shore Sanctuaries Director.

To learn more about our land protection efforts like this one, visit our website.