Tag Archives: trail

Walking the trails at Wellfleet Bay © Amanda Simon

Take 5: National Trails Day

Posted on June 1, 2020 by Ryan D.

National Trails Day, the first Saturday in June, is a day to recognizes all the incredible benefits that hiking and walking trails provide for recreation and quality time spent in nature. It’s also an opportunity to thank the many volunteers, land agencies, trail developers, park employees, and property manages who build, maintain, and steward the trails for the enjoyment of all.

We are thrilled that we were able to open trails on many of our wildlife sanctuaries for local visitation last week. Visit our website for information about:

Here are five photos of people enjoying the trails at Mass Audubon wildlife sanctuaries from our annual Picture This: Your Great Outdoors photo contest—which is now officially open for 2020! Not all of these sites are re-opened to the public yet, but we will continue to open more sanctuaries as soon as we are able to safely do so.

Birding at Marblehead Neck © Maili Waters
Birding at Marblehead Neck © Maili Waters
Walking the trails at Wellfleet Bay © Amanda Simon
Walking the trails at Wellfleet Bay © Amanda Simon
Enjoying the universally accessible All Persons Trail at Broad Meadow Brook © John Nault
Enjoying the universally accessible All Persons Trail at Broad Meadow Brook © John Nault
Kids walking at Daniel Webster © Kylie Palomba
Kids walking at Daniel Webster © Kylie Palomba
Taking in the evening hush at Ipswich River © Kalvin Janik
Taking in the evening hush at Ipswich River © Kalvin Janik

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.