Is next week really February?

Here are some of our favorite nature photos from January... what a month!

We hope you'll take a peak, leave a comment, and have a great weekend! -From all of us at Wildlands Trust

Downy Woodpecker at Weir River Woods, Hull.

Mushroom atop tree stump at Rounseville Preserve, Rochester.

Downed Pitch Pine at Great South Pond - South Triangle Pond Conservation Area, Plymouth. 

Fox tracks along the bank of Snows Pond (a coastal plain pond) at Robinson-Gilmore  Preserve, Rochester.

Fungi growing on a hemlock snag at Robinson-Glimore Preserve, Rochester.

South Triangle Pond at South Triangle Pond Conservation Area, Plymouth.

(Photo Credit- Above: Alex Etkind, Below: Sarah Kugel)

Wildlands Trailrunners at the Halfway Pond Conservation Area, Plymouth.

P.S. You can visit www.wildlandstrust.org to learn more about the properties featured in this post!

6 Office Resolutions + Snowy Owls

Gabriela Silva

Meet Gabriela Silva, our Assistant Director at Wildlands Trust. She works behind the scenes to make sure our land protection and stewardship staff have the tools and funds to do their jobs well. As a New Years resolution, Gabriela is hoping to get outside more with her family! Over this past weekend, she visited the Little Conservation Area off Union Street in Marshfield. Approaching a dock on the ~75 acre preserve that overlooks the North River, Gabriela and her family bumped into friends they hadn't seen in over 4 years. Have you ever bumped into old friends or made new friends on the trails? Whether you answered yes or no - we invite you all to become our trail buddies through participating in our free Wildlands Trailrunners program.

Gabriela and son at Little Conservation Area off Union Street in Marshfield.
(Town CPA project)

View of the North River reached by trail on Little Conservation Area.

Next weekend, Gabriela plans to head to Duxbury Beach with her family to look for Snowy Owls. Here are some photos that Allison Gillum, Wildlands Trust Regional Conservationist - AmeriCorps MassLIFT Volunteer, took of the graceful birds on Jan. 8, 2012.

Even though these birds appear on Duxbury beach almost every year, the last time I set out to observe them was on my 9th Birthday! Time flies...

Tell us about your new years resolutions (nature related resolutions) and winter wildlife sightings on our facebook page.

Need some inspiration for a nature related resolution? Here's a list of several office resolutions proposed by our staff and volunteers:

1. Compost our lunch scraps.

2. Participate in staff exercise (weekly walks / stretching series).

3. Get outside more with our families.

4. See many of our ongoing land protection projects come to fruition.

5. Save the Davis-Douglas Farm and create a center for connecting people to the land.

6. Use less paper.

Thanks for reading & don't forget to click "Join this site" so you can get our blog posts sent directly to your email inbox!

-Post by Sarah Kugel, Community Outreach Coordinator, AmeriCorps MassLIFT Volunteer at Wildlands Trust (You can reach me at skugel@wildlandstrust.org)

The First Snow w/ the "Wildlands Trailrunners"

The "Wildlands Trailrunners" aren't just runners! We're also walkers and all committed to staying active, even as the temperature drops.

Yesterday the "Trailrunners" group set out to the Emery Preserve West, located off of Ship Pond Road in Plymouth, where we enjoyed the crunching of the first snow under our feet!

 

The group is now on break until after the New Year. Depending on snowfall, weekly walks/runs may switch to weekly snowshoe sessions. As a reminder, these meet-ups are free and open to the public, all ages and levels are always welcome! *If you would like to be notified via email of our events, please email a request to admin@wildlandstrust.org


-Post by Sarah Kugel, Wildlands Trust, AmeriCorps MassLIFT, skugel@wildlandstrust.org

Back to the Land with the Wildlands Trailrunners

Wildlands Trailrunners can't hide their smiles after a group run/walk.

The Wildlands Trust has launched its new Wildlands Trailrunners program. The program meets on a weekly basis for low-impact trail runs and walks throughout Southeastern Massachusetts; however, participants may attend as many or as few sessions as they please. Every session is free of charge and non-competitive. Runners and walkers of all levels and ages are encouraged to attend. This is a great opportunity for those looking to connect with other trail runners and walkers. It’s also a chance to discover many beautiful places that few people know or explore. You do not need to be a member of the Trust to participate.

Leader of the Wildlands Trailrunners, Sarah Kugel, said, “I see huge potential for the Wildlands Trailrunners and interest in the group is already growing. People want to live healthier lifestyles and get back to the land. We had runners and walkers of various ages and abilities at our last event and we all had a blast together. It’s energizing to get outdoors with a group!” Wildlands Trust always has 2 leaders at the weekly events so the group can divide into walkers and runners. Sarah hopes to offer events in different towns on various dates and times to include as many people as possible. Sarah added, “We usually follow trails or paths for 2 to 3 miles. We plan to continue throughout the seasons as long as the weather permits!”

Wildlands Trailrunners November Schedule*:

RSVPs are appreciated, but not required: admin@wildlandstrust.org

11/2- 9:30am Sherburne Carter Preserve, Kingston (Town Conservation Land)

11/13- 10:00am Great River Preserve, Bridgewater

11/16- 1:00pm The Pinehills, Plymouth (Rain date: 11/18)

11/21- 1:00pm Halfway Pond Conservation Area, Plymouth

If you would receive Wildlands Trailrunners e-mails with our monthly schedule, photos, and cancellation notifications*, let us know by e-mailing admin@wildlandstrust.org. Updates about weekly runs are also posted to the Wildlands Trust Facebook Page.


*Events will be cancelled in the case of severe weather.

Directions & Parking Information: 

Sherburne Carter Preserve: Driving west on Route 106 it is located about a half mile past Ring Rd on the left.  As soon as you pass Nobadeer Circle (on right) you will see old bogs on the left that are part of the Sherburne Carter Preserve.  There is an area to pull off the road and park on the left.

Great River Preserve: From Rt. 106 East, West Center Street, bear right onto Rt. 28/S Main Street, bear left onto Rt. 104/ Summer Street. Bear right onto Walnut Street, and left onto Auburn Street. Continue on Auburn Street about 1/2 mile to the Trailhead Parking Lot on right.

The Pinehills: Check our website for directions soon!

Halfway Pond Conservation Area: Rt. 3 to Exit 3. Turn left if coming from south, right if from north. Proceed to stop sign. Turn right onto Long Pond Road, continue about two miles, passing Plymouth schools. Turn left onto Mast Road, across from the golf course. Follow Mast Road about two miles to trailhead parking on right before Halfway Pond.