One of my favorite past times is to get outside and explore. I typically love to walk along the Heritage State Park in Lowell and watch the rowers at dawn when it’s quiet and peaceful. This past week, I adventured out to the Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge in Sudbury, Massachusetts. The refuge spans 12 miles of the Sudbury and Concord Rivers. My husband and I took to Weir Hill on a mile-long walk around marshes, upland trails, woodlands, fields, pons and the river. Not only did we take in the natural beauty of our environment but the trail had Wayside signage along the trail to help identify the natural resources and how the Wampanoag and Susquehanna tribes used the area for transportation, hunting and fishing.
Wetlands make up 90 percent of Great Meadows. These wetlands serve many functions, from providing crucial nesting and feeding habitat to countless species, to playing a critical role as sponges which reduce erosion and flooding. Over 250 species of birds have been recorded in the past ten years from the Red-bellied woodpecker to the yellow warbler. They even have an observation deck for people interested in birding!
The Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge has more than 3,800 acres with entrances in both Sudbury and Concord, Massachusetts.
With the high heat of summer gone, now is the perfect time to get out and explore our region’s natural beauty. http://www.fws.gov/refuge/great_meadows/
About town,
Deb
