Page 4 - Wildlands Trust fall newsletter

Newly Protected Land

90 Acres Protected Along the Taunton River in Bridgewater

We are pleased to welcome the newest addition to our portfolio
of protected lands along the Taunton River: 90 acres contained in
two contiguous parcels along the upper Taunton River corridor in
Bridgewater.
Located off Cherry Street, the newly acquired land includes 11
potential vernal pools and approximately one mile of frontage
on the Taunton River. It is directly across the river from a 95-acre
assemblage including Wildlands’ North Fork Preserve. Collectively,
these properties comprise 186 acres—the largest expanse of
protected lands along the upper Taunton River corridor above
Cherry Street.

The new preserve includes a network of woods roads that we will
adapt into hiking trails.

The upper Taunton River at North Fork Preserve in Bridgewater. Since 1995, Wildlands has afforded a high priority to protecting
land along the Taunton River’s 44-mile mainstem and major
“ Wildlands has helped protect over tributaries. The river’s designation by Congress in 2009 as
2,000 acres on the Taunton River a National Wild and Scenic River was further affirmation of
its ecological, recreational, and historical significance, and a
and its tributaries. ” validation of the efforts Wildlands and its conservation partners
have extended toward protecting land along its banks.

Three Rehoboth CRs Completed

On the cusp of the autumnal equinox, we completed three The Danforth Street CR protects 50 acres acquired by the Town in
Community Preservation Act (CPA) Conservation Restrictions 2019. The Danforth Street property includes two potential vernal
(CRs) in Rehoboth. Since it adopted the CPA in April 2009, pools, a hiking trail through topographically diverse terrain, and
Rehoboth has been diligently working to use associated funds to connectivity with adjacent open space.
acquire properties of high ecological importance.
Two more Rehoboth CPA CRs are in the pipeline that will
The new CRs protect three such properties, totaling 130 acres. collectively protect an additional 54 acres. We look forward to
advancing these projects and extend our appreciation to all
The Walt Munroe Conservation Area CR protects 46 acres those Town staff and volunteers who have worked to successfully
acquired by the Town in 2016. The area is notable for its two implement the CPA’s open space dimension in Rehoboth.
fields that the Town is working to restore; its extensive frontage
along Rocky Run Brook, a Palmer River tributary; and its location
within the Munwhagne Swamp complex, a several-hundred-
acre area of contiguous open space in southeast Rehoboth
that includes several rare natural communities. The property is
named in honor of the late Walt Munroe, a seventh-generation
Rehoboth resident who, in addition to protecting his own family
farm with Wildlands, contributed significant time and effort to
helping the Town protect open space.
The Grear Farm CR protects 32 acres acquired by the Town in
2022. The Grear Farm features extensive open fields with prime
farmland soils, connects to an assemblage of open space in West
Rehoboth along Route 44, and helps protect the water quality of On October 5, Wildlands Trust and the Town of Bridgewater celebrated
the nearby East Branch of the Palmer River. the establishment of North Fork Wyman Conservation Area, a 76-acre
complex with hiking trails connecting Wildlands’ North Fork Preserve and
the Town’s Wyman Meadow Conservation Area.
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