New England Travel

Seven wildlife sanctuaries south of Boston

Moose Hill Wildlife Sanctuary

293 Moose Hill St.

Sharon

781-784-5691

2,000 acres

Moose Hill is Mass Audubon’s oldest sanctuary and one of the largest. It has a 25-mile trail system where visitors can explore the red maple swamp via a boardwalk, observe amphibians at a vernal pool, or watch swallows catching insects in the meadows. The sanctuary also features Moose Hill Community Farm.

North River Wildlife Sanctuary

2000 Main St.

Marshfield

781-837-9400

193 acres

A half-mile boardwalk leads visitors through a red maple swamp and small cattail marsh to a salt marsh overlooking the North River. The sanctuary attracts a variety of birds and wildlife during different seasons.

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North Hill Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary

Mayflower Street

Duxbury

781-837-9400

145 acres

This property, managed by the North River Wildlife Sanctuary, features oak and pine woodlands, wetlands, and a 90-acre pond that provides prime habitat for wildlife.

Daniel Webster Wildlife Sanctuary

Winslow Cemetery Road

Marshfield

781-837-9400

475 acres

Daniel Webster, managed by the North River Wildlife Sanctuary, has hundreds of acres of grasslands, woodlands, and wetlands. There are observation blinds overlooking a shallow wetland that attracts herons, egrets, and shorebirds, as well as muskrats and mink.

Great Neck Wildlife Sanctuary

Stockton Shortcut

Wareham

508-636-2437

197 acres

Great Neck, over- seen by the Allens Pond Wildlife Sanctuary in Westport, features an open forest with 2.5 miles of trails along old carriage roads and deer paths.

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The Mass Audubon Visual Arts Center

963 Washington St.

Canton

781-821-8853

124 acres

The Visual Arts Center is a professional art museum operated by New England’s largest conservation organization. It houses Mass Audu- bon’s extensive art collection and hosts a variety of hands-on art classes. There is also a trail system through a meadow, forest, and red maple swamp.

Blue Hills Trailside Museum

1904 Canton Ave.

Milton

617-333-0690

Situated within the 7,000-acre Blue Hills State Reservation, the museum is the interpretive center for the reservation. Indoor exhibitions feature wildlife that may be seen by visitors exploring the state property’s 150 miles of trails.

SOURCE: Massachusetts Audubon Society

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