Tidmarsh Celebrates Fifth Anniversary Friday and Saturday, June 2-3
Michael P. O'Connor
PLYMOUTH—It’s been five years since a 100-year-old former cranberry operation in Plymouth was re-introduced as a protected Mass Audubon property, spurring a natural restoration that is returning the 481-acre Tidmarsh Wildlife Sanctuary to a freshwater habitat of wetlands, woodlands, and fields nourished by streams that once again run freely to the sea.
To mark this milestone, Mass Audubon is hosting a Tidmarsh Turns 5! Weekend Celebration Friday June 2 and Saturday June 3, highlighted by the unveiling of the sanctuary’s newest accessible All Persons Trail—the 15th installed at Mass Audubon wildlife sanctuaries across the state.
The two-day celebration will feature a Friday afternoon ceremony from 3-6 pm for local and state elected officials, donors, and community partners, with the trail unveiling the centerpiece.
Saturday’s 10 am-2pm gathering is open to the public and will include activities for everyone—including a special appearance by live birds of prey, courtesy of Mass Audubon’s Blue Hills Trailside Museum in Milton. Other activities and attractions will include scavenger hunts, interactive educational tables with sensory features, “bioblitz” stations, and more.
The celebratory weekend will serve as a “thank you” to the civic, cultural, and educational partners who are helping Tidmarsh grow as a welcoming sanctuary and community resource for Plymouth and beyond.
All that nature engagement can build up an appetite (for youth and adults alike!), so food and ice cream trucks will also be on hand.
"The journey of Tidmarsh Wildlife Sanctuary, like the nature renewal that will be ongoing here for generations, is remarkable and inspirational,” said Lauren Kras, who arrived six years ago as Tidmarsh Director and is now Regional Director for Mass Audubon properties on the South Shore and South Coast.
“Mass Audubon is committed to nature-based solutions as the organization focuses on climate-resilient lands such as Tidmarsh, but the sanctuary would not even exist without so many friends and partners who share our vision,” Kras noted. “The Tidmarsh Turns 5! Celebration is just one way for us to show how very grateful we are for their support.”
Mass Audubon is the largest nature-based conservation organization in New England. Founded in 1896 by two women who fought for the protection of birds, Mass Audubon carries on their legacy by focusing on the greatest challenges facing the environment today: the loss of biodiversity, inequitable access to nature, and climate change. With the help of our 160,000 members and supporters, we protect wildlife, conserve and restore resilient land, advocate for impactful environmental policies, offer nationally recognized education programs for adults and children, and provide endless opportunities to experience the outdoors at our wildlife sanctuaries. Explore, find inspiration, and take action at www.massaudubon.org.