Regional News

Allens Pond and Great Neck have been awarded $150,000 through an EPA program to restore saltmarsh habitats and make them more resilient to the impacts of climate change.

Over the last few months, a dedicated team of Mass Audubon staff, contractors, and volunteers worked hard to complete the first phase of a habitat restoration and improvement project. The sanctuary's grassland loop has never looked better!

The first-ever Virtual Duck Derby was a fantastic success with 3,024 rubber ducks racing on the incoming tide at Barney's Joy. See the official list of the winners, and congratulations to all!

If you've visited Daniel Webster this fall, you've probably noticed there's a lot of dirt and very little grass. Just wait—spring 2021 will bring lush, renewed meadows full of nesting birds and native pollinators!

A lot has happened since Mass Audubon acquired the former Sacred Hearts property in summer 2019! We've made great progress in restoring these 110 acres to their natural, wild state.

The South Coast Sanctuaries team is very excited by the privilege of adding the grounds of the Sacred Heart Retreat Center to our Great Neck Wildlife Sanctuary. It is an incredibly important parcel and a huge conservation success story.

We are thrilled to announce that the $2.6 million goal was met to protect the Sacred Hearts property! Our offer was officially accepted on February 14, and we're excited to be on our way to purchasing 110 acres to expand Great Neck Wildlife Sanctuary.

We can't even begin to articulate the importance of our Great Neck volunteers. That's why we're proud to announce that we were designated as a Certified Service Enterprise by the Points of Light Institute!

Please join us in extending immense gratitude and best wishes to Sue MacCallum, Director of South Shore Sanctuaries for the past 15 years, as she retires this October.

If you've visited Daniel Webster this fall, you've probably noticed there's a lot of dirt and very little grass. Just wait—spring 2021 will bring lush, renewed meadows full of nesting birds and native pollinators!

Register is now open for the 2020-2021 school year! These drop-off programs provide a wonderful opportunity for homeschoolers to meet with other students in a social environment while engaging with the natural world. 

Not only does Oak Knoll camper Amelia Shapiro-Macbeth raise and release endangered Monarch butterflies at home, she's also helped establish a milkweed patch in the sanctuary's pollinator garden!

Thanks to many generous donors, we were able to purchase, and permanently protect, the 25-acre Dorrance property (also known as Norma's Woods) adjacent to the sanctuary!

Mass Audubon has partnered with the Town of Plymouth to restore the town-owned Foothills Preserve as well as the West Beaver Dam Brook. We're committed to restoring, enhancing, and improving the ecosystem and natural landscape at Tidmarsh to provide quality habitat for vulnerable species.

Things have been getting greener at Tidmarsh! In addition to restoring the West Branch of Beaver Dam Brook, we've also been working to improve the sanctuary's offices by adding some additional "green" features—including a brand-new roof.

Calling all volunteers—we're thrilled to announce the launch of our expanded Volunteer Program! From monitoring trails to helping with construction projects to co-leading education programs, there are lots of new ways you can get involved at the sanctuary.

We're thrilled to announce that Tidmarsh has received a grant award from the Middleborough Cultural Council to support a new program series aimed at removing barriers that can prevent families from participating in nature-based experiences.