Regional News

Thanks to a generous grant, Allens Pond is hosting a free Nature Discovery & STEAM program series from April through early November!

We're excited to introduce our newest TerraCorps team member—Jenna Shea! A recent graduate of UMass Amherst, Jenna will use her service year to cultivate relationships between community members and the nature that surrounds them.

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!

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!

Thanks to a generous grant, Allens Pond is hosting a free Nature Discovery & STEAM program series from April through early November!

We're excited to introduce our newest TerraCorps team member—Jenna Shea! A recent graduate of UMass Amherst, Jenna will use her service year to cultivate relationships between community members and the nature that surrounds them.

This past year has come with a lot of challenges. Nevertheless, exciting initiatives have taken place at Great Neck Wildlife Sanctuary while a portion of the property has remained temporarily closed to the public.

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.

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.

At North River Nature Day Camp in Marshfield, campers ages 4.5–14 discover our wildlife sanctuary's forest, fields, and wetlands during weekly sessions. Registration is open for summer 2021!

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!

Our teen homeschool participants have been caring for rare Blanding's Turtle hatchlings since September 2020 as part of the USFWS Turtle Repatriation Project. 

At Oak Knoll Summer Camp in Attleboro, campers ages 4.5–10 have fun, learn about nature, and make friends through outdoor exploration, hands-on activities, games, and art. Registration is now open!

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!

The wait is over—we're so excited to welcome the public back to Tidmarsh! The parking lot and entrance trail have re-opened. Visitors will enjoy several improvements to the sanctuary, including a new footbridge over West Beaver Dam Brook.

Our property staff has been working hard on a 0.3-mile All Persons Trail that—once finished—will enable visitors of all abilities to pass through our meadow, access our overlook platform, and get close to our restored marsh areas. 

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.

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.