Regional News

Visitors to Mass Audubon’s Allens Pond Wildlife Sanctuary in South Dartmouth and Westport may be curious if they spot groups of individuals digging on the sanctuary’s salt marsh. 

Mass Audubon staff recently visited with students at B.M.C. Durfee High School in Fall River to tell them first-hand about the many paths and available opportunities that can lead to different careers in the environmental field.

This year to celebrate Earth Day, Mass Audubon's South East region marched in the Earth Eve procession through downtown New Bedford with students from the New Bedford Parks & Recreation after school program.

In the summer of 2021, we conducted pilot studies at both Allens Pond and Great Neck wildlife sanctuaries on the South Coast. The results we found will help inform future land management decisions as we work to enhance turtle nesting habitats at these two properties. 

What a fantastic 18th year for the Duck Derby and an amazing way to celebrate Mass Audubon's 125th anniversary! See the official list of the winners, and thank you to everyone who participated.

In August 2019, longtime Dartmouth resident Maureen Jones received a call informing her that her duck had just won her the Duck Derby grand prize. "I was floored!" she said. "I enter the Duck Derby every year, but I always just buy one duck for $10."

Each year, coastal waterbirds such as Piping Plovers, Least Terns, and American Oystercatchers return to their summer homes on the Massachusetts shoreline. And each year, our Coastal Waterbird Program (CWP) team works to protect the habitats that are crucial to the continued recovery of these threatened birds.

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.

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!

In the summer of 2021, we conducted pilot studies at both Allens Pond and Great Neck wildlife sanctuaries on the South Coast. The results we found will help inform future land management decisions as we work to enhance turtle nesting habitats at these two properties. 

All sections of Great Neck Wildlife Sanctuary finally re-opened to visitors in May 2021—including the expanded area that encompasses the former Sacred Hearts property!

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.

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.

You may see some new faces on your next visit to a Mass Audubon South East sanctuary! We're thrilled to welcome these new members to our amazing team of staff.

At our summer 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 2022!

Each year, coastal waterbirds such as Piping Plovers, Least Terns, and American Oystercatchers return to their summer homes on the Massachusetts shoreline. And each year, our Coastal Waterbird Program (CWP) team works to protect the habitats that are crucial to the continued recovery of these threatened birds.

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!

Mass Audubon’s Oak Knoll Wildlife Sanctuary annually partners with U.S. Fish & Wildlife’s Blanding’s Turtle Rearing program. This program is a head start program to give hatchlings, of this endangered species, a better chance of surviving their first winter.

Check out the poetry displays at Oak Knoll, part of Attleboro's annual "Big Read" event. You'll find poems by local students alongside works from United States Poet Laureate Joy Harjo's book An American Sunrise.

At our summer day camp in Attleboro, campers ages 4.5–12 have fun, learn about nature, and make friends through outdoor exploration, hands-on activities, games, and art. Registration is open for summer 2022!

Check out the poetry displays at Oak Knoll, part of Attleboro's annual "Big Read" event. You'll find poems by local students alongside works from United States Poet Laureate Joy Harjo's book An American Sunrise.

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!

This past April and May, a dedicated group of 34 volunteers have been trekking out to two streams that run through Tidmarsh Wildlife Sanctuary in order to watch the water for ten-minute intervals for signs of herring.

There's a brand-new pollinator garden at Tidmarsh! Designed to span all seasons, this garden provides a variety of flowers to support local pollinators in their search for nectar and pollen.

Throughout April and May, some 50 dedicated volunteers made their way to Tidmarsh every week—some multiple times a week—to count migrating river herring as part of a statewide effort to track their population. 

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.