The Julia Bird Reservation is a good illustration of the effects of different kinds of forest and open field management upon the landscape. The forest in the front area is organically rich bottom-land that supports mature swamp white oak, red oak and red maple, including some trees with a diameter of nearly four feet.
The Parker River is approximately 23 miles in length and its watershed covers approximately 82 square miles in Essex County, Massachusetts. Towns and cities located partially or wholly in the watershed include Boxford, Georgetown, Groveland, Ipswich, Newbury, Newburyport, North Andover, Rowley, and West Newbury. Major tributaries include the Little River, which starts in Newburyport and flows through Newbury, and the Mill River, which flows through Rowley and joins the Parker River near Governor Dummer Academy.
This 45-acre reservation contains spectacular vistas, watershed land, and an exceptional combination of natural communities including grassland habitat, mixed forest and wetlands. It is also part of a much larger conservation corridor that hosts a variety of wildlife and retains many of our region's best scenic and recreational qualities.
The Carter Reservation is a great place to study glacial geology of New England. As part of the terminal moraine that comprises all of Cape Ann, this land is among the final resting places for rocky debris left behind by melting glaciers over 10,000 years ago.
Enjoy hiking, birding, nature study, cross country skiing, snowshoeing, fishing, canoeing, and exploring on varying terrain including wooded upland, rocky shoreline, and tidal mudflats.
Mixed terrain of marshland and rocky woodland offer great opportunities for hiking, birding & nature study, cross country skiing, snowshoeing, fishing & canoeing.
This field is a great place for hiking, cross-country skiing and exploring along the Ipswich River. There are only two marked parking spaces for this field.
The Cox Reservation consists of two parcels: a four-acre woodlot on nearby Lufkin Street and the 27 acres of upland, salt marsh, farmland with house and barn, and river frontage on Eastern Avenue.
Climb to the top of a 168-foot coastal promontory and from an open field enjoy panoramic views of the Great Marsh and New Hampshire’s Isles of Shoals.
Follow the trails to lower elevations to experience marsh-side pastureland adjacent to the Parker River.
This mix of salt marsh and coastal islands is perfect for kayakers and other boaters, who can also follow trails that explore Choate Island and Long Island.
Access by private watercraft only. Boaters and kayakers must land on or adjacent to the dock on Long Island.
