The Ewell Reservation consists of old field, and young and mature white pine stands. The open field is leased to the Rowley Riding and Driving Club, which maintains the field in return for the use of the property. This upland is situated next to Upper Mill Pond, part of the Mill River system. The Ewell Reservation is a prime location to enjoy the splendor and beauty of waterfowl during the spring migration when the ducks are courting. Bring your binoculars!
Greenbelt parcels in the Rowley Marshes total about 175 acres, with the largest parcel being the 105-acre Alexander Salt marsh. The Rowley Marshes are part of The Great Marsh, which extends from Southern New Hampshire to Gloucester, and is the largest salt marsh ecosystem in the Northeast. The salt marsh is the single most important habitat in New England for the production and maintenance of life.
Actitivities include: hiking, birding & nature study, cross country skiing & snowshoeing.
Sawyer's Island sits in the marshes of Plum Island Sound, one of the most pristine marsh systems in the United States. Much of the land surrounding the island is protected by Greenbelt or U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. If you're adventurous you can drop a canoe or kayak into Mud Creek, and paddle out into Plum Island Sound. We recommend the months of October or November, when the insects have departed, and when you can float among the scoters, Long-tailed Ducks, goldeneyes, mergansers, and possibly harbor seals.
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.
The ecosystem of Seine Field is a habitat type known as an "Open Heath" or "Relic Sandplain Grassland". This is a great place to run, explore and hike while observing nature.
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.
