Maudslay State Park invites you to a twilight hike! Join the park interpreter for a moderately paced walk to view different areas of the park and experience the changes at Maud-slay over the spring, summer and fall. Rain or Shine!
Spring is the season when frogs, toads, and salamanders return to the wetlands to lay their eggs. After a short introduction in the Nature Center, where we will learn about the life cycles of these amazing creatures, we will search the sanctuary's wetlands and woodlands for salamanders and other amphibians on the move. If we're lucky, we might be able to catch a few to observe up close and then release. We'll also swing by our vernal pool, where we often find wood frog and spotted salamander eggs.
Learn about the area once called the "witches' woods" while enjoying the new greenery. Beverly Commons Conservation Area is 126 acres of trails of all kinds-- soft dirt, rock slabs, bog bridge, and old carriage road. Learn about the history of the conservation area while we get our arms and legs moving on this fun hike.
Come to Maudslay State Park in Newburyport to look for signs of spring! Spring is finally upon us! Learn about what happens in the spring and explore all the changes taking place in the park with the interpreter guiding this experience of discovery.
Each year on the first warm rainy night of spring, wood frogs and mole salamanders begin a mass migration to vernal pools where they breed. If you happen to be out on one of these evenings, the experience can be spectacular. Tonight, a part of the sanctuary will be transformed into a Big Night scene. Participants will take a one-hour guided walk along the Vernal Pool Trail, where they will meet some interesting characters who will share some facts and stories about themselves, vernal pools, and this special time of year.
The ultimate summer adventure meets spring break! Join us during school break for a special half-day drop-off program for children ages 7-14, full of outdoor adventure, environmental science, team-building, and crafts! Campers should come with a water bottle, outdoor clothes, a packed lunch and a spirit of adventure!
The Trustees of Reservations invites families to come to Halibut Point State Park for a hike and a picnic! Did you know there is more to the Trustees in the Northeast than just Crane Estate and Appleton Farms? Let us show you around properties you might not have heard of to expand your hiking repertoire and learn more about the natural history of the area.
Celebrate spring by building a bluebird house with your child. We’ll supply all the materials and instruction to build a nest box for bluebirds and tree swallows. These wonderful nest boxes also attract chickadees, tufted titmice, house wrens, and woodpeckers. A short slide presentation will introduce families to the natural history and behavior of birds in Massachusetts, and we’ll discuss where and how to place your nest box. Dress for the weather because we will take a short walk to look and listen for bluebirds.
Spend some weekend time with others who are interested in science and wildlife, and get in touch with your "inner scientist!" You'll get a chance to meet live creatures, design something "green," or explore a new field in science. Winter is prime time to see harbor seals from the beach! Join us as we head over to Salisbury Beach State Reservation to watch these charismatic creatures through our scopes and binoculars.
Greenbelt and North Shore Nature Programs present this outdoor Vernal Pools program for families. Come discover what lives in these ponds that appear in the spring and then disappear by summer. We'll scoop up some pond water to see who lives there, we'll look under nearby logs for wiggly salamanders, and we'll touch slimy frog egg masses (the ones that don't have frogs in them-- no frogs will be harmed!). Wear your Wellington boots so you can go right up to the edge of the pond!
