Massachusetts Audubon Society

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Massachusetts Audubon Society
Massachusetts Audubon Society logo.svg
Oak Knoll Wildlife Sanctuary Audubon visitor center.jpg
Oak Knoll visitor center in Attleboro, Massachusetts
Formation1896
TypeNon-profit organization
PurposeProtecting the nature of Massachusetts
HeadquartersDrumlin Farm, Lincoln, Massachusetts
Coordinates42°24′36″N 71°19′55″W / 42.409866°N 71.331850°W / 42.409866; -71.331850
Region served
Massachusetts
President
David O'Neill
Main organ
Board of Directors
Websitewww.massaudubon.org

The Massachusetts Audubon Society (Mass Audubon), founded in 1896 by Harriet Hemenway and Minna B. Hall, headquartered in Lincoln, Massachusetts, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to "protecting the nature of Massachusetts". Mass Audubon is independent of the National Audubon Society (NAS), just as in the neighboring state of Connecticut, where Connecticut Audubon Society is independent of the NAS. Both Mass Audubon and Connecticut Audubon Society were founded earlier than the NAS. Mass Audubon protects more than 38,000 acres of land throughout Massachusetts,[1] saving birds and other wildlife, and making nature accessible to all with its wildlife sanctuaries and 20 nature centers.

History[]

The Massachusetts Audubon Society (or Mass Audubon) was born out of Harriet Hemenway's desire to stop the commercial slaughter of birds for women's ornamental hats. Hemenway and her cousin, Minna Hall, soon enlisted 900 women and formed a partnership with many from Boston's scientific community to form their organization. They named the organization the Massachusetts Audubon Society in honor of the bird painter John James Audubon. In 1905, a national committee of Audubon societies was developed. This committee was vital in passing the Migratory Bird Conservation Act in 1913 and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 with Great Britain. The passage of these measures effectively eliminated the commercial plume trade.[2]

Mass Audubon's first wildlife sanctuary, Moose Hill Wildlife Sanctuary in Sharon, Massachusetts, dates back to 1916 when the board accepts an offer of Sharon resident George Field to use his property as a bird sanctuary. Mass Audubon purchased the parcel in 1922.[2]

Wildlife sanctuaries[]

Gordon Hall at Drumlin Farm in Lincoln, Massachusetts

Mass Audubon's statewide network of more than 100 wildlife sanctuaries[3] welcomes visitors of all ages and is a home for more than 150 endangered and threatened native species. Some of the sanctuaries, as noted below, have staffed nature centers or museums.

  • , Westport, 620 acres (2.5 km2) with nature center
  • , Easthampton, 734 acres (3.0 km2) with nature center
  • Blue Hills Trailside Museum, Milton, small museum and outdoor exhibit area within the 7,000 acres (28.3 km2) state reservation
  • Boston Nature Center, Mattapan, 67 acres (0.3 km2) with nature center
  • , Worcester, 435 acres (1.8 km2) with nature center
  • , Natick, 624 acres (2.5 km2) with nature center
  • Daniel Webster Wildlife Sanctuary, Marshfield, 507 acres (2.1 km2)
  • Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary, Lincoln, 291 acres (1.2 km2) with farm exhibit buildings and nature center
  • , Edgartown, 194 acres (0.8 km2) with nature center
  • , Williamsburg, 633 acres (2.6 km2)
  • , Belmont, 88 acres (0.4 km2) with nature center
  • High Ledges Wildlife Sanctuary, Shelburne, 855 acres (3.5 km2)
  • Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary, Topsfield, 1,955 acres (7.9 km2) with nature center
  • , Newburyport, 52 acres (0.2 km2) with nature center
  • , Barnstable, 101 acres (0.4 km2) with nature center
  • Moose Hill Wildlife Sanctuary, Sharon, 1,971 acres (8.0 km2) with nature center
  • , Canton, 121 acres (0.5 km2)
  • , Westford, 420 acres (1.7 km2)
  • North River Wildlife Sanctuary, Marshfield, 225 acres (0.9 km2) with nature center
  • Oak Knoll Wildlife Sanctuary, Attleboro, 75 acres (0.3 km2) with nature center
  • Pleasant Valley Wildlife Sanctuary, Lenox, 1,405 acres (5.7 km2) with nature center
  • , Tolland, 109 acres (0.4 km2)
  • , Petersham, 1,779 acres (7.2 km2)
  • , Nantucket, 875 acres (3.5 km2)
  • Stony Brook Wildlife Sanctuary, Norfolk, 107 acres (0.4 km2) with nature center
  • , Plymouth, 481 acres (1.9 km2) with nature center
  • Wachusett Meadow Wildlife Sanctuary, Princeton, 1,135 acres (4.6 km2) with nature center
  • , Hopkinton, 229 acres (0.9 km2)
  • , Wellfleet, 1,183 acres (4.8 km2) with nature center
  • , Plainfield, 1,812 acres (7.3 km2)

The following large sanctuaries are on the list noted as "Not Ready for Visitors":[3]

  • , Lakeville, 1,022 acres (4.1 km2)
  • , Concord, 130 acres (0.5 km2)
  • , Otis, 770 acres (3.1 km2)
  • , North Brookfield, 1,080 acres (4.4 km2)
  • , Wendell, 2,580 acres (10.4 km2)

Camp Wildwood[]

Camp Wildwood, established in 1950, is the Society's only overnight summer camp, and it is accredited by the American Camp Association.[4] The 159 acre camp is currently located in Rindge, New Hampshire, on Hubbard Pond, bordering 1,494-acre Annett State Forest.[4] This is the camp's third location, which it moved to in 2003 after previously being a boy scout camp called Camp Quinapoxet.[5][6][7][8] The property includes a central shower house, arts and crafts center, 135-seat dining hall, health center, office, camp store, seven cabin sites, an archery range, high and low ropes challenge course, playing field, and several trails and areas of forest and wetland for exploration.[8]

During the summers, Camp Wildwood hosts campers ranging from ages 7 to 17. The programs at the camp include a day camp, a three-day session for campers 7 to 8 years old, one- and two-week sessions for campers ages 9 to 16, one- and two-week off-site Treks for campers ages 14–17, and a several-week long Leadership program (called LIT/LIA, meaning Leaders in Training and Leaders in Action) for campers ages 16 and 17. The camp also hosts several three-day long "Family Camp" sessions throughout the summer for all ages.[9]

Camp Wildwood was originally located at Greenfield State Park in Massachusetts until 2003, when it moved to its current location.[8]

References[]

  1. ^ "Our Impact". MassAudubon.org. Retrieved May 26, 2021.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b "Massachusetts Audubon Society Makes First Land Purchase". massmoments.org. Retrieved April 17, 2018.
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b "List of Wildlife Sanctuaries". MassAudubon.org. Retrieved May 26, 2021.
  4. ^ Jump up to: a b "About Wildwood". Mass Audubon. Retrieved August 16, 2019.
  5. ^ "Troop 54 - Scout Camps Closed". troop54.froimson.net. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
  6. ^ "Camp Quinapoxet". kahagon131.tripod.com. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
  7. ^ "Camp Wildwood (was Camp Quinapoxet)--More information". www.usscouts.org. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
  8. ^ Jump up to: a b c "Property & Facilities". Mass Audubon. Retrieved August 16, 2019.
  9. ^ "Camp Programs". Mass Audubon. Retrieved August 16, 2019.

External links[]

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