Work for Wildlife

This year marks the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, first celebrated on April 22, 1970. To renew my commitment to natural resources stewardship, I answered the call to “Work for Wildlife” at Mass Audubon’s Arcadia Sanctuary in Easthampton. My confirmation letter thanked me for signing up for the Trash Trackers project as part of Mass Audubon’s Annual Statewide Volunteer Day, and continued:

Project Description: Help pick up trash along the Fern Trail, River Trail, Old Springfield Road, and in the meadows. Tasks include: picking up trash!
Project Schedule: This project will run from 9AM to noon.

At 9 am sharp, a small group of us donned work gloves, grabbed a few large black trash bags, and headed out toward the Fern and River Trails, which border on the Mill River. We were warned repeatedly about the verges being overrun with poison ivy, and sure enough, we saw numerous large patches of the reddish-colored vines.  Since childhood, I’ve had recurring problems with skin allergies and infections, but oddly enough, I may lack sensitivity to the urushiol in Toxicodendron radicans.  At any rate, I trudged heedlessly through the plants, and five hours later I’ve not yet broken out into a rash.  I really ought to be more careful though.

This cleanup was monotonous and disagreeable work (but certainly worthwhile).  Here’s my summary:

  • Most Common:  bottles, tennis balls, floats, disposable lighters
  • Most Strange:  two shoes (not a pair) and a toothbrush
  • Most Annoying:  bits of styrofoam

The Sanctuary had planned afternoon activities for the volunteers to thank us for helping out, but I had other commitments for the rest of the day and returned home around noon.

Mandell Hill in April

On my way home from running errands in the Pioneer Valley, I decided to visit Mandell Hill in Hardwick, which I had learned about from the East Quabbin Land Trust website.

The property is described as a working farm, which includes a certified organic grass-fed beef operation, so I was a bit unnerved by the thought of coming face to face with a herd of bovines, but my fears were groundless.  Perhaps today the cattle were pastured in a faraway meadow, and all I had to worry about was jolting myself on the electric fences.

Mandell Farm has a rich history, both ecological and cultural.  The 200-acre property includes spectacular views, managed grasslands, and a mixed hardwood forest with 80-120 year old trees.   The main loop trail is an easy hour’s walk, and today was a beautiful day for a spring hike.

Here is a flowering tree, but I don’t know what it is:   probably an invasive!  After all, many of the invasive plant species are ornamentals.  Parts of this property have been overrun by Asiatic bittersweet and Multiflora rose, and efforts to eradicate them are ongoing.

I managed to catch this Mourning Cloak soaking up the sun on the trail.  These butterflies overwinter as adults, and indeed, this individual looked a bit ragged.  My field guide to Northeastern butterflies says of Nymphalis antiopa, “Identification: Unmistakable”

Here is another sign of spring: the Ostrich Fern, or Matteuccia struthiopteris.  I don’t have a field guide to ferns, so I’m not sure of the identification, but these are definitely fiddleheads.

Yet another sign of spring is the Jack-in-the-Pulpit, or Arisaema atrorubens.

About half the trees have started leafing out:

As you can see from the shadows cast over the trail and stone wall, the day was partly sunny:

At the trailhead near the parking area, looking west, is a broad sweep of meadows:

In the far distance, looking north, is a view of 2000-ft Mount Wachusett.  The thin line in the lower half of the photo is one of the electrified fences:

The parking area is at the intersection of Barre Road and Ridge Road; I didn’t hike the trail parallel to Ridge Road which leads to the EQLT Office, but I couldn’t resist photographing these exceptionally lovely daffodils growing next to the stop sign, an almost stereotypical symbol of spring:

Via the back roads through Barre and New Braintree, it took me about 20 minutes to drive the 11 miles home.