8
Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge 73 Weir Hill Road Sudbury, MA 01776 978/443 4661 978/443 2898 Fax [email protected] http://www.fws.gov/northeast/oxbow Federal Relay Service for the deaf and hard-of-hearing 1 800/877 8339 U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service 1 800/344 WILD http://www.fws.gov August 2009 U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Northern flicker Karen Hollingsworth

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge …€¦ · National Wildlife Refuge System, administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The National Wildlife

  • Upload
    others

  • View
    10

  • Download
    0

Embed Size (px)

Citation preview

Page 1: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge …€¦ · National Wildlife Refuge System, administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The National Wildlife

Oxbow National WildlifeRefuge

Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge73 Weir Hill RoadSudbury, MA 01776978/443 4661978/443 2898 [email protected]://www.fws.gov/northeast/oxbow

Federal Relay Servicefor the deaf and hard-of-hearing1 800/877 8339

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service1 800/344 WILDhttp://www.fws.gov

August 2009

U.S. Fish & Wildlife ServiceU.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Northern flickerKaren Hollingsworth

Page 2: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge …€¦ · National Wildlife Refuge System, administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The National Wildlife

When one tugs ata single thing innature, he finds itattached to the restof the world.”

—John Muir

Tim Prior/USFWS

Inset: Little wood satyr© John and Rona Balco

Page 3: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge …€¦ · National Wildlife Refuge System, administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The National Wildlife

Welcome The winds of change blow through thehistory of a landscape now known asOxbow National Wildlife Refuge.Here, where farmers once tilled fertileflood plain soils, and later, soldierstrained, nature has reasserted itself.A place set aside for wildlife, Oxbow isa place where a visitor can witness thewonder and diversity of the naturalworld.

Located just 40 miles west of Boston,the 1,667-acre refuge lies along almosteight miles of the Nashua River innorth-central Massachusetts. Withinits boundary is a diverse array ofhabitats beneficial to wildlife:wetlands, forested uplands, old fields,oxbow ponds, and, of course, the riveritself. The U.S. Fish and WildlifeService manages the refuge for avariety of wildlife species, with aspecial emphasis on migratorywaterfowl and birds that aredependent on grass/shrubland habitat.

Oxbow is one of eight national wildliferefuges that compose the EasternMassachusetts National Wildlife RefugeComplex. These eight ecologicallydiverse refuges include Assabet River,Great Meadows, Mashpee, Massasoit,Monomoy, Nantucket, Nomans LandIsland and Oxbow. The refuges includeinland and coastal wetlands, forests,grasslands, and barrier beaches thatprovide important habitat for migratorybirds, mammals, reptiles, amphibiansand plants.

Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge isone of more than 550 refuges in theNational Wildlife Refuge System,administered by the U.S. Fish andWildlife Service. The NationalWildlife Refuge System is the onlynetwork of lands and waters in theworld managed specifically for theprotection of wildlife and wildlifehabitat. Units of the system stretchacross the United States fromnorthern Alaska to the Florida Keys,and include small islands in theCaribbean and South Pacific. Thecharacter of the refuges is as diverseas the nation itself.

Belted kingfisher

Becoming aRefuge

At the turn of the century, the areathat is now Oxbow National WildlifeRefuge was rich farmland. Forgenerations, one family owned a largetract of land extending from thepresent Route 2, southward along theNashua River to Bolton Flats. Fieldcrops and orchards were abundant. Inthe early 1800s a carriage road, knownas the Union Turnpike, ran east-westthrough what is now refuge land,carrying people and goods to localcommunities. Its remnants can beseen along one of the refuge trails.

In 1917, Camp Devens wasestablished, later to become FortDevens. The Fort was carved from thetowns of Harvard, Lancaster, Ayerand Shirley. Oxbow National WildlifeRefuge was established through anumber of land transfers from theDepartment of Defense to the U.S.Fish and Wildlife Service beginning in1974. The Service acquired anadditional 120 acres in the Town ofHarvard in 2001 and will continue towork with partners to protectadditional wildlife habitat in the area.

This goose, designed byJ.N. “Ding” Darling, hasbecome the symbol of theNational Wildlife RefugeSystem.

Denny Bingaman

Ed Moses/USFWS

Beaver

Randy Lennon

Page 4: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge …€¦ · National Wildlife Refuge System, administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The National Wildlife

What is in aName?

Oxbow NWR gets its name from theoxbow ponds that formed as themeandering Nashua River changed itscourse over the centuries. Theseponds, the river, wetlands, and uplandhabitat now provide excellent wildlifehabitat for a variety of birds,mammals, reptiles, amphibians andinvertebrates.

Working forWildlife

National wildlife refuges exist to benefitwildlife. Refuge managers at Oxbow areworking to help migratory birds andother wildlife in a number of ways:

Managing fornative species

Wood duck

Lindsey Brown

Maintaining open field habitat

USFWS

Blanding’s turtle

Bruce D. Flaig

Wetlands are among the mostvaluable types of wildlife habitat.Some of Oxbow’s wetlands are beinginvaded by non-native plants; themost obvious and abundant of these ispurple loofestrife. The refuge isattempting to control purpleloosestrife by releasing host-specificbeetles – insects that feed only on thisinvasive plant and pose no threat tothe wetland ecosystem. The impactsof other invasive plants such ascommon reed (Phragmites) willrequire further research beforemanagers can determine the need ora means to control them.

Baselinewildlife surveys

Refuge biologists are conducting anumber of population surveys andinventories focusing on Americanwoodcock, marsh birds, breedingbirds, frogs and toads. Researchpartners provide refuge managerswith additional data. All of thisinformation will help to determinefuture wildlife and habitatmanagement efforts.

Managing forspecies diversity

Open fields are particularly valuablefor a number of migratory birdspecies. Refuge staff maintain 25 to 30acres of presently existing oldfield/shrub habitat by mowing everythree to five years. Managers are alsoworking to maintain wetlands—valuable habitat for a wide array ofspecies. The extensive and regionallysignificant wetlands occurring in andnear the refuge, including theirassociated tributary drainages andheadwaters, have been listed as apriority for protection under theNorth American WaterfowlManagement Plan and theEmergency Wetlands Resources Actof 1986. The refuge’s large populationof beavers play a natural role increating and maintaining wetlands.

Protecting rarespecies

A number of plant and animal speciesrare in Massachusetts occur at Oxbow.The refuge plays a vital role inprotecting these various organisms bysafeguarding their habitats and bysupporting important research.Managers maintain nesting habitatfor the Blanding’s turtle, which isconsidered by the state to bethreatened in Massachusetts.

Page 5: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge …€¦ · National Wildlife Refuge System, administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The National Wildlife

Na

shua

Rive

r

0 1 .5 Miles.75

N

110111

2A

111

W. Main

St

Ayer Rd

Gra

nt R

d

Front St

Hospital Rd

B&M

Rai

lroad

Still RiverDepot Rd

Exit 37B

Exit 38

RobbinsPond

MirrorLake

Grove Pond

LittleMirrorLake

Sherm

anA

ve

to Ro

ute 11

7

Jack

son

Rd

Patton Rd

Walker

Rd

FORT

DEVENS

MILI

TARY

RESERVATION

OxbowNational Wildlife Refuge

Harvard

PlowShopPond

2A

2

110

111

Flannagan Pond

BareHillPond

Lancaster

Shirley

Ayer

LEGEND

Rivers/Stream

Lake or Pond

Marsh, Wetland, Swamp or Bog

Primary Route

Secondary Route

Road or Street

Trail

Refuge Boundary

Parking Lot

Canoe Access

Proposed Trail

Nashua River

Page 6: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge …€¦ · National Wildlife Refuge System, administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The National Wildlife

Canoeing

© Mark Wilson

Enjoying theRefuge

Opportunities for wildlife dependentrecreation abound at Oxbow. Wildlifeobservation, photography, and naturestudy are popular year-round. A two-mile self-guided nature trail begins atthe parking area, follows theriverbank, crosses two oxbow ponds,and returns along the tank road.Benches and a photoblind are locatedalong this trail. Visitors will observeplenty of evidence of the industriousbeaver, and other wildlife. Cross-country skiing and snowshoeing arepopular winter activities. A canoelaunch is available adjacent to theparking lot. Use is restricted todaylight hours.

A current schedule of refugeinterpretive programs can be foundon the refuge web site (see address onback cover).

Hunting: The refuge is currently open tohunting, in accordance withMassachusetts state laws. Permittedspecies are white-tailed deer,waterfowl, woodcock, ruffed grouse,turkey, snipe, gray squirrel, andcottontail rabbit. Use of federallyapproved lead-substitute shot isrequired for all seasons except turkey hunting.

MakingConnections

Oxbow is a place where visitorsexperience nature on its own terms.Barriers that exist between peopleand wildlife in developed areas areconspicuously absent here. The refugeprovides a setting where one canexplore and discover personalconnections to the natural world.

The refuge is serving as an outdoorclassroom for Worcester studentsparticipating in the Urban EducationProgram. The goals of the programare to provide students withmeaningful, hands-on learningexperiences both on the refuge and intheir own urban environments—experiences that may move some ofthem to pursue environmentalcareers.

Our Friends The refuge is fortunate to have thesupport of a dedicated group of peoplecalled The Friends of the OxbowNational Wildlife Refuge. The groupwas formed in 1998 to support theService, and to encourage individualsto actively participate in helpingprotect refuge resources. The friendshave been active in funding andsupporting the Urban EducationProgram, assessing the biodiversiy ofrefuge resources, conducting clean-ups of the Nashua River and manyother programs.

Whitetail deer

MA Div. Fish and Wildlife

Starflower

Bruce D. Flaig

Environmental education at Oxbow NWR

Matt Poole/USFWS

Page 7: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge …€¦ · National Wildlife Refuge System, administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The National Wildlife

Wildlife Watching Tips

Dawn and dusk are the besttimes to see wildlife.

Observe from the sidelines.Leave “abandoned” younganimals alone. Its parent isprobably close and waiting foryou to leave. Do not offer snacks;your lunch could disrupt wilddigestive systems.

Use binoculars or a long lens fora closer look.

Try sitting in one good location.Let wildlife get used to yourpresence. Many animals thathave hidden will reappear oncethey think you are gone. Walkquietly and remain in designatedareas, being aware of sounds andsmells. Often you will hear morethan you will see.

Teach children the value of quietobservation. Other wildlifewatchers will appreciate yourconsideration.

Look for animal signs. Tracks,scat, feathers and nests leftbehind often tell interestingstories.

GoldfinchBruce D. Flaig

Page 8: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge …€¦ · National Wildlife Refuge System, administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The National Wildlife

From Route 2, take Exit 38 (Route110/111) south toward Harvard; bearright to stay on Rt. 110 at HarvardCenter; and, turn right onto StillRiver Depot Road at the Still RiverPost Office. The refuge parking areais at the end of Still River DepotRoad, past the railroad tracks.

Getting There

This is your refuge to enjoy. Pleaserespect the wildlife and other visitors.Remember to take only memoriesand leave only footprints.

• The section of the refuge north ofRoute 2 is presently closed topublic access. Check refuge Website or call the refuge complexheadquarters to see if proposedtrails are open to public use.

• Public use of designated trailswithin the southern unit of therefuge for nature study, hiking,and photography is permittedfrom one-half hour before sunriseto one-half hour after sunset.

• There are no picnic areas orcampsites.

• Pets are not allowed on the refuge.

• Motorized vehicles and bicyclesare restricted to the parking areaand its access road only.

• Horses are not permitted in therefuge.

• Camping, fires, and swimming andfishing in refuge lakes and pondsis prohibited. River fishing ispermitted.

• The disturbance, destruction, orremoval of wildlife, vegetation andfacilities are prohibited.

• The area was once used formilitary training. The possibilityexists that unexploded ordnancecould be present. Do not touch anyunusual metallic objects you maydiscover, but report them to therefuge manager immediately.Army vehicles still occasionallytransit the refuge maintenanceroad from Route 2 to Still RiverDepot Road. Please be cautious intheir presence.

A Few SimpleRules

Red-wingedblackbird

Bruce D. Flaig

Wood frog

Laura Eaton-Poole/USFWS

Green-winged teal

Bruce D. Flaig