The Desert Natural Area, a unique cluster of conservation lands in Sudbury and Marlborough, has some particularly special habitat potential.  The area is known for its well-drained, sandy soils in which you will find expanses of white pine and clumps of pitch pine-scrub oak woods — a nationally declining habitat.  These forests provide homes for birds such as eastern towhees and whip-poor-wills, both of which have been experiencing population declines in recent years.  The sandy soils and wetlands provide great homes and nesting grounds for turtles.

SVT and the City of Marlborough are planning forest management and habitat restoration activities to promote these special habitats in the Desert Natural Area and we want the public to be as informed as possible.  To foster communications between neighboring landowners and the general public about changes to the landscape, we are hosting several outreach and education events.

Fire Dependent Forests.  March 3, 2011,  7pm at the Visitors' Center at the Assabet River National Widlife Refuge.  Tim Simmons, a restoration ecologist with Massachusetts Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program, will talk about pitch pine-scrub oak barrens.  This forest type, which provides habitat for some rare wildlife species including Barren's buck moth, whip-poor-wills and New England cottontails, relies on fire to regenerate.  While pitch pine-scrub oak forests are nationally endangered due to fire suppression, they are found in the Desert Natural Area in Marlborough and Sudbury.  Sudbury Valley Trustees is interested in a carrying-out a forest management plan that promotes the existing pitch pine-scrub oak barrens in our Memorial Forest in the Desert Natural Area.  Tim will talk about his experiences managing forests for this unique habitat.  Talk is co-hosted by Friends of the Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge, US Fish and Wildlife Service, and SVT.  Members of the local community are especially encouraged to attend.

Field Observation Interpretive Walk at Memorial Forest.  March 19, 2011, 11am at Memorial Forest on Dutton Road in Sudbury.  Come learn about the unique forest types and habitat in SVT's Memorial Forest, part of the Desert Natural Area in Sudbury and Marlborough.  Learn how SVT plans to promote the land's potential for rare plant and wildlife species through forest management.  Participants will practice observational skills, noting animals, plants and wildlife signs as well as property accessibility and usage.  Information gathered will be used to promote conservation education and inform our property management plans.  Bring a camera to try your hand at photographing Memorial Forest's treasures and your pictures may be added to the Nature Sightings page of our website (www.svtweb.org/nature-sightings).

Community Turtle Search & Education Day.  April 9, 2011, 10am at Memorial Forest on Dutton Road in Sudbury.  This fun outing will kick-off the Great Turtle Search in Memorial Forest and Marlborough.  Come learn all about turtles, examine live wood turtles, and try to spot one in its natural habitat!  SVT and the City of Marlborough will be conducting citizen-science surveys of turtles throughout the spring until mid-June. 

Contact Erin Snook to sign up for any of these events:  esnook@svtweb.org or 978-443-5588×21.