List of old-growth forests in Massachusetts

The following is a list of old-growth forests in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Old growth is defined as those forests that have not been logged (and have not been significantly disturbed by human beings) in the last 150 years. "Virgin forests" are those old-growth forests that show no sign of having ever been logged.

A total of 2,742 acres (1,110 ha) of old-growth forest has been identified in Massachusetts.[1] Massachusetts' old growth occurs almost entirely within the Northeastern Highlands ecoregion. The following list identifies some of the sites and their locations:[2]

Name Location Size (ha) Coordinates Elevation (m) Aspect
Burgoyne Pass Beartown State Forest 1.2 42°16′3″N 73°17′8″W / 42.26750°N 73.28556°W / 42.26750; -73.28556 390-470 S–SW
Ice Gulch East Mountain State Forest 3.6 42°9′30″N 73°19′18″W / 42.15833°N 73.32167°W / 42.15833; -73.32167 405–440 SE–SW
Cold River: Route 2 to Black Brook Mohawk Trail State Forest/Cold River Virgin Forest 38.4 42°38′7″N 72°58′48″W / 42.63528°N 72.98000°W / 42.63528; -72.98000 350–420 NW–NE
Cold River: Route 2 to Black Brook Picnic Area Mohawk Trail State Forest/Cold River Virgin Forest 14.2 42°37′48″N 72°58′0″W / 42.63000°N 72.96667°W / 42.63000; -72.96667 320–450 N–NW
Lower Gulf Brook Mohawk Trail State Forest 6.1 42°37′53″N 72°59′52″W / 42.63139°N 72.99778°W / 42.63139; -72.99778 380–415 NW
Manning Brook Mohawk Trail State Forest 6.1 42°38′23″N 72°59′20″W / 42.63972°N 72.98889°W / 42.63972; -72.98889 375–420 NE
Black Brook Mohawk Trail State Forest 10.1 42°37′45″N 72°58′12″W / 42.62917°N 72.97000°W / 42.62917; -72.97000 360–500 N–NW
Tannery Falls Mohawk Trail State Forest 3.6 42°37′39″N 73°0′12″W / 42.62750°N 73.00333°W / 42.62750; -73.00333 390–420 NW
Todd and Clark Mountains Mohawk Trail State Forest 80.9 42°38′50″N 72°56′45″W / 42.64722°N 72.94583°W / 42.64722; -72.94583 330–460 Varied
Trout Brook West Mohawk Trail State Forest 6.1 42°37′57″N 72°56′19″W / 42.63250°N 72.93861°W / 42.63250; -72.93861 410–450 E
Hawks Mountain Mohawk Trail State Forest 2 42°37′45″N 72°55′34″W / 42.62917°N 72.92611°W / 42.62917; -72.92611 360–410 NW
Thumper Mountain Mohawk Trail State Forest 0.8 42°38′23″N 72°56′6″W / 42.63972°N 72.93500°W / 42.63972; -72.93500 250–270 NE
Middle Cold River to Route 2 Mohawk Trail State Forest / Savoy Mountain State Forest 18.2 42°38′3″N 72°59′29″W / 42.63417°N 72.99139°W / 42.63417; -72.99139 360–415 N
Upper Cold River Mohawk Trail State Forest / Savoy Mountain State Forest 32.4 42°39′7″N 73°1′0″W / 42.65194°N 73.01667°W / 42.65194; -73.01667 390–450 Varied
Upper Gulf Brook Mohawk Trail State Forest / Savoy Mountain State Forest 8.1 42°37′59″N 73°0′43″W / 42.63306°N 73.01194°W / 42.63306; -73.01194 380–415 NE
Bear Swamp Monroe State Forest 12.1 42°41′50″N 72°57′31″W / 42.69722°N 72.95861°W / 42.69722; -72.95861 360–480 E
Dunbar Brook Monroe State Forest 8.1 42°42′14″N 72°58′8″W / 42.70389°N 72.96889°W / 42.70389; -72.96889 390–490 NE
Parsonage Brook Monroe State Forest 1.6 42°42′44″N 72°58′46″W / 42.71222°N 72.97944°W / 42.71222; -72.97944 470–510 NW
Spruce Mountain Monroe State Forest 1.6 42°42′52″N 72°59′56″W / 42.71444°N 72.99889°W / 42.71444; -72.99889 600–670 SE
Smith Brook-Deerfield River Monroe State Forest 1.6 42°41′58″N 72°58′56″W / 42.69944°N 72.98222°W / 42.69944; -72.98222 360–450 NE
Hunt Hill Monroe State Forest 2.8 42°41′25″N 72°58′53″W / 42.69028°N 72.98139°W / 42.69028; -72.98139 520–600 SE
Mount Everett-Glen Brook Mount Everett State Reservation 14.2 42°6′37″N 73°25′32″W / 42.11028°N 73.42556°W / 42.11028; -73.42556 490–560 NE
Mount Everett-Guilder Pond Mount Everett State Reservation 1.6 42°6′36″N 73°26′22″W / 42.11000°N 73.43944°W / 42.11000; -73.43944 610–630 SW
The Hopper Mount Greylock State Reservation 46.5 42°39′2″N 73°9′58″W / 42.65056°N 73.16611°W / 42.65056; -73.16611 540–720 Varied
Stony Ledge Mount Greylock State Reservation 4 42°38′54″N 73°11′34″W / 42.64833°N 73.19278°W / 42.64833; -73.19278 675–720 NE
Mount Williams Mount Greylock State Reservation 10.1 42°40′32″N 73°9′59″W / 42.67556°N 73.16639°W / 42.67556; -73.16639 510–600 NW–NE
Roaring Brook Mount Greylock State Reservation 10.1 42°37′44″N 73°12′5″W / 42.62889°N 73.20139°W / 42.62889; -73.20139 550–630 N–NW
Mount Wachusett Wachusett Mountain State Reservation 80.9 42°29′0″N 71°53′0″W / 42.48333°N 71.88333°W / 42.48333; -71.88333 425–520 Varied
Bash Bish Falls Mount Washington State Forest 15.4 42°6′47″N 73°29′43″W / 42.11306°N 73.49528°W / 42.11306; -73.49528 415–485 N–NE
Mount Race Mount Washington State Forest 2 42°4′39″N 73°25′47″W / 42.07750°N 73.42972°W / 42.07750; -73.42972 645–710 Varied
Sages Ravine-Bear Rock Falls Mount Washington State Forest 4.9 42°3′18″N 73°26′4″W / 42.05500°N 73.43444°W / 42.05500; -73.43444 350–420 N
Alander Mountain Mount Washington State Forest 2 42°5′7″N 73°28′48″W / 42.08528°N 73.48000°W / 42.08528; -73.48000 585–610 SW
The Rivulet William Cullen Bryant Homestead[3][4] 80 42°28′16″N 72°56′26″W / 42.47111°N 72.94056°W / 42.47111; -72.94056 373-446
Windsor Jambs Windsor State Forest 1.2 42°31′20″N 72°59′35″W / 42.52222°N 72.99306°W / 42.52222; -72.99306 430–475 SW

See also

References

  1. ^ Mary Byrd Davis (January 23, 2008). "Old Growth in the East: A Survey". Archived from the original on February 17, 2012. Retrieved August 27, 2013.
  2. ^ D'Amato, A.; Orwig, D.; Foster, D. (2006). "New Estimates of Massachusetts Old-growth Forests: Useful Data for Regional Conservation and Forest Reserve Planning" (PDF). Northeastern Naturalist. 13 (4): 495–506. doi:10.1656/1092-6194(2006)13[495:NEOMOF]2.0.CO;2. Retrieved December 31, 2008.
  3. ^ Old Growth Forest Network. "The Rivulet at William Cullen Bryant Homestead". Retrieved January 17, 2019.
  4. ^ Eastern Native Tree Society. "The Bryant Woods". Retrieved January 17, 2019.
  • v
  • t
  • e
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Boston (capital)
TopicsSocietyRegionsCountiesCities
flag Massachusetts portal
  • v
  • t
  • e
National Historical Parks
National Historic Sites
Other National Park Service units
National Wildlife Refuges
Wild and Scenic Rivers
Other protected areas
Parks
Reservations
Other
Wildlife
management areas
  • Agawam Lake
  • Agawam Mill Pond
  • Ashby
  • Ashfield Hawley
  • Attitash
  • Ayer Game Farm
  • Baddacook Pond
  • Bakers Pond
  • Bay Circuit Trail
  • Bearse Pond
  • Becket
  • Bennett
  • Birch Hill
  • Black Brook
  • Blackstone / West River
  • Bolton Flats
  • Boxboro Station
  • Brayton Point Salt Marsh
  • Breakneck Brook
  • Brewer Brook
  • Bullock Ledge
  • Burrage Pond
  • Canoe River
  • Catamount
  • Chalet
  • Chase Garden Creek Salt Marsh
  • Childs River
  • Chockalog Swamp
  • Church Homestead
  • Clapps Pond
  • Clinton Bluff
  • Concord River
  • Connecticut River
  • Cook Pond
  • Copicut
  • Coy Hill
  • Crane Pond
  • Cummington
  • Cusky Pond
  • Dartmoor Farm
  • Darwin Scott Memorial
  • Day Mountain
  • Deerfield River
  • Dogfish Bar Beach Coastal
  • Dolomite Ledges
  • Dunstable Brook
  • E. Kent Swift
  • Eagle Island
  • East Mountain
  • Eastham Salt Marsh
  • Elbow Meadow
  • English Salt Marsh
  • Eugene D. Moran
  • Facing Rock
  • Fairfield Brook
  • Farmington River
  • Fish Brook
  • Fisherville Pond
  • Fisk Forestdale Lot
  • Fisk Meadows
  • Five Mile River
  • Flagg Swamp
  • Flint Pond
  • Four Chimneys
  • Fox Den
  • Fox Island Salt Marsh
  • Frances A. Crane
  • George L. Darey Housatonic Valley
  • Glen Echo Lake
  • Gosnold
  • Grassy Pond (Dennis)
  • Grassy Pond (Plymouth)
  • Green River Access (Franklin County)
  • Green River (Berkshire County)
  • Greenfield River
  • Halfway Pond
  • Hamilton
  • Hancock
  • Harlow / Cooks Pond
  • Haskell Swamp
  • Hauk Swamp
  • Hawksnest State Park
  • Hawley
  • Head Of The Plains
  • Herman Covey
  • High Ridge
  • Hinsdale Flats
  • Hiram H. Fox
  • Hockomock Swamp
  • Hog Pond Lot
  • Honey Pot
  • Hoosatonic River
  • Hoosic River
  • Hop Brook
  • Housatonic River
  • Hubbard Brook
  • Hunting Hills
  • Hyannis Ponds
  • Ipswich River
  • John J. Kelly
  • Joint Base Cape Cod
  • Jug End
  • Jug End Fen
  • Kampoosa Fen
  • Katama Plains
  • Knops Pond
  • Konkapot River
  • Lackey Pond
  • Lake Lorraine
  • Lake Rohunta
  • Lake Snipatuit
  • Lake Warner
  • Lanesboro
  • Lawrence Brook
  • Lawrence Pond Lot
  • Leadmine
  • Leyden
  • Lilly Pond
  • Little Alum Pond
  • Long Sought For Pond
  • Maple Hill
  • Maple Springs
  • Martha Deering
  • Martin H. Burns
  • Mascuppic Lake
  • Mashpee Pine Barrens
  • Mashpee Pond Lot
  • Mashpee River
  • Mckinstry Brook
  • Meetinghouse Swamp
  • Merrill Pond
  • Miacomet Heath
  • Mill Brook Bogs
  • Mill River
  • Millers River
  • Mine Brook
  • Montague
  • Montague Plains
  • Moose Brook Access
  • Moose Brook
  • Moose Hill
  • Mossy Pond
  • Mount Watatic Reservation
  • Mt. Esther
  • Mt. Toby Highlands
  • Mt. Toby
  • Mt. Tom
  • Muddy Brook
  • Muddy Pond
  • Mulpus Brook
  • Nashua River
  • Natty Brook
  • Nemasket River
  • Nissitissit River
  • Noquochoke
  • Nordeen Marsh
  • North Brookfield
  • North Shore Salt Marsh
  • Northboro
  • Oakham
  • Olivers Pond
  • Orange
  • Otis
  • Packard Pond
  • Palmer
  • Pantry Brook
  • Pauchaug Brook
  • Peru
  • Peterson Swamp
  • Phillipston
  • Podunk Marsh
  • Poland Brook
  • Popple Camp
  • Popponesset Spit
  • Poutwater Pond
  • Powell Brook
  • Prince River
  • Provincetown Route 6 Corridor
  • Purchade Brook
  • Quaboag
  • Quacumquasit
  • Quag Pond Bog
  • Quashnet River
  • Quashnet Woods State Reservation
  • Quinapoxet River
  • Quinsigamond Marsh
  • Quisset
  • Raccoon Hill
  • Rainbow Beach
  • Red Brook
  • Richardson
  • Robbins Pond
  • Rochester
  • Rocky Gutter
  • Rowe
  • Salisbury Salt Marsh
  • Salisbury Salt Marsh WMA
  • Sandwich Game Farm
  • Sandy Pond
  • Satan's Kingdom
  • Savage Hill
  • Savoy
  • Sawmill River
  • Scorton Creek Coastal
  • SE Mass Bioreserve
  • Sevenmile River
  • Shattuck Brook
  • Sheperds Island
  • Shubael Pond
  • Sibley Brook
  • Sly Pond
  • South Barrier Beach
  • South Meadow Pond
  • South Shore Salt Marsh
  • South Triangle Pond
  • Southampton
  • Southwick
  • Spectacle Pond
  • Springhill Lot
  • Sputtermill Pond
  • Squannacook River
  • Stafford Hill
  • Sudbury River
  • Sunderland Islands
  • Taconic Mountain
  • Taunton River Access
  • Taunton River
  • Tekoa Mountain
  • Thad Ellis
  • Thayer Pond
  • Three Mile Pond
  • Townsend
  • Townsend Hill
  • Trapfall Brook
  • Triangle Pond
  • Tully Brook
  • Tully Mountain
  • Tully River
  • Wakeby Pond
  • Wales
  • Walnut Hill
  • Ware River
  • Warwick
  • Wendell
  • West Meadows
  • Westboro
  • Westfield River
  • Westfield
  • Weymouth Back River
  • Whately Great Swamp
  • Whately Ponds
  • Whately
  • Wilbraham Game Farm
  • William Forward
  • Williams River
  • Williamsburg
  • Winimusset
  • Wolf Swamp
Wildlife
sanctuaries
  • Billingsgate Island
  • Carr Island
  • E. Howe Forbush
  • Egg Rock
  • Grace A. Robson
  • J.C. Phillips
  • Knight
  • Penikese Island
  • Ram Island (Mattapoisett)
  • Ram Island (Salisbury)
  • Susan B. Minns
  • Tarpaulin Cove
  • Watatic Mountain
  • Black Pond Bog
  • Boat Meadow
  • Francis Newhall Woods
  • Grassy Pond
  • Greene Swamp
  • Halfway Pond Island
  • Hawley Bog
  • Hockomock Swamp
  • Hoft Farm
  • Homer-Watcha
  • Katama Plains
  • McElwain-Olsen
  • Miacomet Moors
  • Reed Brook
  • Roger and Virginia Drury
  • Sandy Neck
  • David H. Smith Preserve and Fire Trail
  • Stacy Mountain
  • Tatkon
Audubon Society wildlife sanctuaries
Other