On Sunday, February 23, at 2:00 pm, the public is invited to join the Mattapoisett Land Trust (MLT) and the Rochester Land Trust (RLT)as they hold a joint walk on MLT’s Olde Field Farm property located just west of 232 New Bedford Road. Edith and Elliott Shoolman donated this property to MLT prior to RLT’s creation so that the fields and woods could remain wild as a sanctuary for the birds they loved. The house and barns are now private property and a local farmer maintains the fields in season.
Winter is a wonderful time to hike across the main field to walk the relatively flat trail through pinewoods and into the frozen swampy land that abuts the Mattapoisett River. Folks should dress for the weather of the day, as the hike will go on rain, shine, sleet or snow!
Participants may see tracks of deer, fox, coyote, or squirrel. Many wintering birds may be seen or heard in the woods or along the field edges.
This is the second in a series of walks sponsored by RLT to highlight properties included in their booklet, Explore Rochester. The booklet, now in its second printing, was a joint effort of the RLT and the Rochester Conservation Commission’s Open Space Action Committee. Copies of the booklet are available at the Town Hall Annex and will also be available on the day of the walk.
So come out and enjoy a walk in the woods with fellow naturalists!