Massachusetts Audubon Society

Mass Audubon

Massachusetts Audubon Society
The society's headquarters, Gordon Hall at Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary in Lincoln
Formation	1896 (1896)
Founder	Harriet Hemenway and Minna B. Hall
Type	Nonprofit
Tax ID no.	04-2104702
Legal status	501(c)(3)
Purpose	Protecting the nature of Massachusetts
Headquarters	Drumlin Farm, Lincoln, Massachusetts
Coordinates	42.409866°N 71.331850°W / 42.409866; -71.331850
Region served	Massachusetts
Board Chair	Beth Kressley Goldstein
President	David O'Neill
Main organ	Board of Directors
Website	www.massaudubon.org

The Massachusetts Audubon Society, commonly known as Mass Audubon, founded in 1896 by Harriet Hemenway and Minna B. Hall and headquartered in Lincoln, Massachusetts, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to "protecting the nature of Massachusetts". Mass Audubon is independent of the National Audubon Society (NAS), and was founded earlier than the NAS. Mass Audubon protects more than 40,000 acres of land throughout Massachusetts, saving birds and other wildlife, and making nature accessible to all with its wildlife sanctuaries and 20 nature centers.

History

The Massachusetts Audubon Society was born out of Harriet Hemenway's desire to stop the commercial slaughter of birds for women's ornamental hats. Hemenway and her cousin, Minna Hall, soon enlisted 900 women and formed a partnership with many from Boston's scientific community to form their organization. They named the organization the Massachusetts Audubon Society in honor of the bird painter John James Audubon. In 1905, a national committee of Audubon societies was developed. This committee was vital in passing the Migratory Bird Conservation Act in 1913 and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 with Great Britain. The passage of these measures effectively eliminated the commercial plume trade.

Mass Audubon's first wildlife sanctuary, Moose Hill Wildlife Sanctuary in Sharon, Massachusetts, dates back to 1916 when the board accepts an offer of Sharon resident George Field to use his property as a bird sanctuary. Mass Audubon purchased the parcel in 1922.

Wildlife sanctuaries

Mass Audubon's statewide network of more than 100 wildlife sanctuaries welcomes visitors of all ages and is a home for more than 150 endangered and threatened native species. Some of the sanctuaries, as noted below, have staffed nature centers or museums.

For information about properties without a Wikipedia page, visit the Mass Audubon website's list of wildlife sanctuaries and select the property.

Name	Town	County	Location	Acreage	Open to public	Description	Photos
Allens Pond Wildlife Sanctuary	Westport	Bristol	41.50722°N 71.02644°W / 41.50722; -71.02644 (Allens Pond Wildlife Sanctuary)	620 acres (250 ha)	Yes	With nature center
Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary	Easthampton	Hampshire	42.28972°N 72.64817°W / 42.28972; -72.64817 (Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary)	734 acres (297 ha)	Yes	With nature center
Ashumet Holly Wildlife Sanctuary	East Falmouth	Barnstable	41.62066°N 70.53922°W / 41.62066; -70.53922 (Ashumet Holly Wildlife Sanctuary)	45 acres (18 ha)	Yes
Attleboro Springs Wildlife Sanctuary	Attleboro	Bristol	41.92882°N 71.26570°W / 41.92882; -71.26570 (Attleboro Springs Wildlife Sanctuary)	117 acres (47 ha)	Yes
Barnstable Great Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary	Barnstable	Barnstable	41.70158°N 70.32732°W / 41.70158; -70.32732 (Barnstable Great Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary)	113 acres (46 ha)	Yes
Blue Hills Trailside Museum	Milton	Norfolk	42.21847°N 71.12129°W / 42.21847; -71.12129 (Blue Hills Trailside Museum)		Yes	small museum, outdoor exhibit area and event facility within the 7,000-acre (2,800 ha) Blue Hills Reservation
Boston Nature Center	Mattapan	Suffolk	42.28810°N 71.10378°W / 42.28810; -71.10378 (Boston Nature Center)	67 acres (27 ha)	Yes	With nature center and event facility
Brewster's Woods Wildlife Sanctuary	Concord	Middlesex	42.16331°N 71.14503°W / 42.16331; -71.14503 (Brewster's Woods Wildlife Sanctuary)	130 acres (53 ha)	Yes
Broad Hill Wildlife Sanctuary	Holliston	Middlesex	42.22266°N 71.45296°W / 42.22266; -71.45296 (Broad Hill Wildlife Sanctuary)	185 acres (75 ha)	Yes
Broad Meadow Brook Conservation Center and Wildlife Sanctuary	Worcester	Worcester	42.23308°N 71.76696°W / 42.23308; -71.76696 (Broad Meadow Brook Conservation Center and Wildlife Sanctuary)	435 acres (176 ha)	Yes	With nature center and event facility
Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary	Natick	Middlesex	42.25611°N 71.34297°W / 42.25611; -71.34297 (Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary)	624 acres (253 ha)	Yes	With nature center and event facility
Burncoat Pond Wildlife Sanctuary	Spencer	Worcester	42.23835°N 71.96355°W / 42.23835; -71.96355 (Burncoat Pond Wildlife Sanctuary)	245 acres (99 ha)	Yes
Canoe Meadows Wildlife Sanctuary	Pittsfield	Berkshire	42.43053°N 73.23748°W / 42.43053; -73.23748 (Canoe Meadows Wildlife Sanctuary)	253 acres (102 ha)	Yes
Cedar Pond Wildlife Sanctuary	Wenham	Essex	42.604628°N 70.905928°W / 42.604628; -70.905928 (Cedar Pond Wildlife Sanctuary)	158 acres (64 ha)	Yes
Chelsea Creek Sanctuary	Chelsea	Suffolk	42.4005136°N 71.0114416°W / 42.4005136; -71.0114416 (Chelsea Creek Sanctuary)	15 acres (6.1 ha)	No	Proposed
Cheshire Pond Wildlife Sanctuary	Ashburnham	Worcester	42.632389°N 71.954794°W / 42.632389; -71.954794 (Cheshire Pond Wildlife Sanctuary)	414 acres (168 ha)	No
Cold Brook Wildlife Sanctuary	Sandisfield	Berkshire	42.160548°N 73.083247°W / 42.160548; -73.083247 (Cold Brook Wildlife Sanctuary)	770 acres (310 ha)	No	"Planning is now underway for the removal of buildings in disrepair at the home site, the creation of trails for passive recreation, and a parking area nearby."
Conway Hills Wildlife Sanctuary	Conway	Franklin	42.50888°N 72.68205°W / 42.50888; -72.68205 (Conway Hills Wildlife Sanctuary)	105 acres (42 ha)	Yes
Cook’s Canyon Wildlife Sanctuary	Barre	Worcester	42.41792°N 72.10589°W / 42.41792; -72.10589 (Cook’s Canyon Wildlife Sanctuary)	69 acres (28 ha)	Yes
Daniel Webster Wildlife Sanctuary	Marshfield	Plymouth	42.28937°N 71.42105°W / 42.28937; -71.42105 (Daniel Webster Wildlife Sanctuary)	507 acres (205 ha)	Yes
Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary	Lincoln	Middlesex	42.40898°N 71.33176°W / 42.40898; -71.33176 (Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary)	291 acres (118 ha)	Yes	With farm exhibit buildings, nature center, and event facility
Eagle Lake Wildlife Sanctuary	Holden	Worcester	42.35783°N 71.89625°W / 42.35783; -71.89625 (Eagle Lake Wildlife Sanctuary)	369 acres (149 ha)	Yes
Eastern Point Wildlife Sanctuary	Gloucester	Essex	42.58130°N 70.66429°W / 42.58130; -70.66429 (Eastern Point Wildlife Sanctuary)	51 acres (21 ha)	Yes
Endicott Wildlife Sanctuary	Wenham	Essex	42.58171°N 70.81822°W / 42.58171; -70.81822 (Endicott Wildlife Sanctuary)	43 acres (17 ha)	Yes
Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary	Edgartown	Dukes	41.41356°N 70.56614°W / 41.41356; -70.56614 (Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary)	194 acres (79 ha)	Yes	With nature center
Flat Rock Wildlife Sanctuary	Fitchburg	Worcester	42.5991°N 71.80516°W / 42.5991; -71.80516 (Flat Rock Wildlife Sanctuary)	326 acres (132 ha)	Yes
Graves Farm Wildlife Sanctuary	Williamsburg	Hampshire	42.40185°N 72.70491°W / 42.40185; -72.70491 (Graves Farm Wildlife Sanctuary)	633 acres (256 ha)	Yes
Great Neck Wildlife Sanctuary	Wareham	Plymouth	41.72515°N 70.66256°W / 41.72515; -70.66256 (Great Neck Wildlife Sanctuary)	219 acres (89 ha)	Yes
Habitat Education Center and Wildlife Sanctuary	Belmont	Middlesex	42.40262°N 71.18723°W / 42.40262; -71.18723 (Habitat Education Center and Wildlife Sanctuary)	88 acres (36 ha)	Yes	With nature center and event facility
High Ledges Wildlife Sanctuary	Shelburne	Franklin	42.62007°N 72.70820°W / 42.62007; -72.70820 (High Ledges Wildlife Sanctuary)	855 acres (346 ha)	Yes
Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary	Topsfield	Essex	42.63154°N 70.92316°W / 42.63154; -70.92316 (Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary)	1955 acres (791 ha)	Yes	With nature center
Joppa Flats Education Center	Newburyport	Essex	42.79918°N 70.84952°W / 42.79918; -70.84952 (Joppa Flats Education Center)	52 acres (21 ha)	Yes	With nature center
Kettle Island Wildlife Sanctuary	Manchester-by-the Sea	Essex	42.56947°N 70.71913°W / 42.56947; -70.71913 (Kettle Island Wildlife Sanctuary)	17 acres (6.9 ha)	No	Landing on the island is prohibited
Lake Wampanoag Wildlife Sanctuary	Gardner	Worcester	42.61113°N 71.96662°W / 42.61113; -71.96662 (Lake Wampanoag Wildlife Sanctuary)	377 acres (153 ha)	Yes
Laughing Brook Wildlife Sanctuary	Hampden	Hampden	42.06471°N 72.40695°W / 42.06471; -72.40695 (Laughing Brook Wildlife Sanctuary)	374 acres (151 ha)	Yes
Lime Kiln Farm Wildlife Sanctuary	Sheffield	Berkshire	42.08260°N 73.36274°W / 42.08260; -73.36274 (Lime Kiln Farm Wildlife Sanctuary)	363 acres (147 ha)	Yes
Lincoln Woods Wildlife Sanctuary	Leominster	Worcester	42.51456°N 71.76125°W / 42.51456; -71.76125 (Lincoln Woods Wildlife Sanctuary)	63 acres (25 ha)	Yes
Long Pasture Wildlife Sanctuary	Barnstable	Barnstable	41.70912°N 70.27759°W / 41.70912; -70.27759 (Long Pasture Wildlife Sanctuary)	101 acres (41 ha)	Yes	With nature center and event facility
Lost Farm Wildlife Sanctuary	Nantucket	Nantucket	41.26306°N 70.13703°W / 41.26306; -70.13703 (Lost Farm Wildlife Sanctuary)	75 acres (30 ha)	Yes
Lynes Woods Wildlife Sanctuary	Westhampton	Hampshire	42.27428°N 72.775394°W / 42.27428; -72.775394 (Lynes Woods Wildlife Sanctuary)	188 acres (76 ha)	Yes
Magazine Beach Park Nature Center	Cambridge	Middlesex	42.35564°N 71.11440°W / 42.35564; -71.11440 ([Magazine Beach Park Nature Center)		Yes	Nature center within the Charles River Reservation
Marblehead Neck Wildlife Sanctuary	Marblehead	Essex	42.49300°N 70.84318°W / 42.49300; -70.84318 (Marblehead Neck Wildlife Sanctuary)	20 acres (8.1 ha)	Yes
Moose Hill Wildlife Sanctuary	Sharon	Norfolk	42.12376°N 71.21060°W / 42.12376; -71.21060 (Moose Hill Wildlife Sanctuary)	1971 acres (798 ha)	Yes	With nature center and event facility
Museum of American Bird Art Education Center & Wildlife Sanctuary	Canton	Norfolk	42.16330°N 71.14501°W / 42.16330; -71.14501 (Museum of American Bird Art Education Center & Wildlife Sanctuary)	121 acres (49 ha)	Yes	Gallery closed as of July 2023
Nahant Thicket Wildlife Sanctuary	Nahant	Essex	42.42218°N 70.91307°W / 42.42218; -70.91307 (Nahant Thicket Wildlife Sanctuary)	4 acres (1.6 ha)	Yes
Nashoba Brook Wildlife Sanctuary	Westford	Middlesex	42.55152°N 71.43495°W / 42.55152; -71.43495 (Nashoba Brook Wildlife Sanctuary)	420 acres (170 ha)	Yes
North Hill Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary	Duxbury	Plymouth	42.04033°N 70.71333°W / 42.04033; -70.71333 (North Hill Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary)	146 acres (59 ha)	Yes
North River Wildlife Sanctuary	Marshfield	Plymouth	42.15440°N 70.74552°W / 42.15440; -70.74552 (North River Wildlife Sanctuary)	225 acres (91 ha)	Yes	With nature center
Norwood Mills Wildlife Sanctuary	Rockport	Essex	42.6808376°N 70.632385°W / 42.6808376; -70.632385 (Norwood Mills Wildlife Sanctuary)	147 acres (59 ha)	Yes
Oak Knoll Wildlife Sanctuary	Attleboro	Bristol	41.91498°N 71.26825°W / 41.91498; -71.26825 (Oak Knoll Wildlife Sanctuary)	75 acres (30 ha)	Yes	With nature center
Old Baldy Wildlife Sanctuary	Otis	Berkshire	42.17285°N 73.06109°W / 42.17285; -73.06109 (Old Baldy Wildlife Sanctuary)	154 acres (62 ha)	Yes
Palmer Brook Wildlife Sanctuary	Becket	Berkshire	42.28151°N 73.116728°W / 42.28151; -73.116728 (Palmer Brook Wildlife Sanctuary)	850 acres (340 ha)	No	Under development
Pawtucket Farm Wildlife Sanctuary	Lowell	Middlesex	42.650959°N 71.3766860°W / 42.650959; -71.3766860 (Pawtucket Farm Wildlife Sanctuary)	20 acres (8.1 ha)	Yes	Opened in 2024
Pierpont Meadow Wildlife Sanctuary	Dudley	Worcester	42.08111°N 71.90791°W / 42.08111; -71.90791 (Pierpont Meadow Wildlife Sanctuary)	211 acres (85 ha)	Yes
Pleasant Valley Wildlife Sanctuary	Lenox	Berkshire	42.38438°N 73.30165°W / 42.38438; -73.30165 (Pleasant Valley Wildlife Sanctuary)	1405 acres (569 ha)	Yes	With nature center
Poor Farm Hill Wildlife Sanctuary	New Salem	Franklin	42.50290°N 72.33948°W / 42.50290; -72.33948 (Poor Farm Hill Wildlife Sanctuary)	53 acres (21 ha)	Yes
Richardson Brook Wildlife Sanctuary	Tolland	Hampden	42.08744°N 73.05330°W / 42.08744; -73.05330 (Richardson Brook Wildlife Sanctuary)	109 acres (44 ha)	Yes
Road's End Wildlife Sanctuary	Worthington	Hampshire	42.42374°N 72.93018°W / 42.42374; -72.93018 (Road's End Wildlife Sanctuary)	190 acres (77 ha)	Yes
Rocky Hill Wildlife Sanctuary	Groton	Middlesex	42.58105°N 71.53364°W / 42.58105; -71.53364 (Rocky Hill Wildlife Sanctuary)	441 acres (178 ha)	Yes
Rough Meadows Wildlife Sanctuary	Rowley	Essex	42.74384°N 70.84974°W / 42.74384; -70.84974 (Rough Meadows Wildlife Sanctuary)	226 acres (91 ha)	Yes
Rutland Brook Wildlife Sanctuary	Petersham	Worcester	42.46320°N 72.16370°W / 42.46320; -72.16370 (Rutland Brook Wildlife Sanctuary)	1779 acres (720 ha)	Yes
Sampsons Island Wildlife Sanctuary	Barnstable	Barnstable	41.60645°N 70.42940°W / 41.60645; -70.42940 (Sampsons Island Wildlife Sanctuary)	37 acres (15 ha)	Yes	Much of the island is closed to visitors in spring and summer to protect nesting birds.
Sesachacha Heathlands Wildlife Sanctuary	Nantucket	Nantucket	41.28372°N 69.98035°W / 41.28372; -69.98035 (Sesachacha Heathlands Wildlife Sanctuary)	875 acres (354 ha)	Yes
Skunknett River Wildlife Sanctuary	Barnstable	Barnstable	41.64323°N 70.37675°W / 41.64323; -70.37675 (Skunknett River Wildlife Sanctuary)	147 acres (59 ha)	Yes
Stony Brook Wildlife Sanctuary	Norfolk	Norfolk	42.10785°N 71.32004°W / 42.10785; -71.32004 (Stony Brook Wildlife Sanctuary)	107 acres (43 ha)	Yes	With nature center
Straitsmouth Island Wildlife Sanctuary	Rockport	Essex	42.66152°N 70.59124°W / 42.66152; -70.59124 (Straitsmouth Island Wildlife Sanctuary)	32 acres (13 ha)	Yes	Open May 15 to August 30, accessible only by kayak.
Tidmarsh Wildlife Sanctuary	Plymouth	Plymouth	41.91673°N 70.57531°W / 41.91673; -70.57531 (Tidmarsh Wildlife Sanctuary)	481 acres (195 ha)	Yes
Tracy Brook Wildlife Sanctuary	Richmond	Berkshire	42.41317°N 73.31304°W / 42.41317; -73.31304 (Tracy Brook Wildlife Sanctuary)	21 acres (8.5 ha)	No	No trails; observe heron rookery from road pull-off.
Wachusett Meadow Wildlife Sanctuary	Princeton	Worcester	42.45572°N 71.90813°W / 42.45572; -71.90813 (Wachusett Meadow Wildlife Sanctuary)	1135 acres (459 ha)	Yes	With nature center and event facility
Waseeka Wildlife Sanctuary	Hopkinton	Middlesex	42.21636°N 71.46682°W / 42.21636; -71.46682 (Waseeka Wildlife Sanctuary)	229 acres (93 ha)	Yes
Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary	Wellfleet	Barnstable	41.88242°N 69.99775°W / 41.88242; -69.99775 (Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary)	1183 acres (479 ha)	Yes	With nature center
West Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary	Plainfield	Hampshire	42.51720°N 72.94508°W / 42.51720; -72.94508 (West Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary)	1812 acres (733 ha)	Yes

Camp Wildwood

Camp Wildwood, established in 1950, is the Society's only overnight summer camp, and it is accredited by the American Camp Association. The 159 acre camp is located in Rindge, New Hampshire, on Hubbard Pond, bordering 1,494-acre Annett State Forest. The property includes a central shower house, arts and crafts center, 135-seat dining hall, health center, office, camp store, seven cabin sites, an archery range, high and low ropes challenge course, playing field, and several trails and areas of forest and wetland for exploration.

During the summers, Camp Wildwood hosts campers ranging from ages 7 to 17. The programs at the camp include a day camp, a three-day session for campers 7 to 8 years old, one- and two-week sessions for campers ages 9 to 16, one- and two-week off-site Treks for campers ages 14–17, and a several-week long Leadership program (called LIT/LIA, meaning Leaders in Training and Leaders in Action) for campers ages 16 and 17. The camp also hosts several three-day long "Family Camp" sessions throughout the summer for all ages.

Camp Wildwood was previously located on Lake Wampanoag in Gardner, Massachusetts. It moved to its current location in 2003. The current site was previously a boy scout camp, Camp Quinapoxet.