Northshore Magazine

Northshore March 2016

Northshore magazine showcases the best that the North Shore of Boston, MA has to offer.

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42 | MARCH 2016 nshoremag.com traverse grasslands, forest, or- chards, wetlands, and the stunning 420-foot Holt Hill. Two hundred seventy-three acres of the property were willed to The Trustees of Res- ervations by original owners Mabel and Charles Ward; their grandson, John Kimball, who heads the Ward Property Committee, has since cultivated a property that serves the community, as well as local youth- oriented organizations and schools. "Each habitat has its own unique ecology," says Kevin Block, the prop- erty's superintendent. One of the reservation's most notable ecosys- tems is Pine Hole Pond, a rare quak- ing bog that's home to "carnivorous pitcher plants, wetland ferns, and black spruce and American larch trees," Block explains. For a simple hike with great views, Block recom- mends the Yellow Trail, a one-mile loop that takes visitors past Pine Hole Pond and to the top of Holt Hill, where Mabel Ward's Solstice Stones, which mark the location of equinox and solstice events, still stand. The 2.2-mile Blue Trail offers a more strenuous hike that crosses a variety of elevations and unique habitats. "Boston Hill, on the far east side of the property, is another great view of the city," says Block. "You'll also go past Elephant Rock, a remnant of the glacial activity that shaped the reservation." Block also recommends following the Red Trail to Margaret's Trail for a two-mile hike that offers plenty of wildlife photograph by T. Reichard North of Boston, we are privileged with some of the richest landscapes in the state; dozens of habitats and thousands of species thrive in the area's state parks and reservations. In a single hike at one of these na- ture preserves, explorers can expect to see wetlands, forests, gardens, rivers, swamps, and peaks. On the North Shore, an incredible view is never out of reach. WARD RESERVATION, ANDOVER Ward Reservation, a Trustees of Reservations property, sits on more than 700 acres; 10 miles of trails BY CHARLOTTE ROTH Home to hundreds of acres of conservation land, the North Shore offers ample opportunities to enjoy nature. Trail Travels Ward Reservation offers 10 miles of walking trails.

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