Natural History

Join Joppa Flats Education Center on the 100th day of the year to celebrate 100 years of Mass Audubon Wildlife Sanctuaries! Enjoy free admission, "ask a naturalist" opportunities, the occasional guided walk around our grounds and free cake! Back in 1916, the Moose Hill Bird Sanctuary was established in Sharon when Dr. George W. Field offered his estate to Mass Audubon to attract birds and people interested in birds. Fast forward to 2016 and there are 56 wildlife sanctuaries to explore in Massachusetts!

Wetlands are a hotbed of activity in mid-June and this program will focus specifically on the amphibians and reptiles that make ponds and streams their home. Join the Essex County Greenbelt Association to look for nesting turtles, tadpoles, and snakes that may be patrolling the shoreline. Families will learn the key differences between reptiles and amphibians, and hopefully will begin to be able to identify specific species.

Maudslay State Park invites you to be an archaeologist for the day!  Learn how to think like an archaeologist…excavate a test unit, screen for and identify artifacts, and document and record soil levels.  Other activities focus on the extensive and rich peopling of the area dating back thousands of years.  Find out why this place was and is so special to the First People of Massachusetts. Learn how to use a bow-drill, grind corn with a mortar and pestle, weave a fishing net, make a ground stone-tool fishing weight, make a ceramic pot in the traditional indigenous way, play the game of Hubhub, bring an artifact for the experts to ID, and even try your hand (arm) at throwing an atlatl!