Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary
Encyclopedia
The Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary, which is the Massachusetts Audubon Society
’s largest wildlife sanctuary, is located in Topsfield
and Wenham
, Massachusetts
. Much of its 2800 acres (11.3 km²) landscape was created by a glacier
15,000 years ago. The park's more than ten miles (16 km) of interconnected trails wind through forests, meadows, and swamps, vernal pools, drumlins, and esker
s. The sanctuary’s Rockery Trail runs beside large rocks, exotic trees, and shrubs that belonged to an arboretum
at Bradstreet Farm, parts of which were donated by owner Thomas Emerson Proctor. The Ipswich River
runs for eight miles (13 km) through the sanctuary, and Mass Audubon makes canoes available for members to rent. The Sanctuary also offers summer camps and various nature programs for children and adults.
Massachusetts Audubon Society
The Massachusetts Audubon Society, founded in 1896 by Harriet Hemenway 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, and in fact was founded...
’s largest wildlife sanctuary, is located in Topsfield
Topsfield, Massachusetts
Topsfield is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 6,085 at the 2010 census.Part of the town comprises the census-designated place of Topsfield.-Colonial period:...
and Wenham
Wenham, Massachusetts
Wenham is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 4,875 at the 2010 census.The Town of Wenham was originally settled in 1635 and has retained much of its unique historic character and tranquil rural scenery...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
. Much of its 2800 acres (11.3 km²) landscape was created by a glacier
Glacier
A glacier is a large persistent body of ice that forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. At least 0.1 km² in area and 50 m thick, but often much larger, a glacier slowly deforms and flows due to stresses induced by its weight...
15,000 years ago. The park's more than ten miles (16 km) of interconnected trails wind through forests, meadows, and swamps, vernal pools, drumlins, and esker
Esker
An esker is a long winding ridge of stratified sand and gravel, examples of which occur in glaciated and formerly glaciated regions of Europe and North America...
s. The sanctuary’s Rockery Trail runs beside large rocks, exotic trees, and shrubs that belonged to an arboretum
Arboretum
An arboretum in a narrow sense is a collection of trees only. Related collections include a fruticetum , and a viticetum, a collection of vines. More commonly, today, an arboretum is a botanical garden containing living collections of woody plants intended at least partly for scientific study...
at Bradstreet Farm, parts of which were donated by owner Thomas Emerson Proctor. The Ipswich River
Ipswich River
Ipswich River is a small river in northeastern Massachusetts, USA. It is long, and its watershed is approximately , with an estimated population in the area of 160,000 people. - Geography :...
runs for eight miles (13 km) through the sanctuary, and Mass Audubon makes canoes available for members to rent. The Sanctuary also offers summer camps and various nature programs for children and adults.