Wildlands Bids Farewell to Erik Boyer, Max Phelps

By Thomas Patti, Communications Coordinator

As in any ecosystem, change is constant at Wildlands. But this summer, two staff departures will leave big hiking boots to fill in our regional conservation community. 

Erik Boyer departs Wildlands this week after nearly 10 years spearheading our stewardship operations. As Director of Stewardship, Erik has worked to advance the biological health of our conservation lands, building relationships with countless partners and volunteers along the way. Erik will now return to the Town of Dennis, where he worked as a conservation intern and natural resource officer before joining Wildlands. This time, he will add the title of Conservation Agent. 

“Erik Boyer has meant a lot to Wildlands Trust over the past decade, so it is not a small thing that he has decided to take a new position with the Town of Dennis,” said Wildlands President Karen Grey. “Erik built the stewardship program. He became the first full-time, year-round stewardship employee in 2015. Over the years, he led the upgrade of our fee properties, a system for ensuring monitoring and enforcement on our Conservation Restriction lands, and the upstart of the Community Stewardship Program and the Adopt-A-Preserve program. He accomplished a tremendous amount of work for us, and we are forever grateful. In addition to being a great employee, Erik is a wonderful colleague, always leading with kindness and a willingness to help. He is respected by our partners and volunteers his time to help our field, serving on the Plymouth Trails Committee, Historic O’Neil Farm Board of Directors, and the Massachusetts Recreational Trail Advisory Board.” 

Photo gallery: earlier this month, Wildlands staff, partners, and volunteers celebrated Erik’s decade of service over pizza and drinks at IndieFerm Brewing in Plymouth.

The universal respect Erik has earned throughout the regional conservation community was on full display earlier this month, when Wildlands staff, partners, and volunteers celebrated Erik over pizza and drinks at IndieFerm Brewing in Plymouth. On behalf of Wildlands, President Karen Grey gifted Erik an Osprey carry-on pack. Erik also received a photo of Tucker Preserve, framed and signed by Wildlands staff and friends, and a signed photo of our three Key Volunteers, Marilynn Atterbury, Skip Stuck, and Rob MacDonald. 

“I’ve deeply valued serving Southeastern Massachusetts over the last decade,” Erik said. “The most meaningful aspect of my work has been fostering relationships with volunteers, municipalities, and other partners who share the mission of protecting our natural resources and building community around them. I’d like to thank the greater Wildlands community for their generous collaboration on this important work.” 

Max Phelps demonstrates D.W. Field Park waste pick-up data entry to Green Team in summer 2023.

Wildlands is also bidding farewell to Max Phelps, who is moving to Philadelphia in September after serving as our Programming Coordinator since June 2023. In their time with Wildlands, Max coordinated Wildlands staff and volunteers to spread awareness and appreciation of conservation lands across Southeastern Massachusetts through guided hikes, meditations, lectures, and more. They also orchestrated our 50th Anniversary Celebration and Spring Open House, two major events with many moving parts. Finally, they served as the face of Wildlands’ youth programming in Brockton, leading the Brockton High School Envirothon team during the school year and Green Team and Climate Crew over the summers.  

“Max jumped into a busy 50th anniversary year when they started at Wildlands,” said Wildlands Chief of Staff Rachel Bruce. “Their positive attitude and friendly demeanor helped them tackle big projects and build our adult and youth programming community over the past year. They’ve done a fantastic job, and we can’t wait to see what they do next!” 

Max leads a group of Brockton youth on a hike at Halfway Pond Conservation Area in Plymouth.

“I am so thankful for my time at Wildlands, where I’ve been able to grow and learn so much thanks to my amazing coworkers and our wonderful volunteers,” Max said. “I’m most proud of my work with youth in Brockton, coaching the Envirothon team at Brockton High School and leading our summer service-learning programs, Green Team and Climate Crew. I’m excited to keep tabs on all the great work Wildlands will continue to do in Brockton and across Southeastern Massachusetts.” 

Wildlands thanks Erik and Max for their dedication and enthusiasm for our work. Please be sure to say thank you and farewell when you see them on the trails and in the community! 

Wildlands’ Tips for Summer Trail Safety

Sylvester Field in Hanover. Photo by Jerry Monkman.

By Thomas Patti, Communications Coordinator

Summer is a beautiful time to explore Southeastern Massachusetts. It’s little wonder that birds and humans alike migrate thousands of miles each year to settle in our region during the warmest months. Flowers and their pollinators burst with color. Sunlight streams through shady forest canopies and over rolling, grassy fields. Cool water runs through coastal rivers, ponds, and streams, offering vital refuge to fish, reptiles, and people. 

But summer also presents health and safety risks to visitors to our region’s trails. Read on to learn how simple precautions can keep you and your loved ones hiking, paddling, and enjoying nature all summer long. 

Beat the Heat 

Tucker Preserve in Pembroke. Photo by Jerry Monkman.

Climate change has made summer heat waves longer, hotter, and more frequent—and models predict these trends will continue through much of the century. Hiking in high heat requires extra planning and attention to your body. 

• Pack water and drink it often. Water can feel cumbersome to bring along on a hike, but any inconvenience pales in comparison to an on-trail health emergency. Even short hikes can become dangerous without early-and-often water breaks. How much water should you expect to drink? Consult Camelbak’s Hydration Calculator to find out. Also make sure to stay hydrated in the days leading up to your excursion; otherwise, dehydration can set in sooner and more severely on the trail. 

  Prevent overhydration by keeping salt levels balanced with electrolyte-packed sports drinks, salty snacks, or salt tablets. 

• Monitor for symptoms of heat illness. Fatigue, weakness, nausea, dizziness, and muscle cramps can all signal heat exhaustion. Ignoring these signs can lead to heat stroke, which in turn can lead to loss of consciousness and even death. If something doesn’t feel right, turn around. The trail will be there next week. 

• Know your limits. Think twice about hitting the trails amid extreme heat. Check the forecast before you head out, as temperature and precipitation can change rapidly during the summer. Avoid hiking during the hottest part of the day, often in the afternoon. If you’re on the fence about heading out, err on the side of caution and plan for another day. 

Cortelli Preserve in Plymouth. Photo by Jerry Monkman.

Slay the Rays 

Protect your eyes and skin from sun damage by wearing UPF clothing, a wide-brimmed hat, and sunglasses. Apply sunscreen of SPF 30 or higher before and during your hike. These precautions can save you from temporary afflictions like painful sunburns and eye irritation and chronic, severe, and even life-threatening conditions like vision loss and skin cancer. 

Ditch the Ticks 

Unusually warm winters in recent years have caused local tick populations to surge earlier in the season, with consequent increases in Lyme Disease and other tick-borne illnesses. Check yourself for ticks daily, as well as during and after outdoor excursions. Check your dogs, too, as ticks lodged in their fur can make them sick and take up residence inside your home. Remove any ticks on you or your loved ones with tweezers. Talk to your doctor if you develop a rash at the site of the bite. 

Minimize your chances of encountering ticks by staying on the center of the trail, away from overgrown vegetation, and by wearing long-sleeved clothing, with your pants tucked into your socks. Wearing light-colored clothes can make it easier to detect ticks. To repel ticks, apply DEET to exposed skin and permethrin to clothing. 

Leaves of Three, Let It Be 

Poison ivy. Photo by Jerry Monkman.

Poison ivy proliferates in the summer months, so keep an eye out for its glossy three leaves along trail edges and on vines up tree trunks. If you are visiting a trail with a known abundance of poison ivy, wear a long-sleeved shirt and pants to protect yourself from painful rashes. 

Share the Trail 

When trail visitation peaks during summer months, conflicts can arise among different user groups. Hikers should stay on the lookout for bikes, which can move at high rates of speed around tight corners with limited visibility.  

This is true for both mountain biking, an authorized use of many Wildlands trails, and dirt biking, which is prohibited on all Wildlands property. Dirt bikes create safety hazards and disturb sensitive ecosystems by causing erosion on trails. Enforcement is challenging, however, as some dirt bikers may ignore posted signage and physical barriers. So, hikers should maintain a watchful eye and listening ear. Even when you have the right of way, get out of the way of dirt bikers to avoid collisions and serious injury. Learn more about off-highway vehicle regulations and report violations here.  

Willow Brook Farm in Pembroke. Photo by Jerry Monkman.

Ready to get out there? Explore our trails across Southeastern Massachusetts at wildlandstrust.org/trails. Stay safe and have fun! 

Source: “7 Essential Tips to Hike Safely This Summer.”AAA. April 2024. 

Twilight Trailmasters Connects Volunteers to Towns in Need

Wildlands staff and volunteers at Bay Farm Conservation Area in Kingston for a Twilight Trailmasters project.

By Thomas Patti, Communications Coordinator

Amid important movements to protect greater percentages of land at the state, federal, and global scales, one truth cannot be overlooked: local nature needs local help. This summer, Wildlands Trust is helping connect conservation lands with some of the only people who can sustain them—generous neighbors. 

Massachusetts is a national leader in land protection, with over 1.3 million acres off limits to development. That’s about 27 percent of the state’s area, and almost twice the land mass of Rhode Island. 

But protection is only a part of the land conservation equation. To realize our vision of clean air and water, healthy soils and forests, diverse wildlife, and vibrant outdoor recreation, protected areas must also be monitored, managed, and maintained by watchful eyes and helping hands. 

As it stands, more land in the state is protected than can be cared for by the people, organizations, and agencies that own it. Wildlands established the Stewardship Training Center in 2022 to help fill that gap. Piloted this year, our Tiered Volunteer Training Series targets those who will have to be a key part of the solution: neighbors who care. 

Volunteers built 200 feet of bog boards at Bay Farm Conservation Area in Kingston. Photo by Janine Anderson.

“Many local residents are eager to give back to the nature around them,” said Erik Boyer, Wildlands’ Director of Stewardship. “At the same time, towns and cities need help to maintain their conservation lands. Given municipal staffing constraints, connecting volunteers with their local conservation departments is harder than it seems, but it is a crucial task that Wildlands is well-positioned to take on.” 

Enter Twilight Trailmasters, a summer volunteer series that serves two primary purposes: giving Tier 1 participants hands-on experience in the stewardship skills they learned this winter and spring, and fostering relationships between willing volunteers and conservation authorities in their towns. Over five evenings this summer, volunteers are completing stewardship projects in Kingston, Plymouth, Hanover, Marshfield, and Rockland. 

On June 24, our first Twilight Trailmasters project gathered six volunteers at Bay Farm Conservation Area, managed jointly by the Towns of Kingston and Duxbury. They built 200 feet of bog boards on portions of the Kingston trail system that overlap with the Bay Circuit Trail. The wood was generously donated by Buz Artiano of BuildX, a Hanover-based building firm. 

“It’s fitting that this volunteer series began in such a culturally and ecologically significant place,” said Wildlands President Karen Grey. The Bay Farm field was cleared in 1627, making it one of the oldest in the country. “There are many properties in our region like this, that we don’t own, but need our help. Our commitment to land stewardship goes well beyond our own lands.” 

Bay Farm Conservation Area in Kingston and Duxbury. Photo by Janine Anderson.

Last summer, Wildlands hosted a focus group of towns and cities in our region to determine how the Stewardship Training Center can best prepare volunteers to contribute to municipal conservation efforts. In addition to specific skills that were taught through the Tier 1 training, such as first aid and trail maintenance, municipalities voiced a need for volunteer leadership—that is, volunteers to manage other volunteers.  

“Identifying and developing those leaders who can rally their communities around the importance of local land conservation goes a long way toward creating sustainable volunteer bases in the towns and cities we serve,” said Erik Boyer. “We are excited to continue this effort this summer and beyond.” 

For more information about Twilight Trailmasters and other upcoming volunteer opportunities, join our volunteer email list at wildlandstrust.org/volunteer. 

Human History of Wildlands: Tucker Preserve and the Indian Head River Trail

The Indian Head River in Hanover. To the left: the Waterman Tack Factory and breached dam. To the right: Tucker Preserve. Photo by Rob MacDonald. 

By Skip Stuck and Rob MacDonald

It's a cliché that a picture is worth a thousand words. In the last installment of the “Human History of Wildlands” series on Stewart/Person Preserve in Kingston, I was disappointed that despite a great deal of written information, I could find few pictures to illustrate the changes that people brought to the property. In this installment, pictures will help tell a story that words alone could not.  

Wildland Trust's Tucker Preserve consists of 78 acres of forested hills and riverside in Pembroke, part of the larger, 325-acre Indian Head River Trail (IHRT) extending into Hanson and Hanover, as well. It lies very close to Wildlands' Willow Brook Farm.  

Known as the Wampanoag Canoe Passage, the Indian Head and North Rivers connecting with the Taunton River watershed and eventually Narraganset Bay was a 70-mile super-highway used by native peoples for thousands of years. As a result, Tucker Preserve shares much of its pre-colonial history with Willow Brook Farm. 

As Europeans arrived in the 1600s, they quickly realized the value of these rivers, not only for transportation and trade, but as a source of energy to propel burgeoning industry. Here lies the main reason why these scenes... 

Photos by Rob MacDonald.

...became these scenes:  

The story begins with the first mention of the property in 1632, when the Massachusetts Bay Colony governor, John Winthrop, crossed the Indian Head River at Ludden's Ford (also known as Luddam's Ford, now the site of the Elm Street bridge). 

Initially, settlers farmed the land. Although it was good for livestock grazing, much of it was too rocky to produce grains and vegetables. So, they relied on the river for its abundant runs of fish (including alewives and shad for food and fertilizer) and on the surrounding forests for fuel and building materials. 

Plaque at Luddam’s Ford. Photo by Rob MacDonald. 

The river soon drew the settlers’ attention as a power source, with the first mention of a water-powered sawmill in 1693. Thus it began. In the 18th and 19th centuries, unlike at neighboring Willow Brook Farm, people in the Tucker Preserve area looked not to agriculture but to industry, on a scale that dramatically and irrevocably altered the landscape. The saw and grist mills were joined by an iron furnace in 1702, Smith's fulling mill (to clean and thicken wool fiber) in 1726, the Waterman and Perry tack factories in 1830, and others.  

In the late 18th century, the Curtis Iron Works grew as well, supplying the needs of farming and shipbuilding. A local story relates that the factory produced the anchors for the USS Constitution. However, a factory in Hanover makes the same claim, neither town ceding the honor. By the 19th century, industry was fully in control of the area, with the Clapp Rubber Works a major employer, followed later by National Fireworks. Soon, these industries became busy enough to warrant a railroad connection known as the Hanover Branch Railway. The woods were thus transformed into a significant industrial area. 

Hanover Branch Railway. The Indian Head River Trail runs along the same rail bed today.  The building on the right is the Waterman Tack Factory, and the pond was formed by the dam behind Waterman, which breached in the 1938 hurricane.

So much industry sharing such a small area for two centuries came with inevitable consequences. By the early 1900s, industry in the area peaked. Afterwards, factories were closed, abandoned, and razed, and dams were breached and removed. The area returned to woodlands. Crumbling, overgrown foundations are still visible today as a reminder of the land’s industrial past. Less visible, yet even longer lasting, is the pollution remaining in the area’s soils, especially at the river bottom. Each successive industry thus left its signature on the landscape. In the 1980s, the area surrounding and downstream of the fireworks factory was identified as a potential Superfund site, and a major concern for mercury pollution. 

Dam at State Street, prioritized for removal by the North and South Rivers Watershed Association’s Indian Head River Restoration Project. Photo by Rob MacDonald. 

The good news is that federal, state, and local stakeholders have come together to start reversing the damage. In 1993, Sidney and Harold M. Tucker donated the Tucker Preserve property to Wildlands Trust. Together with groups like the North and South River Watershed Association, the Mattakeeset Massachuset (also known as Massachuseuk) tribe, and state and federal agencies, Wildlands helped form the Indian Head River Coalition, which created the Indian Head River Trail, a 6-mile trail network through the attractive woodlands and river you see today. 

In June 2021, another coalition working to improve the Indian Head River area, the Fireworks Site Joint Defense Group, presented its report to the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, outlining their recommendations for remediation planning. Discussions are ongoing. 

Future work notwithstanding, Tucker Preserve and the IHRT now present a reasonable facsimile of its pre-industrial beauty. As you can see, however, a quick look back in time reveals a more complicated history. Without the foresight, generosity, and collaboration of concerned individuals and groups, this serene and stunning landscape could have looked very different. Figuratively and literally, its alternative outcome lies just below the surface. 

Photo by Rob MacDonald. 

Learn more 

To learn more, visit the Tucker Preserve property description here, or visit the preserve yourself. 

Also, stay informed on the Indian Head River recovery efforts via the North and South Rivers Watershed Association website: 

• Indian Head River Restoration Project Update 

• Ludden's Ford Park, Hanover 

Please also view the Town of Hanover and Pembroke Historical Society websites: 

• hanoverhistoricalsociety.com 

• pembrokehistoricalsociety.org

Thanks to Rob MacDonald for many of the photographs used in this piece. To see more, visit his photography website here. 

Welcome (Back), Seasonal Land Stewards!

Every summer, caring for our trails becomes a mightier task, as vegetation and visitation peak. Our Seasonal Land Stewards help Wildlands meet these increased demands on our lands, all while gaining invaluable skills for a conservation career.

According to the position description, Seasonal Land Stewards “perform tasks related to the day-to-day management and maintenance of conservation lands throughout 55 cities and towns in Southeastern Massachusetts.” Tasks include brush-clearing and mowing of trails, upkeep of fencing, boardwalks, and signage, and parking lot clean-up.

This year, our seasonal staff comprises new and familiar faces. Read on to learn more about these exciting additions to the Wildlands family. And be sure to say hello when you encounter them out on the trails!

Marina Smiarowski 

We are grateful to welcome back Marina for her second summer as a Seasonal Land Steward. Since she last worked on our trails, Marina completed her first year at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, where she plans on majoring in chemistry. Growing up, Marina was involved with her local land trust in Branford, Connecticut, sparking her desire to pursue a career in conservation. Before Wildlands, Marina interned with the Stewart B. McKinney US Fish & Wildlife Service unit in Connecticut. 

Pat Collett 

Pat is a new face around the Wildlands office, but he is no stranger to our trails. Having grown up in Hanson, just down the road from the Indian Head River, Pat has been exploring natural areas across the South Shore for as long as he can remember. These experiences have shaped his passion for protecting the local environment. This fall, Pat will enter his junior year at the University of Maine, where he is studying environmental science. As a Seasonal Land Steward, Pat enjoys being outside every day, working with his hands to make environmental improvements that he can see and take pride in. In his free time, Pat enjoys fishing.