Highlights

AUGUST 2023 - August's Walk and Talk

ACTIVITY ALERT - August's walk and a talk down at the far southwestern end of Fall River's Watuppa Reservation within the Southeastern Massachusetts Bioreserve


Fall River is fortunate in having its domestic water supply reservoir, North Watuppa Pond and much of its watershed, within its municipal boundaries. Most other cities in our area, such as New Bedford, Newport, Providence, Taunton, Brockton, etc., are not as fortunate.

Important to the protection of this water supply are the Watuppa Reservation and some sections of the greater Southeastern Massachusetts Bioreserve, thankfully not under MA DCR's control.  Besides water protection these watershed land areas also protect remnants of our native southeastern Massachusetts coastal lowland forest and its remaining species of flora and fauna.

Join us on Saturday morning for a unique guided walk on sensitive watershed land normally closed to public access in order to protect and safeguard a regional water supply.

We will meet at 8 a.m., August 12, next Saturday, at Adirondack Lane, Westport, MA. Since this is a special walk in a restricted watershed area no dogs allowed. Water and snack always a good idea. Insect repellent containing DEET or picaridin recommended when out in the woods from April until the first killing frost usually in November. 

Directions to meeting location on Adirondack Lane:
From Route 6, Westport, go north on Old Bedford Road, that's the road between White's of Westport and the Hampton Inn. Continue north on Old Bedford Road, under Route I-195, watching for the road to the left, west, which will be Frontage Road. Take Frontage Road to its intersection with Adirondack Lane. North on Adirondack Lane to the water department gate. Someone will be there to direct parking 



Below are a few photos from a past walk in this unique area of the Bioreserve. 
The first is a photo of a Turk's cap lily, Lilium superbum (funny species name if you're a little kid ...or a silly adult) flowering right about now in the Bioreserve.

A friendly black racer, Coluber constrictor, napping in the sun by Adirondack Lane. Black racers, at five or six feet, are our largest snake in our neck of the woods. They are harmless to humans and amazingly fast considering they don't have any legs and arms. A mature black racer is a beautiful creature.

Lastly, a photo of a full moon hovering over Watuppa on a beautiful New England summer evening.
 
 
 
 
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ACTIVITY ALERT - Saturday's Walk

This past warm, sunny and calm Saturday morning was a perfect time for a walk and talk with Water Department Watershed Superintendent Mike Labossiere out in the southern edge of the Watuppa Reservation, an important  property that protects the city's domestic water supply and also ensures that the diverse native flora and fauna on these watershed lands will continue to have a home. Thank you Mike for an educational and enjoyable ramble here in our local neck of the woods.


Next month's walk will be our annual fall mushroom walk. Lots of rain we've experienced all summer should promise a fall fungi bonanza. We'll see. More info on the walk the first week in September. Watch for it!

Here are a few photos from Saturday's walk thanks to Liz Garant.


Mike explains the lay of the land and its human and natural history.




Walking along Jeff spotted this very large mushroom at the base of a large tree. It was the fruiting body of Meripilus giganteus. Meripilus giganteus bruises black if you cut into it. Not poisonous, but tastes like old moldy leather. Some novice fungi foragers mistake this mushroom for the delectable and delicious hen of the woods (Grifola frondosa) also known by its Japanese name maitake and sometimes found in the mushroom section of supermarkets. Always be sure when identifying wild mushrooms. You don't want to make a mistake.




One of the Watuppa's resident eagles was spotted flying north up the pond. 




A group of Plymouth gentians. Plymouth gentians are rare and beautiful wildflowers that grow along pond shores that are seasonally exposed due to water drawdowns. 

 

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