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Big Walk VI
Big Walk IV
Big Walk III
Watuppa/Wampanoag Trail
Big Walk VI
A beautiful day, a wonderful hike from Fall River to New Bedford through the Southeastern Massachusetts Bioreserve.
As always, our hike began with Everett Castro and Tim Bennett explaining the day to a crowd of about 90 enthusiastic hikers at the American Legion Hall on the corner of South Main Street and Copicut Road in Freetown, MA. Below, Everett and Tim display the map of the new Southeastern Massachusetts Bioreserve, pointing out the 18 mile route to be taken on this year's Big Walk. Secretary of the Executive Office of Environmental Affairs, Bob Durand, looks on.
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| Much to the Secretary's surprise, Green Futures has a surprise for him. Bob Durand is awarded a plaque in appreciation of the creation of the first Bioreserve in Southeastern Massachusetts. |  |
*A word about biodiversity and the bioreserve concept, straight from the EOEA's State of Our Environment 2000 Handbook: Biodiversity is a term used by scientists to measure the variety of different kinds of organisms found in a certain place. Each species is an irreplaceable natural resource, the product of thousands or perhaps millions of years of evolution. The loss of any single species may affect the health of an entire ecosystem - and our own health as well - in subtle and profound ways. The bioreserve concept seeks to balance biodiversity with economic development and maintenance of cultural values. Each bioreserve will contain a core area of one or more major public open space holdings, surrounded by a buffer zone of mixed public and private lands. The Massachusetts bioreserve program ultimately aims to create at least one reserve within each of the state's ecoregions and subregions, on land and in the water. Those ecoregions where biodiversity is under the greatest stress will receive priority in establishing the first bioreserves. And, so, our overcrowded, busy area has become the home of the first established Bioreserve in Massachusetts, saving precious open space.
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Our hike traditionally falls on the Wampanoag New Year. We have been fortunate each year, to have a member of the Assonet Band of the Wampanoag Tribe, this year - Ron Perry - begins our day with a blessing and beautiful music of the flute.
Finally we begin the hike by walking up Copicut Road and entering the Freetown State Forest. |
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The first leg of the hike is
most familiar to the locals. A well-trodden trail takes you through
the thinned-out stand of red pines, past Rattlesnake Brook and
to Assonet Ledge. After a short climb up the Ledge, the view
is terrific - one of the only views left in the area unspoiled
by phone lines, towers or other signs of civilization. Arthur
Bergeron, Bob Durand and Everett chat as the hikers take their
first rest stop of the day.
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We continue on through a burned out area of forest that offers a stunning contrast between the blackened tree stumps and the lush, vivid green of the new growth growing from the ashes. From there, the landfill looms large and fragrant (!) on our right as we bear left, back into the heart of the forest towards Hogs Rock, evidence of the glacial activity in this area years ago.
After another rest stop, we head toward Dr. Durfee's Mill and Pond, an intriguing historical ruin, one of the first prosperous mills in this community, once famous for its numerous textile mills. And then on to our third excellent view of the day, the panoramic experience from the top of the Copicut Hill Fire Tower, made possible by Steve Bates and the staff of the Fall River-Freetown State Forest.
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Rest stop at Hogs Rock
Climbing the fire tower... The day was gorgeous; you could see to the coast. The extra steps up the tower were well worth the view. |
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| Heading back down Copicut Hill, we look forward to seeing the Boiling Springs, where natural springs churn the sand at the bottom of a well, once part of a working farm, and one of the sources of the Westport River. Unfortunately, today, the water was at such a level that the movement was difficult to see; sometimes the action is very dramatic. |  |
At this point we are about
three quarters of the way through our hike and the weather is
cool and comfortable making the effort an easy one. We finish
through the old Acushnet Sawmills property, now the Bioreserve,
to Flagg Swamp Rd., down the only paved part of the hike, heading
towards the Acushnet White Cedar Swamp where the van is waiting
to take us back to our vehicles. Even Charlie had a good day!
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*Many thanks to Liz Garant for many of these great photographs!
Curious about Big Walk V? It's on video! Go to Get Involved for more info.