WENHAM — Mass Audubon is scheduled to officially open its newest wildlife sanctuary, Cedar Pond in Wenham, on Thursday.
The opening celebration will include the unveiling of Mass Audubon’s first All Persons Trail, or APT, on the North Shore. The nearly-mile-long trail includes accessibility features such as a post-and-rope guide and multi-use seating areas. There are also plans for audio recordings and printed booklets in regular, large or braille formats.
The Cedar Pond APT will be the 16th in a series of universally accessible pathways specially designed for visitors with a range of abilities to be featured at Mass Audubon sanctuaries across the state.
Cedar Pond Wildlife Sanctuary, off Cherry Street in Wenham, has 158 acres and three miles of trails. It hosts a mix of upland forest, wooded swamp, marsh, field, bog and shrubland within the Eastern Essex County Interior Forest Important Bird Area and provides nesting habitat to numerous species, as well as resting and feeding habitat during migration, according to Mass Audubon.
The ceremony on Thursday will be held from 3-4:30 p.m. and will include a ribbon-dropping, refreshments and remarks from civic and environmental leaders. Guests will be invited to stroll the All Person Trail and other trails through the sanctuary.
Mass Audubon North Shore Regional Director Carole McCauley said Cedar Pond will be “a new open space destination, perfect for families, birders and visitors of all backgrounds and experiences.
“This new wildlife sanctuary is emblematic of Mass Audubon’s commitment to the North Shore and the organization’s firm belief that being able to experience and enjoy nature should be a right for everyone,” she said in a news release.
Source: Salem News
