All About Beavers

Date/Time
Date(s) - May 21st, 2023
10:00 am - 12:00 pm

A beaver dips its paws into the edge of a pond, framed by dry grasses. — Photo by Drew Johnson.

Have you ever wondered what we would do without our semiaquatic rodent friend the beaver? From improving water quality, trapping and storing carbon, to counteracting some of the worst pollution from agriculture and fossil-fuel emissions– the beaver does it all. Join Hilltown Land Trust and beaver naturalist Drew Johnson to learn more about the considerable positive effects beavers have on our ecosystem.

Our 1.5-mile round-trip walk will take us by a beaver complex along a quiet dirt road in Ashfield.

All ages welcome!

Access Info

Main Walk

We will walk about 1.5 miles round trip with 170 feet of elevation change on a mix of asphalt and compacted gravel roads. While the roads are plowed, the gravel road may be soft and/or muddy this time of year.

The program will involve periods of pausing to observe beaver habitat. We’re able to bring a few chairs along for these portions, so please be in touch if you’d prefer to sit when we pause!

All locations at this walk are on public roads that may be accessed by car. If you prefer to access the event in this way, a heads up via email is appreciated to help us plan.

Optional Extension

For those who wish to extend our time together, Drew will lead an optional, informal excursion to another beaver complex along the Chapel Falls extension trail, which departs near our parking area. We will walk up to 1.5 miles with 120 feet of elevation change on forest trails with the potential for roots, rocks, and mud.

Cost

This hike has a sliding scale suggested donation of $0-25. Your donation supports future programs like this at HLT.

To become a member of Hilltown Land Trust for the year, make a gift in any amount to support our efforts to conserve and care for ecologically valuable land in the Hilltowns.