Massasoit National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1983 to conserve the federally endangered
Plymouth Red-bellied Turtle
The Plymouth red-bellied turtle, sometimes called the Plymouth red-bellied cooter, is a disjunct population of northern red-bellied cooter (''Pseudemys rubriventris'') endemic to Massachusetts.
Taxonomy
Plymouth red-bellied turtles are currently ...
, as well as other wildlife and plant species. The Refuge encompasses in
Plymouth, Massachusetts
Plymouth (; historically known as Plimouth and Plimoth) is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. Located in Greater Boston, the town holds a place of great prominence in American history, folklore, and culture, and is known as ...
. It is made up of two parcels; the Crooked Pond parcel abuts the
Myles Standish State Forest
Myles Standish State Forest is a state forest located in the towns of Plymouth and Carver in southeastern Massachusetts, approximately 45 miles (70 km) south of Boston. It is the largest publicly owned recreation area in this part of Massac ...
, the second largest State forest in
, and the smaller parcel is located on the shoreline of
Island Pond. Massasoit National Wildlife Refuge is located within a area designated as critical habitat for the Plymouth Red-bellied Turtle.
Wildlife and habitat
The Plymouth redbelly turtle subsists primarily on submergent vegetation, and requires good water quality and suitable basking, nesting, and overwintering sites free from disturbance.
The turtles spend most of their lives in these freshwater coastal ponds in Plymouth and Carver, coming on land to bask (sun themselves) and breed in sandy soils. In addition to providing habitat for this endangered species, Massasoit NWR also provides habitat to a variety of birds that nest in the uplands and amphibians, reptiles, and fish that utilize the ponds. In addition, a variety of invertebrate species, many of which are rare, are found on nearby Myles Standish State Forest and may be present on the Refuge as well.
Crooked Pond is a typical coastal plain pond occupying a depression connected hydrologically to an underground aquifer; hence, the water level of the pond changes with the water table. The water level is usually high in winter and spring, and generally much lower by late summer, exposing the shoreline. Three other ponds,
Island
An island (or isle) is an isolated piece of habitat that is surrounded by a dramatically different habitat, such as water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, skerries, cays or keys. An island ...
,
Gunners Exchange and
Hoyts
The Hoyts Group of companies in Australia and New Zealand includes Hoyts Cinemas and Val Morgan. Hoyts operates more than 450 cinema screens and 55,000 seats, making it Australia's second largest movie exhibitor after Event Hospita ...
, are within of Crooked Pond. The southeastern corner of Gunners Exchange Pond and parcels on Island Pond are part of the Refuge. The upland habitat surrounding ponds on the Refuge is a mix of pitch pine — scrub oak and coastal oak/heath forest. Common species include: red maple, pitch pine, white pine, and scrub oak. The under-story consists of highbush blueberry, low sweet blueberry, bearberry and greenbrier. Pitch pine scrub oak communities need fire to maintain the community structure and diversity. The resinous, waxy cutins in the leaves of many of the plant species found in this community are highly flammable and easily ignite during dry periods. Today the area is generally protected from fire, resulting in a closed-canopy pine forest.
References
Refuge website
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National Wildlife Refuges in Massachusetts
Protected areas established in 1983
Plymouth, Massachusetts
Protected areas of Plymouth County, Massachusetts
1983 establishments in Massachusetts