Myles Standish State Forest is a
state forest
A state forest or national forest is a forest that is administered or protected by some agency of a sovereign or federated state, or territory.
Background
The precise application of the terms vary by jurisdiction. For example:
* In Australia, ...
located in the
towns of
Plymouth
Plymouth () is a port city and unitary authority in South West England. It is located on the south coast of Devon, approximately south-west of Exeter and south-west of London. It is bordered by Cornwall to the west and south-west.
Plymout ...
and
Carver in southeastern
, approximately 45 miles (70 km) south of
Boston
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the capital city, state capital and List of municipalities in Massachusetts, most populous city of the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financ ...
. It is the largest publicly owned recreation area in this part of Massachusetts and is managed by the
Department of Conservation and Recreation
The Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) is a state agency of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, situated in the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. It is best known for its parks and parkways. The DCR's mission is ...
(DCR).
[
]
Description
The forest is part of the Atlantic coastal pine barrens
The Atlantic coastal pine barrens is a now rare temperate coniferous forest ecoregion of the Northeast United States distinguished by unique species and topographical features ( coastal plain ponds, frost pocket), generally nutrient-poor, often ...
ecoregion
An ecoregion (ecological region) or ecozone (ecological zone) is an ecologically and geographically defined area that is smaller than a bioregion, which in turn is smaller than a biogeographic realm. Ecoregions cover relatively large areas o ...
and consists largely of pitch pine and scrub oak forests—at , one of the largest such forests north of Long Island. The forest surrounds 16 lakes and ponds, including several ecologically significant coastal kettle ponds.
Ecology
Species commonly found in Southeast Massachusetts pine barrens:
Plants
Trees
* Pitch pine
*Bear oak
''Quercus ilicifolia'', commonly known as bear oak or scrub oak, is a small shrubby oak native to the eastern United States and southeastern Canada. Its range extends in the United States from Maine to North Carolina, with reports of a few popul ...
(scrub oak)
* Dwarf chestnut oak (scrub oak)
Fruit-bearing
* Hillside and lowbush blueberry
* Black huckleberry
*Bearberry
Bearberries ( indigenous kinnickinnick) are three species of dwarf shrubs in the genus '' Arctostaphylos''. Unlike the other species of ''Arctostaphylos'' (see manzanita), they are adapted to Arctic and Subarctic climates, and have a circumpo ...
* Birds'-foot violet
Animals
Birds
*Eastern towhee
The eastern towhee (''Pipilo erythrophthalmus'') is a large New World sparrow. The taxonomy of the towhees has been under debate in recent decades, and formerly this bird and the spotted towhee were considered a single species, the rufous-side ...
*Eastern bluebird
The eastern bluebird (''Sialia sialis'') is a small North American migratory thrush found in open woodlands, farmlands, and orchards.
The bright-blue breeding plumage of the male, easily observed on a wire or open perch, makes this species a f ...
* Pine warbler
* Prairie warbler
*Whip-poor-will
The eastern whip-poor-will (''Antrostomus vociferus'') is a medium-sized (22–27 cm; 8.7-10.6 ins.) bird within the nightjar family, Caprimulgidae, from North America. The whip-poor-will is commonly heard within its range, but less ...
Insects
* Persius duskywing (endangered)
*Frosted elfin
''Callophrys irus'', the frosted elfin, is a species of Lycaenidae that is native to North America.
Description
The wingspan ranges from .
* Slender clearwing sphinx moth
* Barrens buck moth
*Melsheimer's sack-bearing moth
* Gerhard's underwing moth
*Barrens tiger beetle (endangered)
*Antlion
The antlions are a group of about 2,000 species of insect in the neuropteran family Myrmeleontidae. They are known for the predatory habits of their larvae, which mostly dig pits to trap passing ants or other prey. In North America, the larva ...
Reptiles
* Northern red-bellied cooter
* Eastern box turtle
*Eastern hognose snake
The eastern hog-nosed snake (''Heterodon platirhinos''), also known as the spreading adder Wright, A.H., and A.A. Wright (1957). ''Handbook of Snakes of the United States and Canada''. (in 2 volumes). Ithaca and London: Comstock Publishing Assoc ...
Mammals
* Fisher
*Deer
*Coyote
Activities and amenities
Recreational uses include swimming, hunting, fishing, kayaking, canoeing, and picnicking. Day-use areas are found at College Pond
College Pond is a natural kettlehole pond in Plymouth, Massachusetts, located in the Myles Standish State Forest northeast of East Head Reservoir, Three Cornered Pond, New Long Pond and Barrett Pond, and north of Fearing Pond
Fearing Pond, ...
and Fearing Pond. Hunting is allowed during the season, and two Wildlife Management Areas within the forest are stocked with game birds in October and November. In the summer, the park offers interpretive programs, such as pond shore walks and cranberry bog explorations.[
]
Trails
The forest offers fifteen miles (24 km) of paved bicycle trails, thirty-five miles (56 km) of horse trail
A bridle path, also bridleway, equestrian trail, horse riding path, ride, bridle road, or horse trail, is a trail or a thoroughfare that is used by people riding on horses. Trails originally created for use by horses often now serve a wider r ...
s, and thirteen miles (21 km) of hiking trail
A trail, also known as a path or track, is an unpaved lane or small road usually passing through a natural area. In the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, a path or footpath is the preferred term for a pedestrian or hiking trail. ...
s. The "Bicycle Trails of Carver" were included in the Massachusetts Department of Travel and Tourism's list of 1000 great places in Massachusetts.[ Some popular trails in the park include Bentley Loop Trail, East Head Reservoir Trail, Friends' Trail, Charge Pond Loop Trail, Frost Pocket Loop Trail and Pine Barren's Trail.]
Camping
Camping is offered at five sites, four of which are located at ponds: Curlew Pond
Curlew Pond is a natural warm water pond in Plymouth, Massachusetts, located in the Myles Standish State Forest
Myles Standish State Forest is a state forest located in the towns of Plymouth and Carver in southeastern Massachusetts, approx ...
, Fearing Pond, Charge Pond, Barrett Pond. A portion of the Charge Pond area is set aside for equestrian camping.
Ponds
The following table lists the ponds and recreational activities available at each in Myles Standish State Forest.
NFA = Recreational activity is permitted, but NO FORMAL ACCESS is available.
LA = LIMITED ACCESS for low impact recreational use is permitted, sensitive pond shore habitat.
NP = Recreational access NOT PERMITTED, habitat protection area.
Scouting
Cachalot Scout Reservation
The Narragansett Council of the Boy Scouts of America serves all of the state of Rhode Island and some of Massachusetts and Connecticut. Its several camps include Camp Yawgoog, Champlin Scout Reservation, and Camp Norse.
Narragansett Council
N ...
, a Boy Scout
A Scout (in some countries a Boy Scout, Girl Scout, or Pathfinder) is a child, usually 10–18 years of age, participating in the worldwide Scouting movement. Because of the large age and development span, many Scouting associations have split ...
camp, encompasses surrounding Five Mile Pond adjacent to Myles Standish State Forest.[ Camp Squanto is also located within Myles Standish State Forest][ as is Camp Wind-in-the-Pines, a girl scout camp.][
]
Prison
A state correctional facility, MCI - Plymouth, is also located in Myles Standish State Forest.[
]
In the news
On May 14, 1977, according to the Plymouth Police Department records, Eric H. Anderson Jr. murdered Ruth Masters (née Ruth Rydberg), a teacher in nearby Hanson, Massachusetts, while she was riding her bike alone on an isolated trail in the park. He was later found guilty and sentenced to life imprisonment in Maine State Prison in Warren, Maine
Warren is a town in Knox County, Maine, United States. The population was 4,865 at the 2020 census. It includes the villages of East Warren, Warren and South Warren, the latter home to the Maine State Prison and minimum security Bolduc Corre ...
.[
]
References
External links
Myles Standish State Forest
Department of Conservation and Recreation
Myles Standish State Forest Map
Department of Conservation and Recreation
Myles Standish State Forest Map
Department of Conservation and Recreation
Friends of Myles Standish State Forestwww.nature.org
{{Authority control
Plymouth, Massachusetts
Protected areas of Plymouth County, Massachusetts
Massachusetts state forests
Campgrounds in Massachusetts
Protected areas established in 1916
1916 establishments in Massachusetts