The Trustees of Reservations is a nonprofit land conservation and historic preservation organization dedicated to preserving natural and historical places in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is the oldest one of its kind in the world, managing properties that include woodlands and parks, coastal wildlife refuges, campgrounds, historic homes, horticultural gardens, museums, farms and community gardens.

“The main mission of The Trustees is to connect people with nature through the use and enjoyment of our more than 120 special places throughout Massachusetts,” says Anne Smith White, Trustees’ regional vice president for the Southeast and Islands. “We protect and steward our special places and offer a multitude of programs designed to get people outdoors to experience nature. These programs include summer camp and school field trips as well as guided hikes, bird watching, summer solstice gatherings and sunset concerts.”

The organization has arranged more than 1,300 programs for this summer, and while they are open to the public, members get a discount on program fees and free admission to many properties and events. Such payments help fund the programs as well as the conservation of forest and agricultural lands.

“We also own working farms, like Weir River Farm, in Hingham, where we provide family-friendly programming to introduce children to life on a farm and grow organic produce for our CSA share program,” Smith White adds. “Our farms connect people to their local food systems, providing fresh, organic produce and grass-fed meats. I encourage folks to look to us for great programs, quiet places to enjoy nature and interesting places with compelling histories that shine a light on hidden stories.”

Weir River Farm was originally part of the picturesque, early-20th-century country estate of renowned artist Polly Thayer Starr. Fields, pastures, oak and red cedar woodlands comprise this 75-acre working farm. The facility supports diverse wildlife habitats, including upland grasslands, and the Weir River passes through the farm at its northwest edge. This is home to a herd of Belted Galloway cattle and a barnyard of animals including horses, sheep, goats, chickens, pigs and llama. The barnyard is open to the public on Saturdays, spring through fall.

Trails lead through the farm to the Trustees’ adjacent properties of Turkey Hill and Whitney and Thayer Woods. The woodland trails feature glacial erratics and vernal pools, bridges over streams, a hermit’s shelter and secluded holly grove. The trail network connects to nearly 5,000 contiguous acres of open space and is open year-round daily, sunrise to sunset.

Discovery Trail at Copicut Woods, Fall River, MA (Photo by: The Trustees of Reservations)

Copicut Woods, in Fall River, has five-plus miles of trails and features upland forest, vernal pools, an abandoned farm settlement and Miller Lane, a 150-year-old, stonewall-lined, scenic cart path. For the more adventurous, Copicut Woods is a gateway to the 13,600-acre Southeastern Massachusetts Bioreserve, which offers more than 50 miles of trails for hiking and mountain biking.

This summer, significant strides have been made for both inclusivity and interactivity with the unveiling of a new Discovery Trail at Copicut Woods. Designed to be stroller and wheelchair accessible and to encourage children to directly engage with nature, this quarter-mile path is the first of its kind for The Trustees. This immersive experience awaits visitors of all ages, literacy levels and abilities at five separate Curious Find stations. Each station offers interactive elements and sensory experiences that foster a deeper connection with the wild inhabitants of this local environment.

World's End, Hingham, MA (Photo by: The Trustees of Reservations)

World’s End, in Hingham, comprises four coastal drumlins—spoon-shaped hills formed by glaciers—extending into the local harbor. John Brewer built a mansion here in 1856 and, in the next 30 years, acquired most of the peninsula’s 400-plus acres as well as Sarah and Langley islands. In 1890, Brewer asked famed landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted to design a 163-home residential subdivision. The drives were cut, but the development never came to fruition, nor did later proposals for the United Nations Headquarters in the 1940s or a nuclear power plant in the 1960s.

Tides nourish former salt marsh through specially built culverts and promote habitat health and diversity, while Olmsted’s designed landscape is preserved through mowing, pruning, cutting and planting. Moderate hiking opportunities are provided by 4.5 miles of carriage paths and footpaths. Advance passes are required for weekends and holidays, and encouraged for weekdays.

This Southeast region sampling shows the depth and variety of The Trustees’ offerings. The organization also runs an active program that targets the Gateway Cities of Falls River and New Bedford called Mobile Adventures, which brings outdoor education activities to children that may not have as much access to greenspace and nature.

For more information on many places to visit and unique outdoor activities to participate in this summer, visit TheTrustees.org. Wendy Nadherny Fachon is a frequent contributor to Natural Awakenings magazine.