Wildlands Holiday Gift Guide

Holiday Wreath Making Workshop in 2018.

’Tis the season! 

If you’ve been too busy wandering our snowy trails to think about the upcoming holidays, we totally understand. We can’t make any promises about your friends and family, though. To stay in their good graces, a thoughtful gift can make all the difference. No fear! If your loved ones care deeply about the natural world and its future in Southeastern Massachusetts, we have you covered. Read on for gifts that the conservation champion in your life is sure to adore. 

Experience Wildlands: guided hikes, meditations, and more 

Hike with Malcolm at Halfway Pond in 2017.

We environmentalists tend to prefer experiences to things. If that’s the case for your loved one, consider treating them to a Wildlands program! Upcoming events include: 

• Dec. 21: Winter Solstice Meditation at Davis-Douglas Farm 

• Dec. 27: Full Moon Hike at Shifting Lots Preserve 

• Dec. 31: Last Day Hike with Malcolm at Halfway Pond Conservation Area 

For all programs, visit wildlandstrust.org/events. 

Read Wildlands: trail guide and anniversary book 

For hikers and historians alike... Our two 50th anniversary books tell the stories of the people and places that make Southeastern Massachusetts special. 

• Our 50th anniversary trail guide updates and expands our trail offerings based on the last 20 years of land conservation in our region. Lovingly selected by Wildlands staff, the 30 preserves featured in this guide highlight the diversity of ecological, geological, recreational, and historical resources that Wildlands helps protect. Not only will our new guide help you find your way on our trails; it will teach you the rich stories of the woodlands, wetlands, and wildlands you cherish. 

• 50 Remarkable Years, 50 Remarkable People celebrates the key partners and volunteers who helped build Wildlands Trust. Their stories tell our story, beginning with a conversation around a kitchen table in 1973. 50 years later, Wildlands serves the people and places of 55 towns and cities throughout Southeastern Massachusetts. Curated by Wildlands President Karen Grey, this collection of photographs and essays offers a blueprint for the next 50 years of regional conservation. Whether you count these honorees as friends and family or can only appreciate them from afar, 50 Remarkable Years, 50 Remarkable People will leave you inspired by the small steps and giant leaps that rooted an environmental ethic in the natural and cultural landscape of our region.   

Note: Receive your books in time for the holidays by picking them up in-person at our Plymouth headquarters. 

Join Wildlands: gift a membership 

Sylvester Field in Hanover. Photo by Jerry Monkman.

Give your loved one the satisfaction of knowing they inspire you to support the special places of Southeastern Massachusetts. Their Wildlands membership will grant them access to all member benefits, including discounts on Wildlands programs and at retailers and farms across the region. 

Gift a membership at wildlandstrust.org/gift-membership. 

Become a member yourself to expand your gift-giving options. New and returning members may give a free six-month membership to a loved one. Use your member discounts to purchase regionally sourced gifts, such as Island Creek Oysters, Morrison’s Home & Garden, Serious Cycles, Nessralla Farm, and Vineyard Farm!

Become a member at wildlandstrust.org/become-a-member. 

Happy holidays from Wildlands Trust! May you and your loved ones find time to reconnect with each other and with nature this holiday season. 

Volunteers Flock to Bridgewater Trail Project

By Thomas Patti, Communications Coordinator

Volunteers are the heart and soul of what we do. This has never been on greater display than in Bridgewater this fall, where friends and neighbors of Wildlands Trust are braving the elements and wilderness to help establish a new hiking trail at a hidden gem of our land conservation portfolio.  

North Fork Preserve, located off the southeast end of Plymouth Street in Bridgewater, comprises 41 acres of diverse woodland habitat along the banks of the federally designated Wild and Scenic Taunton River. The forest’s open, airy structure and varied composition of pine, oak, maple, birch, and beech trees create rich wildlife habitat and never-ending intrigue for the visiting naturalist. Over 1,000 feet of river frontage, along with a network of trickling streams, add to the preserve’s natural beauty and diversity.  

Purchased by Wildlands in 2001, the preserve has until now been managed as Forever Wild. We elected this passive management strategy in part because Wyman Meadow Conservation Area, owned by the Town of Bridgewater, lies between North Fork Preserve and Plymouth Street, precluding direct public access. However, a multiyear conversation between Wildlands and the Town spawned the idea to restore access to both preserves with a single trail. 

Wyman Meadow Conservation Area. North Fork Preserve begins at the tree line in the background.

"We’ve enjoyed working with Eileen Hiney and the rest of the Bridgewater Open Space Committee,” said Stewardship Operations Manager Owen Grey. “Wildlands and the Town shared a desire for public access at these scenic and ecologically significant preserves. They worked with us every step of the way to make our common vision a reality.” 

Wyman Meadow Conservation Area itself features 35 acres of open grassland habitat with additional Taunton River frontage, creating ideal conditions for various birds, reptiles, amphibians, and mammals. 

Our work at North Fork began in September, when Owen and Stewardship Programs Manager Zoë Smiarowski surveyed the property to determine an optimal trail route through the preserve. Minimizing environmental impact, Owen and Zoë said, is always the guiding principle at this step.  

Once a viable path through the woods was flagged, it was time for volunteers to bring their time, expertise, and enthusiasm to the project. Thus far, four volunteer work days have forged remarkable progress toward trail completion. As of November 7, the entire 1.1-mile trail corridor has been cleared of vegetation using loppers, handsaws, hand snips, rakes, and chainsaws. The next objective is to smooth out the trail by leveling the ground and removing tree stumps. Finally, trail blazing will ensure safe and easy access for future explorers of the preserve.  

Stewardship Programs Manager Zoë Smiarowski shows volunteers how to use a Pulaski to clear roots and stumps from the trail.

“When we set our goals for this trail project, creating opportunities for volunteers to be involved was critical,” Zoë said. “Not only do our volunteer days engage our Wildlands community, but they also offer a space for new volunteers from the local Bridgewater community to become familiar with our organization and connect with a new recreational asset. The drop-in style work days have been a massive success, and feedback from volunteers has been overwhelmingly positive. The work is rewarding for everyone involved. We're not just building a trail, but a cohort that will care for the preserve into the future.” 

Thank you to the volunteers who have turned out already to help transform North Fork Preserve into a natural and cultural resource for the Bridgewater and Southeastern Massachusetts community! We could not do what we do without your generosity.  

Proposed trail map at North Fork Preserve and Wyman Meadow Conservation Area.

If you haven’t joined us yet, no fear! Wildlands is hosting several more volunteer trail work days through December, including from 10 am to 1 pm on Saturday, November 18, Tuesday, November 28, and Saturday, December 2. No experience, equipment, or registration is required—just bring weather-appropriate clothing and a can-do spirit! Visit our Events page to learn more about our upcoming work days. 

Stay tuned for updates on Facebook, Instagram, and our E-News as the North Fork project continues!

Click through the gallery below for more photos from our trail work days at North Fork Preserve and Wyman Meadow Conservation Area.

Thanksgiving Recipes from Wildlands

Thanksgiving is a special time in Southeastern Massachusetts. Evidence of its rich regional traditions is easy to find on both our natural landscape and our dining room tables. Connecting the two is a legacy of local agriculture, producing the cranberries, poultry, and produce that help define our region. The Community Garden at Davis-Douglas Farm is Wildlands’ small homage to the farming culture that built the communities we serve. Read on for delectable recipes inspired by our Community Garden and the culinary hallmarks of Southeastern Massachusetts.

Cranberries for sale at the Fresh From the Vine farm stand in West Yarmouth.

Giving Thanks from the Davis-Douglas Community Garden

By Nora Cannon, artist, cook, master gardener, and Wildlands member

So when I sit for every meal 

And say a grace, I always feel 

That I am eating rain and sun 

And fields where scarlet poppies run. 

— from “The Harvest” by Alice C. Henderson

It is with gratitude and joy that I share several fall recipes with you. Gratitude to Wildlands Trust, which has preserved the land and created the Community Garden space at Davis-Douglas Farm, and joy in sharing vegetables from my garden with family and friends. 

Cooked Cranberry Relish 

Every fall, I drive to a local cranberry farm for fresh, tart cranberries. If that is not feasible, every grocery store sells them. This dish can be made ahead of time and keeps well for several weeks when refrigerated. 

• 4 cups fresh cranberries 

• 1⁄2 cup to 1 cup sugar, to your sweetness preference 

• 1 tablespoon cinnamon 

• 1 cup water OR orange juice 

• Place all ingredients in saucepan over medium heat and stir. As cranberries “pop,” it will thicken. Add small amounts of extra water or juice if necessary. You’ll want a thick sauce; it will jell more when cooled. 

Roasted Root Vegetables 

This dish offers a welcome change in flavors and textures to your meal. You will create your own unique blend of vegetables and spices. Following these simple guidelines, it always comes out delicious. Like the cranberry sauce, it can be prepared or at least cut ahead of time and stored in plastic bags or a bowl. Roast with your turkey. 

• Heat oven to 400 degrees 

• 8 cups or more of a combination of at least 4 of the following: rutabaga, parsnips, potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, and beets 

• If you do choose beets, they can be seasoned and roasted along with the other vegetables; I separate mine in foil, or they will turn everything red. 

• Cut everything the same size for even roasting. 

• In a bowl, mix 1⁄2 cup olive oil and a mixture of your favorite herbs 

• The total amount of herbs should be at least 1⁄8 cup; more if you like more robust flavor. Combine salt and pepper, plus your choice of rosemary, thyme, oregano, basil, dried parsley, onion, and/or garlic powder. 

• Pour your oil/spice mix over the cut vegetables in a large bowl or on the baking sheet. Toss, making sure the vegetables are evenly coated. 

• Roast for at least 50 minutes, depending on how small you cut vegetables. Check every 20 minutes and turn the vegetables for even roasting. Roasting is complete when vegetable centers are soft. 

• Helpful hint: Vegetables can start cooking at a lower temperature while other items are in the oven. In the last few minutes, turn up the oven temperature to make the vegetables a golden brown. 

Nantucket Cranberry Pie 

Nantucket Cranberry Pie. Photo and recipe by Pioneer Woman.

By Rachel Bruce, Director of Special Projects

This recipe was first shared with me by volunteer Liz Vigorito back in 2019; she learned it from The Pioneer Woman, who adapted it from Laurie Colwin. Great recipes like this tend to stick around and evolve over time, and while you’re free to adapt it to your liking, it would be a travesty not to use the almond extract (just trust me). I’ve made this pie for my family every holiday for four years, and I thought it was time I shared the love with our Wildlands community so you, too, can enjoy this incredibly easy and utterly addictive holiday treat. Spoiler alert—you don’t even have to make a pie crust! 

Ingredients: 

Filling: 

2 cups (heaping) cranberries – this year, I’m using organic cranberries from Fresh Meadow Farm in Carver, MA 

3/4 cup pecans, roughly chopped (measure, then chop) 

2/3 cup granulated sugar – I use organic cane sugar when possible 

Unsalted butter for greasing pan 

Batter: 

1 cup all-purpose flour 

1 cup sugar 

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted 

2 eggs, lightly beaten 

1 tsp. pure almond extract 

1/4 tsp. salt 

Topping: 

1 tbsp. sugar 

Directions: 

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. 

2. Generously butter a cake pan or pie pan. Add the cranberries to the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle on the chopped pecans, then sprinkle on 2/3 cup of the sugar.  

3. In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, 1 cup sugar, melted butter, eggs, almond extract, and salt. Stir gently to combine.  

4. Slowly pour the batter over the top of the cranberry pecan filling in large ribbons to evenly cover the surface. Spread gently if necessary.  

5. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes. 5 minutes before removing from the oven, sprinkle the surface with 1 tablespoon sugar for a little extra crunch.  

6. Cut into wedges and serve on its own, with ice cream, or with freshly whipped cream! This pie is delicious when it’s fresh and warm, at room temp, and even cold from the refrigerator (did someone say pie for breakfast?) 

Wildlands encourages you to support regional agriculture by buying local food this holiday season. Enjoy discounts at Bay End Farm in Bourne, Nessralla Farm in Halifax, Hornstra Farms in Norwell, and Vineyard Farm in West Bridgewater by becoming a Wildlands member at wildlandstrust.org/become-a-member.

Learn more about our Community Garden at Davis-Douglas Farm at wildlandstrust.org/community-garden.

Wildlands Staff Retreats to Vermont

Wildlands staff on a hike up Mount Tom in Woodstock, Vermont, during an October retreat.

By Thomas Patti, Communications Coordinator

For four days in October, the Wildlands staff took a short break from our daily duties to reflect and recharge from a busy summer amid the breathtaking autumnal woodlands of Bridgewater, Vermont. We returned to Plymouth rested and ready to elevate our service to the people and places of Southeastern Massachusetts.  

“Putting together our 50th Anniversary Celebration in September was a full-staff, full-year effort that required new and veteran staff alike to go above and beyond their typical work duties and schedules,” said Rachel Bruce, Wildlands’ Director of Special Projects. “Taking a pause after such an undertaking and immersing ourselves in a new environment allowed our staff to better understand each other and our work in a broader context. This retreat aided us in fostering an environment of collaboration and creativity at Wildlands that will guide our work for the next 50 years.” 

Before arriving in Bridgewater on Tuesday, October 10, we made a stop at the Vermont Institute of Natural Science (VINS) in Quechee. For 51 years, VINS has striven to “motivate individuals and communities to care for the environment through education, research, and avian wildlife rehabilitation.” We gained new perspective (literally) atop their Forest Canopy Walk, met avian ambassadors during a live raptor presentation, and drew inspiration for our work in Brockton from their own outdoor learning areas. 

Wildlands staff atop the Forest Canopy Walk at the Vermont Institute of Natural Science.

On Wednesday, Josh Bower from Center for Wildlife in Cape Neddick, Maine, led our staff in team-building exercises at our home base in Bridgewater. Through fun, low-stakes exercises, we learned about the diversity of experiences on our staff, and how to use this asset to our advantage. Then, Craig Sanborn of the Cardigan Highlanders Volunteer Trail Crew taught us his lessons learned from 40 years of recruiting, training, and motivating land stewardship volunteers across New Hampshire. Finally, Kirk Jones of Evolvlove Sound Therapy led us in a meditative sound bath, using singing, crystal, and bronze bowls to promote deep relaxation. 

We made good use of our last full day in Vermont. In a staff meeting led by President Karen Grey, we reviewed our five-year strategic plan, assessing our progress toward our goals and reaffirming our organizational values. Then, Suzanne Belleci and Fabio Ayala of the Amherst College Center for Restorative Practices presented “Approaches to Conflict Resolution,” a workshop that challenged our preconceived notions about interpersonal conflict and offered new paths forward. To end the retreat on a high note, we took to the mountains, hiking Mount Tom in Woodstock before exploring the city below. 

Team-building exercises with Josh Bower from Center for Wildlife.

Around these scheduled activities, Wildlands staff had plenty of time to bond over shared meals, yoga workshops led by Rachel, and heated matches of foosball and ping pong, from which our multitalented President, Karen Grey, emerged victorious. 

A full month since we returned from our retreat, the Wildlands staff is still benefiting from the camaraderie we built and the time we took out of our hectic schedules to take stock of our work and imagine a bold new future for regional conservation. We will continue to apply what we learned at the retreat to advancing our mission across Southeastern Massachusetts! 

Remembering Allison Gillum

By Karen Grey, President

In 2011, Wildlands embarked on a commitment to support and mentor the next generation of land trust practitioners with our early adoption of the MassLIFT (Land Initiative for Tomorrow) AmeriCorps program. Our first round of AmeriCorps members did not disappoint; Alex Etkind, Sarah Kugel, and Allison Gillum were bright, enthusiastic, eager-to-learn young conservationists who were a delight around the office. This impressive trio spent two years with us, and their work opened strategic opportunities for Wildlands that are still bearing fruit over a decade later.

Allison Gillum arrived at Wildlands Trust fresh from a UPenn master's program in planning. We immediately sensed her professional abilities and excellent people skills and felt comfortable handing her a challenging assignment. The Town of Plympton, one of the most rural towns in our coverage area, was at the bottom of state rankings for conservation land. Plympton was facing a surge in development, and the Town was unprepared to address it, lacking the most basic tools, including an Open Space Plan. We tasked Allison with assisting the nascent Plympton Open Space Committee in completing the plan and building a toolbox for a land protection program. Thanks to the groundwork laid by Allison and her Plympton partners, the Town went on to protect its first significant pieces of open space, Cato’s Ridge and Churchill Park, and since then, has saved nearly 1,000 additional acres of conservation land.

Allison was a bright light and, to no one’s surprise, went on to do fantastic work as a Land Protection Specialist at the Piscataquog Land Conservancy, as the Executive Director of the Southeast Alaska Land Trust, and as a Land Specialist for the U.S. Forest Service. We learned recently that this amazing woman succumbed to a cardiac arrest while giving birth to her second child. We are so saddened by her loss and are reminded how lucky we are to have had this amazing person as part of the Wildlands staff.