Held by: OCT
Location: 174 Quanset Road
Acres: 60+
Trail length: 0.5 miles-1.5 miles depending on route
Year acquired: 1973 and subsequent
Volunteer Steward:
Access:
From the intersection of Rt. 28 and Main Street in Orleans, follow MA Route 28 towards Chatham for 2.5 miles. Turn left onto Quanset Road and stay right at the fork to stay on Quanset. Follow for 1.2 miles to trail head on left, where Quanset Rd turns sharply to the right. There are 2-3 parking spaces available and additional parking is available at the Twinings Pond Trailhead found by backtracking up Quanset Rd about 0.25 miles.
Description
In December of 2005 OCT purchased the Brooks property, also known as the Meadow Bog Headlands for $865,000. This purchase was enabled in part by all those who generously supported OCT with donations and votes at Town Meeting that year. At the 2005 Town Meeting, residents of Orleans voted to contribute $200,000 from the Land Bank Fund to buy a permanent conservation restriction on two parcels totaling 6.6 acres on Sarah’s Pond and Pine Hill Lane with provisions for public access over a trail to be designed and maintained by the OCT.
Virtually the entire property has been identified by the State as Priority Habitat for rare Species. While no systematic inventory of animals has been conducted, staff and volunteers have reported seeing sharp shinned hawk, chickadee, white-breasted nuthatch, bobwhite quail and titmouse, as well as white-tailed deer and an Eastern box turtle. Great blue herons and black-crowned night herons have been seen roosting in the pines above the pond shore and coyote and raccoon scat also have been spotted in what obviously is a great habitat for diverse species.
Read More