Situated along the Atlantic Flyway

in Massachusetts, the Eastern

Massachusetts National Wildlife

Refuge Complex is comprised of

eight ecologically diverse refuges.

The eight separate refuges include

inland and coastal wetlands, forests,

grasslands, and barrier beaches that

provide important habitat for

migratory birds, mammals, plants,

reptiles, and amphibians. The U.S.

Fish and Wildlife Service manages

these areas to maintain a vital and

diverse environment for the area’s

inhabitants. Refuges are managed to

conserve and protect a diversity of

native wildlife habitats and species.

The refuge complex encompasses

several endangered and threatened

species, the only federally

designated Wilderness Area in

Southern New England, one

structure on the National Register

of Historic Places, and a National

Wild and Scenic River.

Welcome to

the Eastern

Massachusetts

National Wildlife

Refuge Complex

Canoeing on the Concord River.

The Eastern Massachusetts

National Wildlife Refuge

Complex contains eight

of more than 530 refuges

in the National Wildlife

Refuge System which is

administered by the U.S.

Fish and Wildlife Service.

The National Wildlife

Refuge System is a network

of lands and waters

managed specifically for

the protection of wildlife

and wildlife habitat and

represents the most

comprehensive wildlife

resource management

program in the world.

Units of the system stretch

across the United States

from northern Alaska to

the Florida Keys, and

include small islands in

the Caribbean and South

Pacific. The character of

the refuges is as diverse

as the nation itself.

Sherry Fendel

This blue goose,

designed by J.N.

“Ding” Darling,

has become the

symbol of the

National Wildlife

Refuge System.
What We Do

Life in a sea

of green.

Piping plover at

Monomey NWR.

Eastern Massachusetts NWR

Complex consists of eight of the

more than 530 refuges in the

National Wildlife Refuge System

administered by the U.S. Fish and

Wildlife Service. The National

Wildlife Refuge System is charged

with maintaining approximately 93

million acres of habitat for

What is a National

Wildlife Refuge?

endangered species, over 700 avian

species, 220 mammalian species, 250

reptilian and amphibian species,

anadromous fish and much, much

more. The National Wildlife Refuge

System is a network of lands and

waters managed specifically for the

protection of wildlife and wildlife

habitat, and represents the most

comprehensive wildlife management

program in the world. Units of the

system stretch across the United

States from northern Alaska to the

Florida Keys and include small

islands in the Caribbean and South

Pacific. The character of the refuges

are as diverse as the nation itself.

Wildlife management within the

complex focuses on creating and

maintaining productive habitat

for a healthy diversity of species.

Management tools include exotic

plant control, barrier beach

management, avian diversity

control, farming, and water level

manipulation. Management can be

as simple as providing bird boxes,

which replace homes for species

whose natural habitat has been

destroyed or lost, or as involved as

carefully timed draw-downs of

refuge pools. Exotic plant control

helps maintain the natural diversity

found in wetland and upland

communities. Water level

manipulation can change the

habitat and provide food and

cover for fish and wildlife.

Aquatic weed

harvester at

work.

Sunset on Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge.

Mark Wilson Bruce Flaig

USFWS Paul Olsen
Great blue heron

in a sea of water

chestnut.

Exotic, non-native plants are a

major threat to wetlands at Great

Meadows NWR. Two such plants

are purple loosestrife and water

chestnut. These exotic plants have

practically taken over many refuge

wetlands and waterways because

natural predators are not present in

the United States to keep the plants

in balance.

Many people agree that purple

loosestrife is an attractive plant with

its purple flowering stalk. But

loosestrife has little to no value to

wildlife and dominates wetlands

where cattails once flourished. After

a decade of research, scientists have

found that beetles native to the

plant’s European habitat are one of

the most successful control methods

for loosestrife. The release of weevils

and beetles seems to be the best

management solution. These beetles

feed only on purple loosestrife.

Controlling water chestnut is also

difficult. This plant forms a thick

green mat atop open water in the

summer. Currently, Eastern

Massachusetts NWR Complex is

managing water chestnut by

lowering water levels in refuge pools

when possible. This practice is

expected to minimize the water

chestnut population while

encouraging the growth of plants

such as millet and smartweed, which

are beneficial to wildlife.

Exotic Plant

Management

Several barrier beaches are found in

the Eastern Massachusetts NWR

Complex. These areas are used by a

number of threatened and

endangered species and are major

stopover spots for migratory birds.

Intensive management efforts have

been underway at Monomoy NWR

for many years to increase piping

plover and roseate tern nesting

success. A restoration project that

began in 1996 has increased the

availability of nesting habitat for

birds protected by the Endangered

Species Act on a portion of the

refuge. This management has

encouraged gulls to nest in other

parts of the refuge so they would not

compete with less abundant birds for

nesting space. Almost immediately

after the project began, an increase

was seen in the number and

diversity of nesting species in the

management area.

Endangered

Species

Management

Monomoy NWR

Beach.

Reflections of

great blue heron.

Sandy Selesky

Stephanie Koch Don Crasco
Eastern Phoebe

Transferred to the U.S. Fish and

Wildlife Service from the U.S. Army

in 2000, the 2,205-acre Assabet River

NWR is located in the towns of

Maynard, Stow, Sudbury, and

Hudson. The Refuge provides

wildlife with a diversity of upland

and wetland habitats. The potential

to restore large tracts of native

grasslands, one of the most

endangered habitats in the world,

is tremendous. Once the Refuge is

cleared of human safety hazards

(such as old storage bunkers and

deteriorating buildings), it will be

opened to a variety of public uses.

Directions: There will be several

areas to enter once it is open to the

public. Please contact the Refuge

Manager for more information.

The first refuge in the complex,

Great Meadows NWR consists of

two main units along 12 miles of the

Sudbury and Concord Rivers. The

original 250 acres were donated by

local resident Samuel Hoar for the

conservation of migratory waterfowl.

Today this 3,600-acre refuge is

composed of freshwater wetlands

and upland areas that noted

ornithologists have called some of

the best inland birding sites in all of

Massachusetts. Trails are available

at both units.

The complex’s main office and

visitor center are located at

Great Meadows’ Sudbury Unit.

Directions to Sudbury Unit: To

reach the headquarters at Weir Hill

Road, follow Route 27 (1.7 miles)

from Wayland, turn right onto Water

Row Road. Follow Water Row Road

(1.2 Miles) to the end, and turn right

onto Lincoln Road. Travel  ̊-mile,

then turn left onto Weir Hill Road.

Eastern

Massachusetts

NWR Complex

Assabet River

National Wildlife

Refuge

Great Meadows

National Wildlife

Refuge

qav

Bruce Flaig

Directions to the Concord Unit:

Travel to this area by following Route

62 east from Concord Center toward

Bedford. After approximately one

mile, turn left onto Monsen Road.

Continue on Monsen Road until you

see the refuge entrance on your left.

Restroom facilities are available

seasonally.

Located in the towns of Mashpee

and Falmouth, this refuge will total

5,871 acres when complete, only a

small percentage of which will be

owned by the Fish and Wildlife

Service. Currently, less than 300 acres

are in FWS ownership. Managed

through a unique partnership among

nine federal, state and private

conservation groups, this Cape Cod

refuge preserves thousands of

acres of magnificent salt marshes,

cranberry bogs, Atlantic white cedar

swamps, freshwater marshes, and a

vernal pool. It provides habitat for

migratory waterfowl, songbirds,

Lily pads with

water chestnut.

Mashpee

National Wildlife

Refuge

Osprey nesting at

Mashpee NWR.

Sandy Selesky Cynthia Cronig
PLYMOUTH PLYMOUTH

EDGARTOWN

BARNSTABLE

FALMOUTH

SALEM

BOSTON

BURYPORT BURYPORT

WORCESTER ORCESTER

MAYNARD MAYNARD

HARVARD HARVARD

FRAMINGHAM FRAMINGHAM

TAUNTON

CHATHAM

CONCORD CONCORD

PLYMOUTH

EDGARTOWN

NANTUCKET

BARNSTABLE

FALMOUTH

SALEM

BOSTON

NEWBURYPORT

WORCESTER

MAYNARD

HARVARD

FRAMINGHAM

TAUNTON

CHATHAM

CONCORD

90

95

395

95

93

95

95

90

495

495

495

195

1

1

3

44

44

6

6

3

24

9

2

Long

Pond

Watuppa

Ponds

Great

Quittacus

Pond

Wachusett

Reservoir

Nas hua R.

Oxbow 

National 

Wildlife 

Refuge

Assabet 

River 

National 

Wildlife 

Refuge

Massasoit 

National 

Wildlife Refuge

Great Meadows

National Wildlife 

Refuge

Concord 

Division

Sudbury 

Division

Mashpee

National 

Wildlife 

Refuge

Nomans CHILMARK

Land Island

National 

Wildlife Refuge

Monomoy

National 

Wildlife 

Refuge

Nantucket

National 

Wildlife 

Refuge

Eastern

Massachusetts 

National Wildlife

Refuge Complex

5 0 10 20 Miles

N
Silhouette at

sunset.

shorebirds, raptors, red fox, and

white-tailed deer. Both educational

and recreational activities are

offered by several partnership

groups including the Friends of

Mashpee National Wildlife Refuge.

Directions: Take Route 28 east

to Route 151 east to Mashpee

Commons. At the rotary take Great

Neck Road south to Jehu Pond

Conservation Area parking lot.

Please contact Friends of Mashpee

NWR for a complete map. There are

public use areas on several of the

partner’s properties.

Friends of Mashpee NWR

P.O. Box 1283,

Mashpee, Massachusetts 02649

Snapping turtle.

Bruce Flaig Paul Olsen

Least Tern at Monomoy NWR.

Located in Plymouth and managed

cooperatively with the

Massachusetts Division of Fisheries

and Wildlife, this 184-acre refuge is

home to the Plymouth red belly

turtle, a federally endangered

species. Research, monitoring, and

recovery efforts for the Plymouth

red belly turtle takes place at the

refuge. To protect this endangered

turtle, the refuge is closed to public

access.

Massasoit

National Wildlife

Refuge

Located on the elbow of Cape Cod

in Chatham, this refuge is made up of

7,244 acres of barrier beach, sand

dunes, freshwater ponds, and

saltwater marshes. Monomoy NWR

encompasses the only federally

designated Wilderness Area in

southern New England. Parts of the

refuge are seasonally closed to the

public to protect habitat for nesting

and feeding birds. The trails provide

visitors an opportunity to see a large

diversity of plants and animals.

Monomoy NWR is renowned for its

ability to support a wide variety of

bird species. Its barrier beaches

serve as a major stopover during the

migration along the Atlantic Flyway.

Monomoy

National Wildlife

Refuge

Stephanie Koch
Nantucket Great Point Lighthouse.

Directions: To reach the

headquarters on Morris Island, take

U.S. Route 6 east to State Road 137,

follow SR137 south, to State Route

28 east, follow Rt 28 through

Chatham to Chatham Lighthouse

and Coast Guard station. Take the

first left after the lighthouse, then

the first right. Follow Morris Island

Road to signs for the Refuge on

the left.

Located at the tip of Great Point

on Nantucket Island, this 40-acre

refuge provides surf fishing,

wildlife observation, and summer

interpretive programs. The refuge is

managed cooperatively with The

Trustees of Reservations. The

barrier beach habitat at Nantucket

NWR provides habitat for piping

plovers, migratory waterfowl, and

shorebirds. Parts of the refuge are

seasonally closed to the public to

protect habitat for nesting, feeding,

and resting birds. The refuge also

provides access to some of the best

saltwater fishing in the northeast.

Directions: The refuge is located

at the northern tip of Great Point

on Nantucket.

Nantucket

National Wildlife

Refuge

Janet Kennedy

Just off the coast of Martha’s

Vineyard, these 628 acres of upland

and wetland habitat support many

migratory bird species including

the peregrine falcon during its fall

migration. Due to its prior use as a

bombing range and the possibility of

unexploded ordnance, the island is

closed to the public.

Nomans Land

Island National

Wildlife Refuge

Oxbow National

Wildlife Refuge

Blandings Turtle

Situated along the Nashua River in

Harvard, Ayer, Shirley, and

Lanscaster, this 1547-acre refuge is

made up of freshwater wetlands and

uplands. A network of over 7 miles of

walking trails takes visitors along

the river bank, across two oxbow

ponds, and through beaver habitat.

Small game and upland gamebird

hunting are allowed here in

accordance with state laws.

Directions: The refuge can be

reached by taking Route 110 south

from Harvard Center for 1.8 miles

and turning right onto Still River

Depot Road. The refuge entrance

and parking lot are across the

railroad tracks and adjacent to

the river.

Dragonfly

Bruce Flaig

Bruce Flaig
Opportunities

for People

At many of our refuges,

opportunities for public enjoyment

of wildlife and wildlife habitat

through environmental education

and interpretation are provided.

Public support and involvement are

essential elements for a successful

refuge. Volunteer and friends groups

at individual refuges play a vital role

in their success. To get involved, call

or visit your local national wildlife

refuge and tell them you want to

help preserve your national

treasures.

All persons using the refuges are

asked to comply with local, state,

and federal laws, regulations, and

ordinances, as well as with any

refuge-specific regulations. For

more information, contact the

headquarters.

Use of designated trails within the

refuge for nature study, hiking and

photography is permitted from onehalf hour before sunrise to one-half

hour after sunset.

Dogs must be on a short hand-held

leash during the entire visit. With

the exception of Morris Island,

Monomoy NWR is closed to all pets.

All the other refuges are closed to all

other domestic pets. No horses are

permitted.

Bicycles and motorized vehicles are

restricted to the entrance roads and

parking areas.

Shooting, camping, building

campfires, swimming, and

ATVs/ORVs are not permitted.

Hunting is available at Oxbow NWR.

Please contact refuge headquarters

for specific regulations.

A Few Simple

Rules

u

Ng

jB

sy

Student field trip

and outdoor

classroom with

USFWS volunteer

Bob Reed.

E

Juanita Blaskowski

Boating and fishing are allowed in

the Concord, Sudbury, and Nashua

Rivers, but not in refuge pools.

The disturbance, destruction, or

removal of wildlife, vegetation, and

facilities are prohibited.

This is your refuge, but not only

yours. Enjoy it, but please do

nothing to harm it.

Eastern Massachusetts

National Wildlife Refuge Complex

73 Weir Hill Road

Sudbury, Massachusetts 01776

978/443 4661

978/443 2898 Fax

Monday-Friday, 8:00 am to 4:00 pm

Hearing impaired may call the

Massachusetts Relay Service at:

1 800/439 2370.

A large-print version of this

brochure is available on request.

For Further

Information,

Please Contact:

Office Hours

Above: Yellow

iris in bloom.

Right:

Periwinkles

Bruce Flaig

Bruce Flaig
LEGEND

Rivers/Stream

Cranberry bog 

Trails 

Lake or Pond

Marsh, Wetland, Swamp or Bog

Primary Route

Road or Street

Sudbury Unit

Concord Unit

Refuge Boundary

Refuge Headquarters

Parking Lots

Heated Comfort Station

Observation/Photo Blind

Canoe/Boat Launch

Wildlife Watching Tips

Dawn and dusk are the best

times to see wildlife.

In warmer climates, little is

moving on hot summer

afternoons or on windy days.

Observe from the sidelines.

Leave “abandoned” young

animals alone. A parent is

probably close by waiting for

you to leave. Don’t offer snacks;

your lunch could disrupt wild

digestive systems.

Cars make good observation

blinds. Drive slowly, stopping to

scan places wildlife might hide.

Use binoculars or a long lens for

a closer look. Try sitting quietly in one good

location. Let wildlife get used to

your presence. Many animals

that have hidden will reappear

once they think you are gone. Walk quietly in designated

areas, being aware of sounds

and smells. Often you will hear

more than you will see. Teach children quiet

observation. Other wildlife

watchers will appreciate your

consideration.

Look for animal signs. Tracks,

scat, feathers, and nests left

behind often tell interesting

stories.
0 1 2 Miles

N

20

Lake

Boon

Willis Pond

SUDBURYMARLBOROUGH

STATE 

FOREST

SUDBURYMARLBOROUGH

STATE 

FOREST

SUDBURY STATE

FOREST

Ass abe t River

Hudson Road

117

27

117

27

Elizabeth Brook

62 62

White Pond

Candings

Mill

Pond

Pratt's Mill Pond Hop Brook

Puffer

Pond

Voss

Pond

Cottings

Pond

Taylor Brook

Ministers

Pond

Concord Road

Mainstr State Road

White Pond Road

Sudbury Road

Fairbank Road

Sudbury Road

Old Marborough Road

White Pond Road

Assabet River 

National Wildlife

Refuge

Great Meadows 

National Wildlife Refuge

Concord/Sudbury Units

N

0 1.5 3 miles

Concord 

Division

Concord River

62

2A

4

4

225

AssabetRiver

Monument St

River Rd CONCORD

BEDFORD

Concord 

Impoundments

Sudbury

R iver

Walden 

Pond

2

62

Sudbury Rd

WALDEN

 POND

 STATE

 RESERVATION

2A

95

Bedford Rd LINCOLN

to Route 128

Heard 

Pond

126

126

27

Pelham 

Island Rd

SOUTH

SUDBURY

126

W A YLAND

White 

Pond

117

NORTH 

SUDBURY

Fairhaven

Bay

Farrar 

Pond

Lincoln Rd

27

Concord Rd

Sherman Bridge 

Road

Lincoln Rd

Weir Hill Rd

Sudbury 

Division

SUDBURY

Sudbury R iver

20

3

Concord R

0 9 18 27 Miles

495

93

90

95

128

117

128

27

27

2

126

126

285

20

1

1

3 CONCORD

AREA

SUDBURY

AREA

CONCORD

AREA

Bedford

Burlington

Framingham

Cambridge

Lynn

Quincy

Brookline

Lowell

Billerica

Carlisle

N. Reading

Wakefield

Stoneham

Melrose

Malden

Everett

Dovers

Chelsea

Wakefield

Stoneham

Melrose

Malden

Everett

Saugus

Peabody

Swampscott

Beverly

Salem

Winthrop

Revere

Reading Lynnfield Dovers

Wilmington

Natick Wellesley

Norwood

Dedham Braintree Weymouth

Hingham Milton

Newton

Watertown

Woburn

Winchester

Lexington

Waltham

Belmont

Watertown

Somerville

MedfordChelsea

Lincoln

Needham

Concord

Maynard

Wayland

BOSTON

Sudbury R

Massachu s etts Bay
Grafton Pocket Road

Nayway Road

Red Brook Road

Ostrum

Road

Metoxit Road Meadow Neck

 Road

Seconsett

Island

Road

Ockway

Bay

Shoestring Bay

Mashpee 

National Wildlife

Refuge

Johns 

Pond

Mashpee 

Pond

Wakeby

Pond

Ashumet

Pond

East

Falmouth

Nantucket Sound

Waquoit

Bay

N

0 1.25 2.5 Miles

130

151

28

Heritage

Memorial

Park

Mashpee

Wildlife

Sanctuary

Quashret

Road

Lovell's

Lane Brockes Road

Moody 

Pond Great Neck Road North

Lowell Road

Rotary

Route 28

Quashet River

Old Barnstables

Road

 Hooppale Road

Coonamesset Reservation

Crane Village

Management Areas Sandwich Road

Childs River

Vineyard Sound

Seapit River

Eel

Pond

Hamblin

Pond

Jehu

Pond

Jehu Pond

Consevation

Area

Flat

Pond

South Cape

Beach Park

I

Atlantic

Ocean

MILES STANDISH 

STATE RESERVATION

Great 

South 

Pond

Little 

South 

Pond

Hoyts

Pond

Long

Pond

Gallows

Pond

Little

Long

Pond

Massasoit National 

Wildlife Refuge

Massasoit 

National 

Wildlife Refuge

012

N

3

3A

44

Plymouth

Boot Pond

Russell Millpond

Gunners

Exchange

Pond

Crooked

Pond

Refuge Closed to Public Access
6

28

137 28

0 1.75 3.5 Miles

N

 North 

 Monomoy

Island

 South 

 Monomoy

Island

MORRIS

ISLAND

Station

Ponds

Powder

Hole

South

Beach

Bridge St

Hospital 

Pond

Main St

Morris 

Island Rd

Tisquantum 

CAPE

COD

CHATHAM

Nantucket Sound

Atlantic

Ocean

Main St

Shore Rd

Wikis 

Way

Exit 11 Monomoy

National Wildlife

Refuge

Nantucket

Harbor

Head of the

Harbor

Atlantic

Ocean

Nantucket 

Sound

Lighthouse

Nantucket National 

Wildlife Refuge

Sand Road

The Trustees

of Reservation

Nantucket

National Wildlife 

Refuge

0 2 1 Miles

N
Nomans Land

Island

(Refuge Closed

to Public Use)

Atlantic

Ocean

Squibnocket

Point

Squibnocket

Point

Menemsha

Pond

MENEMSHA

AQUINNAH

CHILMARK

MARTHA'S

VINEYARD

q

Nomans

Land Island

National Wildlife 

Refuge Complex

0 1.75 3.5 Miles

N

Na shua

River

0 1 .75 .5 Miles

N

2

110

111

110

111

2A

111

2A

W. Main St

Shirley Rd

Hospital Rd

B&M Railroad

Still River 

Depot Rd

Exit 37B

Exit 38

Robbins

Pond

Mirror

Lake

Gravel Pond

Little

Mirror

Lake

Sherman Ave

to Route 117

Jackson Rd

Patton Rd

Wa lker Rd

 FORT

 DEVINS

 MILITARY

 RESERVATION

Oxbow

National

Wildlife

Refuge

Harvard
Eastern Massachusetts

National Wildlife Refuge Complex

73 Weir Hill Road

Sudbury, Massachusetts 01776

978/443 4661

978/443 2898 Fax

r5rw_gmnwr@fws.gov

http://easternmanwrcomplex.fws.gov

Massachusetts Relay Service

1 800/439-2370

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

http://www.fws.gov

For Refuge Information

1 800/344 WILD

June 2001

Cover photograph of a dragonfly on Great Meadows

National Wildlife Refuge by Bruce Flaig