Lindsey Sarquilla, Land Information Systems Assistant
Recently on a beautifully clear and sunny day, two intrepid stewardship staff members (John Coolidge, CR Stewardship Specialist, and I) crossed the waters of Spy Pond in Arlington to reach the shore of one of Mass Audubon’s newest CRs, Elizabeth Island. The 1 ¾ acre island is owned by Arlington Land Trust, and Mass Audubon co-holds the CR with the Town of Arlington (check out our previous blog post on this project).
With the sun at our backs we ventured out to the island with the help of a canoe borrowed from a local friend of Mass Audubon and the Arlington Land Trust. We gathered baseline documentation (photos, GPS locations of trails and landing areas, etc.) by water and land to help inform future monitoring of the island. We were delighted to see that the island is undoubtedly well-loved by the public, with no recent evidence of trash or other abuses found. It really is no surprise that this lovely oasis of natural habit is a beloved landmark in Arlington—and we’re very proud to help protect it!
John Coolidge, CR Stewardship Specialist, taking in the property conditions (and the sunshine).
Swan sunning on northwestern point of Elizabeth Island, now dubbed “Swan Point.”
Taken from the canoe; the same view of the island as you see from Concord Turnpike.
