Estabrook Woods facts for kids

The Estabrook Woods is a large natural area of over 1,200 acres (about 4.8 square kilometers) with forests, hills, rocks, and wet areas. It is located about two miles (3 kilometers) north of the town of Concord, Massachusetts. This beautiful area is named after the Estabrook family, who were important in the area since early American times.

A Look Back in Time

People have used the land in Estabrook Woods for a long time. Native American tribes, like the Algonquian peoples, used to clear parts of the forest by carefully burning them. Later, early American settlers cleared much of the woods to create farms and fields for animals. But over time, the forest has grown back.

A famous writer named Henry David Thoreau loved this area. He called it "Easterbrooks Country." In his journal from 1857, he wrote about how wild and wonderful "Easterbrooks Country" was. He said it was a place that made "natural persons" happy, even though it wasn't farmed. Today, you can find stone markers that show the path Minutemen took during the American Revolution, heading towards Concord.

Protecting the Woods

In the early 1900s, some families in Concord started buying land in Estabrook Woods. In 1932, they asked the town to close an old logging trail called Old Estabrook Road. This helped protect the area from new houses and buildings.

Around 1965, these families worked with Harvard University and Middlesex School to create a nature preserve. They set up Harvard's Concord Field Station and put rules in place to stop building on many private lands. In 1996, the towns of Concord and Carlisle worked together on something called the "Campaign for Estabrook Woods." This effort helped protect another 400 acres of land.

Why Estabrook Woods is Special

Estabrook Woods is very important for nature and wildlife.

• It is home to five types of plants and animals that are listed as endangered or of "special concern" in Massachusetts. These include a rare dragonfly, the Blue Spotted Salamander, the Elderberry Long horned Beetle, the Spotted Turtle, and the Mystic Valley Amphipod.
• The woods are also a breeding place for at least three "watch list" species. These are animals that scientists are keeping an eye on, like the Spotted Salamander, Northern Leopard Frog, and Northern Goshawk.
• More than 159 different kinds of birds live in Estabrook Woods. This includes six types of thrushes, four types of owls, and ten types of hawks!
• In 1993, the U.S. government officially named Estabrook Woods a "Forest Legacy Area." This means it's recognized for its important environmental values, rare species, and historical sites.
• In 2001, Massachusetts called Estabrook Woods a "core habitat." This means it's a very important natural area that needs to be protected to keep many different kinds of plants and animals healthy.

Estabrook Woods is bordered by Lowell Road to the west, Monument Street to the east, and Bedford Road (Route 225) to the north.

Who Owns the Woods?

Even though the public can visit Estabrook Woods, most of the land is privately owned. Harvard University owns 672 acres, and Middlesex School owns 180 acres. Many smaller landowners also own parts of the woods.

Images for kids

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  Estabrook Woods pond

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  Estabrook Woods wetlands