Myles Standish State Forest

Myles Standish State Forest
Massachusetts State Forest
Named for: Myles Standish
Country United States
State Massachusetts
County Plymouth
Towns Carver, Plymouth
Elevation 144 ft (44 m) [1]
Coordinates 41°51′23″N 70°40′32″W / 41.85639°N 70.67556°W / 41.85639; -70.67556Coordinates: 41°51′23″N 70°40′32″W / 41.85639°N 70.67556°W / 41.85639; -70.67556
Area 12,029 acres (4,868 ha) [2]
Established 1916 [3]
Management Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation
 - Park Headquarters Cranberry Road, Carver
 - coordinates 41°50′21″N 70°41′28″W / 41.83917°N 70.69111°W / 41.83917; -70.69111
Location in Massachusetts
Website: Myles Standish State Forest

Myles Standish State Forest is state forest located in the towns of Plymouth and Carver in southeastern Massachusetts, approximately 45 miles (70 km) south of Boston. It is the largest publicly owned recreation area in this part of Massachusetts and is managed by the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR).[4]

Description

The forest is part of the Atlantic coastal pine barrens ecoregion and consists largely of pitch pine and scrub oak forests—at 26 square miles (67 km2), one of the largest such forests north of Long Island. The forest surrounds 16 lakes and ponds, including several ecologically significant coastal kettle ponds.

Ecology

Species commonly found in Southeast Massachusetts pine barrens:[5]

Plants

Trees

Fruit-bearing

Animals

Birds

Insects

Reptiles

Mammals

Deer

Activities and amenities

Recreational uses include swimming, hunting, fishing, kayaking, canoeing, and picnicking. Day-use areas are found at College Pond and Fearing Pond. Hunting is allowed during the season, and two Wildlife Management Areas within the forest are stocked with game birds in October and November. In the summer, the park offers interpretive programs, such as pond shore walks and cranberry bog explorations.[4]

Trails

The forest offers fifteen miles (24 km) of paved bicycle trails, thirty-five miles (56 km) of horse trails, and thirteen miles (21 km) of hiking trails. The "Bicycle Trails of Carver" were included in the Massachusetts Department of Travel and Tourism's list of 1000 great places in Massachusetts.[6]

Camping

Camping is offered at five sites, four of which are located at ponds: Curlew Pond, Fearing Pond, Charge Pond, Barrett Pond. A portion of the Charge Pond area is set aside for equestrian camping.

Ponds

The follow table lists the ponds and recreational activities available at each in Myles Standish State Forest.[7]

Pond name   Size
(acres)  		 Maximum
depth
(feet)  		 Location in
forest  		 Swimming    Fishing   Boating   Remarks  
Barrett1617SouthwestPublic swimming area posted for elevated bacteria levels during the 2010 swimming season.
Bumps204EastNo accessNo accessNo access
Charge2317South
Cherry2-North-centralLALALA
College5324CentralPublic swimming area posted for elevated bacteria levels during the 2010 swimming season.
Curlew4331NorthwestPublic swimming area posted for elevated bacteria levels during the 2010 swimming season.
Doctors23SoutheastNFANFANFA
East Head Reservoir8610SouthwestNPBoat onlyOwned by the Davison Partners. Property line is six rods (99 feet) from high-water mark.
Fearing2420South-centralPublic swimming area posted for elevated bacteria levels during the 2010 swimming season.
Grassy3-SoutheastNPNPNP
Hooper3-North-centralNPNPNP
Little College3-North-centralNFANFANFA
Little Widgeon75NorthwestLALALA
Manters Hole2-NorthwestNPNPNP
New Grassy64SoutheastLALA
New Long236CentralNFA
Rocky2019NorthwestNFA
Round1012CentralLALALA
Three Cornered144CentralLALALALocated northeast of New Long Pond and southwest of College Pond; water quality impaired due to non-native aquatic plants.
Torrey34CentralNPNPNP
Widgeon2412NorthwestNFA

= FORMAL ACCESS is available for recreational activity.
NFA = Recreational activity is permitted, but NO FORMAL ACCESS is available.
LA = LIMITED ACCESS for low impact recreational use is permitted, sensitive pond shore habitat.
NP = Recreational access NOT PERMITTED, habitat protection area.

Scouting

Cachalot Scout Reservation, a Boy Scout camp, encompasses 880 acres (360 ha) surrounding Five Mile Pond adjacent to Myles Standish State Forest.[8] Camp Squanto is also located within Myles Standish State Forest[9] as is Camp Wind-in-the-Pines, a girl scout camp.[10]

Prison

A state correctional facility, MCI - Plymouth, is also located in Myles Standish State Forest.[11]

In the news

On May 14, 1977, according to the Plymouth Police Department records, Eric H. Anderson Jr. murdered Ruth Masters (née Ruth Rydberg), a teacher in nearby Hanson, Massachusetts, while she was riding her bike alone on an isolated trail in the park. He was later found guilty and sentenced to life imprisonment in Maine State Prison in Warren, Maine.[12]

References

  1. ↑ "Myles Standish State Forest". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  2. ↑ "2012 Acreage Listing" (PDF). Department of Conservation and Recreation. April 2012. Retrieved January 19, 2014.
  3. ↑ "Fifty-second Annual Report of the Commissioners on Fish and Game for the year ended November 30, 1917" (PDF). Retrieved May 29, 2016.
  4. 1 2 "Myles Standish State Forest". MassParks. Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. Retrieved January 19, 2014.
  5. ↑ "The Pine Barrens of Southeast Massachusetts" (PDF). The Nature Conservacy. Retrieved June 10, 2016.
  6. ↑ Great Places in Massachusetts Commission (July 12, 2010). "1,000 places to visit in Massachusetts". Boston Globe. Retrieved August 10, 2010.
  7. ↑ "Resource Management Plan: Myles Standish Planning Unit" (PDF). Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation. December 2011. p. 17. Retrieved July 6, 2012.
  8. ↑ "Camp Cachalot". Boy Scouts of America, Narragansett Council. Retrieved January 19, 2014.
  9. ↑ "Camp Squanto". Old Colony Council. Retrieved September 19, 2014.
  10. ↑ "Camp Wind-in-the-Pines". Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts. Retrieved September 19, 2014.
  11. ↑ "MCI-Plymouth". Executive Office of Public Safety and Security. Retrieved September 19, 2014.
  12. ↑ Ellement, John (November 11, 2003). "Man guilty in 1977 murder". Boston Globe. Retrieved October 17, 2009.
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