The Trust cooperates with the Trustees of Reservations, the Friends of the Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge, and the Nashua River Watershed Association, and other regional land trusts and environmental groups to protect larger parcels of land and to sponsor outdoor education programs.
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1. Cook Conservation Area and Lancaster State Forest
About 800 acres owned by the Lancaster Conservation Commission; located a mile and a half from Rte. 117 on the west side of Lunenburg Road, Rte. 70. Connects to the Chapman/Goodale land that extends into Leominster. Parking is available. A six-mile trail runs along the North Branch of the Nashua and returns by cart paths.
2. Bolton Flats Management Area
1320 acres owned by Div. of Mass. Fisheries & Wildlife. There are two parking lots on either side of Rte. 117. The largely flat intervale includes walks along the main stem of the Nashua. Beware of opening day of hunting season in the fall. Sundays are a good day to go, since hunting is not allowed then.
3. Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge
1667 acres owned by the US Dept. of Fish and Wildlife. Parking and canoe access off Still River Depot Road in the Still River section of Harvard. This is a good birding area with oxbow ponds, river greenway and wetlands. Good winter access. It is buggy in the spring and early summer.
4. Turner Pond Conservation Area
38 acres owned by the Lancaster Land Trust. Parking at the Brian Road cul-de-sac off Kaleva Road, which off Lunenburg Road just north of Rte. 2. The access road runs between two developments on either side of Turner Pond, a glacial kettle hole pond. A spruce bog is on the north side of the pond.
5. Lancaster Town Forest
About 600 acres on both sides of Brockelman Road owned by the town of Lancaster. Parking is available. Paths run along several ponds and wetlands.
6. Bartlett Pond Conservation Area
About 20 acres owned by the Lancaster Conservation Commission on Rte. 117 by Rte. 190. Paved parking lot with access to Bartlett Pond.
7. Ballard Hill Conservation Area
34 acres on the north side of Rte. 117 at the top of Ballard Hill, owned by the Lancaster Land Trust. Parking lot is next to 2273 Main Street. This land connects to about 600 acres of open land. Walk down pole line to the North Branch of the Nashua River, or follow the cart path west of the pole line.
8. Atherton Bridge River Greenway
Conservation Commission land on south side of Bolton Road. Trail runs along the east side of the South Branch of the Nashua.
9. Lancaster Town Beach
On Old Union Turnpike east of Rte. 70, Lunenburg Road. Beach sticker required. Swimming but no boating.
10. Dexter Drumlin
35 acres donated to The Trustees of Reservations by town father Nat Dexter on George Hill Road across from Browning Elementary. Parking is along the road. This glacial deposit from 12,000 years ago, offers sledding and cross-country skiing in winter. Scenic walking area year round, dogs are allowed on leashes. Great kite flying at top of hill.
