Blue Hills Reservation, Boston, MA   Raymond Caron
  Mar 27, 2005 06:57 PST  
...

Speaking of Boston Area Old Growth, I'd recommend taking a look at Blue
Hills Reservation. This area has been parkland for over 100 years and
I've seen many fine specimens and groves of hardwoods that are really
coming into their prime and would certainly merit ENTS taking a look at
if you're ever in the area. Great Meadows Wildlife Management Area in
Concord also has nice stand of White Pine which coupled with Concord
River wetlands teaming with migratory waterfowl makes for
multidimensional outdoors experience.

Raymond Caron

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http://www.mass.gov/mdc/BLUE.HTM 
http://www.friendsofthebluehills.org/ 
Blue Hills Reservation, Milton MA    Raymond Caron
   Apr 25, 2005 16:40 PDT 

Last chance to get out before the leaf canopy closes off views into the
forest …. I visited two localities in Blue Hills Reservation on 4/24/05
looking for old growth trees. Blue Hills Reservation on second
inspection is not as good as I first thought in terms of old growth
forest. I now see there are isolated pockets here and there, but these
are limited mainly to sites with some human habitation history. Most of
the area is extremely rocky particularly summits where Pitch Pine and
Chestnut Oaks dominate. Of course I’ve only sampled a few areas so far
and I will continue to seek out new areas.

First was an area north of Reservation Headquarters. I hiked northwest
on Wolcott Path then north on Five Corners Path and then northeast on
Border Path until I got to Intersection #1175 where I continued
northeast on Border Path heading down slope until I reached a grove of
predominantly White Pines of good size. This grove is mostly on top of
a steep bank on south side of the Chestnut Run Brook. A stone wall runs
along the brook and stops at this site. The site features a large stone
fireplace of peculiar construction. Hard to describe, but it has a
large central chimney centered between two 10’ long sidewalls. The fire
can be viewed from front and back. It doesn’t look like it was part of
house and is too close to the brook for that as it would have been too
damp particularly in heavy rains. I’m thinking it was something to do
with picnicking. A series of stone steps leads one to the top of the
steep bank. I took following circumference measurements:   

W.P. – 9’-6”, 7’-2”, 8’-10”, 7’-4”, 7’-0”, 7’-2 & 8’-4” Twin Trunk,
14’-5” Triple Trunk, splits at 8 or 9’ elevation, 9’-2”, 8’-6”, 10’-7”
Twin Trunk, splits at 10’, 7’-11”, 6’-11”, 7’-2”, 10’-2” Triple Trunk,
first splits at 12’, second splits 15’+, two Eastern Hemlocks 6’-8”,
7’-2”

There was one downed white pine with twin trunk and topmost branches
laying across the brook. It was somewhat advanced in decay. Bark was
off and was slippery to walk on. I measured the length using a tape and
both trunks measured 100’ long. The trunk splits at approx. 13-14’ from
base. Circumference below split was 10’-6” with out bark. One trunk
above split was 6’-9” around. Second trunk was similar diameter.

Second locality of interest was an area to the east of Route 28 at base
of Chickatawbut Hill. I accessed area from trailhead parking at
intersection of Chicatawbut Road and Rt 28. Area of interest is in
upland portion of triangle formed by three trails Braintree Pass Path,
Bouncing Brook Path, and Lee Path. Braintree Pass Path and Braintree
Pass Path were probably formerly regular carriage roads before being
incorporated into the Blue Hills Reservation Park system. The area has
number of stone walls and at top of grade is cellar hole. Area in
triangle is primarily hardwoods with many nice red oaks. Area
immediately to south of Braintree Pass Path is relatively young white
pines that extend up to top of Hawk Hill. Red Oaks circumference
measurements are as follows: 7’-6”, 7’-9”, 9’-7”, 6’-11”, 9’-1”, 7’-1”,
9’-7”, 8’-2”, 6’-1”, 7’-1”, 7’-9”, one double trunk tree with 7’1” and
7’-9” trunks. I continued to spot nice specimens as I walked
southeastward along Braintree Pass Path, but they did seem concentrated
along the trail. Perhaps this was trees that were growing in the lot
immediately adjacent to a farmhouse and ones that grew along the field
bordering the old road.

I then took Barberry Bush Trail to Great Cedar Swamp where I did indeed
see something unusual. Great Cedar Swamp actually has cedar trees
growing in it. Most cedar swamps are cedar swamps in name only as the
cedar trees get logged out for fence posts etc. Swamp is Ό mile X ½
mile and continues on far side south side of Route 128. I walked along
about 1/3 mile of the border of the swamp and as far as I could see
there were cedar trees. I later saw more of the same cedar tree species
when I reached the summit of Chicatawbut Hill. Summits of Blue Hills
feature Pitch Pine and Chestnut Oaks. Uplands adjacent to the swamp had
nice sized chestnut oaks with very distinct deeply furrowed bark.
Leaves were atypical with 10-12 tooth edge leaves looking more like
leaves of the Chinkapin Oak.


Ray Caron
Waltham MA