Swift River Reservation
Encyclopedia
The Swift River Reservation is a 439 acres (177.7 ha) open space preserve located in Petersham, Massachusetts
, United States. The property, named after the East Branch of the Swift River (a tributary of the Ware River
) , is managed by the land conservation non-profit organization The Trustees of Reservations
and offers 7 miles (11.3 km) of trails available for hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking, and cross country skiing. Ledges, river corridor, woodlands, scenic vistas, and wetlands characterize the preserve.
The property is divided into three contiguous parcels, the Slab City Tract, Davis Tract, and Nichewaug Tract. Trailheads are located off Massachusetts Route 32/122, Glen Valley Road, and Nichewaug Road in Petersham. A network of trails runs between the Davis and Nichewaug tracts; the Slab City tract is not connected to the other two parcels via trail. The East Branch of the Swift River passes through the Slab City and Nichewaug tracts.
The tracts were acquired in 1983 and 1985 by the Trustees of Reservations.
The Swift River Reservation is part of a larger area of protected open space including Harvard University
's Harvard Forest
, and state owned land.
Petersham, Massachusetts
Petersham is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 1,234 at the 2010 census. Petersham is home to a considerable amount of conservation land, including the Quabbin Reservation, Harvard Forest, the Swift River Reservation, and Federated Women's Club State...
, United States. The property, named after the East Branch of the Swift River (a tributary of the Ware River
Ware River
The Ware River is a river in central Massachusetts. It has two forks, the longest of which begins near Hubbardston, Massachusetts...
) , is managed by the land conservation non-profit organization The Trustees of Reservations
The Trustees of Reservations
The Trustees of Reservations is a non-profit land conservation and historic preservation organization dedicated to preserving natural and historical places in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is the oldest regional land trust in the world and has 100,000 dues-paying members...
and offers 7 miles (11.3 km) of trails available for hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking, and cross country skiing. Ledges, river corridor, woodlands, scenic vistas, and wetlands characterize the preserve.
The property is divided into three contiguous parcels, the Slab City Tract, Davis Tract, and Nichewaug Tract. Trailheads are located off Massachusetts Route 32/122, Glen Valley Road, and Nichewaug Road in Petersham. A network of trails runs between the Davis and Nichewaug tracts; the Slab City tract is not connected to the other two parcels via trail. The East Branch of the Swift River passes through the Slab City and Nichewaug tracts.
History and Conservation
The reservation was farmland until the late 1880s. Small scale mill industries also stripped the area of trees. When farming migrated to the Midwest and the industries closed, the land became wooded again. The property contains cellar hole remains of farmsteads. Scenic vistas are located on the Slab City and Nichewaug tracts.The tracts were acquired in 1983 and 1985 by the Trustees of Reservations.
The Swift River Reservation is part of a larger area of protected open space including Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
's Harvard Forest
Harvard Forest
Harvard Forest is an ecological research area of owned and managed by Harvard University and located in Petersham, Massachusetts. The property, in operation since 1907, includes one of North America's oldest managed forests, educational and research facilities, a museum, and recreation trails...
, and state owned land.