South Shore TrailsWyman North Fork Conservation Area
Located in Bridgewater, Wyman North Fork Conservation Area is a 96 acre property with natural wetland habitats. The 1. 1 mile trail is ideal for hiking and birding. 1-mile blue-blazed…
Bridgewater
1 trail
Taunton River headwaters town
Wildlands Trust
Bridgewater sits at the headwaters of the Taunton River - the longest undammed coastal river in New England - where Wildlands Trust protects over a mile of pristine river frontage at the Great River Preserve.
Landscape
Bridgewater sits at the very headwaters of the Taunton River, formed by the confluence of the Town and Matfield Rivers. The Taunton is the longest undammed coastal river in New England, dropping just 20 feet in elevation over its 40-mile course to Mount Hope Bay.
Conservation
Wildlands Trust protects land along the upper Taunton in Bridgewater, including the 125-acre Great River Preserve at Conihasset, acquired with the Massachusetts Department of Fish and Game in 2009. It anchors a 1,400-acre stretch of protected river corridor extending toward Halifax.
History
The Taunton River watershed was one of the earliest and largest Native settlement areas in the region, with the Bridgewater/Middleborough area yielding some of its most significant archaeological sites. The Taunton was designated a National Wild & Scenic River in 2009.
Useful Links
- Wildlands Trust
- https://www.wildlandstrust.org
- Taunton River Watershed Alliance
- https://savethetaunton.org