Haverhill's Crystal Lake Conservation Initiative Will Protect Drinking Water, Trails and Wildlife Habitat

The Crystal Lake Watershed is an integral part of Haverhill's drinking water supply. Greenbelt is currently working towards the conservation of 88 acres in the watershed to protect drinking water, threatened wildlife and fragile ecosystems. Conserving this land will also expand the City of Haverhill's Crystal Gorge trail network. Please consider a donation today to help Greenbelt raise the funds needed for this critical conservation project. Thank you!

Crystal Lake Conservation Initiative→

News and Happenings

A Great Day for GovsPLUS and Greenbelt at Den Rock Park

The GovsPLUS class of '22 and Greenbelt had a fantastic time exploring Den Rock Park in Lawrence earlier this month. A close-up look at beaver habitat, an exercise in water journaling and a hike on Den Rock's trails rounded out an educational and enjoyable afternoon together.

GovsPLUS is a summer program at The Governor's Academy that engages 40 rising 8th- and 9th-grade students from Lawrence to "strengthen their academic skills, build their self-confidence, and engage in formative service and experiential learning opportunities." Greenbelt was thrilled to spend time outdoors with this impressive group, and looks forward to more time together in the future.

Explore Den Rock Park→

Young Naturalists Have a Field Day at Greenbelt

As part of Greenbelt's Family Nature Series, Andrew Prazar of North Shore Nature Programs led an eager group in search of seeds, nuts and berries at Greenbelt's Cox Reservation in Essex. These young naturalists learned about the life-cycle of plants, how seeds travel and what tasty treats might be part of that process! The black raspberries offered a rewarding harvest as part of the day's program.

Family Nature Series→

Successful Osprey Season Winds Down

Another amazing Osprey nesting season is drawing to a close, as many pairs are fledging their young and preparing to migrate to their southern wintering grounds. Our nest monitors - an invaluable group of volunteer community scientists - are reporting over 75 active nesting pairs, a solid increase over the 69 pairs observed in our region in 2021. By this season's end, we expect to band over 40 chicks and fledge between 75 and 100 chicks. Complete details will be available in our annual report in September.

Take a Live Look at Osprey→

New Friends and Old Trails

Greenbelt enjoyed a hike at the historic Lynn Woods Reservation with a group of new friends from Lynn Museum. The event was part of the museum's "Second Saturday" program. Led by Lynn Woods Ranger Dan Small, this energetic crew hiked on centuries-old trails while learning about the area's diverse wildlife and storied history. The beautiful clear day allowed for spectacular, panoramic views from the top of Lynn Wood's famous Stone Tower. Many thanks to Lynn Museum and Dan for a fabulous hike!  

Lynn Woods→

Camp Creighton's 121 acres permanently protected for the Boys & Girls Club of Lynn

After a multi-year collaboration with the Boys & Girls Club of Lynn and the MA Department of Conservation and Recreation, Greenbelt permanently protected the 121-acre Camp Creighton property in Middleton. The Club owns the property and Greenbelt and DCR co-hold a Conservation Restriction that protects the land and its natural resources while allowing the Club to operate and make improvements to the camp over time. Greenbelt thanks the Club for this incredible conservation opportunity, and the Creighton family, DCR, the Institution for Savings Conservation Fund and many others for their generous support.

Camp Creighton Conservation Project→

Remembering Elton McCausland and Susie Weld

The Greenbelt community is saddened by the recent passing of Elton McCausland and Susie Weld, two ardent supporters of land conservation who served on Greenbelt's Board of Directors. Elton (87, who lived with his family in Ipswich when he served on the Board) and Susie (90, who resided in Essex during her tenure with Greenbelt) generously offered their time, wise counsel and friendship to Greenbelt for many years. They will be greatly missed.

Elton B. "Duke" McCausland→

Susanna B. Weld→

Stay Connected with Greenbelt

We hope you enjoyed our monthly e-newsletter. Stay connected! Join us for an event, check out our properties, download our trails app, and explore ways to volunteer.

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