Description
Why You Should Visit
The preserve protects a variety of habitats in a relatively intact forested landscape including forest, ponds, portions of Coles Brook and shrub wetlands. It abuts additional protected areas including the 3,400-acre Middlefield State Forest. The 1.2-mile Headwaters Trail, named for the narrow stream that emerges from the spring-fed Benson Pond, features gentle slopes, a natural stone staircase and charming bridges over Coles Brook. As you hike, enjoy exploring both young and mature forest areas. Notice the cooler temperatures and larger trees as you enter the oldest part of the forest. The trail offers access to this haven for wildlife, including porcupines, beavers, moose, birds, salamanders and more.
Why TNC Selected This Site
Coles Brook is a part of the Westfield River watershed of the Connecticut River and provides unique conservation opportunities based on the combination of intact forests and high-quality rivers and streams. This area offers one of the last and best opportunities for large-scale forest and aquatic system conservation in southern New England. The Nature Conservancy’s goal is to conserve the integrity of these forests and rivers both to protect the Connecticut River watershed as well as provide connectivity to other forested habitats in the Appalachians.
What TNC Has Done/Is Doing
From 2005 to present TNC has protected 16 tracts of land that now make up the preserve. We actively maintain and manage the land for resilience and to best support the plant and animal species that call it home.
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