North Pond Conservation Area
Date Acquired: June 28th, 2019
Acreage: 61.314
Appropriation: This land was purchased in collaboration with the Franklin Land Trust, the Massachusetts Department of Fish and Game, and the Town of Southwick along with many individual donation contributions.
Level of Difficulty: Easy | Length: TBD | Average Time to Complete: TBD | Route Type: Loop
Elevation Gain: TBD | Wheelchair Access: No | Dog Friendly: Yes (must remain on leash and discard waste off premises)
Property Location: 49 South Longyard Road, Southwick, MA 01077
Trailhead(s): South Longyard Road, across the street from Granaudo Circle Southwick, MA 01077, | Trailhead Parking Lot
Permitted Uses: Hiking, Cross-Country Skiing, Snow Shoeing, Hunting, Fishing, Trapping, Wildlife Observation, Trail Running, Bird Watching, Dog Walking (must remain on leash), Geocaching, Open from Dawn to Dusk (unless prior permission is granted from the Conservation Commission)
Rules: No Alcoholic Beverages, No Camping, No Removal or Destruction of Vegetation, No Dumping, No Open Fires, No Grills, No Picnicing, No Glass Containers, No Unauthorized Vehicles, No Littering, No Rope Swings, No Mountain Bikes, No Creation of New Trails
Highlights: Kiosk, Marked Trails, Lake Vistas, Vernal Pool, Foot Access to Lake Congamond
About the Preserve
In June of 2019 the property was purchased by the Town of Southwick with the help of the Massachusetts Fish and Game and the Franklin Land Trust. The land is protected, in perpetuity, for its natural, scenic and open condition for fish and wildlife conservation, native habitat protection, management for biodiversity protection and is open to the public for passive outdoor recreation.
Upon entering the property from the trailhead parking lot you will see a kiosk. Within the property there is a series of marked trails. These trails are: the Main Trail which spans the length of the property, the Scenic Trail which provides views of the lake and the Vernal Pool trail which encircles the one certified vernal pool on the property.
Kiosk built by Andrey Belshev, an Eagle Boy Scout, with help from this troop.
The trails are relatively easy to traverse, with areas that are mostly flat with some spots either gaining or dropping elevation. All trails are wooded, providing shade from the primarily oak, hemlock and white pine trees. Some hemlock stands are noted to be almost old-growth like. This property provides opportunities to see and hear woodland birds, such as the barred owl and pileated woodpeckers.
Sounds of Pileated Woodpeckers
This property buffers the natural resources of the Southwick Wildlife Management Area and North Pond. The forest provides a safe corridor for wildlife, as well as helps improve the water quality of the lake. A forested watershed catches the rain, stores it and slowly releases it all while keeping erosion to a minimum. The result is a consistent supply of clean water. Thus fish, wildlife and human recreation all benefit from its protection.
Vernal Pools
Vernal pools appear as depressions in the topography and only fill up with water for part of the year, usually from spring melt. They are an important habitat for specialized species. Some animals live in the vernal pools year round, withstanding very wet and dry habitats. They do this by depositing drought resistant eggs or cysts or some burrow into the subsurface in their juvenile or adult phase- waiting for the next time the pool fills with water. Predatory fish cannot survive in these harsh conditions, providing a safe breeding area for salamanders and frogs. Fairy shrimp lay eggs in the form of cysts. These cysts can remain dormant for many years until the conditions are just right.
Vernal pools are valuable, yet increasingly threatened ecosystems. They are often overlooked when wetlands are identified and upland disturbances may have a negative impact on the life cycles of species. Only certified vernal pools are protected under the Massachusetts Wetland Protection Act. Anyone can help certify a vernal pool, if you think you have found one you may gather information and submit it to the Massachusetts Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program.
History of the Area
Research of the indigenous people who hunted, fished, planted and resided here leaves much to the imagination. Sources say that the area of Southwick was called ‘Congamond’ and the people were ‘Congamucks’. No doubt the the Congamond Lakes were a valuable resource. A trail extended north from the Congamond Lakes through Westfield (formally Woronoco ‘the winding land’ or ‘the country with windings’) to the main trail in Easthampton (formally Aspowunck ‘A place where nets are set’, and/or Assattayyagg ‘poplar-tree land’)
At the turn of the century, this particular property was bought by Nelson King and used for harvesting timber. Over time, 36 cottages and a 60’ x 150’ dance hall were constructed. Remanences of these structures can still be found on the property today. Regular dances were held there until after World War II when other sources of amusement grew more popular.
The property is managed by the Southwick Conservation Commission. Contact information is available on the Town website.