Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge
Encyclopedia
Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge is located in north-central Massachusetts
, approximately 35 miles (56.3 km) northwest of Boston, Massachusetts. The refuge lies within the towns of Ayer
and Shirley
in Middlesex County
and the towns of Harvard
and Lancaster
in Worcester County
. The refuge consists of approximately 1667 acres (6.7 km²) of upland
, southern New England flood-plain forest, and wetland communities along nearly 8 miles (12.9 km) of the Nashua River
corridor.
Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge was formed by three land transfers from the former U.S. Army, Fort Devens
Military Installation, and a recent purchase of private land in Harvard. Two of the transfers from the Army (May, 1974 and February, 1988) formed the original 711 acres (2.9 km²) portion of the Refuge located south of Massachusetts Route 2. The third Army transfer occurred in May 1999, and added the 836 acres (3.4 km²) portion of the Refuge that is located north of Route 2. Finally, approximately 120 acre (0.4856232 km²) were added to the Refuge in April, 2001, with the acquisition of the former Watt Farm property along Still River Depot Road in Harvard.
The refuge's interspersion of wetland, forested upland and old field habitats is ideally suited for this purpose. The refuge supports a diverse mix of migratory birds including waterfowl, wading birds, raptors, shorebirds, passerines, as well as resident mammals, reptiles, amphibians, fish and invertebrates. The extensive and regionally significant wetlands occurring on and adjacent to the Oxbow Refuge, including their associated tributary drainages and headwaters, have been listed as a priority for protection under both the North American Waterfowl Management Plan and the Emergency Wetlands Resources Act of 1986. The portion of the Oxbow NWR south of Route 2 lies within the 12,900-acre Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC) designated by the Massachusetts Secretary of Environmental Affairs, and the portions of the Refuge north of Route 2 are included in the proposed Squannassit ACEC due to the unique environmental characteristics and values of these wildlife habitats.
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, approximately 35 miles (56.3 km) northwest of Boston, Massachusetts. The refuge lies within the towns of Ayer
Ayer, Massachusetts
Ayer is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. Originally part of Groton, it was incorporated February 14, 1871 and became a major commercial railroad junction. The town was home to Camp Stevens, a training camp for Massachusetts volunteers during the American Civil War...
and Shirley
Shirley, Massachusetts
-Demographics:This article describes the town of Shirley as a whole. Additional demographic detail is available which describes only the central settlement or village within the town, although that detail is included in the aggregate values reported here...
in Middlesex County
Middlesex County, Massachusetts
-National protected areas:* Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge* Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge* Longfellow National Historic Site* Lowell National Historical Park* Minute Man National Historical Park* Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge...
and the towns of Harvard
Harvard, Massachusetts
Harvard is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. A farming community settled in 1658 and incorporated in 1732, it has been home to several non-traditional communities, such as Harvard Shaker Village and the utopian Transcendentalist center Fruitlands...
and Lancaster
Lancaster, Massachusetts
Lancaster is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, in the United States. Incorporated in 1653, Lancaster is the oldest town in Worcester County...
in Worcester County
Worcester County, Massachusetts
-Demographics:In 1990 Worcester County had a population of 709,705.As of the census of 2000, there were 750,963 people, 283,927 households, and 192,502 families residing in the county. The population density was 496 people per square mile . There were 298,159 housing units at an average density...
. The refuge consists of approximately 1667 acres (6.7 km²) of upland
Highland (geography)
The term highland or upland is used to denote any mountainous region or elevated mountainous plateau. Generally speaking, the term upland tends to be used for ranges of hills, typically up to 500-600m, and highland for ranges of low mountains.The Scottish Highlands refers to the mountainous...
, southern New England flood-plain forest, and wetland communities along nearly 8 miles (12.9 km) of the Nashua River
Nashua River
The Nashua River, long, is a tributary of the Merrimack River in Massachusetts and New Hampshire in the United States. It is formed in eastern Worcester County, Massachusetts, by junction of its north and south branches near Lancaster, and flows generally north-northeast past Groton to join the...
corridor.
Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge was formed by three land transfers from the former U.S. Army, Fort Devens
Fort Devens
Fort Devens is an active United States military installation in the towns of Ayer and Shirley, in Middlesex County and Harvard in Worcester County in the U.S. state of Massachusetts. It was named after jurist and Civil War general Charles Devens. The nearby Devens Reserve Forces Training Area is...
Military Installation, and a recent purchase of private land in Harvard. Two of the transfers from the Army (May, 1974 and February, 1988) formed the original 711 acres (2.9 km²) portion of the Refuge located south of Massachusetts Route 2. The third Army transfer occurred in May 1999, and added the 836 acres (3.4 km²) portion of the Refuge that is located north of Route 2. Finally, approximately 120 acre (0.4856232 km²) were added to the Refuge in April, 2001, with the acquisition of the former Watt Farm property along Still River Depot Road in Harvard.
Wildlife and Habitat
The primary purpose for which the refuge was created is its "...particular value in carrying out the national migratory bird management program".The refuge's interspersion of wetland, forested upland and old field habitats is ideally suited for this purpose. The refuge supports a diverse mix of migratory birds including waterfowl, wading birds, raptors, shorebirds, passerines, as well as resident mammals, reptiles, amphibians, fish and invertebrates. The extensive and regionally significant wetlands occurring on and adjacent to the Oxbow Refuge, including their associated tributary drainages and headwaters, have been listed as a priority for protection under both the North American Waterfowl Management Plan and the Emergency Wetlands Resources Act of 1986. The portion of the Oxbow NWR south of Route 2 lies within the 12,900-acre Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC) designated by the Massachusetts Secretary of Environmental Affairs, and the portions of the Refuge north of Route 2 are included in the proposed Squannassit ACEC due to the unique environmental characteristics and values of these wildlife habitats.