US-MA-Wolbach+Farm+Sudbury


 * =Birding in Massachusetts=

Middlesex County
=Wolbach Farm= Wolbach Road Sudbury, Massachusetts 01776 Wolbach Farm webpage Wolbach Farm map

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Wolbach Farm, Sudbury
Coordinates: 42.3750954, -71.392765 eBird links: Hotspot map View details Recent visits My eBird links: Location life list Submit data

About Wolbach Farm
Wolbach Farm offers a diversity of woods, wetlands and field for exploration and enjoyment by the visitor. The oak-hickory-pine forest straddles the rocky hill behind the main house. Along Winter Brook, there is a rich diversity of wetland plants and some very large trees, including sycamore, black birch, and black and red oaks. The fields behind the barn grade from a very dry little bluestem grassland to a wet meadow with many wildflowers including willow herb, goldenrod, swamp candles and bugleweed.

Wolbach Farm is part of the larger Great Meadows ecosystem along the Sudbury River, much of this owned and managed by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service’s Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge. SVT worked with John Wolbach to transfer part of his land holdings to the refuge and John donated the remaining 54 acres to SVT. Anna and Burt Wolbach purchased the property known as Wolbach Farm in the 1910s. At the time, most of the property was used for a dairy farm, though the lower fields near the barn were used for horse pasture. The area was most likely cleared for pasture in the 1800s with the exception of the stream corridor and seepage slopes. The Wolbachs converted the farm from an active dairy farm to a gentleman’s farm. The lower field continued to be maintained for horses. In the 1930s, during the depression, both the Wolbach family and the Newton family next door employed people to plant red pine in previously pastoral areas. They also planted a number of red pines, Norway spruce, and eastern hemlock on the grounds surrounding the house and barn.

The field behind the barn has been continuously mowed over the years. Just prior to SVT's ownership of the land, a caretaker for the Wolbach property mowed the field more regularly in order to maintain the area for golfing. More recently, the fields have been mowed annually to maintain their open character for wildlife habitat and to maintain the scenic views.

John Wolbach, Anna and Burt’s son, left this 54-acre property to Sudbury Valley Trustees in his will. SVT took ownership of the property in 2002. John Wolbach’s wishes were to preserve the land “predominantly in its natural, scenic and open condition.” For added protection, Mr. Wolbach provided that The Trustees of Reservations hold a conservation restriction over the property as well.

The main trail loop, .75 mile, takes you along the Winter Brook stream corridor, across a wetland and then back through the woods to the small field adjacent to the main house. The inner loop trail, .2 mile, goes around a wetland, returning to the main loop. From Wolbach Farm map

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