Tag Archive for: botanizing walks

Simmons Mill Pond Management Area, Little Compton, RI

On the Trail – by Gail and Roger Green, Dick Fisher
WildfloraRI, Winter 2016

The Simmons
 Mill Pond
 Management
Area is a 500+ acre
site in Little Compton, RI, composed
of several parcels of
land, six ponds, and
 more than three miles
 of well-marked trails.
 It is located in the
 upper reaches of the
 Cold Brook drainage
 as it makes its way to
 Quicksand Pond and
 Goosewing Beach.
 Trail access is available
 from a parking lot on 
Cold Brook Road near 
the junction with Long
Highway. A second trail originates from a small parking area on John Dyer Road, and canoe or kayak access to Simmons Pond is possible via Cold Brook as it crosses under Cold Brook Road east of the main parking area.

The plant communities here reflect centuries of changing land use patterns. Recorded use of the management area dates back to the 1600s when the town of Little Compton was created. This section of town was set aside as woodlots for farmers throughout the town. About 1750, Cold Brook was dammed to power a gristmill, flooding the adjacent lowland and creating wetland plant communities that still exist around Simmons Mill Pond.

Portions of the woodlots were eventually cleared to create farms in the poorer soils on the east side of Little Compton. A farm-site on the Amy Hart Path (a historic laneway passing through the Management Area) demonstrates the former land use with its old well, barn foundation, and patchwork of stonewalls that enclosed pastures and cultivated fields. Some of the plants growing around the farm-site are characteristic of woodlands that have taken over former farm fields.

Ox carts used the paths until the 1930s to haul firewood from these old woodlots, and subsequently the cart paths were used by woodcutters’ trucks until the 1970s. These historic laneways are now maintained as walking paths through the rare Atlantic Oak-Holly forest. The laneways also pass by four newer ponds that were built in the 1960s.

The State of Rhode Island bought the land from the Chace family 
in 1995 and opened it as a Management Area. Volunteers help maintain the laneways, keep fishing access sites open, and provide signage relating to the native flora and historic features.

Beginning in the main parking area on Cold Brook Road, the trail passes an information sign with a rough map of the area and descends gently for a half mile through Atlantic Oak-Holly forest to the Simmons Mill Pond, the largest of the six ponds. This is the site of the former gristmill, and the old mill’s raceway lined with stone walls is still visible through the elderberry and winterberry shrubs.

Across the dam from the old mill site the trail intersects the main farm loop. You can proceed in either direction around the one mile loop. The right-hand (or east) trail is the old cart-path, which passes through the lush growth of sweet pepperbush (Clethra alnifolia) before arriving at the high dam overlooking Chace pond (to the north) and Horseshoe Pond (to the south). On the high dam of Chace pond, nodding ladies’ tresses (Spiranthes cernua) bloom in the early autumn.

The trail continues by Smith Pond, passes a fork to the right that leads to the parking area on John Dyer Road, and slowly ascends into Atlantic Oak-Holly forest as it reaches the historic farm site at the apex of the loop. From here, you can choose to take the adjoining Amy Hart Loop, which extends the walk for an additional mile through former woodlots, or you can remain on the Farmsite Loop and return to the dam at Simmons Mill Pond.

In the summer, the cart paths are lined with an abundance of ferns: cinnamon (Osmunda cinnamomea), interrupted (Osmunda claytoniana), lady (Athyrium filix-femina), New York (Thelypteris noveboracensis), royal (Osmunda regalis), and in the dryer places some bracken (Pteridium aquilinum). Off the trail grape fern (Botrychium sp.), Christmas fern (Polystichum acrostichoides), netted chain-fern (Woodwardia areolata) and Virginia chain-fern (Woodwardia virginica) can be found.

In the autumn, a succession of asters and goldenrod line the lane way and, as mentioned previously, nodding ladies’ tresses bloom at this time of year.

Spring wildflowers include star-flowers (Trientalis borealis), Canada mayflowers (Maianthemum canadense), and a succession of vio- lets. White violets along wet areas of the cart-paths include lance- leaved violet (V. lanceolata), primrose-leaved violet (V.primulifolia), and sweet white violet (V. blanda). Blue violets include common blue violet (V. papilionacea or sororia), northern blue violet (V. septentrionalis), and marsh blue violet (V. mcucullata).

In addition to being available for walking and botanizing, the area
is open seasonally to hunting and fishing. The land is multiuse, so walkers must wear orange during the hunting season. In winter when the snow is good, it is a wonderful area for cross-country skis and snowshoes, having wide smooth trails and just enough elevation change to keep it interesting. The main parking lot on Cold Brook Road is kept plowed by volunteers.

This area is beautiful and feels very remote, especially when you are walking in the low-lying areas among the ponds. It is accessible all year, and the walking loops
are level and smooth. The Rhode Island Hiking Club ranks them as #1, the designation for the easiest of walks. In addition, the local Boy Scout troop has recently installed sturdy benches in several places overlooking the trails and ponds. It is a hidden treasure, well worth a day of exploration.

 

This management area is located on Cold Brook Road, Little Compton.

 

 

 

RIWPS Botanizing Walks – A most enjoyable way to learn about native plants!

RIWPS Botanizing Walk at Neutaconkanut Hill Park. On Thursday, October 4, about 16 enthusiastic RIWPS members and friends joined Joe Jamroz, advisory board member for the Neutaconkanut Hill Conservancy, to enjoy spectacular views of Providence at Neutaconkanut Hill Park. Neutaconkanut by the way, means home of squirrels.

Rising nearly 300 feet above Narragansett Bay, this naturally forested park is situated in

Looking for rare species, time well spent

Doug McGrady, veteran RIWPS member and leader of numerous botanical walks and forays cited for his recent discovery of a population of chaff-seed (Schwalbea americana) in his work as a Plant Conservation Volunteer with the New England Wild Flower Society.

Journaling through the heat wave

Naturalist and writer Bruce Fellman describes his experience on Saturday, August 4 at a RIWPS walk.  Journaling through the heat wave begins …

“Earlier this year, I wrote about what promised to be a splendid, four-part series of walks called Plants and Their Places that was sponsored by the Rhode Island Wild Plant Society, a truly wonderful organization dedicated to the “appreciation, protection, and study of our native plants and habitats.”

In the write-up, trek leader and botanist Doug McGrady proposed introducing flora aficionados to his favorite locales and the green things they supported, with investigations of intriguing areas in North Stonington, Conn.; Arcadia and Scituate in Rhode Island; and, most recently, the superb 2,000 or so acre Tillinghast Pond Management Area in West Greenwich.

“I wanted to attract both experienced botanists and newcomers alike—to help them share what they love and find something new,” said McGrady.

I instantly intended to go on all the walks…” Read the rest of the article at Southern Rhode Island Newspapers.

Tag Archive for: botanizing walks

First Thursday Botanizing Walk: Snake Den State Park

yellow birch, photo PCahallan

Our first walk of the season, from 10 am to noon on 4 April 2024, will be led by retired Deputy State Forester Paul Dolan.  We will explore the Snake Den Farm parcel of Snake Den State Park in Johnson, RI. Managed by the Northern Rhode Island Conservation District, this parcel reflects a historical progression from woodlot and pasture, reversion to forest and most recently, experimental fields to promote sustainable agriculture.

The major tree species in the area are white pine, yellow and black birch, white and red oak, red maple and big tooth aspen. We will be hiking slightly over a mile on a relatively easy trail, ending at agricultural fields edged by many species of non-native invasive plants.

This walk is free and open to the public. Donations are appreciated. DONATE

Registration Below.  We will email the meet up location and directions to those who register a few days before the walk using either office@riwps.org or communications@riwps.org.  (Be sure to check your spam/junk folder if you do not get this email.)

This walk is a part of our First Thursday Botanizing Walk Series which is free and open to the public. See our Botanizing Walks home page for important details you should know about the walks in this series. 

First Thursday Botanizing Walk - Snake Den State Park 04/04/2024

Complete a separate registration form for each participant.

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Name*
Have you participated in previous First Thursday Botanizing Walks?*
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