Town: Ashland, Bellingham, Boston, Dedham, Dover, Franklin, Holliston, Medfield, Medway, Millis, Needham, Norfolk, Newton, Sherborn, Walpole, Wrentham
Acreage: 3017.96
Wildlife Management Zone: 9 & 10
Waterfowl Zone: Central
Description
The Charles River WMA is made up of numerous parcels within the Charles River Watershed, mainly in the upper and middle basin totaling 3017.96 acres. The WMA, managed by MassWildlife through a license agreement with US Army Corp of Engineers, is part of the Charles River Natural Valley Storage Area, a 8,095-acre flood protection area owned by US Army Corp of Engineers. The primary purpose of the Charles River Natural Valley Storage area is to reduce potential flood damage and impacts by protecting undeveloped natural water storage areas which allow the absorption of floodwater and excess precipitation. The majority of Charles River WMA parcels are made up of various types of wetland communities, such as alluvial red maple swamps, inland Atlantic white cedar, shrub swamps, emergent marshes, and floodplain forests. Upland edges are primarily shrublands, mixed hardwoods and eastern white pine.
For more information about Charles River Natural Valley Storage Area, please visit the US Army Corp of Engineers website.
Location, access, & parking
This property is dispersed in parcels across multiple municipalities. Several locations have designated parking areas for 2-6 vehicles, while other locations provide a roadside pull off for one vehicle. Note, there are several parcels that cannot be accessed from a public entry point therefore, permission to park and access must be requested from abutting private property owners. See WMA map.
Note: WMAs are intentionally wild, visitors will find natural landscapes rather than maintained trails.
Hunting opportunities
Hunting opportunities are dependent on a parcel-by-parcel basis; areas with sections of open water are great for waterfowl, while deer hunters should look for parcels with upland edges and islands within wetlands which provide habitat, cover and bedding for deer. Oak dominated uplands also provide ample opportunity to hunt gray squirrel.
Special considerations: A person shall not take or kill a gray squirrel at any time by means of a handgun or rifle of any caliber in Zones 10 through 14.
Fishing opportunities
Many of the Charles River WMA parcels directly abuts the Charles River or its tributaries providing access and fishing opportunity of warm water species such as bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, and large mouth bass to name a few. Trout stocking does not take place directly from Charles River WMA, though some stocked streams and rivers run through and can be accessed by the WMA.
For more information on trout stocking go to mass.gov/trout.
Wildlife viewing & other features
Coyotes, fishers, beavers, beaver, river otters, waterfowl and deer utilize this property. Many bird species forage along the river, tributaries and wetlands such as herons, cormorants, Canada geese, mallards, black ducks, flycatchers and kingfishers. The Charles River watershed is used by many fish species including Massachusetts species of concern sea-run river herring and American eel.
About Wildlife Management Areas
WMAs are intentionally wild, visitors will find natural landscapes rather than maintained trails.
MassWildlife owns and manages over 220,000 acres of land to conserve fish and wildlife habitats and provide access for outdoor recreation. All WMAs are open to hunting, fishing, trapping, and other outdoor recreation activities. Visit the MassWildlife Lands Viewer for an interactive map of MassWildlife properties.
You can support land protection in Massachusetts. Contributions to the Wildlands Fund help pay for the cost of acquiring wildlife habitat. Learn more about the Wildlands Fund.