Towns: Chesterfield, Goshen
Acreage: 193
Wildlife Management Zone: 4N
Description
The Lilly Pond bog is undisturbed and surrounded by extensive intact hemlock-red maple-yellow birch-red oak woods. The bog mat at Lilly Pond is approximately 20 acres and has a floating dwarf shrub mat dominated by leatherleaf with scattered bog rosemary and bog laurel. Herbaceous species include pitcher plant, round-leaved sundew, Virginia cottongrass, and rose pogonia. A 20- to 30-meter-wide moat separates the mat from the upland woods. The southern portion of the bog grades into a very good example of a spruce-fir forest, which is then abutted to the east by a red maple shrub swamp. Lilly Pond is located less than half a mile east of nearly 2,700 acres of state-owned protected open space: MassWildlife's Westfield River Access Area and the Cummington Wildlife Management Area, DCR's Chesterfield State Forest, and the state-owned Westfield River Wilderness Area.
Location, access, & parking
There are two parking access areas, both located in Goshen; one is on Loomis Road and the other is located at the end of Lily Pond Lane. See WMA map.
Note: WMAs are intentionally wild, visitors will find natural landscapes rather than maintained trails.
Hunting opportunities
The bog provides ample cover and habitat for waterfowl. White-tailed deer and black bear also utilize the dense forest habitat. Aquatic furbearer species including beaver, river otter, mink, and muskrat are also found throughout the WMA.
Wildlife viewing & other features
On occasion, great blue herons nest in the dead snags emerging from the bog. Moose winter under the dense canopy of hemlocks at the east edge of the pond. The area provides excellent wildlife viewing and photography opportunities. There are some old trails and roads on the property that can be used for hiking. Lilly Pond contains a high-quality “Level Bog”, recognized by the Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program as a priority natural community for protection.
Regulations
About Wildlife Management Areas
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.