Memorial Forest

Sudbury Valley Trustee's Memorial Forest, makes for a lovely walk. Known as the Desert due to the prevalence of well-drained sandy soils, this conservation area provides an unusual diversity of habitats: oak-pine forest, pitch pine-scrub oak, red maple swamp, and wet meadows intersected by two streams. Straddling the border of Sudbury and Marlborough are hundreds of acres of public and private open space dedicated primarily to conservation. These lands include the General Federation of Women's Clubs of Massachusetts Memorial Forest (owned by SVT), other lands owned by GFWCM, two tracts of Marlborough State Forest, and conservation lands owned by Town of Sudbury and City of Marlborough. Wildlife:This conservation area protects habitat for several endangered species, including the box and wood turtle. It also contains several vernal pools, some of which support the endangered blue-spotted salamander. Beavers are active in this area, damming up the brooks at different points. Beaver meadows, created by flooding from their dams, attract a diversity of plant, insect, and bird species. Many bird species are commonly sighted here, including great blue heron, red shouldered hawk, ovenbird, common yellow throat, song sparrow, pine warbler, and wood thrush.