Carlstrom II Memorial Forest

Enjoy a 1.1-mile loop trail in central Massachusetts.

Northborough, MA | 31 Acres | Trails | Parking

NEFF Stewardship Manager Beth Gula personally recommends the “very pleasant, relatively easy loop trail” at NEFF’s Carlstrom II Memorial Forest for a spring walk through its predominantly oak-hickory woods. The trail runs through generally level terrain and some moderate elevation, and it was designed and built by longtime NEFF forest steward Forest Lyford, who received the 2012 Forest Steward Award for his dedicated volunteer work.

NEFF is managing the Carlstrom II woods to create the kind of unevenaged forest structure that’s beloved by wildlife. The property’s management plan notes both that past timber harvests have created pockets of young forest habitat—often in short supply in southern New England—and that songbird habitat is plentiful in the forest’s “several deciduous layers”: the mature canopy, mid-story canopy, and ground cover.

In short, bring your binoculars if you plan to visit, or simply listen to the birds singing.

The woods themselves have plenty to offer, too. Beyond the property’s predominant oak-hickory forest type, Carlstrom II also has Eastern White Pine, Black Cherry, Red Maple, Black Birch, Eastern Hemlock and Sassafras stands—and tucked in amongst these woods are glacial erratics and a vernal pool.

Vernal pools are a seasonal habitat type, as their water comes from snowmelt and spring rain, and they typically dry up sometime in the summer. The pools usually have no connection to fish populations, which makes them a safe spot for amphibians like frogs and salamanders to breed.

Across New England, springtime ushers in a host of natural wonders like vernal pools and the return of migratory birds to the Atlantic flyway. Carlstrom II Memorial Forest and NEFF’s other 150 Community Forests stand ready to offer you respite and a chance to watch the season unfold, so plan a visit.

How Many Carlstroms?

NEFF has two Community Forests with “Carlstrom” in their name—the 74-acre Carlstrom Memorial Forest and the Carlstrom II Memorial Forest—and both were donated by Mr. Carl F. Carlstrom in memory of his wife, Mary C. Carlstrom. They’re about two miles apart as the crow flies, and a little over 3.5 miles by car. Get more information on our Trail Maps page.