Burrage Pond Wildlife Area - Hanson MA

Burrage Pond Photo Gallery

The Great Cedar Swamp and Burrage Pond area of Hanson and Halifax was a very large Atlantic White Cedar Swamp, which was diked and altered for cranberry bogs. In 2002, the Mass Department of Fish and Wildlife bought approx 1700 acres here from the Northland Cranberry company.  Located off Pleasant St, the preserve is composed of cranberry bogs, Burrage Pond, Red Maple Swamps , Atlantic White Cedar, and grassy marshes and numerous small steams.

Large numbers of bird species either live and migrate though this area.  Osprey, immature eagles, hawks, swallows, red-wing blackbirds, warblers, river otters are just a few examples of what can be sighted here.  Also, it's quite a spectacular place to be during the fall migration of the monarch butterfly.

In addition, Burrage Pond has now been designated as the pilot site for Massachusetts first land bank.  Under this plan, developers may receive permission to build on existing wetlands in exchange for wetland credits purchased.  Those credits are then banked here at Burrage Pond in the form of additional land acquisitions and reclamation projects.  For more information see:

Boston Globe Article-Land Bank

Boston Globe - Burrage Pond & Bay Circuit Trail