Marshfield, MA—The open fields, rambling stonewalls, and picturesque farmhouse at Two Mile Farm have long been admired by travelers and commuters along Union Street. The fields, hayed up until the early twentieth century, were kept closely cropped by Two Mile Farm’s previous owner and resident, Gail Whelan. In 2001, Ms. Whelan donated Two Mile Farm to the Trustees of Reservations, eight years after she generously donated 68 acres of land to establish a new reservation. As the new owners and stewards of Two Mile Farm, the Trustees have adopted a management approach that will enhance the ecological value of the farm and restore its historic character. Under the new management plan, the four acres of fields at Two Mile Farm will be cut twice a year, during mid-season and in the fall.
“Minimizing the number of mowings will encourage plant species diversity and improve the habitat for a variety of small mammals, birds, insects, and reptiles,” says Regional Ecologist Andy Walsh. He explains that the Trustees primary management goal is to maintain the present size of the fields by keeping woody plant species in check, while encouraging a greater diversity of wildflowers and grasses to colonize the fields. This, in turn, will attract colorful butterflies and birds that prefer open areas, such as the blue birds and tree swallows that nested on the property in recent months. Fields owned by the Massachusetts Audubon Society and The Wildlands Trust on Highland Street, about a mile and a half north of Two Mile Farm, are managed in a similar fashion for ecological purposes.
The policy is in keeping with The Trustees mission of preserving scenic, historic, and ecological resources. In addition to restoring a grasslands habitat, the mowed field at Two Mile farm also helps to preserve the history of region. While agricultural fields were commonplace on the South Shore well into the twentieth century, few areas are maintained as fields today and even fewer with grassland wildlife in mind. The farms and fields along Union and Highland Streets lend a rural flavor to this section of Marshfield (North Marshfield) that has been lost in much of the surrounding areas due to development and forest regeneration
The mowing policy also reflects a realistic allocation of scarce resources, according to Jim Freeborn, Superintendent of the South Shore Management Unit. He explains that The Trustees own and manage over 1,100 acres of land on eleven reservations on the South Shore, several of which support large fields that are maintained for ecological, scenic, or cultural values.
For more information about The Trustees grasslands management policy, contact Regional Ecologist Andy Walsh at 781/821-4076 (awalsh@ttor.org).