Green Futures: Watuppa/Wampanoag Heritage Trail

Here is something interesting. The group Green Futures worked on creating a 25-mile nature trail around the areas of Fall River & New Bedford.

Objectives {all taken from the above website}

• We wish to make residents and visitors aware of the substantial human history, natural resources and aesthetic qualities of the remaining forested land in this part of southeastern Massachusetts, part of the Taunton River and Buzzard's Bay Watersheds and public open space lands within the Freetown State Forest and the Acushnet Cedar Swamp State Reservation.
  
• We would like to increase the public's understanding of watersheds and the fact that what occurs on a watershed is reflected in the waters that flow from that watershed.
  
• Youth involvement: It would be great to see area youth get involved in the positive activities of trail and environmental management and the creation, research and maintenance of the trails.
  
• Forest users would be given the only long-range trail possible in our urbanizing area; they would become responsive toward the protection of the forest environment and wise stewards if its resources.
  
• By making the forest a pleasant natural area where families can rejoice, recount, reenact and recreate in the aesthetic potential of the forest, community environmental awareness will be heightened.

The trail takes walkers through what once was farmland {prior to residents leaving for jobs in the mills} & the associated relics {taken from website}: "...one can see colonial era mill ruins, mill stones and waterworks; a former granite quarry from which were constructed many of the textile mills and public buildings in this part of Massachusetts; stone boundary walls and animal pounds; cellar holes with old plantings of lilac and day lilies around them; an extensive colony of Hartford (climbing) fern (Lygodium palmatum); a pathway that was once the main road from the new seaport of New Bedford to the County Seat at Taunton; and the Depression Era Civilian Conservation Corps works..."

While a large part of this falls under the category of environmentalism/environmental science {which I am absolutely on board with}, I'm quite intrigued with the incorporation of Native American history & the history of colonial era/pre-industrialized New England farming - both sets of histories that could use some publicity.

Taken from the Save Buzzards Bay newsletter from the Spring of 1999: "The concept for the regional trail emerged in typical grassroots fashion. From a synthesis of environmental and local history interest came an idea to restore the ancient Indian trail between New Bedford and the Taunton River. The Watuppa Wampanoag Heritage Trail not only became an historic and recreational resource, but justified further land protection along its trail corridor."

So, actually, while researching this nature trail. I couldn't really find anything current. I found the mention of Green Futures working on creating it, then I found the newsletters excerpt dating to 1999 mentioning its existence. So, apparently it has been created for awhile. This is why websites need to try their best to stay up to date with current information - especially to aid in research by tourists!