Ashland

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A branch growing from one eastern white pine tree into another at Ashland Town Forest, photographed by Rob St. Germain.
Rob St. Germain photographed this uncommon example of a branch growing from one eastern white pine tree into the trunk of another, at Ashland Town Forest.
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Mushrooms at Ashland Town Forest, photographed by Rob St. Germain.
Rob St. Germain photographed mushrooms, a common garter snake, and a wood frog at Ashland Town Forest.
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White turtlehead blossoms at Ashland Town Forest, photographed by Rob St. Germain.
Rob St. Germain photographed these white turtlehead blossoms at Ashland Town Forest.
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A dandelion blossom in Ashland, photographed by Rob St. Germain.
Rob St. Germain photographed this early dandelion blossom in Ashland.
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A tree cavity along the trails at Cowassock Woods in Framingham, photographed by Rob St. Germain.
Rob St. Germain photographed this tree cavity, perhaps a home to wildlife, along the trails at Cowassock Woods in Framingham and Ashland.
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In 2017, SVT installed a deer exclosure at Cowassock Woods to demonstrate the effect that deer overbrowsing can have on the health of a forest. We...

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Skunk cabbage at Cowassock Woods in Framingham, photographed by Rob St. Germain.
Rob St. Germain photographed skunk cabbage emerging at SVT's Cowassock Woods in Framingham.
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We talk a lot about healthy forests at SVT, but what makes a forest "healthy"?

Healthy forests have an assortment of habitats that support a variety...

SVT volunteer Michael Welles recorded this video of spotted salamanders in a vernal pool at SVT's Cowassock Woods in Framingham and Ashland.
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A circumhorizontal arc over Ashland Town Forest, photographed by Rob St. Germain.
Rob St. Germain photographed this circumhorizontal arc over the Ashland Town Forest in Ashland.