Boston Nature Center & Wildlife Sanctuary

A fantastic extension of the Emerald Necklace. Canterbury Brook runs through it — a 4500′ open brook, one of only 4 or 5 in the city of Boston. Walking trails, wildlife. Huge community garden in a rural setting. Environmental Ed. camps for kids, a tot lot made of only natural found materials. What’s not to love?

Who knew that there was an absolutely gorgeous Mass Audubon wildlife sanctuary just over the Mattapan line on Walk Hill St? I didn’t, but now that I do, I’ll be visiting my new bird friends in this peaceful oasis regularly. In the hour or so I explored, I saw a pheasant, a few strikingly beautiful red-​winged blackbirds, an Oriole (I think), an egret, and a bunch of other unique birds that I can’t identify yet. Including some really interesting wetland birds. Oh yeah, and A BUNNY! I can’t hit the high notes anymore, but I would’ve squealed with delight if I could’ve. I didn’t think I would be impressed by birds, but there it is. I’m old and birds are cool.
Sure, the parts that are closest to American Legion Highway are not as peaceful as I’d like. But the parts of the Arboretum that are closest to the J-​way are loud too. That’s life in the city. To balance that out, there are lots of spots that aren’t close to the main road. And you’re not tripping over a million people walking the paths or riding their bikes. Bikes aren’t allowed in. There are 67 acres, and a few miles of trails. It’s not huge, but you can spend a few hours walking around, easily. A mile of the trail is universally accessible, which is pretty awesome.
Not a lot of people know about this place, so you stand a good chance of actually enjoying the nature. I mean, the place was far from abandoned. We interacted with several other walkers and families who were tending their garden plots. I almost wanted to keep this spot a secret, but couldn’t help myself. Check it out, fellow nature-​loving city-​dwellers!