CHRONOLOGY

A citizen science project with the Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge.

Refuge visitors upload photographs from their phones at four designated locations. Photographs contribute to scientific documentation of the refuge habitats. By automatically appearing in time-lapse videos that are available online.

Gardens

Monarch garden a safe habitat for migrating monarch butterflies

Monarch butterflies have suffered a drastic reduction in population in the last 30 years. Some estimates indicate a population decline of 90%. The most common reason cited for this dramatic decline is loss of habitat. Given the success of the pollinator garden and the fact that Back Bay is on the Monarch’s eastern migratory flyway, it was decided to put in a monarch specific garden at the Refuge.

Pollinator & Monarch garden updates

Pollinator garden an aesthetically pleasing addition to the Visitor Center entrance ways

Volunteers removed and pruned old vegetation, cultivated and amended soil, and filled beds with native plants supporting pollinators and wildlife Garden beds are maintained by volunteers throughout the year. Signage and visitor outreach is being planned

National recreation trails

Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge trails designated National recreation trails

The 2.7 miles of the Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge Trail System consists of seven, interconnected trails that provide opportunities to observe the wildlife and vegetation of the refuge’s seven distinct habitats- ocean, beach, marsh, shrubs, grassland, maritime forest and freshwater bay. Trail surfaces vary from boardwalk, crushed stone, sand and gravel.