Description:

DNRT's Star of the Sea Reserve was extensively mined for sand and gravel and the old gravel pits, with all the top soil gone and excavated down to the water table in spots, is made up of grey birch, scrubby oaks and bayberry, the insectivorous sundew and cranberry growing in the poor soil conditions.  In the eastern portion, rushes, orchids and Joe pye weed indicate some of the wetter areas, along with cacophonous groups of spring peepers.

 

The Reserve is adjacent to -- and shares trails with -- approximately 60 owned by the Dartmouth Conservation Commission.  This parcel is dominated by oak and beech forest with deciduous wetlands made up of red maple and American holly. The trail system follows an old bridle path, built and used by a farm on Gulf Road, which path was specifically designed to train horses for trail riding.  There remains an old stone reinforced causeway leading across the saltmarsh from the woodland to Star of the Sea Drive, including a stone bridge only accessible at low tide.