“Hiking and Hawks on Mt. Watatic”

(Press release): Fall is a beautiful season for hiking in New England, and the views and hawk-watching from the summit of Mt. Watatic in Ashburnham, MA are well worth the climb.  The Nashua River Watershed Association (NRWA) invites the public to join us for a free guided hike up Mt. Watatic on Sunday, September 13^th, from 10:00 AM to Noon.  Al Futterman, NRWA Land Programs Director, and Don LeMay, Ashburnham Conservation Trust, will guide you through groves of hemlock, pine and mixed hardwoods up through high-elevation red spruce forest to the mountain’s double summit.  From the 1,832-foot summit, you’ll have time to explore and enjoy incredible views of the Nashua River watershed.  On a clear day, you’ll see Boston’s skyline to the south and Mt. Monadnock, the Wapacks, and even the White Mountains to the north.  We’ll watch for migrating hawks, as tens of thousands have been spotted from the summit over the past three decades. 

This hike is part of a series of free programs, open to the public, which the Nashua River Watershed Association is offering in celebration of its 40^th Anniversary.  Over the course of the year, NRWA will be presenting a program in each of our 32 communities; visit www.NashuaRiverWatershed.org for additional information.

 Pre-registration is requested for this free guided hike.  This moderate hike is open to all ages.  The hike will take place rain or shine.  We ask that you please refrain from bringing dogs.  We do recommend that you bring drinking water and wear sturdy footwear.  To pre-register and receive directions, please contact Al Futterman, NRWA Land Programs and Outreach Director, at (978) 448-0299, or email AlF@NashuaRiverWatershed.org.  The NRWA is a non-profit environmental organization that depends on memberships for support.