Squam Swamp and Squam Farm Forest

The Nantucket Conservation Foundation’s Squam Swamp and Squam Farm (two separate NCF properties that connect, totaling 504 acres) are some of the largest areas of mesic forest and wooded swamp on Nantucket island. The oldest known trees are 100-150 years old, regrowing after the island was almost completely deforested in the mid-1800s. While not an old-growth forest, this secondary forest has old-growth characteristics and supports plant and animal life normally associated with old-growth forests.

The upland areas of the forest are dominated by tupelo and sassafras, with some groves of larger white and black oaks and American beech. The wooded swamp areas are dominated by very large diameter red maple. The trees are strongly shaped by the unusually high wind and salt spray effects due to Nantucket’s offshore location. Many of the oldest, largest trees are multi-trunked and some have an almost prostrate growth form in spite of being a meter or more in diameter at the base.

The Squam Swamp walking trail and accompanying interpretive brochure provides an introduction to many of the ecological, geological, and historical features of this property. The 1.8 mile round trip trail is well marked and has numbered posts keyed to the interpretive map. Squam Farm contains an additional 2.4 miles of trails with a number of possible loops; interpretive signs scattered across the property providing similar educational information. Both sites have property welcome kiosks with general information and overview maps at their respective property entrances.