Observing Tree Varieties in Cochituate State Park

Something I think we often overlook as outdoor recreationalists, regardless of how casual or hardcore we brand ourselves, is the embrace of natural history, or the art of observing closely the variation and behavior of the natural world around us. In Massachusetts, it’s very easy to hike or jog quickly through every stretch of woods and feel as if every stretch of forest looks, and perhaps functions, the exact same way. As I have begun to learn more about ecosystems, and how very specific elements of a site’s environment can influence a plant’s ability to grow there, the presence, or absence, of a single tree species has become fascinating to me.

It was with this renewed perspective that I was walking through Cochituate State Park in the MetroWest region of Massachusetts, a rather small state park sandwiched between relatively dense exurb towns of the Boston metro area. The park was created to protect an old series of connected reservoirs for recreational use of the water, and because most of the park surrounds the open water landscape, fantastic views of the distant shores line the park as you walk around. There is a lot of human impact visible along the shore since the purpose of the park is distinctly for human enjoyment. Many boats, fishing materials, docks, and lounge furniture are left strewn around the edges of the water.

Tree Species Observed

What has been interesting about this area in comparison to locations closer to Boston is the different sorts of tree varieties around the lake. We perhaps just get more opportunities to see these trees growing in an uninterrupted state in more locations in the MetroWest region of Massachusetts because there are more, and larger, protected spaces further away from the denser city limits and inner suburbs, but this is the first instance in which I have been able to definitively identify several Sweet Birch trees growing in a cluster on the eastern side of the park. The presence of these trees indicates the soil probably drains well here despite the land’s proximity to the reservoir (perhaps related to the phenomenon of incomplete riparian environments discussed in our previous article about Ashland State Park). Sweet Birch is also unlike other birch trees in that it can thrive more in areas that are at least partially shaded, or moderately mature forests. It should be noted that shade exists on a gradation in forests, and had the sunlight been completely blocked by dense conifers, sweet birch would not have been able to take root here.

Another interesting specimen find was a single pitch pine sitting amongst the deciduous trees. It was taller than the rest, and presumably older, since pitch pines don’t do well in shaded areas. They also tend to do well in sandier soil and locations that are difficult for other trees to grow, but can tolerate other growing conditions; because of the variety of the other trees here this doesn’t seem like an area that particularly favors pitch pines over other species.

The last species find was a sad one, the presence of beech leaf disease on nearly all of the beech trees found along the walk. Many beech trees in the area seem to have been stricken with this disease this year. I had not seen it at all in prior years and unfortunately it is capable of eventually killing these trees. It is caused by a roundworm that enters the bud in the winter. The disease seems to cause the leaves to appear either striped along the ridges of the leaf, or just plain wilted in general. For a long time, ecologists were discussing how beech trees were slowly engulfing areas previously dominated by oak species, which was a phenomenon that had both potential negative and positive consequences for ecosystems, but with this new threat it’s hard to say how long that increasing beech dominance will last.

Travel Logistics

To reach the eastern portion of the park where these trees were observed, you can access a trail via Mary Bunker Park in Natick. You have to walk down to the water and take a right through the thicket to access the state park trail. Stay close to the water once you exit the thicket to avoid crossing over onto private property, and follow the shoreline north from there. When I was last there, this route was blocked by a fallen tree (which does not seem uncommon at this park, perhaps because the terrain is exposed in this area). During weekdays I found the Mary Bunker entrance to be completely empty and vehicle access plentiful. Some locals will be walking their dogs through this area as the location is very residential.

On the western side of the park, a larger beach access point is available but purportedly more busy and subject to even more human impact (reports of trash left behind, etc.). I have not tried parking directly at the state park, but there is a fee to park at the main entrance. You can alternatively park at one of the parking areas along the Cochituate Rail Trail and walk to another entrance to the state park along the trail.