Most passerby in a town might not think of its town forest as an interesting pit stop. These locations are often catered towards enjoyment and recreation by locals, with little emphasis placed on accommodation or interest for travelers. Look beyond the immediate, though, and you will discover a rich history hidden in the trees.
The Reading Town Forest began its history as old pasture and wetland that was set aside as a local recreation, education and wood harvesting space around 1930. During this historic time of austerity, town projects such as this were often a way to get people back to work in the wake of the Great Depression. The natural state of this land reflects this history in its evenly planted stands of white and red pine trees, planted in increments over decades and periodically harvested for lumber. When I first encountered these stands, I had not the foresight to even think of them as artificially planted. I assumed all of the trees in these stands were native white pines, and after some cursory research guessed that the bark appeared red on some trees due to their proximity to the nearby wetland. However, these red pines actually tend to thrive in areas further north of the town of Reading. While isolated stands can extend down as far as Virginia, climate change is making it increasingly difficult for red pines to thrive in Massachusetts. Pay attention to the health of the stands in Reading Town Forest, and you will notice that many of the red pine trees are not in good health for this reason. This artificial forestry in the area explains quite clearly why the forest around here looks so distinct in comparison to other nearby nature parks.
Explore around the park enough and you will find a wetland to the north. As of the time of this writing, a large beaver damn broke up a body of water, making for an interesting variation in the landscape. I believe this part of the park is a continuation of the Ipswitch River, which was previously used as a water source by Reading. Old images of this area show dried out waterbeds that are now filled to the brim with water.
Most of the trails in this area are fairly flat, corresponding with the primary wetland ecosystem. There are a few hills, called “islands” on the maps, that you can traverse up to give your self a slight workout. When we went in April, the area was very peaceful with only a few others using the trails. Because the town forest is an actively used space for not only recreation but town utilities, there are some areas with a bit of an industrial feel, such as the paths nearest to the town compost, dog park, and gas utility line. You won’t always feel as if you’re in the thick of nature, but the plantings, some of which flower beautifully in the spring, the wetlands draped in whispy branches, and the river views are nice to see if you’re already in the area. There are parking lots and access points to the south and to the east of the park.