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Welcome

Just twenty miles west of Boston lies an oasis for wildlife - Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge. Roughly 85 percent of the refuge's more than 3,800 acres is comprised of valuable freshwater wetlands stretching along 12 miles of the Concord and Sudbury Rivers. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service protects and manages Great Meadows as nesting, resting, and feeding habitat for wildlife, with special emphasis on migratory birds. The diversity of plant and animal life visible from refuge trails provides visitors with excellent opportunities for wildlife viewing and nature study.

 

 

Upcoming Programs - please see Eastern MA NWR Complex home page under "We're a Complex"

Youth Conservation Corps Summer Opportunity - now closed

Concord Impoundment Management - New - (pdf - 76KB)

Information on Common Carp FAQ (pdf 58kb) and Fact Sheet (pdf 96kb)

Important Notice

This fall, USFWS staff will be conducting ditch maintenance throughout the upper and lower pools of the concord impoundments using an amphibious excavator. For more information about the effects of this maintenance, please read the documents below:

ATTENTION VISITORS

Volunteer Opportunity

Invasive Work Parties (on going) - (pdf - 117KB)

Hunt Schedule - (pdf 95KB)

Concord Impoundments Notice (pdf - 164KB)

• U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (pdf - 695KB)
• Proposal to Maintain Ditches and Create Freshwater Refugia (pdf - 4.73MB)
• Final Notice of Intent (pdf - 3.80MB)
• Order of Conditions (pdf - 875KB)
• 401 Water Quality Certification (pdf - 410KB)

ATTENTION HUNTERS

Applications are currently being accepted for non-lottery seasons at http://www.easternmapermits.com. All lottery applications are typically available July 1-July 31.

The application fee is $5.00 and the fees for each permit range from $10.00 to $30.00. All active military, persons 62 years of age and older, and those with a permanent disability receive a 50% discount on all permit fees. All applicants must pay the $2 - $3 processing fees per each individual season.

A non-refundable application fee must be included with your application. There are no fees for anyone age 17 years old or younger; youth hunters are also exempt from the lottery process, but still need to select each hunt he or she is applying for. If you are selected, you will be notified and at that time you will need to send in the appropriate amount of money for each permit. If money is not received within fourteen calendar days from the time of being notified, the lottery portion of your application will be withdrawn and we will go to the next applicant that was in the lottery. Checks or money orders must be made out to the Kinsail Corporation. Cash will not be accepted. Credit cards will be automatically charged if you are selected.

Applications that are missing any of the required information, including your application or processing fees, will be discarded, as well as multiple applications from the same hunter.

Applications which are illegible will also be discarded. The lottery is usually held by August 5th and notifications are made by August 12th. To apply online after July 1, visit http://www.easternmapermits.com. All lottery applications close by July 31st, all others will open until each season is over. For more information, Susan_J_Russo@fws.gov or call 978-443-4661 x34

Migratory Bird Hunting Seasons for 2012-2013" http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/recreation/hunting/waterfowl/migratory_gamebird_abstracts.pdf

2012-2013 hunting seasons" http://www.eregulations.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/12MAAB_Quick_Reference_List.pdf

 

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Massachusetts Junior Duck Stamp Program - Get Your Kids Involved Today!