New England Wild Flower Society owns and manages ten sanctuaries in four New England states. Nine are open to the public. For information on these sanctuaries and how to visit them, click the links below or download a copy of the Society's Sanctuary Guide in Adobe Acrobat (PDF) format.

These preserved tracts of wild land serve as living classrooms and are used for many of the Society's field trips, classes, and other programs related to the study of native plants and their habitats. We ask that large groups always notify the designated sanctuary steward before making a visit, since some of the habitats in our sanctuaries are extremely fragile. As always we hate to say no, but please do not cut, pick, or collect seed at any sanctuary.

Sanctuary Locations

• Arbutus Sanctuary, Winchendon, MA
• Plainfield Sanctuary, Plainfield, NH
• Hobbs Fern Sanctuary, Lyman, NH
• Eshqua Bog Natural Area, Hartland, VT
• Harvey Butler Rhododendron Sanctuary, Springvale, ME
• Annie Sturgis Sanctuary, Vassalboro, ME
• Robert P. Tristram Coffin Wildflower Reservation, Woolwich, ME
• Wayne Bog, Wayne, ME – not open to the public
• Garden in the Woods, Framingham, MA (nature trails)
• Nasami Farm, Whately, MA - The seasonal retail operation is open to the public April 14 through October 28, 2012. The sanctuary not open to the public

Please note:

To ensure the safety of all visitors and to protect the plant collections and natural resources of our properties, bicycles, off-road vehicles, and vehicles or motorized devices used for mobility assistance (with the exception of wheelchairs) are not permitted on the paths at Garden in the Woods or in the Society’s sanctuaries. We encourage anyone with mobility issues to sign up in advance for a cart tour of Garden in the Woods (contact lreed@newenglandwild.org), as wheelchairs are not recommended on the steep terrain.

Additional Information

• The Massachusetts Land Trust Coalition is a voluntary association of land trusts founded to provide a forum for the exchange of ideas and information, to increase the effectiveness of Massachusetts land trusts in working with the state legislature and environmental agencies, and to promote high professional standards.
• The Land Trust Alliance unites and champions organizations in local communities working to save natural areas.