Description
Why You Should Visit
The David H. Smith Preserve features scrub oak shrubland and oak woodlands habitat on the coastal sandplain of Martha’s Vineyard. The Nature Conservancy created a .75-mile educational trail on the property, called the Fire Trail. This trail features interpretive displays on the natural history of fire on Martha’s Vineyard and the role that controlled burning plays today in restoring rare natural communities and species.
Why TNC Selected This Site
TNC protected the David H. Smith Preserve and facilitated the protection of the 801-acre “Hazy Acres” portion of the adjacent Manuel F. Correllus State Forest by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation in 1995 because the site includes a portion of the largest remaining coastal sandplain habitat left on Martha’s Vineyard. The preserve is named after a philanthropist who generously supported TNC’s work on the Vineyard.
What TNC Has Done/Is Doing
TNC completes regular monitoring and preserve maintenance on this property.
