The Douglas Preserve

Tucked deep in the woods between Melius Road and the junction of Cornwall Road and Route 341 is the Land Trust's Douglas Preserve.

Obtained by the Land Trust in 1989 and donated by Murial and James Douglas, the land was once part of a larger tract managed by the Nature Conservancy, whose signs can still be spotted on the property. This 17.02 acre parcel is adjacent to, and can only be accessed from, our Melius Road Preserve.

The Douglas Preserve remains in its natural state, as was stipulated by the terms of its donation, and seemed untouched by human activity at the time of our last inspection. The preserve is a diverse natural habitat. Its majority – some 60% of the land – consists of bog or wetlands which collect and drain into a 3-foot wide stream. Another 30% of the preserve is forested dry land and 10% is made up of steep clifts with outcroppings. Combined with our Melius Road property, the secluded Douglas Preserve maintains a quiet woodland area near the center of Warren.