The 57-acre Kwaks Sanctuary provides excellent habitat for a variety of wildlife species. There are excellent examples of many natural community types from dense upland hemlock, mixed conifer, and rich hardwood forests to prime wetland communities which play an important role in protecting the water quality of the Follett’s Brook Watershed.
The open field adjacent to the parking lot was formerly home to a golf driving range. This will be maintained as a meadow to provide habitat for a suite of species including bobolink, Eastern meadowlark, and red fox. On our trails, you can enjoy some easy hiking that will expose you to a variety of habitats while revealing the agricultural and timbering history of the area.
New Hampshire Audubon is a member of the Great Bay Resource Protection Partnership, which is a group of organizations who are all committed to the common goal of protecting this Great Bay region through conservation planning, land conservation, stewardship, education, and outreach.
Noted for its relatively unfragmented area of forests, streams, and wetland ecosystems, the approximately 1,200 acre Follett’s Brook Watershed is an area of high priority for the Partnership.
The Kwaks Sanctuary is a key component in the protection of the Follett’s Brook Watershed. By providing intact upland connected to high quality wetlands, the Kwaks Sanctuary and other forested lands in the area play an important role in maintaining water quality, ensuring wildlife habitat, and allowing for light-impact recreational activities.
By protecting the Follett’s Brook Watershed, New Hampshire Audubon and our partners are helping to care for not only the plants and animals, but also the vital waters of this planet.
There is no current trail access on the Smith Sisters Wildlife Sanctuary.
From Newmarket: Take Main Street/Route 152 West for 1.9 miles to a large parking lot on the north (right) side of the road (next to #332 Wadleigh Falls Rd). The lot is marked by the hanging roadside sign and kiosk in the field.
From Lee/Epping (Route 125): take Route 152 East for 4.5 miles to a large parking lot on the north (left) side of the road (next to #332 Wadleigh Falls Rd). The lot is marked by the hanging roadside sign and kiosk in the field.
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Photo, top: open fields and meadows of the Kwaks Wildlife Sanctuary, by Phil Brown.