City of Methuen Master Plan

Natural Resources, Open Space, and Recreation
these once plentiful grassland specialists. Many other bird species nest near these fields and use them as
well as other habitats for hunting and feeding on seeds, insects, and small mammals. Many migrant
songbirds, those that move between northern and southern latitudes with the seasons, can still be found
feeding in farm fields in Methuen and other nearby towns during migration. Many hawks and owls,
such as American kestrels and northern harriers rely on grasslands for hunting small mammals, while
other hawks and owls, such as red-tailed hawks and great horned owls, hunt in these fields as well as the
city’s forested areas. In addition to birds, voles, white-tailed deer, woodchucks, coyotes, and eastern
cottontail rabbits often use agricultural areas. Several snakes, such as the eastern hognose snake and the
northern brown snake can also be found in fields and pastures.
Open Land
Power line corridors and unused open land, like agricultural fields that are no longer being cultivated, are
also areas used by many of the same species of wildlife that use agricultural land and some species that
specialize in using these areas. There are just over 715 acres of this type of habitat in Methuen (5.3% of
the total area). Power line corridors are also often used as movement corridors for wildlife, providing a
means of getting from one habitat to another.
The birds, mammals, and reptiles that use these open areas are likely to be the same as those that use
agricultural areas in Methuen.
Forest Land
Methuen still has a considerable amount of forestland, but the effect of suburban development has
begun to mask the visual impact of many of these remaining forested as large lots are developed along
the city’s roadways. The habitat map shows 3,554 acres of forest in Methuen (27% of the city's total
area), including primarily the Central Hardwoods-Hemlock-White Pine association and relatively small
areas of the Red Maple Swamp association. The Central Hardwood Forest type is located on generally
drier outwash soils and tills. The most common trees are red oak (with mixtures of other oaks) and
hemlock as well as red maple, aspen, hickories, and gray birch. White pine is common on more sandy
soils. Common shrubs and herbs include blueberries, wintergreen, clubmosses, and hazel. The Central
Hardwood Forest type is found in all parts of Methuen while the Swamp Hardwood Forest type is
concentrated along streams or around ponds. The Central Hardwood Forest habitat type is likely to be
the most threatened because it is often generally suitable for development.
Some of the common animals found in the Central Hardwood Forest include spotted salamander,
redback salamander, wood frog, American toad, eastern milk snake, and eastern garter snake. Common
birds include red-tailed hawk, Cooper’s hawk, mourning dove, downy woodpecker, great-horned owl,
northern flicker, eastern wood pewee, eastern phoebe, blue jay, American crow, white-breasted
nuthatch, brown creeper, gray catbird, scarlet tanager, ovenbird, American goldfinch, yellow-rumped
warbler, and Baltimore oriole. Common mammals include Virginia opossum, eastern chipmunk,
woodchuck, gray squirrel, red squirrel, white-footed mouse, red fox, eastern coyote, raccoon, river otter,
white-tailed deer, and striped skunk.
Swamp Hardwoods, found in the scattered wetland areas of Methuen and along streams, are so
dominated by red maples that they are often referred to as Red Maple Swamps. Other common trees
include American ash, cedars, and black gum. Wetland understory shrubs are common, including alder,
viburnums, blueberries, and others. Herbs are abundant and include sedges, ferns, false hellebore, and
skunk cabbage. These woodlands are an important component of the city’s remaining forested lands
and wetland laws generally protect them.
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