Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge

Welcome to Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge! Located in the towns of Sudbury, Stow, Maynard and Hudson, and just 20 miles west of Boston, Assabet River NWR is one of eight national wildlife refuges that comprise the Eastern Massachusetts National Wildlife Refuge Complex. The lands the refuge consists of were traditionally hunted and fished by Nipmuc Tribes, later farmed by colonists, then crossed by railroad and eventually used for military training. This area was known as the Sudbury Training Annex, part of Fort Devens and the U.S. Army, until 2000 when over 2,000 acres were transferred to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, establishing the refuge. Important habitat types on the refuge, such as freshwater wetlands, oak-pine forest, and shrubland are crucial to our management of migratory bird conservation. Many wildlife call Assabet River home including numerous species of waterfowl and wading birds, songbirds, raptors, American beaver, bobcat, white-tailed deer, and various reptiles and amphibians.