Nan Williams Conservation Area: an artistic botanical survey

The Nan Williams Conservation Area in Rowe, a generous gift of the landowner in 2018, is managed by Franklin Land Trust as a biological reserve for wildlife and research.

It is a parcel that is rich in habitat and is particularly noteworthy for the abundant growth of more than sixty varieties of ephemeral plants that return in the fleeting weeks of early spring. In May 2020, FLT worked in partnership with artist, biologist, and UMass Environmental Conservation master’s student Sophie Argetsinger. Argetsinger spent several weeks visiting the site, taking photographs, and conducting a full inventory of the species of plants that live in this remarkable landscape. With the support of a generous private donation, she developed an illustrated field guide to the property. Click here to see some of her work!