Cedar Pond Wildlife Sanctuary lies within a mosaic of protected conservation land that includes the Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary and several large state forest and park areas. Mass Audubon maintains an informal and unmarked trail system that currently has limited use. Thanks to a grant from the Essex County Community Foundation, Audugon will be improving the trails, creating a new parking lot, and building a universally accessible All Persons Trail to make the sanctuary welcome to all. 

Just south of Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary, Cedar Pond Wildlife Sanctuary, 158 acres, is bisected east to west by Cherry Street. It lies within a mosaic of protected conservation lands that include the Ipswich River and several large state forest and park areas. The northern section includes portions of Wenham Swamp, and the southern section contains an informal trail system that existed before Mass Audubon’s ownership.

The wildlife sanctuary contains approximately 110 acres of upland forest, 27 acres of wooded swamp, 10 acres of marsh, open water, and bog, 4 acres of shrubland, and 7 acres of field. The wetlands include Cedar Pond and Meadow Pond. There is an Atlantic white cedar wetland along the shore of Cedar Pond, and also a sphagnum bog, and several vernal pools on the property.

The wildlife sanctuary is within the Eastern Essex County Interior Forest Important Bird Area, and its mix of habitat types offers nesting habitats to numerous species as well as resting and feeding habitats during migration. Some 15 species of birds that are priorities for conservation have been recorded at Cedar Pond. Also seen here: the blue-spotted salamander and 34 species of odonates (dragonflies and damselflies) including lilypad forktail, aurora damsel, and Hudsonian whiteface. In addition, approximately 175 plant species have been recorded in the wildlife sanctuary.