Today the Aguntaug Swamp is a backwater hidden behind thick vegetation from the businesses that line the Post Road. At the end of Pound Road the trail to the left leads to a handicap accessible overlook. The right-hand trail leads to a locked gate which our guide had a key for. Upon our return from the hike, someone had locked the gate behind us. Perhaps it was the cold overcast day, the locked gate or the ghostly spirit of the last wolf that brought on a slight feeling of uneasiness like you were being watched.

Let’s face it; swamps are not everyone’s cup of tea. Maybe that’s not such a bad thing. There should be places that are unfriendly to man, places where businesses can’t develop. Haven’t we paved over enough of this country already? Anyone who watches any survival shows know that these are not places you would take the family for a vacation, but these wetlands are vitally important if mankind is not going to destroy our planet.

It hardly seems possible that this kind of wild place can exist right in the middle of town, so it’s reassuring to know that unspoiled places like the Aguntaug Swamp are being preserved. The last of our wild places should be. For more information on the Crandall Preserve contact The Westerly Land Trust.

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