It is done! The 53 acres that once belonged to the Southern New England Conference of the United Church of Christ is now an official part of the Town Forest.  For years many folks assumed that it already was.  They would have been quite surprised if one day the chainsaws had come to clear cut the whole thing.

Now it is protected!  The conveyance of the property located at the end of Winter Street and behind four homes on Myrtle Street occurred on January 24.  Together with SVT’s Cowassock Woods section, our Town Forest is now over 700 acres in size and features some of the best trails and habitat within the I-495 metro area.

Some years ago, the Church explored developing the land -- evidence of that effort can be seen in the many perc test pipes spread throughout the property -- but the Church also had a strong desire to protect the land. Each summer, upwards of 450 kids per day come to the youth summer day-camp which is located on the adjacent land on the Framingham side of the forest. There the kids learn to appreciate the forest.  By working with the Town, the Church was able to accomplish both of its goals.

The land is now doubly protected. First, as conservation land, it is protected by Article 97 of the Massachusetts Constitution. Approved by Massachusetts voters in 1972, “Article 97 grants to the people the right to a clean environment and authorizes the acquisition of land for conservation purposes to be protected in perpetuity” according to the state website. 

A second layer of protection is provided by a Conservation Restriction (CR) owned by Sudbury Valley Trustees (SVT).  A Conservation Restriction is a deed for the property’s conservation rights.  SVT was granted the CR by the Town in return for their $250,000 contribution to the purchase price.  As the ‘holder’ of the CR, SVT is in a overseer position to ensure that the property remains natural and unspoiled.

As with most of the forest, operational control is provided by the Town Forest Committee and its volunteers.  The relationship between the Committee and SVT is defined in CR.  Though carefully negotiated over several months, the CR could not be submitted to the state for approval until after the land purchase was final. It now awaits state approval, and that approval must be received before the Town can get reimbursed for the grant portion of the purchase price -- $605,750.  

In addition to finalizing the CR, there is other work that must be done.  As on the Riverwalk, a sign must be installed to acknowledge the state’s contribution to the purchase.  There is also a bridge to build, trails to be marked, a parking area to enhance, and some signage to install. 

If you would like to volunteer to be a forest helper, please indicate your interest in an email sent to: [email protected].  

Come take a hike

The new section of the forest will be called the UCC-CR Section — UCC referring to the Church and CR for the Conservation Restriction.  The Forest Committee would like to share it with you.  

Members of the committee will lead guided walks at 9:00AM on the following Saturdays and Sundays:  March 28 and 29, April 4 and 5, April 18 and 19, and May 2 and 3.  You can register by sending an email to: [email protected].  Please indicate which date and how many people will attend.  The committee will notify you if any of the dates must be cancelled due to weather.  The walks will start at the trailhead located at the Eversource Powerlines near end of Winter Street.  Parking along the forest side of the road is permitted.

The Ashland Town Forest Committee (ATFC) is a volunteer committee appointed by the Select Board.  Their mission is to manage and maintain the forest.  Forest maintenance includes removal of trees that fall on trails or that pose a threat to public safety.  The ATFC is also responsible for signage, removal of invasive plants, trail erosion, and the promotion of the Town Forest as a public asset.

The Forest Committee sends thanks to the many people who helped bring this project to fruition, and to the Select Board and Ashland Town Meeting voters who had the wisdom and foresight to approve this purchase.  That wisdom and foresight as demonstrated in 1942 by Henry Warren through his gift of the initial 450 acres to the Town has resulted in this gem of a forest.  It is there for all of us to enjoy.   

Submitted by Ashland Town Forest Committee