Ellis-Walker Property, Westborough

SVT and the Town of Westborough have conserved 34 acres of open meadow, forest, and wetlands along Bowman Street on the Westborough-Upton town line.

Located between the Bowman West Conservation Area and the Upton State Forest, the Ellis-Walker Property is part of an extensive corridor of open space that provides habitat for wildlife, protects important water resources, and features hiking trails for area residents.

Footpaths from cattle and people traverse the gentle slopes, stone walls, and abundant streams that crisscross the property. As the streams flow northwest, they combine into one perennial stream that eventually feeds into the Sandra Pond Reservoir, which provides nearly one-third of Westborough’s drinking water.

In August 2025, the Town purchased the land from the Walker Family Trust. SVT provided technical and fundraising assistance for this project, and on April 23, 2026, we closed on a conservation restriction to ensure the property remains permanently protected.

Project Map

Nestled in a quiet, rural neighborhood on Bowman Street, the Ellis-Walker Property is situated south of Interstate 90 and north of the Upton Town Line. The property (outlined in red in the map) is also located just a few hundred feet from several open space areas. Open a pdf of the map.

Why Protect This Land

Protects the Town of Westborough's drinking water supply.
Provides wildlife habitat.
Protects wetland resource areas, which increases climate resiliency and absorbs pollution (pesticides, septic flow, fertilizers, impervious surface runoff).
Provides passive recreation opportunities, including hiking and wildlife viewing.

How We Protected This Land

With SVT's support, the Town of Westborough purchased this land from the Walker Family Trust in August 2025.

Westborough residents approved the purchase of the Ellis-Walker property during their Annual Town Meeting on March 23, 2024.

In advance of that vote, the Town held a public information session about the Ellis-Walker project on February 27 and has posted more details on the web page of its Open Space Preservation Committee.

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts supported the project with a Land and Water Conservation Grant.

SVT has assisted the Town with applications for grant funding, and SVT also contributed $200,000 to offset some of the purchase price.

The Town is responsible for managing the land and clearing and maintaining trails. The Town will be supported in this effort by the Westborough Conservation Land Trust.

On April 23, 2026, SVT closed on a conservation restriction on the property to ensure its conservation values are permanently protected.

Thank you to the following for financially supporting this project:

The Manton Foundation
Bafflin Foundation
Highland Partners Charitable Fund
Family of George and Doris Meyers
Merrimack Conservation Partnership
The individuals who contributed to SVT's fundraising campaign