Moritz Forest, Acton

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Moritz Forest, Acton
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Moritz Forest. Photo by SVT.
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Moritz Forest Overview. Photo courtesy of Acton Conservation Trust.

SVT is delighted to be supporting the Town of Acton as it seeks to protect the 33-acre Moritz Forest ("Clement and Elizabeth H. Moritz Forest"), known locally as Wetherbee Woods, in the eastern part of town.

Part of an open space complex within the Nashoba Brook corridor, Moritz Forest sits adjacent to both the Town-owned Wetherbee Conservation Land and the popular Bruce Freeman Rail Trail. This area of town, located along Route 2 not far from the Concord Rotary, is known as the “Agricultural Gateway” of Acton.

Moritz Forest has long been a priority for protection by the Town of Acton, and after several years of conversations, the landowners have generously agreed to sell the land to the Town for less than the appraised value. The Town has asked SVT to hold the conservation restriction (CR) to ensure the ecological features are permanently protected. 

The protection of Moritz Forest will:

  • Safeguard the nearby Nashoba Brook and wetlands, protecting water quality and enhancing flood and drought resilience.
  • Preserve forest, wetland, and vernal pool habitats that are home to a diversity of wildlife.
  • Conserve a critical piece of the larger open space corridor, ensuring connectivity of habitat areas.
  • Increase opportunities for passive recreation, including expanding the trail network along the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail. 

Several partners are providing the funds that will protect this important habitat: The Town of Acton, the Acton Conservation Trust, SVT, and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The Commonwealth has awarded a $500,000 Local Acquisitions for Natural Diversity (LAND) grant to the project, which requires that the acquisition and the CR to be completed by June 2025, so we are looking forward to updating you with great news by midyear!

Why Protect This Land?

Moritz Forest and the adjacent 73-acre Wetherbee Conservation Land are part of an open space complex within the Nashoba Brook corridor. The corridor also includes the Town’s 32-acre Morrison Farm (with a community garden and meadows that support numerous species of wildlife) and the Acton Water District’s 549 Main Street property that provides protection for the drinking water supply. (SVT and the Town co-hold a conservation restriction on the latter property.) 

The wooded areas of Moritz Forest consist of mostly white pine and hardwoods including red oak, white oak, red maple, and black birch, and the land offers potential habitat for a variety of species such as coyote, mink, red fox, opossum, and bat, as well as owls, raptors, and forest birds.

Nearly 18 acres of Moritz Forest are identified as BioMap Critical Natural Landscape and/or Local Aquatic Habitat Buffer associated with the adjacent Nashoba Brook, and The Nature Conservancy has identified the land as important to protect for inland flood resilience and aquifer recharge potential. 

Moritz Forest has areas of wetlands including two certified vernal pools that can provide habitat for spotted turtle, wood frogs and salamanders. Nashoba Brook also runs along the eastern side of the property. 

The property also promises to expand recreational opportunities in the area, as it sits next to the popular Bruce Freeman Rail Trail that will eventually run from Framingham to Lowell. The Town is proposing a loop trail for Moritz Forest that will enable people to enjoy hiking through the natural areas of this lovely property.

Project Map

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Moritz Forest Conservation Context

How We Will Protect This Land

For several years, the Town, Acton Conservation Trust, and SVT have been in conversations with the landowner about conserving this ecologically rich land. 

Following a 2023 appraisal that valued the land at more than $4 million, the landowner agreed to sell the property to the Town at a bargain sale price of $3.6 million.

  • At a Special Town Meeting on November 25, 2024, Acton residents voted to approve the purchase and the use Community Preservation Act Funds and other Town Funds.
  • The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has also awarded a $500,000 Local Acquisitions for Natural Diversity (LAND) grant to the project.
  • The Acton Conservation Trust is generously contributing $100,000 that it has raised through a local fundraising campaign.
  • SVT has agreed to contribute $50,000 toward the purchase. SVT will also hold the conservation restriction on the land. 

To comply with the terms of the state LAND grant, the Town must purchase the property by June 1, 2025 and the CR must be completed by that time.