Expanding Ashland's Town Forest
Thanks to a collaboration of the Town of Ashland and SVT, the Ashland Town Forest-Cowassock Woods Conservation Area could soon span more than 700 contiguous acres of protected land.
With SVT's support, the Town is planning to purchase 52 wooded acres located along Winter Street from the Southern New England Conference of the United Church of Christ (UCC). This forested property near the Ashland-Framingham line supports a variety of wildlife and also includes several well-developed trails that will be permanently open to the public if the land is conserved.
The UCC property abuts the Ashland Town Forest, which is entwined with SVT's Cowassock Woods Conservation Area. SVT and the Town work together to manage the forests and habitats on these lands, which together cover more than 660 acres and have a 6-mile trail network that includes a portion of the Bay Circuit Trail that runs through eastern Massachusetts.
During a Special Town Meeting on November 19, Ashland voters approved the use of $550,000 in Town funds for the purchase. In addition, the Commonwealth has awarded a $605,750 Forest Reserves Grant to the project, and SVT is contributing $250,000. SVT will also hold a conservation restriction on the land after the Town acquires it.
We expect the Town to close on its purchase in early 2025.