A Vision for Willis Woods

Above (L-R) Executive Director Wayne Castonguay on a walk through one of the critical parcels the Town of Lynnfield is working to conserve with Kate Bowditch (President, Greenbelt), Kathleen Theoharides (Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs), Emilie Cademartori (Director of Planning & Conservation, Town of Lynnfield), Chris LaPointe (Director of Land Conservation, Greenbelt), Ken MacNulty (Ipswich River Board Vice President), and Director of Policy and Planning Patrick Lynch.

Willis Woods is an area of land adjacent to the Ipswich River, comprising various conservation-owned properties, municipal water district lands, and large privately-owned parcels that will be the focus of a new regional effort. Emilie Cademartori, Director of Planning & Conservation for the Town of Lynnfield, announced this week that the town had been awarded funding by the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) to develop a vision and work plan for Willis Woods with regional partners. The complete project will result in hundreds of acres of open space at the intersection of the four communities of Lynnfield, Middleton, North Reading, and Peabody.

MAPC, Greenbelt, the Lynnfield Center Water District, Ipswich River Watershed Association, and other critical regional stakeholders have long expressed interest in preserving this area. Still, the project only recently came into focus following  the pending private sale of 20 acres of forested land in Lynnfield, known as Richardson Green. It is one of the last unprotected parcels and a possible “keystone” to this larger area.

“Projects like this one, which involve multiple communities in the same watershed working to develop a shared strategy, are the key to the future of the North Shore,” says Patrick Lynch, Director of Policy and Planning. “We are thrilled to be supporting our municipalities as they work with MAPC and other partners to pull together a really ambitious vision for the headwaters of the Ipswich River Watershed.” Keep reading for comments from our municipal and state legislative partners.

Facilitating collaboration and partnership projects like this is a crucial focus of our community services programs. Our municipal staff, for their part, recognize the importance of projects like this to their communities.

“Our Town is truly grateful for this opportunity to work collaboratively with the Towns of Middleton and North Reading and the City of Peabody to preserve this vast area of undeveloped forest,” notes Lynnfield Town Administrator Robert Dolan. “Our four communities, and clearly the larger region, increasingly depend on these open spaces to safeguard our natural resources and strengthen our climate resiliency. This grant award marks a tremendous step in advancing those goals.”

“This is wonderful news for Lynnfield, North Reading, Middleton, and Peabody, as this grant will help further their collective efforts to preserve hundreds of acres of shared open space, protect local drinking water sources, and provide more passive recreational opportunities for all residents,” said House Minority Leader Bradley H. Jones, Jr. (R-North Reading). “My thanks to the Metropolitan Area Planning Council for recognizing that the proposed, “A Vision for Willis Woods,” will offer many tangible long-term environmental benefits to all four communities and to the region as a whole.”

“Of particular interest to the Town of Middleton is the ability to connect to the end of the Independence Greenway in Peabody,” notes Middleton Town Administrator Andrew Sheehan. “A connection through Middleton to Lynnfield and North Reading will offer a safe area for residents to walk, bike, and exercise. COVID has demonstrated that residents desire places to safely congregate and recreate.”

“North Reading is currently undertaking a feasibility study for the conversion of a former railroad bed into a potential east-west recreational trail between the Lynnfield and Wilmington town lines,” notes North Reading Town Administrator Michael Gilleberto. “This trail could connect with the Peabody Independence Greenway through Lynnfield, and we are encouraged that this possible connection will be evaluated in this important upcoming regional planning effort. In addition to the potential for recreational use, protecting this open space is also in the interest of protecting the Ipswich River,” adds Danielle Mcknight, Town Planner for North Reading.

“The City of Peabody is pleased to see this vision to connect recreation trails to the Peabody Independence Greenway,” says Brendan Callahan, Peabody Assistant Director of Planning. “The development of a work plan and shared vision between the neighboring towns will move the communities towards the region’s goal to link our existing trail network system.”

5 thoughts on “A Vision for Willis Woods”

  1. This is fantastic news! Congratulations to all who helped make it happen. Thoughtful planning, real teamwork and unrelenting persistence paid off. BRAVO

    1. Hi Barbara!
      I believe that a property/trail map is envisioned as part of the project. I can check on existing maps and let you know.
      Thanks,
      Rachel

  2. I’m very excited to hear about this project. My followers at https://www.facebook.com/friendsofpeabodyindependencegreenway/ Have been asking about this kind of idea and have a shared interest in finding ways to connect these communities via shared use trails. The vision to build a Regional trail network has always been in the forefront on my mind sense the beginning of my interest in Peabody’s Independence Greenway several years ago and the creation of our Facebook page. Protecting the watershed and providing shared open spaces is a great opportunity for each community to work together.

    I’m looking forward to sharing my thoughts and interest with this project.

    Walter Booth

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