What’s New at Wildlands
Fieldstone Preserve Gives Avon & Brockton Residents New Place to Enjoy Nature
Grand Opening Gathers Public Officials, Nonprofit Leaders, Residents to Celebrate New & Future Projects at D.W. Field Park
Town of Avon Select Board Member Shannon Coffey cuts the ceremonial ribbon to open Fieldstone Preserve.
For Immediate Release
Contact: Rachel Bruce, 774-343-5121 x101, rbruce@wildlandstrust.org
Avon — A new conservation area is expanding public access to nature in one of Massachusetts’ densest urban landscapes. On November 20, the Fieldstone Preserve grand opening brought together government officials, nonprofit leaders, and nature enthusiasts from Avon, Brockton, and beyond to celebrate a new woodland trail adjacent to D.W. Field Park—and the innovative partnership that made the project possible.
Fieldstone Preserve permanently protects 30 acres of undeveloped land beside D.W. Field Park, a 700-acre natural oasis serving Brockton and Avon’s 115,000 residents. The preserve’s 0.7-mile trail system includes three entrances, two on D.W. Field Parkway and one off South Street in Avon. Parking is available within D.W. Field Park at the lot west of Waldo Lake. A kiosk at the southernmost park-side trailhead features a trail map, safety guidelines, and information about the area’s natural and cultural history.
The Town of Avon purchased the forested parcel in March 2024. Funding came from the Massachusetts Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) program and a private foundation via Wildlands Trust. Over 200 donations from residents across Southeastern Massachusetts unlocked the foundation’s contributions in December 2023.
Brockton Mayor Robert Sullivan presents Wildlands Trust with a mayoral citation for its leadership in creating Fieldstone Preserve.
Speakers at the grand opening included City of Brockton Mayor Robert Sullivan, Massachusetts Senator Michael Brady, Town of Avon Select Board Member Shannon Coffey, Brockton City Councilor Shirley Asack, Wildlands Trust President Karen Grey, Old Colony Planning Council Executive Director Mary Waldron, and MVP Coordinator Carolyn Norkiewicz. Plymouth-based poet Tzynya Pinchback also read a poem inspired by D.W. Field Park through the Writing the Land initiative.
“As a lifelong Brocktonian who used to fish here, feed the ducks here, play golf here, and sled here as a kid, this is a great day for the City of Brockton and for the Town of Avon,” said Mayor Sullivan. “All of us have a shared vision for an unbelievable D.W. Field Park. To be able to add to this is just a wonderful endeavor.” Mayor Sullivan presented citations to Wildlands Trust and the Town of Avon for their project leadership.
“We couldn't have done this without the Edwards family,” Selectwoman Coffey said of the property’s sellers. “People who come to walk these trails for years to come will be following in the Edwards’ footsteps of stewardship and love for this community.”
“I'm constantly impressed by the collaboration of Wildlands Trust with Old Colony Planning Council, the Town of Avon, and the Brockton Garden Club,” said City Councilor Asack. “They are constantly here in the park, preserving our beautiful nature for our kids and for our community. I look forward to our continued collaboration with Wildlands Trust and to the amazing projects they have coming in the future.”
Click here to watch the full ceremony, courtesy of Avon Community Access & Media.
Wildlands Trust Chief of Staff Rachel Bruce and President Karen Grey thank project partners at the Fieldstone Preserve grand opening.
At the ceremony, Wildlands Trust Chief of Staff Rachel Bruce announced the award of $1.4 million in total funding for upcoming improvement projects at D.W. Field Park, including $860,000 from the MVP program for a shovel-ready roadway redesign; $425,000 from the state’s Parkland Acquisitions and Renovations for Communities (PARC) Program for the renovation of the Tower Hill parking area; and $100,000 from the EPA’s SNEP Watershed Implementation Grants (SWIG) for a stormwater management site. These projects will advance the mission of the D.W. Field Park Initiative, a collaboration launched by Wildlands Trust in 2022 to revitalize the park for people and planet.
After the remarks, Selectwoman Coffey cut a ceremonial ribbon to officially open Fieldstone Preserve to the public. A public hike of the new trail ensued, guided by Wildlands Trust staff.
“D.W. Field Park already delivers so many benefits to people and wildlife,” said Wildlands Trust President Karen Grey. “We knew that the best way to expand these benefits was simply to expand the park. But in an urban environment, finding new land to protect is a tall order. We are grateful for the generosity of the Edwards family and the collaboration of the D.W. Field Park Initiative, which made this project possible.”
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Wildlands Trust works throughout Southeastern Massachusetts to permanently protect native habitats, farmland, and lands of high ecologic and scenic value that serve to keep our communities healthy and our residents connected to the natural world. Founded in 1973, Wildlands Trust has protected more than 14,000 acres of vital lands across 59 cities and towns. For more information, visit wildlandstrust.org.
The D.W. Field Park Initiative aims to revitalize D.W. Field Park by improving recreational opportunities, accessibility, environmental health, and climate resiliency in Brockton and Avon’s largest public open space. Wildlands Trust launched the Initiative in 2022. Partners include the City of Brockton, Town of Avon, Old Colony Planning Council, D.W. Field Park Association, Environmental Partners, Manomet Conservation Sciences, Conway School, and Fuller Craft Museum. For more information, visit dwfieldparkinitiative.org.
Wildlands’ Community Stewardship Program Builds New Trails and Amenities in Wareham
Since January of 2022, Wildlands’ Community Stewardship staff and volunteers have been assisting the Town of Wareham at its Minot Forest property.
By Owen Grey, Stewardship Manager
Wildlands Trust established our Community Stewardship Program in 2015 to help towns and conservation groups in Southeastern Massachusetts that lack staffing resources to care for conservation lands. Staffing constraints often mean that communities cannot fully benefit from the investments they have made in open space protection: management plans are not established, new trails are never built, and older trail systems and amenities are not properly maintained. As the region protects more open space, it is important to care for these conservation lands and, when appropriate, to establish access for safe public use and enjoyment.
Since January of 2022, Wildlands’ Community Stewardship staff and volunteers have been assisting the Town of Wareham at its Minot Forest property. Minot Forest, Wareham’s largest municipal conservation area, is contiguous with Wildlands’ 104-acre Great Neck Conservation Area, making it a perfect Community Stewardship site. The Wareham Land Trust and New England Forestry Foundation also own land in this area, and combined, the four groups protect 484-acres of conserved land with 8.5 miles of trails. Wildlands viewed this project not only as a chance to add trail improvements at a popular conservation area, but also as an opportunity to build a large and cohesive trail system that allows users to access a variety of protected lands.
Our work at Minot Forest began with a site visit in late January 2022 with representatives from Wildlands Trust, Wareham Land Trust, Wareham Natural Resource Department, and the Minot Forest Committee. We were excited by the potential the property had for public access and many miles of trails weaving throughout the property. The group unanimously agreed that the extensive trail system, while well established and heavily used, desperately needed some TLC. In the following months, Wildlands worked with Wareham Natural Resource Department to put the group’s vision into effect. We improved old trails, formalized trail loops, built new trails, and created an updated trail map. Once the trail loops were formalized, we marked each loop with color-coded trail markers called blazes. We have constructed ten wooden benches to be placed along the trails and are currently constructing three trailhead kiosks, which will hold maps and other important information for trail users. All work done by our staff and volunteers at Minot Forest was funded by a Massachusetts Recreational Trails Grant acquired by the Town of Wareham.
The work at Minot Forest is expected to be completed by December 2022. We encourage anyone who enjoys passive outdoor recreation and exploring new places to head over to Minot Forest; you will not be disappointed! Building relationships with Community Stewardship partners makes us feel lucky to have this program at Wildlands Trust. Our work with the Town of Wareham at Minot Forest has been a pleasure for our team and we look forward to continuing the relationship moving forward.
Want a guided hike of Minot Forest?
Join Wildlands Trust for Hike & Hops on November 20 – learn more and buy tickets here.
