Congrats to the Pawtucket Farm Wildlife Sanctuary for receiving the second annual Excellence in Conservation Award from MLTC. See mention in the Lowell Sun here.
The creation of Pawtucket Farm Wildlife Sanctuary is a flagship example of teamwork across four organizations --- Lowell Parks & Conservation Trust, Mass Audubon, Mill City Grows, and the City of Lowell --- who all came together to conserve the last family farm in Lowell. Rollie’s Farm, as it was known, was a beloved Christmas tree farm which also sold sought-after corn and tomatoes.
In 2018, when Rollie Perron began planning his retirement, he turned to Jane Calvin from Lowell Parks and Conservation Trust to begin quiet conversations about a way to conserve the 20-acre farm that could be financially viable for him and ensure permanent public access for the community. Given a longstanding partnership on after-school programming, Jane pulled in Mass Audubon. Next, they brought in Mill City Grows as a local urban agriculture partner.
After over five years of effort, Mass Audubon closed on the $4.5 million land acquisition in December 2023, with a Conservation Restriction held jointly by LPCT and the City of Lowell. Notably, the project represented Lowell’s first use of CPA funds for land preservation. The balance of funding came from private and foundation donors, a federal Land & Water Conservation Fund grant, and a state earmark.
The vision for Pawtucket Farm harmonizes inclusive access to nature, resilient landscapes, and community-based agriculture. Lowell ranks 314th out of 351 Massachusetts towns in percentage of protected open space. A city of immigrants, Lowell is home to the second largest Cambodian community in the United States, and many city residents arrive as refugees and asylees. Ninety-six percent of its population lives in Environmental Justice neighborhoods. In planning for uses of the property, the partners orchestrated nine listening sessions in four locally dominant languages to understand what this new asset could mean to Lowell. The chosen design reflects the community’s strong desire for fresh food, nature education programs, summer camp, and opportunities for multi-generational outdoor gathering. This project has the potential to change the way nature is experienced in Lowell, especially for the 3,000+ residents who are within a 10-minute walk of the property.
After a year of site work and construction of an accessible trail system, the sanctuary opened to the public in December 2024, with upgraded parking and community garden and farm programs following in 2025. This year will see planting of a food forest, included in a five-year National Science Foundation funded research project looking at temperate agroforestry sites. Plans for next year include construction of additional educational and farm facilities.
Urban conservation projects are only getting more complicated, and our Award Committee found this project to be an inspiring model for how to engage a diverse community and forge the creative partnerships necessary to complete them.