Recently I was
introduced some open space lands in Scituate’s West End, and I’m so pleased to
make their acquaintance! Thanks to the dedication of a small group of
conservation-minded citizens, there are now more than 400 acres of land preserved
in this quiet corner of the town. Clustered around Bates Lane, off Thomas Clapp
Road, these parcels represent years of diligence and collaboration between the
Town of Scituate, its Community Preservation Committee, private citizens, and
advocates for land conservation and the protection of the public water supply.
Since 1998, the non-profit Maxwell Conservation Trust has been at the forefront
of these efforts.
In the 1990s,
Scituate residents Wayne and Cynde Robbins founded the Maxwell Conservation
Trust (which is named after the couple’s golden retriever). Its mission, as
stated on its informative website, is “to promote and assist in the conservation, preservation and
responsible development of our natural and land resources including open spaces
for recreation, wildlife, public water supply and forestry protection.” Since its
inception, the Trust has helped to add a total of 325 acres to Scituate’s array of public lands.
On April 14th,
the Town of Scituate will have the opportunity to vote on the acquisition of two
additional parcels of land. This final purchase, if it passes, will mark the
successful conclusion of the 14-year effort. To date, all related land
acquisitions have been approved unanimously by Town Meeting.
Back in the 1990s,
it became clear that a number of large land parcels in Scituate’s West End were
being eyed for development. Most of the properties were adjacent to the 95-acre
Bates Lane Conservation Area. At the time, the Community Preservation Committee
(CPC) was just getting started. A landowner wanted to sell 70 acres to the town
for conservation and water protection, but the CPC had not yet accumulated
sufficient funds to justify such a purchase. That’s when the Maxwell Trust
stepped in, offering to buy the land and hold it in trust until the town was
ready to complete the purchase. The Town of Scituate purchased 44 acres in
2002, and that same year, the Trust purchased the remaining 26. Since then,
thanks to the efforts of the Maxwell Trust, eight additional properties have
been acquired in the area.
As the members of
the Maxwell Trust begin to scale back their efforts, they are hopeful that the
town will now complete this project and complete the purchase agreed upon years
ago. They cost is just shy of $390,000 – the same price the Trust paid in 2002.
Collectively the
open space parcels in Scituate’s West End are known as the Bates Lane
Conservation Area. I’d been hearing about them for quite some time, and finally
in mid-March I had the opportunity to visit.
There are presently
two parking areas for the Bates Lane Conservation Area. One is on Clapp Road,
diagonally across the street from the intersection with Bates Lane. The other
is at the Mount Hope Improvement Society building at the corner of Cedar Street
and Clapp Road. The trailheads accessible from both parking areas feature kiosks
with maps.
The trails are
extensive and well-marked. Look for painted wooden markers on the trees at all
major intersections. My guides led me along every path on the property – the
Carl Pipes Trail, as well as the Litchfield, the Horse, the Moncy and the Maxwell.
It took us about two hours to see them all. Trail improvements as well as
additional parking areas are already funded and should be completed this year.
The lands themselves
are pleasantly diverse. There is a lot of flat, recent-growth forest covering
what was once farmland, with plenty of old stone walls. There are swampy areas
where we saw skunk cabbage beginning to emerge (an early sign of spring!).
There are little hollows featuring streams and bridges, plus lots of ferns and
moss, as well as the occasional high hill. Glacial erratics (aka really large boulders)
dot the landscape, and here and there you’ll even find a wooden bench where you
can pause to rest, or just to listen to the sounds of the woods around you. The
well-planned network of trails offers numerous options for exploring the
property: you could spend the whole morning there, or for a shorter visit,
check out one or two trails at a time.
Nature enthusiasts
of the South Shore, there’s a good chance you haven’t yet experienced the Bates
Lane Conservation Area – it’s one of those unassuming, “best kept secret” types
of places, a true gem. I strongly recommend that you add it to your To Do list
for this year. You won’t be disappointed.
Scituate residents,
please consider attending Town Meeting on April 14th and voting in favor of the
acquisition of these land parcels!
For more
information, visit www.maxwellconservationtrust.org
by Kezia Bacon
March 2016
Kezia Bacon's articles
appear courtesy of the North and South Rivers Watershed Association, a local non-profit
organization devoted to the preservation, restoration, maintenance and
conservation of the North and South Rivers and their watershed. For membership
information and a copy of their latest newsletter, contact NSRWA at (781)
659-8168 or visit www.nsrwa.org. To browse 20 years of Nature (Human and
Otherwise) columns, visit http://keziabaconbernstein.blogspot.com
