We, the undersigned, ask MassBay President David Podell, the MassBay Board of Trustees, the Department of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance (DCAMM), and the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC), to remove the 40 acres of forested land and trails at 40 Oakland Street, the "top half" of Centennial Reservation, from the State's Surplus Land Inventory.
Further, we ask the Wellesley Select Board, Representative Alice Peisch, and Senator Cynthia Creem to work to achieve this reversal of determination to save the Commonwealth's forest and trails for future generations.
Unintended Consequences: Privatizing a Public Forest and Trail System
Under the new Affordable Homes Act, (AHA), the State has created an inventory of “surplus” public land to be quickly made available for new housing. These 40 acres of forest and trails at 40 Oakland Street have been identified as surplus and placed on this list.
Selling the public forest and trail system to a private developer for housing does not consider the value this forest imparts to residents of the town and nearby communities, MassBay Students, and the Commonwealth as a whole. This proposal creates an unintended consequence of prioritizing housing over the value of this important natural resource and the rich history associated with it. This forest should never be considered “surplus, disposable, or vacant”. Rather, this forest is an irreplaceable public asset that should be permanently protected and remain in public stewardship for the benefit of current and future generations.
Why This Forest Matters
Permanently protecting this forest aligns with the Commonwealth's commitments to climate resilience, biodiversity, and responsible economic growth. Housing and environmental stewardship must move forward together — not at each other’s expense.
The forest is also Native American ancestral land with its original network of ancient footpaths that are the basis for the present-day trail system and evoke a connection to the past. These trails lead to Maugus Hill, named after Chief Maugus and his wife, Sarah, who lived in these woods. The site may contain unrecognized cultural features or artifacts. The College has formally acknowledged this history and its importance with a pledge to honor the land and its ancestors.
The State’s forest, at 40 Oakland Street, is not something to be “disposed” of. It is a thriving ecosystem that cleans our air, filters our water, stores carbon, and provides critical wildlife habitat. It forms a vital green corridor with the lower part of Centennial Reservation, supporting climate mitigation and biodiversity across the region.
For centuries residents have walked, run, and found peace on this land, which has been maintained for decades by Wellesley's Trails Committee, the Natural Resources Commission, and Department of Public Works with approval from MassBay Community College.
Policy Contradictions
Despite the State declaring a biodiversity loss crisis, designating the land as "surplus" allows the Commonwealth to sell this living forest. Not only does this action contradict the need to protect the environment, but also contradicts the College's own stated commitments of protecting indigenous culture. This is being done in order to maximize a housing density formula for a developer under the new Affordable Homes Act.
The result sets a terrible precedent of privatizing a public forest and trail system rich in indigenous history.
To sell this land may threaten nature, cultural identity, and vital history. Classifying the forest as “surplus" land that can then be sold does not provide the protections and stewardship this irreplaceable Commonwealth resource deserves.
We urge MassBay President David Podell, the MassBay Board of Trustees, the Department of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance (DCAMM), and the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC) to be good stewards of this ancestral forest and trails system by reversing the decision to list these 40 acres on the State’s Surplus Land Inventory.
We urge State leaders and our elected officials to support this request to remove this land from the Surplus Land Inventory
