Packard Manse

Conserving a Suburban Oasis

Stoughton, Massachusetts

In the heart of heavily developed Stoughton, Mass, lies 21 acres of field and forest that will remain a natural sanctuary forever. This property is the site of an ecumenical center, host to a great variety of spiritual traditions for over fifty years. During this time it has seen much social activism, from the civil rights and peace movements to support for women’s rights to concern for all those at the margins of society. The group’s philosophy of social action and spiritual consciousness has evolved during the last decade to include great concern for the natural environment.

In 1998, the remaining few residents of this group now called simply Packard Manse, began to discuss ways to give concrete expression to their desire to protect the environment. They saw in their land, one of the last open spaces in the area, a sanctuary for all living things and a peaceful refuge from the ever-increasing busyness of the world.  “Pausing awhile among these tall pines and oaks we know we are little and part of something greater than ourselves…”

This tiny and aging group’s strong beliefs sustained their desire to conserve their property in spite of financial adversities. They sought no recompense for giving up much of the monetary value of this property, for agreeing never to sell these acres for development. In fact, as is often the case with properties not spectacular enough to attract the attention of a large conservation organization with resources, they had to do fund-raising in their community to pay the cost of placing the conservation restriction on the property.

The process of creating a conservation restriction (CR) —the legally-binding agreement that establishes the terms under which the property is preserved forever—is a complex and lengthy one, often overwhelming to the average landowner. The folks at the Manse began discussions with a conservation organization in 1998 and the Religious Lands Conservancy Project (RLC) became involved in this effort several years later. The years that followed presented one obstacle after another…

  

• Although a number of land trusts showed interest and investigated the property, practical considerations or conflicting objectives cropped up to curtail the involvement of each. RLC joined with the Manse in taking a leap of faith that sometime during the process a qualified and willing land trust would be uncovered.

• A pro-bono lawyer was found to begin the required legal work. An encroachment on the property boundary was discovered that had to be resolved before the project could proceed.

• Then, with no land trust to drive the process, the project languished. An experienced consultant was found to continue the work; to determine and record the conservation value of the property and to create the CR document to reflect this value and the Manse wishes.

• Finally, the project was presented to local officials, and then to the state for their approvals. The goal seemed in sight.

In spite of the lengthy process, the discouraging effect of each setback and the limitations of their scant financial resources, the folks at the Manse remained convinced of the rightness of conserving the property.

In the fall of 2006, with work completed and approvals obtained, the CR was ready to be put into effect. The Wildlands Trust of Southeastern Massachusetts agreed to partner with the Manse and hold the CR, working quickly to make final revisions and meet the end of year deadline.

The Packard Manse Conservation Restriction was legalized by signature of the Massachusetts Secretary of Environmental Affairs on Dec 29, 2006. By this act, these acres of mature white pine and pink and white trillium, home to the Elderberry Long-horned Beetle and valuable protection for the town’s water supply, will remain in this natural state forever.

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