Holliston Conservation Associates Homepage

Holliston Conservation Associates

Our programs are fun, educational, and environmentally conscious. We conduct a Land Stewardship program to monitor activities on Conservation Land. We supervise the local Adopt-A-Highway program. We host guided Walks on open space land, and sponsor a series of Talks on topics of interest in the general areas of conservation and ecology. We are involved in the revitalization of Elm Trees as part of a town beautification effort.

Holliston's Conservation Associates sponsors an environmental stewardship program. As part of this program volunteers, called "land stewards," take responsibility for specific parcels of conservation land in town.

The steward walks the land, becomes familiar with it, and gets to know the plants and animals that live there. The steward reports back to the Conservation Associates a few times a year so the town can better manage the land. Stewards report animal sightings, unusual plants, trail conditions, and recommend ways to improve or better preserve the property. Stewards may be individuals, groups, or families. Both the land and the steward benefit from this program; the land has an active caretaker and the steward feels a strong connection to a place of natural beauty in Holliston.

Local groups "adopt" a particular stretch of road in Holliston by agreeing to pick up litter at least twice a year along the edge of that road. Current participants include civic groups, social clubs, businesses, and neighborhood residents. The goal of our program is to aid our Highway Department in keeping our town beautiful. Many roads still need adopting.

Holliston has many interesting open-land areas from Beech wood forests to old cranberry bogs. Several times during the year the Associates will conduct tours through these properties. Walks in the past have included Winter Tracking at Brentwood Conservation Land; a Spring Butterfly, Bird, and Bush walk along the Upper Charles Trail; and Holliston History at Wenakeening Woods. A favorite is the Vernal Pool Walk in early Spring at the Daniels Property.

Elm Tree Re-plantation is the longest ongoing program conducted by the Associates. In 1998, the Associates received a state grant for the purpose of planting trees for the beautification of the town.

We are currently seeking sites for Elm trees as well as sites for other species.

Mr. Rolph Briggs, a certified consulting arborist, of Tree Specialists, Inc. of Holliston has generously donated his professional services in return for a homeowners’ commitment of watering the tree for the first five years after planting.

We offer a variety of lectures to the public throughout the year. Last year guest lecturers and associates gave talks ranging from Butterflies to Bee Keeping to the Art of Recycling.

If you would like to suggest a topic or would like to volunteer to give a presentation, please contact us.