Conservation Restriction
Conservation for kids and community—for centuries to come.
In collaboration with members of our local communities, Hale has embarked on an effort to permanently protect its land from any potential future development.
Upcoming Information Sessions
Join Executive Director Eric Arnold for coffee and conversation every other Wednesday morning to stay up to date on Hale’s conservation restriction efforts. These are be held from 7:30–8:30 AM at Hale (80 Carby Street, Westwood). Click here to see upcoming dates and sign up.
Other events are being hosted at private homes. If you are interested in hosting an information session for your friends or neighbors, email cr@hale1918.org to learn how you can help spread the word about our conservation efforts and what they mean for Hale’s programs and property.
If you would like to receive regular email updates (every 2–4 weeks) regarding the conservation restriction effort, email cr@hale1918.org with the subject line “CR Update Emails.”
The Future
Hale’s century-long commitment to reimagining learning, protecting nature, and building community has never been stronger. Our work has impacted millions of lives and continues to be rooted in the belief that nature, education, and recreation inspire us to learn, empower us to lead, and challenge us all to create a world in which people, place, and purpose are united. It’s with that in mind that we look to the future.
Hale may be a small nonprofit, but our community is large. It includes residents of Dover and Westwood, as well as friends and neighbors from surrounding cities and towns. Our longstanding ties to Boston’s people and institutions run deep, and our programs serve tens of thousands of people every year.
Everyone in this larger community deserves a Hale education, and we’ll ensure they get one by preserving our land, expanding our programs, improving our facilities, and making outdoor learning accessible to all. Achieving this goal will require immense time, effort, and support. To realize Hale’s full potential, we must leverage all of our resources.
The Land
Hale’s historic property is a resource we believe should be available to all. Our 1,000+ acres of forests, ponds, and meadows support learning, reflection, discovery, and wellness. Cities and towns benefit from open spaces such as Hale—surrounding property values tend to be higher as a result of the cleaner air and water they produce, opportunities for passive recreation they provide, and natural beauty and health benefits they offer.
While Hale’s land is in many ways priceless, its value is not incalculable, and people are often surprised to learn that it is not protected from development. In the 1950s, our Board of Directors was forced to consider selling parcels to sustain the organization. As recently as two years ago, the federal government’s Paycheck Protection Program spared it from a similar fate during the pandemic. Today, our board is pursuing ways to fund the achievement of Hale’s long-term vision and mission by unlocking the value of Hale’s land.
The Plan
Hale is committed to making innovative education available to the communities we serve. To do this, Hale needs funding—tens of millions of dollars of it. Much of it will come by way of private philanthropy, but a sizable portion of it must be realized through our most valuable asset: our land.
Hale’s Board of Directors could simply subdivide and sell parcels to private buyers, but would strongly prefer an alternative solution that allows Hale’s current property to remain intact. In the spirit of being a good neighbor and protecting nature, it presented the Towns of Dover and Westwood with an opportunity to place a conservation restriction (CR) on the property.
Doing so would be the first step in permanently protecting more than 1,000 acres in what could be the region’s largest conservation project in many years.
If Dover and Westwood seize this opportunity:
- Each town’s leadership will determine the best way to support this effort
- Residents will likely be asked to invest in permanently protecting Hale’s land
- Funds will lay the groundwork for an endowment that, combined with private philanthropy, will sustain Hale and enable it to expand programs that serve our children and communities
Without the towns’ support, Hale’s Board of Directors will have no other option than to consider selling land (at market value) to meet the organization’s optimal need.
Take Action
Act now if you’d like to see the towns of Dover and Westwood seize this opportunity to invest in a conservation restriction, preserve Hale’s land, and sustain educational and recreational programs for generations to come.
- Share this page on social media to raise awareness among friends and neighbors.
- Write letters to your town’s select persons
- You’ll find Dover’s here, and updates on its website as they’re available.
- You’ll find Westwood’s here; you can also contact Westwood’s Select Board at 781-326-4172 or selectboard@townhall.westwood.ma.us
- Make a gift to Hale’s annual fund.
Submit a question or suggestion below, and thank you in advance for your support.