Bailey Farm

In 2012, the Baileys decided to donate the development rights on their land to Greenbelt in the form of a conservation restriction (CR). They conserved 60 acres, including prime farmland soils and forests, a beaver pond, and streams that flow into Chadwick Pond, a reserve drinking water supply for the City. They excluded the five acres closest to the road, with their house and barns, from the CR area.

This provides future landowners the flexibility to use those five acres for additional residential purposes. Woodlands can still be harvested for firewood and lumber. Open fields that were historically farmed and grazed will always remain available for agriculture. And while it wasn’t their primary motivation, the conservation values of the land – from the wildlife habitat to rich farmland soils – meant they also qualified for the Massachusetts Conservation Land Tax Credit for their donation.