Hamilton-Wenham Open Land Trust

The properties of the Hamilton-Wenham Open Land Trust have been transferred to Greenbelt.

The Land Trust was founded in 1985 by the late Dana Hansen, Peter Clark, Susan Colloredo Mansfeld and other Hamilton and Wenham residents.  

Recently, when HWOLT’s directors determined that it was no longer in a position to continue its operations, they chose to transfer their properties and remaining assets to Greenbelt to ensure the permanent protection and stewardship of the lands entrusted to it.

Ken Whittaker, current HWOLT President comments, “Our team greatly admires Greenbelt for the excellent land stewardship work that they do, and appreciates their support and cooperation in securing these important properties and conservation restrictions. It has been a great pleasure working with them, both on this matter and others in the past. “

Chris LaPointe, Vice President, Conservation Operations at Greenbelt said, “Greenbelt is honored to be taking on the stewardship of these important properties. I personally want to thank HWOLT board members past and present who worked hard over the years to help protect significant areas of conservation land, including their work on the efforts in the 1990’s to protect Chebacco Woods and more recent support for the Sagamore Hill Conservation project.“ 

The properties below are some of the former HWOLT lands now owned by Greenbelt. Greenbelt is working to prepare these properties for visitors, as appropriate. 

• Baker's Pasture, next to Kamon Farm in Ipswich.  
• Nickerson Knoll in Wenham with trails and direct frontage on Wenham Lake.  
• Dodge Farm, a 2.5 acre parcel connecting Main Street to Pingree Park and featuring beautiful, wide stone dust paths and a vibrant 50-plot community garden.  
• Riverview and Marshview - parcels in Hamilton and Ipswich, along the Miles River. Riverview provides a critical trail connection between Gardner Street and New England Biolabs. Marshview is adjacent to the Rice Reservation.  
• Pondview on Boardman Lane in Hamilton is a small, neighborhood greenspace. 
• Similarly, Michaela's Woods and Taft Woods are "backyard nature" for Hamilton neighborhoods off of Essex Street.