Conservation, Housing, & Access
A collaborative conservation project preserving the largest unprotected parcel of land in Lincoln, Massachusetts.
Full project description coming soon. Slides from RLF’s 4-14-2025 presentation to the Select Board (PDF)
Who’s Involved
This conservation project is the result of a multi-year collaboration between the Rural Land Foundation of Lincoln (RLF), Farrington Memorial Nature Linc, and the Panetta Family.
RLF, founded in 1965, has led creative land development in Lincoln, continually balancing the importance of open space with other Town needs, including housing. Nature Linc’s parent organization Farrington Memorial has been operating in Lincoln since 1912. Nature Linc’s mission since 2011 has been to provide children from low-income, urban communities with equitable access to and immersive engagement in nature. The Panetta Family has been on the land for generations and previously farmed much of their property.
With this project, RLF, Nature Linc, and the Panetta Family seek to permanently protect more than 77 acres of land in Lincoln in a way that provides a conservation benefit to Lincoln, meets an important town need for increased housing diversity, and ensures Nature Linc’s continued ability to operate their program in Lincoln for years to come. Our town’s commitment to preserving our landscapes, agricultural heritage, biodiversity, and access to recreational space has not wavered through the years. This project will conserve the largest remaining parcel of undeveloped and unprotected land in Lincoln.