Forbes
Woods is the 35+ acres of mature woods, made up of six separate
parcels that sit behind the marsh on the Milton side of the Estuary.
It is visible from the expressway as you drive south past the
Granite Ave exit. The woods are home to two state champion trees:
the largest Black cherry (Prunus
serotina) and the largest Black oak (Quercus
velutina) in Massachusetts.
They provide crucial upland wildlife habitat bordering the estuary
in an area where more than two-hundred species of birds are found.
Additionally, the woods provide a beautiful wild backdrop to the
estuary, defining the natural character of the area as seen from
Milton Landing, Cedar Grove Cemetery, and the Neponset Greenway
bikepath.
In
September of 2001, the largest single parcel in the woods (some 25
acres owned by the Forbes Family) went up for sale and was in danger
of immediate destruction. Development proposals ranged from a dozen
large homes to a complex of up to 80 units.
In
response to the threat, NepRWA helped bring together the
"Friends of Forbes Woods," a diverse coalition of groups
devoted to preserving the woods forever. The "Friends"
included the Trust for Public Land, who negotiated a purchase
agreement with the Forbes family, as well as the Milton Garden Club,
the Cedar Grove Civic Association, the Milton Conservation
Commission and the Milton Board of Selectmen.
On
July 17, 2002, neighbors, advocacy groups and state agency staff
gathered at Forbes Woods to celebrate the final acquisition of the
DCR's newest piece of conservation land. The Neponset's legislative
delegation, led by Milton Representative Walter Timility and Milton
Senator Brian Joyce (with the blessing of Governor Swift,) secured
the 2.7 million dollars needed to ultimately purchase the property.
The whole effort has been an amazing example of how effective it is
to combine talents to bring together a community in order to reach a
goal. The project would never have been successful without the
unique contribution of each member of the Friends.
