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Conservation
The Native American men and women who lived in Wayland and surrounding towns were perhaps our first conservationists. They depended heavily upon the presence of wild birds, mammals and fish for their food, trees for shelter, utensils, and weapons, plants for food and medicine, and animals for clothing.
The English settlers brought with them many well-established ideas and customs about living with nature. Among the first laws passed in Wayland were those that aimed at protecting Wayland’s trees by imposing heavy fines for destructive practices. Other laws recognized differences in the quality of soils when it came time to assign land for farming. Regarding wolves and crows, the settlers were less forgiving than today’s residents might be. In general, however, Wayland’s early residents saw the wisdom of the Native American way of life.
The word “conservation,” as it is used today, has only been in common use since the early twentieth century. It gained widespread use during the Great Depression and the New Deal era when it entered the vocabulary of newspapers and school curricula, and became part of the newly formed government agencies like the Civilian Conservation Corps. Boys Scouts and Girl Scouts popularized conservation as a part of their programs and acquainted Wayland boys and girls with the value and pleasure of getting to know the out-of-doors.
The establishment of the Sudbury Valley Trustees in 1953 by seven Wayland residents created a new urgency to the protection of wildlife and the preservation of open space, one in which every citizen could participate. The Wayland landscape was disappearing as suburbanization consumed town farmlands and wooded lots. SVT not only began to acquire tracts of “wild” undeveloped land, but also urged that conservation ideas be emphasized in school systems and offered public presentations on such topics as the value of wetlands and their relation to public water supplies.
A decade later, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts passed an Act authorizing individual towns like Wayland to establish, at their town meetings, an official body to assume responsibility for conservation. At Wayland’s 1961 annual town meeting, town residents voted to establish a Conservation Commission of seven members, appointed annually by the selectman, and authorized to spend public funds for conservation purposes. It was not surprising that the new commission and the leadership of the Sudbury Valley Trustees soon saw the benefits of a close working relationship between the two organizations. It was not difficult to find volunteers to carry out a wide variety of jobs for both organizations.
The new Conservation Commission soon wrote and published a modest pamphlet entitled “A Conservation Program for Wayland” (1963) and followed this with a larger and more detailed report in 1966 with maps and graphs laying out specific programs to be gradually undertaken throughout Wayland. Although protection of water resources was of prime importance to the Commission, the master plan included protection of woodlands and wildlife, recreation and open space. In addition to advice from members of the Board of Health, Selectmen, and the Planning Board, the Commission appointed subcommittees to research, analyze, and compile data for: Brooks and Wetlands Protection, Forest and Trails, and Soil Survey Evaluation. The Brooks and Wetlands Committee identified the boundaries of wet areas from aerial photos and delineated their resource values. The Forest and Trails Committee investigated the need for a town forest and compiled a map of recommended acquisitions of wooded areas and trails “which would connect with existing recreation or conservation lands to span the length of Wayland.” The Soil Survey Evaluation Committe mapped the soil types found in Wayland and described their suitability for various types of development, “including particularly their limitations relative to septic tank disposal systems.” With the assistance of a professional planning consultant, the Commission produced a map portraying wetlands and lands recommended for protection or acquisition. In addition, the planner prepared a detailed analysis of all primary brooks, “which emerged as the basic obvious framework for a meaningful conservation plan. Without the protection of town brooks, other protective measures and land purchases seemed futile.”
Eventually a Watershed Protection District zoning proposal was drafted and submitted to the Selectmen and the Planning Board which called for the acquisition of, or granting of, conservation restrictions on 1,351 acres of land. The general public was then invited to meetings during which selectmen explained the proposal and solicited advice and criticisms. The plan was accepted by the Planning Board and submitted to the selectmen to be included in the Warrant for the 1967 town meeting. The Master Plan map has served as a guide for acquisition of important private parcels of land which the town has successfully acquired over the years. Many acres have been purchased from private owners, often with the aid of the Sudbury Valley Trustees who provide immediate funds until reimbursement is approved by town meeting. Soon after the Conservation Master Plan was prepared, the Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge acquired more than 15% of the land within the Sudbury River flood plain. The Federal Government continues to acquire additional tracts of wetland with high wildlife protection capability.
To familiarize residents with the town’s conservation areas, the Conservation Commission’s Outdoor Education Committee published a guide to all areas acquired before 1977. This self-guided book included the history, natural features, birding opportunities and maps of the areas. Outdoor Education Committee members sponsored weekend walks on many of the areas including sessions for children only. In 1978, Virginia Steel, a longtime member of the Committee, created a series of waterproof maps with illustrations and text for cross-country skiers. Members of the Conservation Committee continue to sponsor weekend walks throughout the town. By 1980 the town had spent $866,340 on the purchase of conservation land. After reimbursement from state and federal funds the net expenditure was $384,172. Since 1980, the Conservation Commission has acquired 228 acres of land which is assessed today at $3,916,200.