We invite you to:
- Attend a public forum on Thursday April 10th, 2025 at 7 PM at Leverett Town Hall to learn more from members of the Ad Hoc Town Forest Exploratory Committee. We welcome participants in-person, but if you can’t make it, please join us via Zoom.
- Join a guided walk of the property on Sunday April 27th, 2025 at 2 PM. Parking at the property site is limited: We encourage people to park at the Leverett Village Co-Op at 180 Rattlesnake Gutter Rd and carpool with others to the property.
- Read the full Forest Committee Report in advance of the vote at Town Meeting on May 3.
Location of the Two Brothers Woodlot proposed town forest
Questions and answers about the Two Brothers Woodlot Town Forest Proposal
What is being proposed?
The Town of Leverett has been offered a donation of 147 acres of forestland—known as the Two Brothers Woodlot—to be owned and managed as a Town Forest.
Where is it located?
353 North Leverett Road, near the Shutesbury town line on the way to Lake Wyola. The property has mixed-age forest canopy, hiking trails, wetlands, and historic stone walls and cellar holes.
Who is donating it?
Bruce Spencer and Judy Northup-Bennett. Bruce is a forest steward with decades of experience, including as Chief Forester at the Quabbin Reservoir.
What will the Town use it for?
The land would remain open for hiking, skiing, hunting, and forest education. It will be actively managed with guidance from a licensed forester to ensure long-term ecological and recreational health. Management is explicitly intended to include both logging and hunting.
Where can I learn more?
At the request of the Select Board, the Ad Hoc Town Forest Exploratory Committee prepared a detailed report that outlines the proposal, potential benefits, costs, and other information.
What are the benefits to the Town?
- Access to a well-managed, beautiful forest for all residents
- Support for biodiversity and climate resilience
- Educational opportunities around forest management and mixed-age forest management
- Future opportunities, for example, a community firewood bank
Will the forest be logged?
It is the intent of the donor, Bruce Spencer, that the property continue to be used for low-impact, ecologically focused practices. Logging has been done on the property for 50 years under a conservation model. Any future timber harvests will follow a forest management plan overseen by a professional forester.
Who will manage it?
A Town Forest Committee (3 members appointed by the Select Board) will manage the land in partnership with a forester. The committee will report annually to the Select Board.
Will this cost the town money?
Costs are expected to be minimal, with potential for timber revenue and grant funding to offset expenses. The main future cost is long-term bridge maintenance and trail upkeep, such as water bar maintenance.
Resources
Read the full Forest Committee Report that was prepared for the Leverett Select Board.
Trail map
