Connecting with SOLF! Challenge
April 2026 – SOLF owns and cares for nearly 200 acres of open space in town, including the popular Beals Preserve, yet few have visited our other locations, all of which help us “preserve, protect, and enhance the natural resources” in town. This puzzles us! So, we challenge you to visit 9 other SOLF properties! […]
Art on the Trails 2026
Art on the Trails, in collaboration with Southborough Open Land Foundation, announces its 2026 exhibition, marking the organization’s 10th anniversary with a compelling new theme: Time in the Landscape. The annual outdoor exhibition will open its Call for Art on February 15, 2026, inviting artists to submit work that explores the evolving relationship between art, […]
Beals Preserve Parking Area Closed For Remediation
As of February 2026, the Beals Preserve parking area on Main Street is closed for remediation as required by the Conservation Restriction on the property. Visitors who wish to enter Beals Preserve from Main Street can park at the intersection of Northborough Road and Main Street (Route 30) and walk over. The parking area has […]
Shaw’s Promotion in January
For the month of January, Shaw’s Grocery will donate $1 to SOLF for every $3 reusable bag sold.
Be Our Eyes
As you walk our properties, you can help us by being extra eyes. Email us at info@solf.org if you see something like a tree across a trail, or a broken signpost that needs repair. Thank you!
Bog Bridge Project Started at Beals Preserve
The short hiking path at the lower end of the lower meadow at Beals Preserve can get quite wet during the winter and spring months. Board members Larry and Eileen Samberg installed one of three planned 8-ft bog bridges in mid-November 2025.
Tree Work at Beals Preserve Pond
On Saturday, November 8, 2025, volunteer Hewitt Heiserman, and SOLF trustee Debbie Costine spent a few hours cutting up and moving felled dead trees next to the “ice pond“ at Beals Preserve. All wood will remain on the property to allow nature to do what it does. Some of the shorter lengths were arranged in […]
SOLF 2025 Annual Appeal is Underway
Look for our Annual Appeal in your mailbox! Show your commitment to the preservation of Southborough’s natural resources by supporting SOLF. In conversations with people over the years, we have discovered that most people think that SOLF is a town government organization that receives funding from taxes. SOLF receives no funds from the town. SOLF […]
SWCA Environmental Consultants Volunteer Their Time
On Thursday, October 23, 2025, a group from the Southborough office of SWCA Environmental Consultants volunteered their time at SOLF’s Bigelow Wildlife Preserve. In September, Stumpy’s Tree Service removed a large fallen tree blocking the path to the platform and extending into a neighbor’s yard. The group worked to restore the area, moving and adding […]
Northeast Wildlife Team Online Presentation Series
The Northeast Wildlife Team, a dedicated team of wildlife ecologists, educators, and conservation practitioners based in the northeastern U.S, is offering a monthly Zoom presentation series on Wildlife of the Northeast. The presentations are from November 2025 through April 2026, from 7-8 pm on a weeknight. Don’t miss this chance to connect with nature and […]
Mushroom Walk at Beals Preserve
On October 19, 2025, the Southborough Open Land Foundation sponsored a 2-hour mushroom walk and talk at SOLF’s Beals Preserve. Jonathan Kranz, a mushroom enthusiast, former park ranger (Boston Harbor Islands), and current vice president of the Boston Mycological Club, led twenty plus participants, covering the basics of mushroom habitat, identification, and ecology. Participants closely […]
Mushroom Walk At Beals Preserve on October 19, 2025
The Southborough Open Land Foundation is sponsoring a 2-hour mushroom walk and talk on October 19, 2025, from 10 am – noon at SOLF’s Beals Preserve. Jonathan Kranz, a mushroom enthusiast, former park ranger (Boston Harbor Islands), and current vice president of the Boston Mycological Club, will cover the basics of mushroom habits, identification, and […]
Help SOLF in its mission – Volunteer, Steward
Volunteers and stewards help us fulfill our mission to preserve, protect, conserve, and enhance the natural resources in the Town of Southborough. Love the outdoors? Want a a way to combine your love of the outdoors with some community service? SOLF proudly owns and cares for 15 properties comprising over 190 acres. Become a volunteer […]
Bow Hunting Season October 6 – December 31, 2025
Two permits for bow hunting deer have been issued for Beals Preserve and Lynbrook Hollow. There is no hunting allowed on Sundays. These hunters are very experienced and have been hunting at these two properties for years. They will not be near any trails on Beals Preserve. Visitors are encouraged to wear some blaze orange. […]
Art on the Trails Closing
Art on the Trails at Beals Preserve had a very successful closing day on Sunday, September 14, 2025. Attendees, accompanied by artists and poets, were treated to poetry readings at each art piece. SOLF thanks director Catherine Webber, the artists, and the poets for a wonderful season of Art on the Trails.
SOLF Receives NRCS Grant
The Southborough Open Land Foundation is excited to announce that we received a grant in April of 2025 from the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to partially fund the development of a Forest Management Plan for the Elaine and Philip Beals Preserve. This diverse and vital ecosystem—comprising meadows, woodlands, wetlands, trails, and a serene pond—is […]
Visit the SOLF Booth on Heritage Day on October 13
SOLF trustees will be at our booth for Heritage Day on Monday, October 13, 2025, 10:00 am to 1:00 pm. Please stop by say hello and learn about the land that we have protected, where to visit, and ways that you can help.
Maintenance at Templeman Woods
In August 2025, Board members (Eileen, Larry, Lawrence) and volunteers (Phaea, Jim H, Jim S) cleaned up the trails at SOLF’s Templeman Woods and the town’s Watkins Woods. In October 2025, Board members Debbie and Lawrence returned for more cleanup work. The combined trails on 18 acres of wetlands and uplands can be accessed from […]
New Gate Installed at Beals Preserve
In July 2025, a new gate was installed at Beals Preserve at the Route 30 end of Old Farm Lane (the path between Route 30 and Red Gate Lane), replacing the old, creaky, hard to manage one. This entrance to the property is used primarily by authorized vehicles but is an access point for visitors […]
WBZ TV Highlights Art on the Trails at Beals Preserve
Unique exhibit invites visitors to enjoy art on a walking trail in Massachusetts WBZ TV’s Chris Tanaka took a look at Art on the Trails at the Beals Preserve in Southborough, Massachusetts. See the July 16, 2025 video here.
Art on the Trails at Beals Preserve through Sep 14
The Southborough Open Land Foundation invites the general public to visit Beals Preserve through September 14 to view Art on the Trails installations. The Elaine and Phillip Beals Preserve is located on Main Street in Southborough, Massachusetts. Download a map of the installations here.To learn more about this event, visit https://artonthetrails.com/. Art Juror Madeleine Lord […]
SOLF 2025 Annual Meeting Presentation
At the SOLF Annual Meeting last night, Trustee Debbie Costine gave a presentation highlighting recent projects and beautiful scenes across some of the properties we provide as open space to the public. SOLF mission is supported by your donations. Recent Projects and Beautiful Scenes by Trustee Debbie Costine
Annual Meeting May 14 at 6:30 pm
The Southborough Open Land Foundation is having its Annual Meeting on May 14 at 6:30 pm at the Southborough Community House. All are welcome! Members (those who have donated in the past year) can vote for election of Trustees. There will be a short business meeting, followed by a slide show and a social hour.
2024 Year End Property Summary
Beals Preserve: In honor of Whit Beals, Kevin and Mike Sanford dedicated much of the winter and spring to clearing trails as well as the area by the ice pond, exposing stone walls, mowing trails, and seeding. They also cleared the area around the pump house and added a missing wall and missing portion of […]
Art on the Trails 2025 at Beals Preserve
The Southborough Open Land Foundation invites the general public to visit Beals Preserve on Saturday, June 14, from 10 am to 5 pm to watch artists install their work for the 9th annual Art on the Trails. The Elaine and Phillip Beals Preserve is located on Main Street in Southborough, Massachusetts. This year’s theme is […]
SOLF’s Create in the Woods Challenge
Runs November through May The Challenge:• Go to a SOLF property that has trails.• Go with no tools or materials.• Explore and notice what is there: like sticks, rocks, colored leaves, fallen trees, acorns, etc.• Choose a spot next to a trail and begin collecting things to build with or arrange.• Create something using just […]
Nature Walk at Beals Preserve on Sunday, October 20, 1 – 2:30 pm
Please join us for a Nature Walk at the Beals Preserve on Sunday, October 20 at 1 pm. The walk will be led by curious naturalist, artist, and SOLF trustee Debbie Costine. Stroll in the meadows and woods, taking time to see what nature is doing at this time of the year. We will hear […]
SOLF Trail Use Policy for Beals Preserve
Beals Preserve is privately owned and maintained by SOLF.We welcome public use from dawn to dusk. Please respect our Trail Use Policy. Trails are for walking, jogging, cross country skiing, and snowshoeing. Dogs are permitted but must be on leash; dog waste must be picked up. No motorized vehicles are permitted except for maintenance by […]
SWCA Environmental Consultants Volunteer at Beals Preserve
SWCA Environmental Consultants members replaced 4 water bars near the Red Gate Lane entrance on Old Farm Lane at Beals Preserve today, as part of their “Gives Back” program where SWCA employees receive eight hours of paid time off each year to volunteer for events or for projects such as ours. Thank you SWCA! Other […]
Visit the SOLF booth on Heritage Day, October 14
Monday, October 14, 9:00 am to 2:00 pm, SOLF trustees will be at our booth for Heritage Day. Please stop by say hello and learn about the land that we have protected and things that volunteers can do.
Beals Preserve Seeding Project on Old Farm Lane
A section of Beals Preserve Old Farm Lane (the main walking path) has been loamed and seeded. Please do not walk on it and please keep your pets off. There is now a hard gravel path alongside that you can walk, as well as the grass on the edge of the loamed area. Thank you.
Important: Construction Project at Beals Preserve Sunday, Sep 29
Please note that a major project on Old Farm Lane at Beals Preserve will start on Sunday, September 29 and last through at least Tuesday, October 1. To address the spring and early summer wet area that starts about two hundred feet south of the kiosk, the trail will be improved. If you park at […]
Picnic Table at the Main Street Field
Thanks to the Bancroft Family of Southborough, visitors to the Beals Preserve will now be able to enjoy our new Picnic table! The children gave half their profits of a yard sale to SOLF! (the parents also chipped in.)
Hickory Trail Re-route on August 22, 2024
PLEASE NOTE: At Beals Preserve, The Hickory Trail from the Hickory Road cul-de-sac to the split in the trail has been re-routed. The old trail, which had eroded badly, has been blocked off. The trail will be blazed soon, but should be easy to follow.
Hickory Bridge Replaced July 2024
Over the course of 3 days, July 23 – July 25, 2024, Trustee Larry Samberg and volunteers Vincent Valvo and Colby Chase, with assistance from “go-fer” Trustee Eileen Samberg, demolished and replaced the bridge on one of the Hickory Trail segments. A hearty “well-done” to the crew.
Art on the Trails 2024 at Beals Preserve
Southborough Open Land Foundation, in collaboration with Southborough Artist Catherine Weber, is pleased to present the 8th Annual Art On the Trails in the summer of 2024 on Beals Preserve. The art juror will be the amazing Marie Craig of Fountain Street Gallery. The call for art opens February 15. The installations will be on […]
Volunteer Work Days in the Fall
Your volunteer work with us truly makes a difference. With the help of dedicated volunteers, SOLF maintains 15 beautiful properties, providing wonderful open space preservation and walking trails for all to enjoy. Reminder: All workdays start at 9:30 AM. Bring your gloves & bug spray! Even if you can only join us for an hour, it […]
Work Days at Eastbrook Farmlands and Bigelow Wildlife Refuge
On May 24 and May 25, board members and volunteers had work days at Eastbrook Farmlands, improving the street appearance, and Bigelow Wildlife Refuge, weeding and improving the appearance of the property. Eastbrook Farmlands Bigelow Wildlife Refuge – We were happy to see Eagle Scout Robby Stewart home for the weekend from Wentworth Institute and […]
Recipients of the Elaine Beals Conservation Award
Elaine Beals was among the founding members of the Southborough Open Land Foundation. She served on the Board of Trustees of SOLF, including holding the position of treasurer for many years. She was dedicated to the preservation of the environment and open space, reinforcing her conservation ethic as a member of the Town of Southborough’s […]
Kevin Sanford Receives 2024 Elaine Beals Award
At SOLF’s May 2028 Annual Meeting, Trustee Debbie Costine presented the 2024 Elaine Beals Conservation Award to Kevin Sanford, a Southborough resident and friend of Whit’s who has transformed Beals Preserve this year – mowing the fields, clearing walls, thinning the woods by the pond, and so much more. Debbie presented the bluebird carved by […]
Scout Troop 92 Installs Bluebird Boxes at Beals Preserve
Local Scout Troop 92 has taken on a community service project in collaboration with the Southborough Open Land Foundation. (SOLF) Using a design created specifically for bluebirds, the scouts, under the leadership of Kevin Tyson and George Harris, carefully constructed four nest boxes and installed them at Beals Preserve. These boxes will help support the […]
Recap of SOLF Annual Meeting on May 8, 2024
The Southborough Open Land Foundation’s held its Annual Meeting on Wednesday, May 8, 2024 at the Community House at 28 Main Street in Southborough. The evening started at 6 pm with light refreshments, followed by Trustee remarks by President Destin Heilman, a presentation on raptor rescue at 7 pm, the presentation of the 2024 Elaine […]
Birding walk on April 27 – Beals Preserve
On Saturday, April 27, SOLF hosted a birding walk at Beals Preserve. Eleven people attended the Earth Day Birding Walk at Beals Preserve. Unfortunately the presenter was unable to make it at the last minute, so trustees Sally Watters and Debbie Costine led a walk featuring some property history (like “fox hunts”) as well as […]
Beals Preserve Maintenance & Restoration
SOLF is undergoing some significant property restoration at the Beals Preserve. This includes the creation of a comprehensive management plan by “Conservation Works” that will include ecological resiliency. Our visitors have already noticed the beginning that has also created some pretty muddy areas in the process! We appreciate your patience! Recently, Pete Westover from Conservation […]
Work at Bigelow Wildlife Refuge
This past Saturday, March 9, 2024, SOLF volunteers Kathryn Korostoff and Laurie Guertin joined trustees Lawrence Spezzano and Debbie Costine with some maintenance work at the Bigelow Preserve at the end of Bigelow Road. A large part of the work involved removing quite an excess of bittersweet vines and fallen branches. On Saturday, March 16, […]
Riding Ring Circle Reclaimed at Beals Preserve
In the early 1900s, Margaret Leland, daughter of Bostonian Samuel Carr, and her husband Charles Leland owned Chestnut Hill Farm and what is now known as Beals Preserve. The preserve was almost devoid of trees and was pasture land. A riding ring was built for the Leland family for horse riding practice. The riding ring […]
SOLF 2024 Annual Meeting on Wednesday, May 8
Please join us for the Southborough Open Land Foundation’s Annual Meeting on Wednesday, May 8, 2024 at the Community House at 28 Main Street in Southborough. The evening starts at 6 pm with light refreshments, followed by a presentation on raptor rescue at 7 pm, the presentation of the 2024 Elaine Beals Conservation Award, and […]
Raptor Tales Rescue Program At SOLF Annual Meeting
We are excited to have a presentation by Jess Zorge, the founder of Raptor Tales Rescue of Shrewsbury. Raptor Tales Rescue (RTR) is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit that is run entirely on a volunteer basis. Jess works full time in the biomedical field. She is a Shrewsbury, MA native and military veteran with a soft […]
Winter 2024 Work at Beals Preserve
SOLF’s Beals Preserve is getting some valuable maintenance done thanks to the generosity of SOLF supporter Kevin Sanford and his brother Mike. Kevin has a long-time love of both the Beals Preserve and the Beals family. He promised his friend Whitney Beals, who died this past September 14 that he would take care of the […]
SOLF Presents: Nature Columns
SOLF has been publishing a local nature series on MySouthborough.com. Read the columns here.
The Maple Syrup Making Presentation Now Online
Have maple trees? Want to learn how to tap trees and make maple syrup? On October 25, 2023, Tony Willoughby, an experienced maple syrup maker, gave a presentation on how you can make your own. You can now view the presentation! The talk was courtesy of the Southborough Open Land Foundation in partnership with the […]
SOLF 2023 Annual Appeal is underway
Our 2023 Annual Appeal is underway. Forests, wetlands, lakes, and open fields are all understood to be important habitat for wildlife. But there’s more! Shrublands, those “overgrown fields,” and small shallow ponds also provide food and shelter for many species. The Southborough Open Land Foundation is working to create and maintain such diverse habitats of […]
Beals Preserve Chronolog Project
Announcing our new citizen science tool, Chronolog, a photo stand for our visitors to take pictures from the Upper Meadow (near the Lone Wolf trail) looking north towards Main Street (Route 30). The stand is right by our new beautiful bench built and installed by Cassie Melo for her Eagle Scout project. You, the visitor, […]
SOLF Maintenance at Eastbrook Farmlands
On Saturday, November 4, SOLF Trustees Eileen Samberg, Larry Samberg, Brett Peters, and volunteer Kathryn Korostoff worked near the entrance of SOLF’s Eastbrook Farmlands. SOLF does periodic maintenance of properties even when there are no trails. To improve appearance at the street, the group cleared around the sign, pulled invasive buckthorn, removed entangling grape vines, […]
SWCA Environmental Consultants Volunteer at Bigelow Wildlife Refuge
On October 12, 2023, employees from the SWCA Environmental Consultants office in Southborough volunteered at Bigelow Wildlife Refuge, spreading gravel along the path to the viewing platform. This is the second year that SWCA has volunteered its time! SWCA also sponsors our Chronolog project at Beals Preserve. Thank you, Ariel and group for thinking of […]
SOLF Board Meetings
SOLF usually meets the second Wednesday of the month, from 7 – 9 pm, current location at Pilgrim Church. You are welcome to join us and hear about maintenance projects and programs we are planning. Contact us at info@solf.org for more information. Check our calendar for changes.
Bancroft Children Donate to SOLF
The Bancroft family of Southborough recently showed their support for local causes! Paxton, Asher, and sister Flora held a sale of gourds, donuts, and cider and decided to give half their profits to SOLF! We were so touched by their interest and generosity that we, the board of trustees invited them to hand over the […]
Remembering Whitney Beals
We are sad to share that accomplished conservationist Whit Beals passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by his family, on September 14. His long career included work with the Connecticut DEP, the Roaring Brook Nature Center, the Nature Conservancy in Maryland and Boston, the Town of Wayland, Sudbury Valley Trustees, and the New England Forestry […]
Dedication of The Whit Beals Garden at Beals Preserve
On September 23, 2023, Freddie Gillespie, Chair of the Southborough Open Space Preservation Commission, and Sally Watters, Southborough Open Land Foundation Trustee, honored Whitney Beals’ dedication and life passion for open space by renaming the pollination garden at Beals Preserve to The Whit Beals Garden – Biodiversity Through Pollination. Whit devoted much effort in recent […]
Garden Talk and Plant Sale and Honoring Whitney Beals – September 23
On September 23, from 10 am – 12 noon, there will be a Garden Talk and Plant Sale at the Native Pollination Preservation Garden at Beals Preserve. Parking is available at the small SOLF parking area off Main Street and across the street at the intersection of Northborough Road and Main Street. Additional parking is […]
Maple Syrup Making – Rescheduled to October 25
Have maple trees? An experienced maple syrup maker will explain how you can make your own. The talk is courtesy of the Southborough Open Land Foundation in partnership with the Southborough Library. But it will be held in Cordaville Hall (aka the Senior Center). The presentation is scheduled for Wednesday, October 25 from 7:00 – […]
Beals Preserve Preservation Garden Tour on June 24
On June 24, Freddie Gillespie, Chair of Southborough’s Open Space Preservation Commission (OSPC), gave a tour and talk about the Beals Preserve Pollination Preservation Garden. The tour and talk covered the challenges and benefits of pollination preservation activities in old meadows. The morning’s drizzle did not keep a nice crowd from coming to hear Freddie […]
Help SOLF in its mission – Volunteer, Steward
Volunteers and stewards help us fulfill our mission to preserve, protect, conserve, and enhance the natural resources in the Town of Southborough. Love the outdoors? Want a a way to combine your love of the outdoors with some community service? SOLF’s volunteer program is growing and we are currently planning work days at various Southborough […]
Be a Trail Work Volunteer!
Saturday morning (and other days) trail work by SOLF Trustees and volunteers has begun again! There’s always work to do from sprucing up our entrances to clearing and keeping invasives at bay and trails clear. Watch our Facebook page for announcements. Contact us at info@solf.org if you would like to volunteer.
Granite Benches Installed at Beals Preserve
Beals Preserve now has 2 granite benches, in addition to the wood benches built by Cassie Melo for her Eagle Scout project. SOLF trustees Brett Peters arranged for delivery to the property and then prepared the ground and set the legs. Trustees Whit Beals with his trusty tractor, Brett Peters, and Larry Samberg worked to […]
New Benches for Our Visitors at Beals Preserve
Thanks to Cassie Melo and her Eagle Scout project, visitors to The Elaine and Philip Beals Preserve can now take advantage of two beautiful oak benches on which they can relax and enjoy the scenery. Cassie, a member of Troop #823, along with some help from her father, John Melo, built and then on April […]
Art on the Trails 2023 – Through September 17
Press release from Southborough Artist Catherine Weber: The Southborough Open Land Foundation invites the general public to visit Beals Preserve for the 7th annual Art on the Trails.. This year’s theme is Transformation. The exhibition will take place again this year at the Elaine and Philip Beals Preserve in Southborough, Massachusetts. A juried exhibition of […]
Rotary Club Day at Pollinator Garden on May 20
On Saturday, May 20, 2023, 12,000 Rotarians from 450 clubs across five states will be doing a wide variety of local service projects in their communities. The Southborough Rotary Club will be working with Freddie Gillespie, Open Space Preservation Commission Chair and Pollinator Preservation Garden expert, at the Pollinator Preservation Garden at Beals Preserve from […]
Allan Bezanson Receives 2023 Elaine Beals Award
Allan Bezanson, long-time Southborough resident, and native of Northborough, has, since his retirement, had a big impact on preservation; first in devoting hundreds of hours to saving the historic Burnett property and since then sharing his stunning photos of beautiful natural sights from Great Blue Herons, to goldfinches to ponds with amazing reflections. It is […]
Al Bezanson Receives Elaine Beals Conservation Award at the Annual Meeting
Southborough Open Land Foundation had its Annual Meeting on Wednesday, May 10 at the Community House at 28 Main Street in Southborough. The evening started at 6 pm with light refreshments, followed at 7 pm with Trustee introductions and remarks, the presentation of the 2023 Elaine Beals Conservation Award to Al Bezanson, and a program […]
SOLF Annual Meeting on Wednesday, May 10
Please join us for the Southborough Open Land Foundation’s Annual Meeting on Wednesday, May 10 at the Community House at 28 Main Street in Southborough. The evening starts at 6 pm with light refreshments, followed at 7 pm with Trustee introductions and remarks, the presentation of the 2023 Elaine Beals Conservation Award to Al Bezanson, […]
Earth Day Clean-up April 22, 2023
SOLF trustees and volunteers participated in this year’s Earth Day clean-up, starting at the trailhead to Templeman Woods on Route 85, and heading south past Richards Road, stopping at our other property at Lambert Corners.
Program on Eastern Coyote/Coywolf on April 27
On April 27, 2023 at 7 pm at the Southborough Library, SOLF, in conjunction with Earth Day, offered a program by Dr. Jon Way on The Eastern Coyote/Coywolf – How Coyotes behave and live so successfully near people. Topics included: The presentation ran about one hour and a half, including questions and book sales. Our […]
Beals Preserve Saturday Work Day April 15, 2023
Saturday morning trail work by SOLF Trustees and volunteers has begun again! There’s always work to do from sprucing up our entrances to clearing and keeping invasives at bay and trails clear, for our first day, April 15, it was volunteer Kathryn Korostoff and Trustee Debbie Costine, doing what they enjoy: cutting, clearing and chatting. […]
Natural History Walk at Beals Preserve: New date TBD
Postponed from April 23 due to rain, with new date TBD: As part of Earth Day celebrations, SOLF will host a natural history walk at Beals Preserve. Join Whit Beals and other SOLF board members to learn about the history of the property, as well as the flora and fauna found there. [Photos by Trustee […]
Events and Activities
Art on the Trails 2025 at Beals Preserve – View map of installations Mushroom Walk and Talk on October 19 View the Calendar – Search our website Report an issue or a suggestion Help SOLF in its mission – Volunteer, Steward
Dark Skies Initiative
Light pollution is an ever growing problem as land is continuously developed. Without an eye towards the future, open land conservation, and responsible lighting choices, we’ll lose what little we have left on the planet for truly dark skies. Visit our page under Resources to learn about the Dark Skies initiative in Southborough.
Daisy Scouts Perform Trail Work at Clark Grove
Recently Daisy Scout Troop #64042 did some trail work at SOLF’s little “Clark Grove” property on Highland St. They even cleaned our sign! We love that we’ve been able to create a small trail for a neighborhood to enjoy. Thank you troop #64042 and leader Phaea Crede !
Annual SOLF Appeal
Southborough Open Land Foundation (SOLF) Board is excited to share with you some of our accomplishments from this past year. Please consider a tax-deductible contribution to support our efforts that help make Southborough such an attractive and unique community.
Annual SOLF Appeal 2022
Open space, with fields and woods, streams, and wetlands, greatly enhances our quality of life here in Southborough, providing diverse habitat and quiet woodland trails. As Fall arrives, the Southborough Open Land Foundation (SOLF) Board is excited to share with you some of our accomplishments from this past year. Your support is essential to helping […]
SWCA Environmental Consultants Volunteer at Bigelow Wildlife Refuge
On Monday, November 28, eight employees from the SWCA Environmental Consultants office in Southborough volunteered at Bigelow Wildlife Refuge, spreading wood chips and pulling invasive honeysuckle. Thank you, Ariel and group for thinking of us!
Cub Scout Pack 1 Service Projects at Beals Preserve and Templeman
On Sunday, November 20, Cub Scout Pack 1 learned about and practiced trail maintenance at two of our properties, Beals Preserve and Templeman Woods. The older Cub Scouts and their parents worked with Board members Brett Peters and Larry Samberg at Templeman Woods-Watkins Woods off Rt. 85 by the Mass Pike overpass. With some hard work, […]
History Walk by Whit Beals on October 16, 2022
Whitney Beals, president of the Southborough Open Land Foundation (SOLF), led a group of about sixteen on a history walk at the Elaine and Philip Beals Preserve on Sunday, October 16 , 2022. In the 1950s, Whit’s family purchased land on both Chestnut Hill north of route 30 and what is now the Beals Preserve […]
Visit the SOLF Booth at Heritage Day on October 10
Southborough’s “Heritage Day” is Monday from 10:00 to 3:00 on St Mark’s field. We will be there so come by, have a granola bar and learn about SOLF.
History Walk at Beals Preserve on Sunday, October 16 at 10 am
Join Whitney Beals and the Southborough Open Land Foundation (SOLF) for a history walk at the Elaine and Philip Beals Preserve on Sunday, October 16 at 10 am. President Whitney Beals will walk and talk about the history of the property. Meet at the kiosk on the south side of the aqueduct. Sign up at […]
Beals Preserve Main Street Field Parking Area
We are happy to announce that there is now a small parking area at the Beals Preserve Main Street Field on Route 30. The entrance to the parking area is on the south side of Main Street, between two stone pillars, east of Northborough Road and west of Chestnut Hill Road. Pull into the fenced […]
Beals Preserve Clean-up on September 11, 2022
SOLF trustees and volunteers worked for a few hours Saturday morning September 11 to spruce up the primary entrance of the Beals Preserve: around the kiosk and bridge on the old farm lane that goes down from Main Street. We did this to properly welcome and accommodate the visitors attending the closing and poetry reading […]
Bigelow Wildlife Refuge Progress Report – September 2022
As of August 2022, there is now just off-road parallel parking available for one or two cars on a cleared wood-chip area. Please do not park on Bigelow Road as it has no shoulder and parking is not allowed in the turn-around at the end of Bigelow Road. (Alternatively, visitors can drive to Walker Street […]
Become a Volunteer for SOLF
Do you have an interest in working to help the greater cause of land conservation in Southborough? Consider volunteering/stewarding for the Southborough Open Land Foundation on one or more of our fifteen properties – keeping trails clear and controlling invasive species. Message us through our Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/SouthboroughOpenLandFoundation or email us at info@solf.org.
Tree work on Beals Preserve
A visitor to Beals Preserve noted a tree was down across the Hickory Trail. On Saturday, August 13, Whit Beals, Larry Samberg, Eileen Samberg, and Kathryn Korostoff worked together to clear the trail, using chain saws and lopper. The group also cleared some low hanging branches at other spots on the trail.
Pollination Preservation Garden Planting at Beals Preserve – September 2022
Freddie Gillespie, chair of the Southborough Open Space Preservation Commission, has been recruiting volunteers to install a Pollination Preservation Garden at SOLF’s Beals Preserve. Preliminary work was done last summer and fall. After poison ivy control work and garden prep in June, volunteers did a major planting on July 16–17. Volunteers did another major planting […]
Pollination Preservation Garden at Beals Preserve Work Day on July 23
Freddie Gillespie, chair of the Southborough Open Space Preservation Commission, has been recruiting volunteers to install a Pollination Preservation Garden at SOLF’s Beals Preserve. Preliminary work was done last summer and fall. After poison ivy control work and garden prep in June, volunteers did a major planting on July 16–17. Another work day is planned […]
Attention All Volunteers: July 2 and July 9 work days
We have two opportunities for volunteers to help us maintain our properties. Please email solf@solf.org if you are planning to volunteer. We would love your help! Beals Preserve on Saturday, July 2, 10 am: Meet at the end of Hickory. Bigelow Wildlife Refuge on Saturday, July 9, 9–11 am: Remove invasives and beautify the property […]
Bigelow Wildlife Refuge Work Day on July 9
SOLF trustee Lawrence Spezzano and volunteers have been working to remove invasives and beautify the property trail at our Bigelow Wildlife Refuge, located near the end of Bigelow Road in Southborough. He wants to organize a work morning on Saturday, July 9, from 9 am to 11 am. When you come to work, bring gloves, […]
Guide to Invasive Plants
The Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) has published a 25-page pictorial guide to Invasive Plants. You can view the guide on our Resources page.
Review of SOLF 2022 Annual Meeting
The Southborough Open Land Foundation had its Annual Meeting on May 18, 2022 at the Southborough Community House. The evening started with a wine and cheese reception followed by a welcome by Vice President Debbie Costine. Debbie gave an overview of SOLF and its relationship to the town, explaining that SOLF is a private non-profit […]
SOLF Completes Linda Hubley Scholarship Fund Challenge
The Southborough Scholarship Committee created a new scholarship to honor the memory of Linda Hubley, a woman who championed both state and local environmental causes. During her career, Linda worked for the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Management, Division at both Hopkinton State Park and Walden Pond State Reservation in Concord. Later she worked with the […]
SOLF Annual Meeting on Wednesday, May 18
Mark your calendars for the Southborough Open Land Foundation’s Annual Meeting on Wednesday, May 18 at the Community House in Southborough, with a reception and light refreshments at 6 pm, followed by a presentation at 7 pm by Peter Alden — Concord native, ornithologist, naturalist, author — on changes over time to Concord’s bird and […]
Jim Gorss Receives 2022 Elaine Beals Award
Jim Gorss, a founding member and longtime Chair of the Stewardship Committee, is being honored for his contributions to our town by the Southborough Open Land Foundation (SOLF) with the 2022 Elaine Beals Conservation Award. Before relocating to Harvard, Jim served on the Stewardship Committee while living and raising his family in Southborough. Throughout his […]
Clean-up at Beals Preserve Is Ongoing
Board members and volunteers have been meeting at the Beals Preserve kiosk on Saturdays at 10 am to do invasive clean-up, remove overgrowth from valuable trees and shrubs, and reveal the stone wall along the lane. Please join us! Follow us on Facebook for the next dates or email us at info@solf.org. Bring sturdy gloves, […]
