Westwood Land Trust to Clean Up Clapboardtree Street Property

There's no lack of effort to give the land in Westwood a little tender loving care this month. 

On May 1, the Westwood Land Trust will be holding a clean-up event to coincide with the end of Earth Week Cleanup, which runs from April 23 (today) through May 1. 

"A lot of times people in town really aren't familiar with the properties themselves, so this gives us the opportunity to allow people to clean up and volunteer with one of the properties," said Andrea Goldberg, who is on the board of the Westwood Land Trust. "It also allows people to become acquainted with preserved open space in Westwood."

The event is just one of many like-events in town that involve cleaning up trash and debris to spruce various areas up for spring. Local Eagle Scout candidate and Westwood High School sophomore Kiernan Somers is already on an initiative to clean things up, and an electronic recycling day is being held on May 14. 

"Most of the properties are in pretty good shape," Goldberg said. "The challenge for this property is it's right next to a large parking lot, and so a lot of the debris from the lot blows onto the property."

The clean-up event will run from noon to 2 p.m. on Sunday May 1 at the property, located at 795 Clapboardtree St. Light refreshments will be available for those volunteering after the cleanup is finished.  All ages are welcome to the event, and garbage bags will be provided. 

The property is a stretch of land that lies between Clapboardtree Street and an industrial complex that lies on the Westwood-Norwood border. To access the land, one must drive up Industrial Drive from Washington Street, or from One Upland Road into the Upland Woods Industrial Park.

Past the Universal Technical Institute (UTI) on the left, parking is available at the end, right near the preserved property. A walkway extends from the property to Clapboardtree Street and Xaverian Bros. High School.

"The meadow is not easily accessible from Clapboardtree Street," said Karen Manor Metzold, also on the board of the WLT. "But hiking in from this other parking lot to get there . . . it's a confusing property."

Debris collects into the property about 20 yards in, Goldberg said, but with enough volunteers, the area should easily be cleaned.

"Many hands make light work," said Goldberg, who is also encouraging those who help out to walk around and enjoy the property as well. 

The land itself was acquired by Westwood residents Mr. and Mrs. Duncan McFarland in 2006, Goldberg said. The land is now owned by the town, but is preserved by the WLT, which preserves about 182 acres of land in Westwood.

"I think because it's kind of a hidden property, it's not really noticed," Goldberg said. "It's still a wonderful property, and part of the preserved natural space in Westwood. One of the wonderful things about Westwood is the rural character of the town. The Westwood Land Trust is one way to preserve natural spaces."

Fore more on the cleanup, contact Andrea Goldberg at 617-461-2937, or Karen Manor Metzold at 617-697-5671. 

More information on Westwood's Town Cleanup can be found at www.keepourtownclean.com.