Pawtucket Farm Celebrates Opening with Christmas Trees and Community

Gathering under majestic White Pines shaped like Truffula trees, community members from Lowell and beyond gathered on a chilly December morning this past weekend to walk the trails of the newest Mass Audubon wildlife sanctuary, Pawtucket Farm. 

Celebrating Pawtucket's First Steps

During the trail opening event, visitors heard about upcoming plans for the sanctuary while sipping hot chocolate and snacking on locally made apple cider donuts. Trail signs and maps with information in the locally dominant languages of English, Portuguese, Spanish, and Khmer guided attendees around 3/4 mile of newly laid trails.  

Dozens of remaining Christmas trees that were cut in preparation for the property’s transformation were laid out in neat rows for locals to take home after a suggested donation. As trees were loaded onto cars, a Bald Eagle flew overhead, checking out the action. 

From Christmas Tree Farm to Community Space

For more than 60 years, the 21-acre property in Lowell operated as a Christmas tree farm by Rollie Perron and his family. Rather than turn it over to developers, Perron sold the farm to Mass Audubon in December 2023, and a conservation restriction held jointly by Lowell Parks and Conservation Trust (LPCT) and the City of Lowell ensures its protection for future generations. The sanctuary operates under a unique partnership between LPCT, Mass Audubon, and Mill City Grows. 

For the past several years, the coalition has worked together to imagine and plan a new future for the property, incorporating input from the community and assessing conservation goals to create a vision for a unique, multi-purpose community space.  

Embracing Biodiversity

As plans for the ecological restoration of the sanctuary progress, heathland, grassland, and marsh habitats will be restored to support native plants and animals where non-native firs and spruces once dominated. Pollinator-friendly species will fill the borders of the farm fields to act as a buffer with the parking lot while supporting native insects. 

In honor of Pawtucket Farm’s history as a tree farm, a small stand of the iconic evergreens will remain, along with interpretive signage. The design also incorporates standout specimens of Pitch Pine, birch, and oak trees that already dot the property.  

Connecting People to the Land

With trails now open to the public, the three partners are turning their focus to the plans and fundraising for future facilities. Major planned additions over time include an education center, farm stand, and outdoor classroom pavilion. Agricultural plans, under the farming lease held by Mill City Grows, will expand the cultivation of the crop field and introduce a “food forest” to the hillside above. Garlic has already been planted in the field, waiting patiently to emerge in the spring, and cover crops seeded in the fall will protect the soil throughout the winter while introducing much-needed nutrients. Community garden plots will be installed in the summer, providing a space for residents to grow their own food.  

These new spaces will serve as a hub for wildlife viewing, recreation activities, and educational programs. After the gravel parking lot is completed this upcoming summer, over half of the trails will be designated as accessibly-designed All Persons Trails. The Pawtucket Farm team is also expanding its reach by partnering with nearby universities like the University of New Hampshire and UMass Lowell to leverage research opportunities and share knowledge.  

Hit the Trails

The wildlife sanctuary is now open to visitors daily from dawn to dusk. An official ribbon cutting ceremony is expected to take place in the summer of 2025, following the construction of the outdoor pavilion. Find out how to explore Pawtucket Farm and follow along with us as the sanctuary continues to grow!