About the Initiative
The D.W. Field Park Initiative was launched by Wildlands Trust in partnership with the City of Brockton and Town of Avon in 2022.
Meet the Partners
Initiative leader; Southeastern MA Land Trust
D.W. Field Park managed by Brockton Department of Parks and Recreation
Host town of northern section of D.W. Field Park and champions of park expansion efforts
Nonprofit volunteer friends group for D.W. Field Park
Environmental, recreation, and transportation planning and outreach
Engineering and planning for stormwater management
Environmental education, climate change science, habitat surveying
Sustainable landscape planning and design graduate school
D.W. Field Park-adjacent art museum in Brockton
Initiative Overview
D.W. Field Park is a 700-acre city park located in both Avon and Brockton, Massachusetts. The park contains six miles of paved roads and trails around seven bodies of water, providing access to nature and outdoor recreation in the most densely populated areas of Southeastern MA, with over 115,000 people living in Brockton and Avon’s 26 square miles.
Named for its creator Daniel Waldo Field, this beloved park has been a popular spot for walking, running, fishing, bicycling, picnicking, driving, and nature study for nearly 100 years. Many enjoy the park early in the morning before the road is open to vehicles, after which the parkway is shared by pedestrians, cyclists, and vehicles.
While its original beauty has been largely maintained, time and heavy use have caused wear to both the land and infrastructure that support recreational activity and environmental health at the park. The D.W. Field Park Initiative aims to develop a shared vision for the park among park users, Brockton and Avon governments, and the greater community.
The initiative began in 2022 with a multi-year planning process that will identify park improvement projects to meet the goals and desires put forth by the community. Project implementation will take place in phases over the next 10 years, with full transparency to the community.
The Fieldstone Tower atop Tower Hill was built from stones found within the park during construction, and is opened for climbing periodically by the D.W. Field Park Association.
Funding, Structure, & Outcomes
Funding: Direct support to Wildlands Trust for the D.W. Field Park Initiative totals $385,000 from three sources: $305,000 from a private foundation wishing to remain anonymous; $75,000 from the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) via the American Rescue Plan (ARPA); and $5,000 from Planet Subaru via the Subaru Share the Love Event.
Partners that have received funding to support and expand the Initiative include: $1.5 million awarded to the Town of Avon by the Massachusetts Municipality Vulnerability Preparedness Program (MVP); $19,500 awarded to Manomet from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA); and $12,500 awarded to Old Colony Planning Council from the Narragansett Bay Estuary Program.
Structure: The multi-year planning phase for the D.W. Field Park Initiative is led by Wildlands Trust and carried out in partnership with the City of Brockton, Town of Avon, and key partners.
Outcomes: A new master plan to address stormwater management, recreation, accessibility, safety, and community engagement will be produced in 2024. The plan will be used to drive decision making around park improvement projects and receive funding for implementation.
A popular spot for gathering on the western shore of Waldo Lake provides parking, benches, and views of the lake, but demonstrates the effects of stormwater erosion over time.
About Wildlands Trust
Wildlands Trust is a nonprofit land conservation trust serving 55 towns and cities in Southeastern Massachusetts. Wildlands launched the D.W. Field Park Initiative in partnership with the City of Brockton and Town of Avon in 2022, after partnering with Brockton on a number of conservation projects over the past decade:
Land Conservation: In 2012, Wildlands acquired and restored the Brockton Audubon Preserve. In 2016, Wildlands restored the city’s Stone Farm Conservation Area. These two preserves connect across West Elm St. Extension, providing 4 miles of hiking trails on the city’s eastern border. The reopening of Stone Farm Conservation Area was celebrated in October 2019 at the Brockton Nature Festival.
Green Infrastructure: From 2017 - 2021, Wildlands was the nonprofit community partner for the state’s Greening the Gateway Cities program, which planted over 2,000 trees in downtown Brockton at no cost to landowners.
Environmental Education: Wildlands began coaching and sponsoring an Envirothon club at Brockton High School in 2015. Wildlands also offers paid summer service-learning programs for Brockton-area teens, Green Team and Climate Crew.
D.W. Field Park Initiative: Wildlands’ dedication to conservation in the City of Brockton inevitably led to D.W Field Park, the largest protected open space in the city. In 2022, the D.W. Field Park Initiative was launched, and the work continues to grow and expand, inviting new partners and possibilities for the future of this beloved city park.
Wildlands Trust staff and volunteers at D.W. Field Park, winter 2023.
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