Page 5 - Wildlands Trust fall newsletter

Center Hill Preserve, Plymouth

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When Joan Bartlett approached a young man at a Plymouth from the statewide Community Preservation Trust Fund, matching
fundraiser in 2000, she hoped for one signature on her petition their local contributions at variable rates.
to put the Community Preservation Act (CPA) on the local ballot.
Instead, she got 800. Across Southeastern Massachusetts, the CPA has dramatically
expanded funding and support for local conservation.
Growing up in Plymouth in the 1970s, Bill Keohan witnessed the
before and after of urban sprawl in one of Boston’s most desirable “There isn’t a dollar of CPA funding that can be approved without
suburbs. So when Bartlett told him about her quest to establish a the community itself prioritizing it and voting, ‘yes, we want this
dedicated fund for community preservation, he was hooked. Over to happen,’” said Chase Mack, Communications Director at the
the next 48 hours, Keohan secured hundreds of signatures in support Community Preservation Coalition. “In my opinion, that’s the most
of the CPA by loitering outside powerful component of the
the town dump, handing out By the numbers: CPA in CPA, and why no community
clipboards to passing cars. has ever revoked it.”
Southeastern Massachusetts
Keohan and Bartlett came up Adopting the CPA invariably
50 signatures short that year, comes with costs to residents.
but in 2002, Plymouth voters 38 But communities that have
enthusiastically adopted made the commitment are
the CPA. The pair served towns learning how to maximize their
on Plymouth’s Community return on investment, even
Preservation Committee for in Wildlands’ service as the state match rate has
the next two decades, with region (75%) have declined over the years.
Keohan as chair. adopted the CPA
In 2006, the Town of Plymouth
CPA cities and towns are received voters’ approval to
reaping the benefits of their acquire Center Hill Preserve
decision to adopt this powerful East, nearly 30 acres of beach,
legislative tool, setting aside forest, and wetland habitat
modest yet meaningful offering rare public access to
funds each year to ensure undeveloped land on Cape Cod
that natural and historical $450M 7,862 Bay. The acquisition cost $4
preservation never falls by in total revenue acres purchased million, but the Town worked
the wayside. Their message to for conservation with Wildlands Trust to raise
municipalities that haven’t yet $3 million from NOAA and the
adopted the CPA? It’s never $115M As of 2023. Massachusetts Department of
too late to save what makes for open space Source: Community Preservation Coalition Conservation and Recreation
your community great. protection (communitypreservation.org) (DCR). With the CPA Trust
Fund contribution, Plymouth
Signed into state law in residents were left to pay
2000, the CPA empowers about an eighth of the total cost.
Massachusetts cities and towns to create a local Community
Preservation Fund supporting projects in four areas: open space “The leveraging power that Wildlands Trust taught us has paid
protection, historic preservation, affordable housing, and outdoor off enormously, surpassing any money that the trust fund offers,”
recreation. The fund is supplied by a surcharge on local property Keohan said.
taxes, often with exemptions for low-income households.
Communities that adopt the CPA also receive a yearly distribution Continue to CPA, Page 10 5