The Landlocked Forest - also known as the ‘Landlocked Parcel’
- is Burlington's largest unprotected forest.
It is a haven of green in an otherwise built up, suburban world of office parks and malls.
Friends Celebrate Marked Trails in the Landlocked Forest
New Map with Trail Junction Markers numbered! Download the map and enjoy exploring the Landlocked Forest on your own!
Many thanks to Burlington Cub Scout Troop #`105 and to Chet Maguire for making and then installing trail junction markers throughout the Landlocked Forest. A new trail map with these numbered junction markers displayed is now available when you click on "Directions and Maps" at the top left of this page. With the completion of this project, the Landlocked Forest now has a marked trail system. Congratulations to everyone who has worked so hard to reach this milestone in our effort to make the forest accessible to residents of Burlington and the surrounding towns.
Guided Walks
We had fun in May with our birding friends. On June 6th, several people waited out the storms and were rewarded with a wonderful walk without rain. Our next scheduled Guided Walk will be in September, but if you want to have a guide this summer, just contact us at landlockedforest@aol..com and we'll find a date.
Board of Selectmen approves moving forward with boardwalk plan.
We are delighted to announce that the Friends of the Landlocked Forest has been given permission by the Burlington Board of Selectmen (5-0) to proceed with our plan to apply to the Conservation Commission to build boardwalks across the wetlands in the center part of the forest. We will be submitting an application this spring and hope to start building in the fall.
The Public Lands Preservation Act (H. 4422)
This new piece of environmental legislation is now in the House Committee on Ways and Means, chaired by Burlington/Bedford/Wilmington Rep. Charles Murphy. If the state legislature approves this bill, it would require a town that wanted to sell or develop current Article 97 open space land (such as the Landlocked Forest) to replace it with land that is equivalent in value and natural resources. This would make it difficult for towns to dispose of Article 97 land (open space) and would provide much needed protection for the Burlington Landlocked Forest. For more information on the PLPA and how to email your support for this bill to Rep. Charles Murphy Click here: PLPA
Do you like to hike? See wildlife?
Featuring 270 acres of pine and oak forest with a dense blueberry and fern understory, this green space is home to abundant wildlife, including many deer, fox, fisher cats, turkeys and a wide assortment of songbirds, owls and hawks. Walkers, runners, cyclists, snowshoers and cross-country skiers are frequent visitors, and the property offers a chance for people to explore one of Burlington’s last remaining forests.
But for how long? Though town-owned, the Landlocked Forest is in the crosshairs of developers who wish to cut it down and construct the largest bio-tech campus ever built in the state. Let us not squander our last unprotected forest – let’s protect this forest forever and create a meaningful legacy to our children and our grandchildren.
More development is not the answer….. and it costs more than you think.
Let's 'unlock' the Forest by working with the surrounding towns and the state to provide better access, rather than by chopping it down and paving it over. Help us find new ways for Burlington residents to access and enjoy this open space.
Support the Friends of the Landlocked Forest to protect this precious land. We hope this website helps you learn more about this property, its history, wildlife and potential for recreation and much needed green space.
Burlington residents need to voice our opposition to developing the Landlocked Parcel to our Town Meeting Representatives. The developers are hard at work, and if we don’t act now, the forest will become yet another office park and mall, forever. Would you like to help us?
Photo Fundraiser: Support the Friends of the Landlocked Forest by purchasing a photo of the Landlocked Forest. We also offer photo puzzles, T-shirts, aprons, tote bags, mousepads, mugs and bookmarks. All proceeds will go to support our organization.
Friends of the Burlington Landlocked Forest is an organization of citizens concerned with the wellbeing and preservation of 270-acres of land located between Routes 62, 3, and 128 in Burlington, MA. Contact Us
