ROWE — About 17 months after Annual Town Meeting voters approved the purchase of roughly 180 acres on Tunnel Road, Rowe’s Open Space and Recreation Committee held an opening ceremony for the new recreation site, while also dedicating it to David Rothstein.
Rothstein worked as a land protection specialist with the Massachusetts Audubon Society before his death in November 2025, and was instrumental in assisting the Open Space and Recreation Committee and the town itself with its acquisition of the property. A commemorative plaque was presented to his sister, Pamela Rothstein, the same plaque that sits at the beginning of the trailhead.
“We are dedicating this conservation to David Rothstein, whose commitment to outdoor recreation, stewardship … reflects many of the same values that this land will now preserve for future generations,” said Aaron Poulin, a member of the Open Space and Recreation Committee. “Thank you for joining us and recognizing Dave in this way.”
The conserved area will be known as Rowe’s Westwood Conservation Area. There are three distinct areas within the property, those being the Rothstein Ridge, the Westwood Trail and the Woodlands Rock Trail. Following the dedication ceremony, a guided hike was offered.
The total cost for the town to acquire the property was $305,000, which ended up being fully covered by several grants, which include a Massachusetts Local Acquisitions for Natural Diversity (LAND) Grant, as well as funding through the Open Space Institute and Mass Audubon’s 30×30 Catalyst Fund. The purchase was completed in June.
“I would like to thank the commonwealth of Massachusetts and the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs for supporting this project … with the LAND Grant,” Open Space and Recreation Committee Chair Justine Krumm said. “The LAND Grant program was critical in making this land acquisition possible.”
Krumm thanked Liam Cregan from Franklin Land Trust and Aaron Nelson from Mass Audubon, saying their expertise helped guide the Open Space and Recreation Committee through the grant application process, the necessary survey work and the forest management plan. Numerous committees and boards in Rowe, as well as Annual Town Meeting voters who gave the final go-ahead, also helped make the acquisition possible.
“This does not become protected land without a community who stands behind it,” Krumm said. “The town voted to make a deliberate choice to invest in conservation, not simply for ourselves, but for the people we will never meet.”
The land is now protected in perpetuity, for the purpose of conservation and passive recreation purposes. Passive recreation includes, but is not limited to, hiking/walking, hunting, birdwatching and snowshoeing. Activities such as motorsports and trapping are not permitted.
“Forests do not function based on town lines,” Krumm said. “These woods are part of a much larger landscape. Protecting forests like this helps ecological connectivity, and strengthens the ability of our natural resources.”
Krumm added that this conservation effort protects wildlife habitats, water and forest resources, while also contributing to habitat connectivity.
“[This land] represents our community history, our natural environments and our partnerships that made it possible to protect this land and care for it for generations to come. … What we wanted to do was protect a place that mattered,” Krumm said.
The Open Space and Recreation Committee will now start trail-building work alongside the Park Commission and other volunteers. Interested volunteers can contact the Open Space and Recreation Committee at openspaceandrecreationcommittee@gmail.com.
“We … recognize the responsibility that comes with it, protecting the forest, the wildlife habitat [and the] preservation of its natural and cultural resources, providing responsible public access and stewardship … for generations to come,” Poulin said, adding that the land should serve “as a lasting reflection of the town’s commitment to conservation, community service … and the stewardship of Rowe’s natural environment.”
