To help raise awareness of the MassBay Forest and Wellesley’s adjoining Centennial Reservation land and trails, the Wellesley Trails Committee will lead a walk in the area on Friday, Nov. 28 from 10-11am. The walk will depart from the MassBay parking lot on Oakland Street.
The state has deemed 45 acres of MassBay property—the 5-acre parking lot and 40 acres of forest—as surplus and ripe for redevelopment under its Affordable Homes Act aimed at addressing the region’s housing shortage. In this case, the plan would also partially fund envisioned MassBay campus upgrades, such as new cybersecurity and recreation facilities.
Some in town see the state’s plan as a win for housing, the school, and possibly the environment, if a conservation restriction is put on the forest land. Many of those who live in the area have raised concerns about traffic and more that could result from any such plan. (A lawn sign campaign has begun urging protection of the entire 40-acre forest.)
(Update: 11/27/25—the visioning workshop has been postponed, as the town considers legal action). The town of Wellesley has scheduled a public visioning workshop for Dec. 8 to be held at Wellesley High. The in-person-only meeting will include briefings on the state program and the site, and seek public input on housing needs and design preferences. The town is working with three consulting firms on the effort, and seeks to provide the state with input ahead of the Commonwealth issuing a request for proposals to developers next year.
More: Land acknowledgements at MassBay & elsewhere in Wellesley
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Please don’t build on this beautiful land.
Taking away the forest and open space is not going to solve the housing shortage. You are taking away beautiful land that is very much needed.
I’m so sick of the fearmongering over this project. No one is threatening to take away the forest. The state designated it as surplus land so that they could build more housing on the parking lot. They made their commitment to preserving the forest clear last week. Swellesley even did an article about it: https://theswellesleyreport.com/2025/11/massbay-forested-land-in-wellesley-not-out-of-the-woods-yet/
Also, this article should be updated to clarify that the visioning workshop has been postponed.
Thank you! This walk will be a great opportunity for our residents (and neighbors!) to see just what is at stake in these development discussions while learning more about one of our town’s greatest natural resources – and enjoying a great walk!
We hope to see all your Swellesley readers there!
Ezra Englebardt
Chair, Wellesley Trails Committee