Conservation

Land Acknowledgement

We respectfully acknowledge that Andover conservation land has been established on the territory of many Indigenous peoples, who have stewarded this land for hundreds of generations. With gratitude to the Andover Center for History & Culture for their guidance, we acknowledge the harmful effect colonization and violent systemic and cultural inequities have had on our understanding of Indigenous identity and terminology. Andover was home to the Pennacook people as early as 6000 BCE, and we honor their past, present, and emerging leaders. 

Andover Conservation Lands And Activities Are Available For All To Enjoy

Andover Conservation lands are open, welcoming, and inclusive for people of all abilities and backgrounds, ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to connect with nature through passive recreation.

Andover Conservation lands and initiatives promote environmental stewardship, foster inclusivity, and help enable everyone to feel connected to and engaged with the natural world around us. Embracing the diversity and accessibility of the priceless open space areas in Andover helps to strengthen our collective responsibility to protect and conserve our planet for future generations.

Who We Are

The Andover Conservation Commission

The Andover Conservation Commission is a seven-member volunteer board.  These volunteers are all Andover residents and come from a variety of backgrounds.  As a Board, they serve two main functions.  First; The Andover Conservation Commission maintain a quasi-judicial status as a decision-making board under state and local wetland protection regulations.  Second:  The Andover Conservation Commission act as trustees – in perpetuity – for the Andover Conservation lands maintained as open space in the Town of Andover.

More information about the Andover Conservation Commission is located under the separate “Andover Conservation Commission” link.  

The Andover Conservation Division

The Andover Conservation Commission is supported by three full-time professional Staff who are all employees of the Town of Andover.  These employees make up the Andover Conservation Division, and they are Ben Meade (Conservation Agent), Lynn Viselli (Administrative Secretary), and Michael Murray (Land Manager). The Andover Conservation Division is located in the Community Development and Planning Office whose physical space is the ground floor of the Andover Town Offices at 36 Bartlet Street, Andover MA 01810.