D.W. Field Park

Poet Tzynya Pinchback: Writing the Land at D.W. Field Park

In the video above, meet Plymouth-based poet Tzynya Pinchback! This year, Tzynya is partnering with Wildlands Trust to spotlight the beauty of D.W. Field Park in Brockton.

Writing the Land is a collaborative outreach and fundraising project that partners with nonprofit environmental organizations to coordinate the “adoption” of conserved lands for poets. Each poet is paired with a land usually for about a year, and they visit the location to create work inspired by place. Learn more at writingtheland.org.

Tzynya Pinchback is a poet, essayist, and author of the poetry chapbook “How to Make Pink Confetti” (Dancing Girl Press, 2012). Her recent work centers on the Black woman body in nature and in joy as an act of resistance and appears in Deaf Poets Society, Mom Egg Review, Naugatuck River Review, Raising Mothers, and is broadcasted on WOMR’s Poets Corner. She was a finalist for 2020 Poet Laureate of Plymouth, Massachusetts, and 2020 writer-in-residence for the Cordial Eye Gallery & Artist Space. Tzynya is a Los Angeles native who is surviving cancer and New England winters in Plymouth, MA.

Stay tuned for opportunities to engage in Tzynya’s work!

Wildlands' Brockton Work in the News

High school students build tree stump stools in a parking lot, as several smile for the camera.

Brockton Green Team helped build an outdoor classroom at the George School in 2023.

In the past month, two high-profile publications have cast a spotlight on Wildlands Trust’s longstanding, ongoing work in Brockton. In a local and national news cycle laden with despair, these stories offer reason for hope. We are grateful for our members, donors, volunteers, and partners, who make all of our work possible.

From the Ground Up: “Conservation For All”

Published earlier this month, Issue 5 of From the Ground Up features an interview with Wildlands President Karen Grey by Marissa Latshaw. In the piece, Grey recounts the history of Wildlands’ involvement in Brockton, from a tattered manila folder labeled “Brockton Audubon” in 2006 to our extensive work in 2024 and beyond to engage, educate, and empower Brockton youth.

“The time has come for land trusts to be more creative and thoughtful about how we serve and whom we serve,” Grey said.

> Read the interview here.

From the Ground Up is a free quarterly magazine that encourages conversations about conservation, climate, and communities in New England. Published by our friends at Wildlands, Woodlands, Farmlands & Communities, From the Ground Up shares stories and ideas that can lead to transformative, healing actions to mitigate and adapt to climate change, preserve and restore habitat essential to the survival of wild, native species, and bring about environmental justice and well-being for all.

The Enterprise: “$30M makeover pitched for D.W. Field Park”

Trees and stones bisect two lakes in an urban park.

D.W. Field Park. Mark Jarret Chavous/The Enterprise.

In an article published on November 29, reporter Chris Helms of The Brockton Enterprise covered the release of the D.W. Field Park master plan, spearheaded by Wildlands Trust and the D.W. Field Park Initiative.

"Brockton Mayor Robert F. Sullivan said he's all in on the plan," Helms wrote. "'This project prioritizes environmentally friendly, community-focused, resilient solutions to issues within the park that have been caused by decades of high-traffic utilization,' Sullivan wrote in a letter of support."

> Read the article here.

Helms also details plans by the D.W. Field Park Association and Brockton Parks Department to build a small welcome center at the Oak Street entrance to the park.

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Thank you to our press partners for spreading the word about our unassuming yet vital work! For media inquiries, please contact Communications Coordinator Thomas Patti at (774) 343-5121 ext. 108 or tpatti@wildlandstrust.org.

Brockton Gives a Hoot About Conservation

Barred owl, presented by Eyes on Owls at Give a Hoot About the Park on May 19. Photo by Janet Trask.

The verdict is in. Brockton gives a hoot about local conservation! 

An eventful month has left no doubt that this city of over 100,000 residents in northwestern Plymouth County is invested in the protection and stewardship of its natural spaces. 

On Sunday, May 19, our Give a Hoot About the Park event attracted nearly 200 people to D.W. Field Park, a 700-acre urban oasis in Brockton and Avon. Despite considerable rain, friends and neighbors of all ages flocked to see live owls, presented by Eyes on Owls. Free lunch, catered by Lady C&J Soulfood, rewarded those who braved the inclement weather!  

About a dozen community groups joined us, as well, offering information about how the public can get involved in local conservation efforts. 

“This event put local environmental stewardship on display and continued our efforts to build community at D.W. Field Park,” said Wildlands Chief of Staff Rachel Bruce. “The success of Give a Hoot was largely due to the collaborative efforts of our partners at Old Colony Planning Council, the D.W. Field Park Association, the Town of Avon, and the City of Brockton. The dedicated folks of the D.W. Field Park Initiative will continue to work to provide opportunities and resources for this community, who show up to support the park time and time again!” 

The public celebration, as well as the Town of Avon’s recent acquisition of 30 woodland acres abutting D.W. Field Park, were partially funded by the Massachusetts Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness grant program. 

Less than a week later, a determined group of students from Brockton High School ventured to Wachusett Reservoir to demonstrate that the future of our region’s natural resources is in capable hands. On May 23, the Brockton High School Envirothon team competed at the 2024 Massachusetts Envirothon, putting their environmental knowledge, skills, and leadership to the test. The students rose to the occasion, placing in the top five in two categories, Wildlife and Current Issue, where this year, students presented on Clean Energy for a Sustainable Future.

“Our Envirothon team this year was almost entirely new to the competition,” said Programming Coordinator Max Phelps, who co-coached this year’s team. “It was wonderful to see their growth in knowledge and confidence over the school year culminate in amazing presentations. I can’t wait to see what they accomplish in the future.” 

On June 4, the Envirothon team received citations from the Brockton Mayor’s Office in recognition of their excellence at the state competition. Thank you, Mayor Sullivan and the City of Brockton, for celebrating these passionate young leaders! 

Wildlands has co-coached and sponsored the Brockton High School Envirothon team since 2015, with Manomet co-coaching since 2021. Learn more here. 

Our work in Brockton continues! For updates about our D.W. Field Park Initiative, visit dwfpi.org

Communities Unite to Expand D.W. Field Park

Waldo Lake in D.W. Field Park in Brockton and Avon. Photo by Jerry Monkman.

By Thomas Patti, Communications Coordinator

When we think about the benefits of nature, we often picture deep and dark woods, a majestic mountaintop vista, or vast, rolling fields. But acre for acre, city parks may do more for people, wildlife, and the planet than any other natural setting. When highly developed areas make room for nature, the social, economic, and ecological benefits are multiplied, making communities happier, healthier, cleaner, safer, and more resilient to climate change. 

D.W. Field Park serves hundreds of thousands in and around Brockton and Avon, two Environmental Justice communities in our region. Featuring miles of woodland paths, a public golf course, and five water bodies sprawled across 700 acres in the heart of this urban hub, the park represents a lot of things to a lot of people. A spiritual refuge from the commotion of city life. An outdoor gym for walking, running, and bicycling. An ecological haven for diverse wildlife. For many, the park is about family, and local generations past, present, and future: “I used to come here as a kid, and now I bring my son here,” said one park supporter. “A beautiful place that brought peace to my late husband and continues to bring peace to me,” said another. 

D.W. Field Park. Photo by Jerry Monkman.

Thanks to these supporters and more than 215 others in the Brockton, Avon, and Wildlands communities, D.W. Field Park is set to continue creating diverse meanings for the people and wildlife it sustains. On December 2, just 10 days after our campaign launch, Wildlands secured the 200 donations needed to unlock critical funding for the addition of 32 acres to this beloved urban sanctuary. These donors rose to the challenge of an anonymous foundation, whose generous contribution to the project was contingent on this show of community support. With these funds and others awarded by the Massachusetts Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) grant program (and approved by a positive town vote), the Town of Avon is finalizing the purchase of this woodland parcel west of Waldo Lake. (Read about our celebration of the MVP award here.

“The community continues to show up for D.W. Field Park,” said Wildlands Director of Special Projects Rachel Bruce. “Last time we asked for support, over 1,400 people answered a lengthy survey about park use. This most recent outpouring of generosity shows our current and future funders what we already know—that this park is cherished by those who use it, and that we need to do everything we can to keep improving this vital resource. I’m proud to be part of such an inspiring project and to work with so many caring people in Avon and Brockton.” 

D.W. Field Park. Photo by Jerry Monkman.

So far, 219 donations totaling $7,238 have affirmed the public’s investment in the future of D.W. Field Park. Pending completion of the land transaction, these funds will be integral to our efforts to improve natural access at this parcel. Planning and design work will take place through spring 2024, with implementation to follow. Stay tuned for updates on Facebook, Instagram, our E-News, and wildlandstrust.org/dwfieldpark as we carry on this vital work! 

To those who have donated: please accept our profound gratitude for your support. We are humbled by your generosity and eager to put it to good use, revitalizing the park for people and planet!

Haven’t donated yet? Act fast! Show your support by December 18 at bit.ly/expanddw

Town of Avon Earns Grant to Expand D.W. Field Park

By Thomas Patti, Communications Coordinator

18 people pose for a photo in front of a lake and tree.

Local, regional, and state partners convened at D.W. Field Park to celebrate an award to expand the park.

Since its inception, Wildlands Trust’s D.W. Field Park Initiative has striven to revitalize the beloved open space in Brockton and Avon through education, outreach, planning, and restoration. Physical expansion was hardly on our radar; comprising 700 acres in the heart of our region’s most populous city, D.W. Field Park seemingly had little room to grow.

Yet less than two years into the Initiative, D.W. Field Park is set to receive a modest yet meaningful boost to its open space portfolio. On August 27, government officials and nonprofit partners convened at D.W. Field Park to celebrate the award of $1.5 million from the Massachusetts Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) grant program to the Town of Avon for the purchase of 32 acres adjacent to the urban park. 

A woman (far left) speaks to project partners (right).

Wildlands President Karen Grey (left) speaks to the group.

Wildlands raised $450,000 in private funding to support the grant proposal, which will also expand our revitalization efforts of D.W. Field Park north and west of our current project area. The award will also fund another semester of partnership with the Conway School, from which two graduate students provided crucial design input last spring. 

“There are only two significant undeveloped open space assemblages contiguous with the park, and we were fortunate that one was owned by an individual who wanted to see his land become part of the park,” Wildlands President Karen Grey said. “The Town of Avon was a lead partner in putting together this exciting project.”  

The project awaits final approval from a town meeting later this fall. 

Four people pose for a photo in front of a road, lake, and trees.

From left: Wildlands Communications Coordinator Thomas Patti, State Senator Michael Brady, Wildlands President Karen Grey, and Wildlands Director of Special Projects Rachel Bruce.

Thank you to Secretary Rebecca Tepper of the MA Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, City of Brockton Mayor Robert Sullivan, State Senator Michael D. Brady, State Representative Michelle DuBois, Town of Avon Selectman Eric Beckerman, and many others for voicing your support of this exciting new project! 

To learn more about our D.W. Field Park Initiative, visit wildlandstrust.org/dwfieldpark

Stay tuned for updates as this project and the larger D.W. Field Park Initiative march on.