May 13, 2024
A panel discussion moderated by Wellesley’s Heather Sawitsky, featuring professionals from the housing, conservation, and planning sectors. The event was organized by the Wellesley Conservation Land Trust and presented in partnership with the Wellesley Free Library, Building a Better Wellesley, and Sustainable Wellesley.
The event provided a forum for pro-active ideas on ways community housing proponents and conservation advocates can collaborate for successful outcomes.
Panel members included Mark Wamsley, Conservation Director, Kestrel Land Trust; Richard Feeley, President, Concord Housing Foundation; and Peter Flinker, President, Dobson and Flinker, a landscape planning firm. Each shared their real life experiences and lessons learned in combining successful housing and land conservation projects in nearby communities.
Michael Tobin, President of the Wellesley Conservation Land Trust; Deed McCollum, Co-Chair of Building a Better Wellesley; and Eric Arbeene, Planning Director for the Town of Wellesley, each reacted to the projects of the presenters and suggested what lessons can be applied to pro-actively foster collaboration between housing projects and land conservation priorities in Wellesley.