48 Acres Of Woodland Preserved Forever

On January 15, The 300 Committee Land Trust completed the purchase of 48 acres of forestland in North Falmouth, adding to the village’s limited inventory of protected open space. Site planning has now begun for a one-mile looped walking trail on the property.

“Ensuring public access to open space across all areas of town is a major focus for The 300 Committee,” said Executive Director Jessica Whritenour. “North Falmouth has relatively few places to walk in the woods, so we’re excited to begin blazing this trail system.”

The deal has been nearly three years in the making, ever since owners Steven and Ruth Augusta agreed to sell the land at market value for $5.95 million. The purchase was executed in two phases, allowing time for the land trust to gather the needed capital through a combination of town, state and private money.

The deal’s financing was dealt an unexpected blow in October, when a $500,000 state Local Acquisitions for Natural Diversity (LAND) grant application was rejected.

“That was a shock,” Whritenour said. “With a project like this, where the public and environmental benefits are so evident—we were very hopeful.”

The 300 Committee then hustled to pull together the additional $500,000 needed to close on the property by January 15. “Thankfully, we had some cash in our land acquisition Opportunity Fund,” Whritenour said. “And a few generous donors, understanding the pressure we were under, came forward with major gifts.”

The land trust also relayed the urgent situation to Mass Audubon and applied for a contribution from their 30X30 Catalyst Fund.

In Massachusetts, 27% of the state’s land is permanently conserved. Mass Audubon’s 30X30 Catalyst Fund advances projects that will help the state meet its goal of reaching 30% by 2030.

On January 6, nine days before the closing, Mass Audubon emailed to say the land trust’s $200,000 request would be fully funded.

“The jubilation at the office and among our board members cannot be overstated,” Whritenour said.

Part of last week’s purchase also included a 7.5-acre residential lot with a once-grand—but now dilapidated—private home at 48 Benjamin Nye’s Lane. Habitat for Humanity of Cape Cod is poised to buy this lot in the spring and begin construction of 14 affordable homes connected to a best-in-class wastewater treatment system.

“Preserving natural lands is The 300 Committee’s top concern, but we recognize the town has other needs,” Whritenour said. “And in the case of this property, the housing partnership made so much sense. What are we, as a land trust, going to do with a giant dilapidated house? Habitat will transform the lot into vital community housing.”

Mass Audubon’s Chief Conservation Officer Jocelyn Forbush said the combination of housing with open space particularly appealed to them. “This project aligns perfectly with our mission to protect the nature of Massachusetts while also proving that conservation and housing don’t have to be at odds,” she said.

Last summer, after purchasing the first half of the property, The 300 Committee built a small parking area and a 25-foot nature trail at 695 Quaker Road. “Because the state gave $500,000 towards those initial 30 acres, we were required to establish public access right away,” said Whritenour. “So, there’s been this little path to nowhere. But now we own the whole property. And we’re excited to design a proper trail system.”

The 300 Committee plans to hold a public forum in North Falmouth this spring to share information and hear feedback on an initial design for the trail, at least portions of which will be accessible for people of all abilities. The land trust also envisions constructing an outdoor classroom with a trail connecting to the abutting North Falmouth Elementary School.

The 300 Committee’s Director of Land Stewardship, Will Poirier, who taught outdoor education at a Montessori school for six years, is hoping to assist North Falmouth Elementary teachers develop hands-on ecology curricula. “Because the land backs right up to the school, it opens so many possibilities for young people to learn about and care for the natural world,” Poirier said.

This story appeared in the January 23, 2026 edition of the Falmouth Enterprise. Find out more about the North Falmouth Woodlands property.