Andover Village Improvement Society

The Andover Village Improvement Society (AVIS) is a private land trust in Andover, Massachusetts. Founded in 1894, AVIS is the second oldest land preservation society in the United States. Its goal is to acquire land within Andover and preserve it in its natural state.

The organization controls 29 reservations totaling about 1,100 acres (4 km²), with 30 miles (50 km) of trails for hiking, skiing, or other passive recreational use. The largest AVIS reservations are Deer Jump at 131 acres (0.5 km²), Goldsmith at 170 acres (0.69 km2), and Rafton at 226 acres (0.9 km²). Motor vehicles, hunting, fires, or camping in these conservation lands are prohibited. Volunteer wardens are responsible for the care and oversight of each reservation.

With the rapid suburbanization and development occurring in Andover since the 1970s, AVIS has played a vital role in preserving Andover's land.

Properties

As of June 2017, AVIS owns 30 sites with approximately 1,100 acres (4.5 km2).

Reservation Size (acres) Date Acquired Location
Baker’s Meadow 59 1958 Argilla Road, Reservation Road
Burns Reservation 5 Clark Road in Ballardvale section, Chester Street (parking)
Collins Reservation 4.6 1983 Pine St. in northeast section
Christopher and Lillian Sherman Reservation 5.5 2004 Haggetts Pond Rd.
Deer Jump Reservation 131 1960-1973 Merrimack River west of I-93
Goldsmith Woodlands 170 1977 East of Foster's Pond
Greene Reservation 26 1969 Bordered by Dascomb and Bannister roads and Andover Street
Hammond Reservation 38 Salem Street, adjacent to Skug Reservation
Indian Ridge Reservation 40 1897 Near Andover High School, Reservation Road
Keck Reservation 49 1963-1968, 2008 Route 125 opposite of State Police barracks
Lupine Reservation 2 Corner of Central Street and Lupine Road
Purdon Reservation 9 1964,2001 Central Street, Lupine Road
Rafton Reservation 226 NE of High Plain Road, NW of I-495, and SW of I-93.
Sakowich Reservation 9 2011 Oriole Drive
Sanborn Reservation 26 1959,1966,2015 S of Shawsheen river adjacent to I-93.
Shawsheen River Reservation 27 1963 Central Street, Abbot Bridge Drive
Skug Reservation 75 Salem Street
Smith Reservation 54 1963
Spalding Reservation 16 1973 River Road near the Tewksbury border
Stanley Reservation 8 1988
Sunset Rock Reservation 9
Taft Reservation 62 1960s,1997 Salem Street, Wildwood Road, Vine Street
Vale Reservation 47
West Parish Meadow 28 1992 Reservation Road near West Parish Church
Wilkinson Reservation 23 1981 Woburn Street

See also

Trustees of Reservations
Harold Parker State Forest
Ward Reservation

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