Open Space Inventory
The Land Committee of the Waltham Land Trust conducted an inventory of all open space parcels of 4 acres or more in the city. For each parcel, the committee investigated three characteristics (for more information see Open Space Evaluation Criteria):
- Risk - A subjective assessment of the risk that a parcel might be developed: Lower, Potentially Threatened (PT), High
- Acres - The size in acres
- Rank - A number that combines several factors to determine a value for each parcel (1 is highest)
The results of the inventory are presented as a searchable table below.
Key for Table:
- E - Ecological
- G - Geologic
- H&C - Historical & Cultural
- R&E - Recreational & Educational
- C - Connectivity
- Total - Total of the 5 qualities above
- Size Rank - Parcel ranked by size in acres
- Score = ( (Ecological*2) + G + H&C + R&E + (Connectivity*2) ) * 100 / 21
Notes about particular parcels:
§ - The parcel needs to be re-evaluated due to recent changes.
* - Beaver Brook North Reservation has 254 acres total, with 155 acres in Waltham, 66 acres in Lexington, and 33 acres in Belmont.
** - Abuts Lot 1 Lex which is 48 acres
Using the table:
- To sort the table below, click on the column title.
- The search box can be used to limit which parcels are displayed. You can search for a name of a property or a Risk assessment like "High".
| Risk | Parcel Name | Acres | Size Rank | Owner | E | G | H&C | R&E | C | Total | Score | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High | Hell's Mouth (Sibley Road Parcels) | 40 | 11 | Brandeis | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 20 | 95 | 5 |
| High | Cedar Hill Girl Scout Camp | 75 | 5 | Patriot's Trail Girl Scouts | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 19 | 90 | 10 |
| High | Lawrence Meadow | 31 | 16 | Umass Amherst | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 19 | 90 | 11 |
| High | Sanderson Heights, Lincoln St | 26 | 18 | City of Waltham | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 19 | 90 | 12 |
| High | Stearns Woodlot - Chesterbrook Gardens | 7 | 47 | Waltham Housing Authority | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 19 | 90 | 13 |
| High | Jericho Hill Summit | 6 | 49 | City of Waltham | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 18 | 86 | 16 |
| High | Stigmatine Espousal Center | 40 | 10 | Stigmatine Order | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 18 | 86 | 18 |
| High | Woods at Waltham High School | 15 | 29 | City of Waltham: Schools | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 17 | 81 | 27 |
| High | Waltham Oaks (640 Lexington St) | 7 | 43 | Robt Hargrove | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 15 | 71 | 31 |
| High | UMass Field Station & Farm | 28 | 17 | Umass Amherst | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 15 | 71 | 38 |
| High | Woods on Roberts Road | 9 | 39 | Private | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 14 | 67 | 41 |
| High | Waltham Dump, Crams Cove | 11 | 34 | City of Waltham, Private | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 13 | 62 | 46 |
| High | Woods/Wetlands Off Jones Road | 20 | 24 | Various Private | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 12 | 57 | 50 |
| High | The Great Orchard (Balm Ave.) | 5 | 53 | Arrigo Family | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 12 | 57 | 51 |
| High | Woods on Forest Park Dr. | 4 | 63 | Pigeon Hill Trust | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 52 | 56 |
| High | Sylvan Road | 10 | 35 | Davis Marcus Partners | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 48 | 58 |
| High | Bear Hill | 20 | 22 | AT&T | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 43 | 59 |
| High | Woods on Fir Ave. | 4 | 62 | City & Private | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 43 | 62 |
| PT | Lyman Estate | 32 | 15 | Historic New England | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 20 | 95 | 8 |
| PT | Mt Feake Cemetery | 85 | 4 | City of Waltham: Cemetery | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 20 | 95 | 9 |
| PT | Brandeis Riverfront | 15 | 27 | Comm MA & Brandeis | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 18 | 86 | 17 |
| PT | DCAMM Lot 3 [East of Falzone Park] | 5 | 55 | Comm. of Mass | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 18 | 86 | 19 |
| PT | YMCA Chester Brook Corridor | 5 | 58 | YMCA | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 18 | 86 | 20 |
| PT | Chester Brook Woods | 26 | 19 | City of Waltham | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 17 | 81 | 22 |
| PT | Hardy Pond Conservation Area | 32 | 21 | City & Private | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 17 | 81 | 23 |
| PT | Woods behind NE School | 23 | 20 | City of Waltham: Schools | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 17 | 81 | 26 |
| PT | Middlesex Hospital Settlement Land | 6 | 50 | City of Waltham | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 16 | 76 | 30 |
| PT | Woods on Marlborough Road | 4 | 64 | City of Waltham, Private | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 15 | 71 | 32 |
| PT | Forest Street Park | 15 | 28 | City of Waltham | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 15 | 71 | 35 |
| PT | Hardy School Open Space | 7 | 44 | City & Lincoln Properties | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 15 | 71 | 36 |
| PT | South St. Wetlands/Mem. Park | 7 | 46 | City / Beth Israel Temple | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 15 | 71 | 37 |
| PT | Beaver Brook Wetlands | 12 | 31 | Duffy Bros. Inc. | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 14 | 67 | 40 |
| PT | Woods at Cedarwood Playground | 6 | 51 | City of Waltham | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 14 | 67 | 43 |
| PT | Buffer at Windsor Village | 4 | 60 | Private? | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 14 | 67 | 44 |
| PT | Square Pond Woods, Beaver Street | 5 | 56 | City of Waltham | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 13 | 62 | 47 |
| PT | Dale St. woods § | 5 | 52 | Antico | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 13 | 62 | 48 |
| PT | Woods behind "The Silver Building" | 12 | 33 | Tracer Lane Trust | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 12 | 57 | 49 |
| PT | Woods Behind MacArthur School | 13 | 30 | City of Waltham | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 11 | 52 | 52 |
| PT | Gore Estate | 19 | 25 | Private | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 11 | 52 | 53 |
| PT | Woods along Weston Line | 10 | 36 | Various | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 52 | 54 |
| PT | Woods at Nipper Maher Playground | 7 | 41 | City of Waltham | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 9 | 43 | 60 |
| PT | Veterans Field Greenspace | 5 | 57 | City / Bentley / Gann | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 9 | 43 | 61 |
| PT | Calvary Cemetery | 52 | 8 | Rom. Cath. Church | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 38 | 63 |
| PT | Grove Hill Cemetery | 9 | 37 | City of Waltham | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 38 | 64 |
| Lower | Prospect Hill Park | 252 | 2 | City of Waltham: Parks&Rec | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 21 | 100 | 1 |
| Lower | Beaver Brook North Reservation * | 155 | 1 | Comm. of Mass: DCR | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 21 | 100 | 2 |
| Lower | CPA side of Fernald | 140 | 13 | City of Waltham | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 20 | 95 | 3 |
| Lower | Charles River Reservation (est'd acreage) | 40 | 12 | DCR | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 20 | 95 | 4 |
| Lower | Shady's Pond Conservation Area | 34 | 14 | City of Waltham | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 20 | 95 | 6 |
| Lower | Berry Park | 20 | 23 | City of Waltham | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 20 | 95 | 7 |
| Lower | Met State Lawns (lots 2,4,5) | 52 | 9 | City of Waltham | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 19 | 90 | 14 |
| Lower | Historic Beaver Brook Reservation | 59 | 7 | Comm. of Mass: DCR | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 18 | 86 | 15 |
| Lower | Storer Conservation Area | 108 | 3 | City of Waltham: ConCom | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 17 | 81 | 21 |
| Lower | Mackerel Hill Municipal Site | 7 | 42 | City of Waltham | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 17 | 81 | 24 |
| Lower | Bow Street (Lot 1) ** | 6 | 48 | City of Waltham | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 17 | 81 | 25 |
| Lower | Waltham Woods | 12 | 32 | City of Waltham | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 16 | 76 | 28 |
| Lower | Forest Grove DCR Park | 5 | 54 | Comm. of Mass | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 16 | 76 | 29 |
| Lower | Cambridge Reservoir Woods | 75 | 6 | City of Cambridge | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 15 | 71 | 33 |
| Lower | Smith St Wetlands | 16 | 26 | City of Waltham | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 15 | 71 | 34 |
| Lower | Mass Central Rail Trail | 7 | 45 | Comm. of Mass: DCR | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 15 | 71 | 39 |
| Lower | Wellington Crossing Conservation Strip | 9 | 38 | Pulte Homes | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 14 | 67 | 42 |
| Lower | Edgewater Drive | 4 | 61 | City & Private | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 14 | 67 | 45 |
| Lower | Waltham Common | 7 | 40 | City of Waltham | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 11 | 52 | 55 |
| Lower | Arrigo Farm | 4 | 59 | Arrigo Family | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 11 | 52 | 57 |