Dudley, MA – The Dudley Conservation Land Trust (DCLT) has completed the purchase of 23 acres of historic and scenic farmland at 90 and 0 Marsh Road. The property had been in the Antos family as designated (Chapter 61A) agricultural land for decades, with hay and cropland surrounding an 1830s front-gabled, 1 ½ -story, slate-roofed farmhouse. Tall, well-maintained stone walls with prestigious old trees line this section of Marsh Road with its large open fields. The Antos farm is an important contribution to the east Dudley wildlife corridor, as it expands and enhances the impact of existing sanctuaries including Slater Woods, Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, and Mass Audubon’s Pierpont Meadow and newly established Oxford Woodlands. DCLT’s purchase of this property required an extensive investment of $700,000 in order to conserve this land—and its 1,447 feet of frontage—forever. 

“Saving this beautiful land from nine additional lots on this scenic road was a necessary spend for DCLT. We heard what our members and our community wanted, and we worked hard to make it happen,” said Liza Moran, president of the DCLT.

“I am forever grateful to DCLT for their commitment to protecting my family’s home on the east side of Marsh Road.”

– Larry Antos

“I am forever grateful to DCLT for their commitment to protecting my family’s home on the east side of Marsh Road,” said Larry Antos who worked much of his life maintaining the pastures, gardens, woods, and fields on both sides of the designated scenic road that remains close to his heart. “I look forward to working with DCLT to ensure the remaining unprotected land on Marsh and Whiting Roads is also conserved for future generations.”

DCLT has established as a priority the expansion and further connection of the northeast Dudley-Oxford wildlife corridor which currently includes, in addition to the newly acquired Marsh Road land, Slater Woods, Pierpont Meadows and Oxford Woodlands. There are several other land acquisition opportunities in this area which we are aggressively pursuing. DCLT continues to fundraise to raise the necessary $540,000 to acquire 21 acres of pristine woodland and fields straddling Dudley, Oxford, and Charlton from the Tierney family. This property marks the northernmost boundary of this extensive wildlife corridor that we are working to protect.