Ashland Open Space Committee

Ashland Open Space And Recreation Plan

Downloads of Current Draft

• Entire plan, excluding maps (382 KB)
• Selected maps, in order of appearance in Plan:
• Watersheds (1.1 MB)
• Development Patterns (2.6 MB)
• Zoning (2.3 MB)
• Bedrock Geology (814 KB)
• Surficial Geology (860 KB)
• Soil Limitations (1 MB)
• Forest Opportunities (1 MB)
• Land Cover (1.7 MB)
• Sensitive Wildlife Habitats (1.2 MB)
• Environmental Challenges (804 KB)
• Riverfront Protection (1.3 MB)
• Inventory of Open Space (1.5 MB)
• Athletic Field Potential (1.2 MB)
• Adjacent Lands (974 KB)
• Recreation Resources (1.7 MB)
• Five-Year Action Plan (828 KB)
• Common Archeological Site Attributes (1.8 MB)

Maps over 3 MB are not being provided on this site at this time.

What is an Open Space and Recreation Plan (OSRP)?

An Open Space and Recreation Plan is a plan created by a community to actively strategize about its land use, protect open space, preserve the unique character of the community and manage aspects of growth and development that can profoundly affect the environment

Why is it important to have an OSRP?

A community with an OSRP is eligible to apply for Self-Help, Land and Water Conservation Funds and other grant programs administered by the state’s Executive Office of Environmental Affairs. An OSRP can also help a community to leverage other resources, all of which can help a community to achieve goals under its OSRP. An example of a goal could be to purchase open space.

The OSRP also provides the entire community with an opportunity to help articulate what must be done to protect the unique character and quality of life in the town. The OSRP includes recommendations regarding land use, the environment, historic preservation and development that are a public statement of the town’s goals and provide a blueprint to guide future policies and community efforts.

Who creates the OSRP?

The Ashland Open Space Committee and graduate students from the Conway School of Landscape Design are leading the effort, working closely with various Ashland Town Departments and Officials (the Board of Selectmen, Town Manager, Planning Office, Recreation Department, Health Department, Public Works, School Department) and Ashland volunteer committees (Comprehensive Plan Committee, Conservation Commission, Historical Society, Town Forest Committee).

What’s required in the OSRP?

The Executive Office of Environmental Affairs requires that the OSRP includes the following sections:

• the community setting (regional context, community history, population characteristics, growth and development patterns);
• an environmental inventory and analysis (geology, soils, topography, landscape character, water resources, vegetation, fisheries and wildlife, scenic resources and environmental challenges);
• an inventory of lands of conservation and recreational interest;
• community goals via extensive community input at all phases of the planning, collection of data and analysis;
• analysis of resource protection, community and management needs;
• goals and objectives;
• five year action plan; and
• public comment via distribution to a recommended list of local officials and boards.

For more information on the OSRP or how to help, please write to: