“Each town should have a park, or rather a primitive forest, of 500 or a thousand acres, where a stick should never be cut for fuel, a common possession forever, for instruction and recreation.’ These words spoken by Henry David Thoreau, the great naturalist born and raised in Concord in the mid-nineteenth century, are early evidence of the strong conservation and preservation tendencies that have characterized town planning since the early 1960’s. In the face of development pressures, the Town and its citizens have consistently placed a high priority on protecting the integrity of the abundant natural resources of the region. To this end, this plan builds on earlier open space plans, further developing the innovative Open Space Framework introduced in 1992 by adapting it to today’s changing landscape and resource protection needs. By continuing this strong tradition of open space planning these resources can be improved, protected, and enjoyed by all Concordians well into the future.”
