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save woods of Salem
  1. Signatures
    1,486 out of 1,500
    Petitioning
    1. The Governor of MA (+ 12 others)
      Petitioning
      close
      • The Governor of MA
      • The MA State Senate
      • The MA State House
      • Mayor of Salem (Kimberley Driscoll)
      • Conservation Commission of the City of Salem
      • Department of Planning and Community Developme (Danielle McKnight)
      • Senator Fred Barry
      • State Representative John D. Keenan
      • Salem Council President (Robert K. McCarthy)
      • Salem Councillor At Large (Steven A. Pinto)
      • Salem Councillor At Large (Joan B. Lovely)
      • Salem Councillor At Large (Arthur C. Sargent, III)
      • Salem Councillor, Ward 4 (Jerry L. Ryan)
  2. Created By
    Coco Baia
    Salem, Lynn, MA
About this Petition Petition Letter
Why This Is Important

This is an action letter to Local and State Officials of Salem, MA.  

Spring Pond Woods is divided by private, non-profit and public parcels.  It is enjoyed as a place of recreation, and is a wildlife habitat.  Part of the area is slated for development. The area north of Highland Ave in Salem, east of Spring Pond and west of Marlborough Road is on the turn of immediate threat.  A residential development is blasting the wooded hills near Marlborough Road, and there is a scheme for a proposed Lowes/ Expanded Super Wal-Mart/ Expanded Meineke, and water tower to clear the woods, blast the hills and cause irrepairable environmental damage.  Lowe's will be situated near an existing Wal-mart, on the summit of one of the hills, upland from Spring Pond.  This was an old retreat since colonial times and possibly an area of Native American history.  The big-box stores are proposed on the same street as One Way Lumber, Home Depot, Target and other shops where these types of stores already exist.  This new development affects nearby regional residents in different cities.  Bicyclists, nature hikers, nearby residents and kids  could eventually loose part of a pristine wooded area.  Camp Fire will be displaced, and has to raise money to rebuild.   Many have spotted deer, hawks, vultures, bats, fox... heard the sounds of coyote, woodpeckers, owls, different types of little birds, seen vernal pools, waterfalls and there are many little animals that roam these woods.  These woods are a limited resource between populated cities.  The woods are slowly being carved away.

The Lynn Lions who organized Camp Lion, a non-profit open space, was granted the land from Elizabeth Trumbull and the City of Salem.  In the Articles of Declaration and mission statement for this non-profit, the wild woodland shall be maintained and preserved for a campground.  Today, Camp Lion is selling this land for the construction of an expanded Wal-mart and new Lowe's big box store.

Please encourage law makers to adopt the PUBLIC LANDS PRESERVATION ACT and MASSACHUSETTS ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ACT of Massachusetts, to protect the wetlands and follow through with the Salem Open Space and Recreation Plan to preserve these areas.  A parcel of the land belongs to the City of Salem, and is being transferred to the retailer.  4 wooded acres of Salem's parcel will become a Lowe's parking lot and access way.

For more info visit:

Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/SpringPondWoods

Website:  www.SpringPondWoods.com

 

2nd Action Letter: To Camp Lion   http://www.change.org/petitions/save-spring-pond-retreat

 

Why People Are Signing
Recent Signatures

Preserve Spring Pond Woods as Conservation Area

Greetings,

I am writing you in request to support the Environmental Bond 'House 4909', An Act Providing for the Preservation and Improvement of the Environment Assets of the Commonwealth, and to please stop and prevent future irreparable environmental damages caused to the wooded areas and wetlands of Spring Pond Woods in Salem, Massachusetts.

I urge you to execute THE CITY OF SALEM OPEN SPACE AND RECREATIONAL PLAN UPDATE: 2007-2012 ( http://www.springpondwoods.com/2010/08/salems-open-space-plan.html ), where by these wooded areas under immediate threat at Camp Lion are threatened for big-box development. I urge you to encourage Environmental Protection of Municipal or Non-profit Open Space.

I urge you to adopt the PUBLIC LANDS PRESERVATION ACT and MASSACHUSETTS ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ACT of Massachusetts for the public wooded 4 acres parcel which is proposed to become part of the Lowe's/ Super Wal-mart development by the Kennedy Development Group.

Under The General Laws of Massachusetts, Chapter 266, Section 116A, Protection of Certain Flowers, I urge you to protect the vast area of Lady's Slippers which are threatened by future development.

Under Chapter 91: The Massachusetts Waterfront Act, I urge you to protect the waterways connecting to Spring Pond: wetlands, surface water protection areas, potential and certified vernal pools, and keep these areas free from commercial or any kind of further development, and prevent sludge from flowing through these waterways to Spring Pond.

Under the '1000 Great Places in Massachusetts' list, an Act of the Legislature, I urge to you to preserve Spring Pond Woods of Salem, Lynn and Peabody.

I urge you to preserve the landscapes and arboretum of heritage, which contains potential archeological resources.

I urge you to protect this wildlife habitat and to sustain the existing natural waterfalls created in rain or snow.

I urge you to acknowledge Camp Lion's Articles of Declaration filed with the Secretary of State in Massachusetts, which states to maintain a wild woodland and camp ground for children, and to urge the board of Camp Lion to preserve the land.

I urge you to be philanthropical and protect the value and quality of life of the nearby residents of Salem, and surrounding towns, which will be negatively impacted by the proposed developments of Lowe's and Super Wal-mart which will: destroy these woods of recreation; increase traffic congestion, pollution and noise; increase flooding hazards to the already problematic areas; create structural damage to nearby foundations; degrade the quality of life and value of homes.

I urge you to protect these limited environmental, recreational, historic and potentially archaeologic resources which remain standing within the corridor of populated communities.

Thank you,

[Your name]