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How Can You help save the pond - GOFUNDME

Since it was ceded to the town over 100 years ago, Haggetts Rail Trail has been central to recreation and outdoor enthusiasts. Where it once was a busy industrial tract of land, nature has long reclaimed it. With it’s wide accessible packed stone path, the trail hosts many local residents with rehabilitation needs, disabilities and those with a keen interest in low key exercise, nature and relaxation.
I am writing because th=his peaceful natural area which many enjoy on a regular basis is in danger of being permanently altered and no longer available to the local community in its natural state. The town of Andover in a well-meaning, but misguided project is planning to pave this incredibly pristine tract of land that surrounds our drinking water supply and hosts a variety of both common and rare plant and animal species.
In September 2024, a small group of residents became aware of this plan and began lobbying against it. Through its website, the friends of Haggetts Pond has rallied hundreds of residents to its calls to protect this land. Throughout the last year, the town has pushed back against the desire of Andover citizens to save this special place.
We are asking you to support our efforts to move this project and/or to stop the paving portion of it. There are numerous inconsistencies in the given rationale for the choices that have been made here both in the originating grant and in response to the community. At every turn the town has ignored the science of trail building, the true interpretation of accessibility laws, and denied climate change protections and the sanctity of our drinking water. 
In order to save our drinking water, in order to save this special place, we need your help today.
Will you help us save Haggetts Pond, and save Andover’s governance priorities today. Please visit our GoFundMe Page
protect our water and green space

Thank you to pond supporters

Thank you for supporting the effort to save Haggetts Pond at our Fall fundraiser. Your contributions are greatly appreciated and will go 100% to the effort.

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Haggetts Pond Blog

News and Updates

Haggetts Pond Cleanup a Big Success
Haggetts Pond Cleanup a Big success Just a few of the many bags of trash collected.   On Saturday, September 14th, a group of the Friends of Haggetts Pond descended on the trail…
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Keep our Water Supply Pristine
Haggetts Pond is our water supply. Town has stated that we should have confidence in our water treatment plant to filter out additional contaminants caused by paving. The town of Flint, Michigan had…
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Inclusivity Means Not Paving the Trail
Inclusivity Means Not Paving the trail. Many residents use the trail to take advantage of its natural beauty, slow pace, varied plant and wildlife watching, culinary mushroom gathering, horseback riding, year round…
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Andover's "Connected Streets"

A Love Affair with asphalt

SAVE HAGGETTS POND

Join Us in Protecting our Water, Preserving Our Green Spaces and Wildlife: Let's Keep the Trail Unpaved!

Volunteers with a wide variety of skills and interests are always needed and welcome.

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Water Quality

Andover's PFAS levels are elevated. We risk eroding water safety further by excavating the rail bed and disturbing contaminants contained there; or risking transfer of bitumin, heavy metals, oils and debris to our drinking water supply in run off from storms. Let's promote a trail design that complies with our bylaws.
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Nature & Green Spaces

The Haggetts Pond trail runs through fragile wetland and habitats. This delicate, beautiful ecosystem can be made ADA accessible without excavating a 10' wide swathe and pouring tons of asphalt and without a $1.7 million expenditure.
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Governance Concerns

Andover has provided insufficient notice and engagement while paying for a design and seeking grant monies for this project - compared to other projects. The matter of the Haggetts Pond trail has become more than a conservation and water issue - it highlights problems with governance in our town that should concern us all.
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SAVE HAGGETS POND FROM

Asphalt Impacts

Contaminants, excessive heat and destruction of habitats and the serenity that is the Haggetts Pond woodland trail.

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PFS parts per trillion: Andover PFAS levels have increased from 14.6 to 20 (the edge of EPA limits) between 2016 and 2022.
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Possible types of contaminants found in old rail beds: creosote, pesticides, heavy metals like aresenic, and more.
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Potential decline in species in the proximity of asphalt paving.
32 °F
The temperature that asphalt reaches on a mild 75 F day.
SAVE Haggetts Pond

Join Us in Preserving Our Natural Heritage: Let's Keep the Trail Unpaved!


CALENDAR

Haggetts Pond Priority 1 and 2 Zoning Overlays

Events Updates

March 3, 2024
Party for the Pond and Haggetts Pond Cleanup We've had a great first year raising awareness about the pond, holding two big fundraisers at our very own Oak & Iron Brewery, and completing…

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Our Actions

how we're advocating for Haggetts Pond

Leverage your skills with a fun group striving to protect and maintain our town's only water source.

Investigate ADA, Conservation, Water Quality and other issues

How to Help

Engage fellow residents on the issues

How To Help

Participate in town committee meetings

How To Help

Special Town Meeting petitions and Annual Town Meeting actions

How To Help
save haggetts pond

Join Us in Preserving Our Natural Heritage: Let's Keep the Trail Unpaved!

Join hundreds of residents like YOU that care about accessibility, love our green spaces, and are solution oriented.