Whately Land Preservation

Board of Governors

Board Officers: Don Wheelock, President; Lawrence Kuttner, Treasurer; Rebecca Jones, Secretary

Land Protection Committee: Thomas Litwin; Peter Westover

Development Committee: Mary Shanley-Koeber; Margaret Christie; Cris Coffin

Education and Outreach Committee: Lynn DiTullio; Cris Coffin; Lawrence Kuttner; Sue Bellemare; Mary Dingman Abel; Rebecca Jones

Franklin Land Trust Representative: Rich Hubbard, Executive Director

Contact Information

Please send membership forms and contributions directly to:

Franklin Land Trust
Whately Fund
P.O. Box 450
Shelburne Falls, MA 01370

Please send non-membership or contribution mail to:

Whately Land Preservation
P.O. Box 281
Whately, MA 01093

About the Map

The map seen in the background (except on computers set to a small display resolution) is a section of a 1941 U.S. Geological Survey topographic map of the Whately area.

This map is a reminder that Whately has enjoyed gradual growth in the many decades since then, but that good will not continue without our efforts.

To view more sections of vintage maps, visit the Historic Map Archive at the University of New Hampshire Library.

Who We Are

Whately Land Preservation is a group of your neighbors who love the town and its character. Massachusetts loses more than 20 acres of open space per day to development. As neighboring towns take measures to protect their communities’ character, we see our town becoming increasingly vulnerable to development.

Few places have the expanses of connected open space and the associated wildlife habitats and diversity of species that Whately still enjoys. After all, since the pollution of our town wells, we in Whately understand better than most the danger of lost natural resources.

A conversation at the transfer station about the need to protect Whately led to the formation of WLP in 2004. Our aim is to preserve the special agricultural and open space resources that give our town its character.

WLP board members have served on the town’s Open Space Planning Committee and were active in the adoption of the aquifer protection zoning. We are seeking a reasonable balance between growth in town and protection of its special places.

WLP works in association with Franklin Land Trust, a land protection non-profit which has protected more than 12,000 acres in Franklin County. FLT works to preserve farmland and open space while keeping protected lands under private stewardship. WLP helps the Land Trust identify opportunities to preserve resources in Whately and to raise funds for these efforts.

Are you:

A resident concerned about the loss of local farms and forest lands?
A landowner worried about rising local property taxes?
A citizen who wants to help preserve Whately’s rural character?
A landowner interested in learning more about land protection options?

If so, then Whately Land Preservation is an organization for you!

If you are a landowner who would like information about land protection options, please contact us. You can e-mail or call WLP Board President at 665-7632.

If you would like to support Whately Land Preservation’s efforts, please fill out and mail in the Whately Land Preservation membership form to join or renew your membership today!

Your donations are tax deductible. All checks must be made out to: "Franklin Land Trust - Whately Fund". Please send all membership forms and contributions directly to the Franklin Land Trust.

Gifts of stock and pledges of gifts spread over several years are acceptable. Donations are often eligible for matching gift programs, so please include any matching gift information with your check.

If you would like to volunteer to help with committee work, fund-raising, mailings, or special events, please e-mail the and indicate what things you would like to help with.

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