As you drive into Littleton on Great Road, from Acton, you may have noticed the “CLOVERDALE” sign. This is the location of Littleton’s newest conservation property. Cloverdale resulted from the recent consolidation of lots formerly held independently by Park and Recreation and the Conservation Commission.
We would like to express our gratitude to the people of Littleton for their support of the Community Preservation Article at Town Meeting. Thanks to your backing, the preservation of Cloverdale Conservation Area will soon be underway. One of Littleton’s strengths is our commitment to the preservation of farmland, and this is the first area of farmland one sees upon entering our town.
Community Preservation funding will soon enable us to restore this property from a tangled mess of broken trees and invasive vines to the beautiful pastureland and meadow that it was when Irish immigrant John Mannion began farming it in the late 1800s. Mannion and his family members operated “Cloverdale Farm” until the 1950s. Over subsequent years pieces of the farm were gradually sold off and developed for housing. Littleton is very fortunate to own over twenty acres of the former Mannion family farm.
Our vision for the preservation of Cloverdale will be the removal of dead and undesirable trees, stumps, large stone piles and invasive vines and brush. Portions of the area will be graded and re-seeded, ultimately providing a manageable combination of pasture, meadow and open woodland. The area may eventually return to active agriculture/grazing or become scenic parkland with trails and picnic areas. Cloverdale Conservation Area will surely become a beautiful introduction to our wonderful town.