The land here is zoned residential/agricultural, as is most of the land in this town 60 miles west of Boston. The designation means that the town has first rights of refusal on the land if its owner is looking to sell it. In this case, the Ryder family, who inherited the property, are the sellers.

"The town wanted to protect its open space," Trudy O'Connel, who works for the town's select board, tells GlobeSt.com. "Had the town not chosen to exercise its option, this land could have been developed upon." O'Connel adds that the state also wanted to protect the watershed in the area and to that end the state is paying $905,000 for a conservation restriction on the land. The Metropolitan District Commission will put the restriction on the land. "That's how important it is to the state to preserve this land," points out O'Connel. The town is responsible for the remaining $60,000 but has applied for a grant to cover some of those costs.

O'Connel emphasizes that there was no opposition to the decision to prevent development on the site. She says that the land will be used as open space and for "passive recreation."