Cape Ann residents, municipal leaders, and conservation partners joined together to celebrate the permanent protection of the Natti Woodland, a 20-acre parcel located in the North Gloucester Woods. A dedication event was held on Thursday, July 11, and included remarks, a ribbon cutting, light refreshments, and a guided walk in the woods. Speakers included Gloucester Mayor Carolyn Kirk, representatives from Essex County Greenbelt, New England Forestry Foundation, and the Natti family.
The Natti Woodland is named after Erik and Theresa Natti, who sold the land for conservation to Essex County Greenbelt and New England Forestry Foundation in December 2012. The initiative will further Gloucester’s priority conservation plans for the North Gloucester Woods and the Dogtown area. The parcel provides a key link in a proposed network of municipal and privately held conservation properties in Dogtown and is rich in biodiversity and cultural history. The land also contributes to the watershed for Gloucester’s public water supply.
“Today is a celebration of the community’s commitment to conservation. We come together as a community, with a promise to future generations,” stated Mayor Carolyn Kirk under a canopy of trees and amidst a gathering of 70 people.
It’s wonderful to know this property is protected forever,” commented Erik Natti. The conserved land has been an integral part of the Natti’s family life, and a place where they, their sons and extended family spent so much of their time growing up.
Essex County Greenbelt and New England Forestry Foundation will jointly own and manage the Natti Woodland, which is adjacent to the Foundation’s Norton Memorial Forest with 121 acres. Trails throughout the properties and are well suited for hiking and mountain-biking and are open the public. Outdoor recreationists may also wander past “Dragon Rock,” the namesake for Theresa Natti’s favorite forest destination — a large boulder resembling a dragon’s head. The Woodland addition will provide enhanced access to the properties, with a small parking area and a designated trailhead, as well.
The Natti Woodland initiative demonstrates a successful collaborative effort among the conservation organizations and the Natti family. By working together, the partners provide a true forest legacy to the Cape Ann community for generations to come.
Mayor Carolyn Kirk cuts the ribbon to dedicate the Natti Woodland, a 20-acre newly-conserved parcel of land in the North Gloucester Woods. Mayor Kirk is pictured with Bob Perschel of the New England Forestry Foundation and Ed Becker of Essex County Greenbelt on the right, and members of the Natti family on the left. (Photo courtesy of Essex County Greenbelt.)
Good Morning Gloucester 