News from Across the State

Trustees Announces New Specialty License Plates

On The Trustees of Reservations Day in Massachusetts this May, the organization announced that a new Trustees specialty car license plate is available for pre-order. A portion of every initial plate purchase—and every two-year registration renewal—goes directly to The Trustees to support its mission of land conservation in the state. “We are always looking for creative ways to increase awareness and sustain our work to conserve and connect people to the outdoors,” said Katie Theoharides, President & CEO of The Trustees. “These new specialty license plates let Massachusetts residents visibly show their support for The Trustees and the proceeds will help fund conservation and protection of special places for everyone to enjoy.” Anyone with a passenger vehicle registered in Massachusetts is eligible to pre-order and display their support for The Trustees. An initial 3,000 orders are required before the RMV can begin manufacturing the plates. Hundreds of plates have already been purchased as of press time. Find the full details here.

Photo by Nick Francis at SavATree

150 Arborists Volunteer at Millborn Farm for Arbor Day

The roar of chainsaws, woodchippers, trucks, and cranes pierced the still morning air around Millborn Farm in Sherborn this April. More than 150 members of the Massachusetts Arborists Association (MAA) donated their time on Arbor Day to both preserve and conserve one of The Trustees’ latest acquisitions. “According to MAA, it was the largest turnout of arborists for the annual day of service in the history of the organization,” said D.A. Hayden, Trustees Regional Vice President for the MetroWest. “Every volunteer arborist I spoke with was grateful for the opportunity to partner with The Trustees and spend time at Millborn Farm.” Teams removed dead and dangerous trees, pruned mature and historically significant trees, cleared hedgerows, preserved vistas, and planted new trees to be enjoyed for generations to come. While there is still a considerable amount of work to undertake before Millborn Farm opens to the public in summer 2026, the historic 195-acre farm is already strikingly improved thanks to the generosity of MAA’s members.

Photo by Above Summit

Increasing Resiliency on Nantucket

Over the past year, the Nantucket Conservation Foundation (NCF) and The Trustees have been working with GZA GeoEnvironmental to study coastal risk and resilience on The Trustees’ Coskata-Coatue Wildlife Refuge. Climate change and sea level rise are currently threatening to create a breach along the eastern shore of the refuge, allowing open water exchange between the Atlantic Ocean and Nantucket Harbor. NCF and The Trustees hope to use nature-based designs to increase habitat resilience, reduce flooding, and maintain the viability of this unique barrier beach system. GZA presented an alternatives analysis, along with preferred options for preserving this community treasure, at a virtual public meeting on May 27. Their presentation on findings and resilient designs for three critical locations—Coskata Pond, Coskata Woods trail, and the Haulover—were met with positive public feedback. GZA’s proposals largely include nature-based solutions to improve these areas and ensure that flooding and the potential for a breach by the Atlantic Ocean are kept to a minimum. Click here to learn more about the project.

Trustees Celebrates Pride

Pride was loudly celebrated across Trustees properties during June’s Pride Month, with signature events like the Naumkeag Tea Dance returning for a fourth year, to new lectures across North Shore properties shining a light on lesser-known stories of LGBTQIA+ history. Lectures at Stevens-Coolidge House & Gardens in North Andover and Long Hill in Beverly covered R. Tripp Evans’ latest book, The Importance of Being Furnished: Four Bachelors at Home, and the queer language of flowers in partnership with The History Project, respectively. The Trustees LGBTQIA+ Employee Resource Group (ERG), Trustees Pride, also made its 2nd-annual appearance at the Boston Pride for the People parade. The group and allies showed up in style, taking the idea of camp and running with it in every sense of the word—from summer camp to campy styles. The ERG’s float will also appear in this year’s Provincetown Carnival parade on August 21. Our LGBTQIA+ friends and neighbors are valued, supported, and always welcome at every one of our special places throughout Massachusetts, every day of Pride Month and every day of the year. Learn more about Trustees LGBTQIA+ pride events happening throughout 2025 here.