A visionary effort by the City of Northampton to transform the existing 118 acre Pine Grove Golf Course into 105 acres of successional meadow. This forward-thinking approach serves as a model for other golf courses around the country. The project abandoned highly manicured maintenance regimes and leveraged small scale incisions to shift the bluegrass greens into native meadows and wildlife habitat. The remaining 13 acres, previously developed was re-purposed into single-family home parcels, leaving the 105 acres intact and contiguous for wildlife and public benefit. The Pine Grove Parkland builds upon the gently rolling terrain, enhancing the existing network of cart paths and drainage infrastructure, weaving together a system of public trails throughout the property. The Pine Grove trail system continues beyond the parcel, connecting to adjacent trails associated with a larger City of Northampton Greenway system, an impressive localized constellation of connected conservation lands. Stormwater features were assessed for their flood capacity and habitat value. A former irrigation pond was allowed to return to its original stream course and flow freely through the property. The project preserves original shade trees associated with the golf course, and will allow the meadow areas to showcase a natural successional transition from meadow into forest. Within the interior of the parcel, there are test plots with multiple species of trees to study forest succession dynamics and specific species resiliency as climate continues to shift locally. The park, located off of Old Wilson Road, has become a favorite for walkers, bird watchers, dog walkers, and cross country skiers.

PHOTOGRAPHY: Mark Lindhult