Lincoln, Massachusetts, is beloved for its natural beauty, abundant wildlife, and commitment to conservation. However, this legacy faces an urgent threat with the upcoming vote on Articles 3 and 4 at the Special Town Meeting on June 25, 2025. The proposed development promises conservation but in reality, places profit above nature.
The Hidden Cost of “Conservation” Development
Articles 3 and 4 propose a housing development of 20 homes on the Panetta property, significantly impacting Lincoln’s treasured landscape. Currently zoned for just three houses, this project would radically increase housing density and bring unnecessary environmental damage.
Key environmental issues include:
- Loss of wildlife habitat for vital pollinators like butterflies and birds. Birds identified at Page Road include cedar waxwing, warbling vireo, barred owl, wood thrush, hermit thrush, white throated sparrow, northern flicker, great horned owl, red breasted nuthatch, eastern bluebird, golden crowned kinglet, red bellied woodpecker, brown creeper, scarlet tanager, rose breasted grosbeak, great crested flycatcher, common yellowthroat, barn swallow, baltimore oriole, yellow warbler, blackpoll warbler, house wren, eastern phoebe, yellow rumped warbler, red eyed vireo & bald eagle (juvenile).
- Installation of an 80-bedroom septic system and its leach field, located directly adjacent to sensitive wetlands and a protected drinking water reservoir. Any failure or malfunction could lead to serious contamination, threatening local wildlife and compromising the drinking water supply for the entire city of Cambridge.
- Indirect financial support from taxpayer dollars toward developer profits rather than genuine environmental protection.
Restoring Nature on the Panetta Property: A Sustainable Alternative
Voting NO on Articles 3 and 4 allows Lincoln residents to pursue true conservation rewilding. Restoring nature brings cleaner air, safer water, and a healthier future, for people and planet, in these critical times.
The alternative vision includes:
- Reintroducing native plants: Rewilding restores natural plant communities that thrive without intensive maintenance.
- Extending pollinator and wildlife habitat pathways: Boosting biodiversity and ecosystem health, crucial for people and ecosystem health.
- Educational opportunities: A visitor center and school programs connecting Lincoln’s community with nature, benefiting neighboring non-profit Farrington Nature Linc’s mission.
Transparency and Community Engagement
Residents deserve thorough transparency and meaningful participation. This project has seen insufficient public involvement, with Lincoln residents and abutters learning details of the development proposal only weeks ago, despite years of planning.
Lincoln is a community that values informed choices and genuine conservation, choices that don’t sacrifice natural beauty for profit.
A Community-Driven Alternative
Two months ago, neighbors of the Nature Link/Civico project were caught off guard by a proposal raising serious concerns. The scale of the development threatened homes, the mission of a longstanding nonprofit, and the fragile ecosystem surrounding the site. Jeff and Arline Sutherland, longtime Lincoln residents and founders of Tending Your Yard, Tending the Earth, stepped forward with a powerful alternative. They offered to purchase the Panetta property at full asking price, with a vision to restore nature and preserve it as protected open space.
This proposal ensures the Panetta parcel remains wild and undeveloped, safeguarding local wildlife and honoring Lincoln’s conservation values. Simultaneously, the Nature Link Conservation can move forward, supported by the Rural Land Foundation.
Take Action: Preserve Lincoln’s Natural Future
Your voice matters. Vote NO on Articles 3 and 4 to ensure Lincoln’s natural legacy remains intact for generations to come. Together, let’s choose authentic conservation over short-term gains.
Lincoln deserves better, true conservation doesn’t need bulldozers.
This is a true win-win for our town, our residents, and our natural environment.
But it only becomes possible with a NO vote on Articles 3 and 4.
Vote NO to Protect Nature. Special Town Meeting 25 June 2025
About Dr. Jeff Sutherland and Reverend Arline Sutherland
Dr. Jeff Sutherland and Reverend Arline Sutherland, have proposed a fully funded, conservation-first alternative: Rewilding the Panetta property to restore native habitat and protect Lincoln’s natural character.
Longtime Lincoln residents, the Sutherlands are widely respected for their leadership and innovation across multiple fields. Jeff, a West Point graduate, Air Force Captain, and Vietnam War Veteran, went on to co-create Scrum, the globally adopted Agile framework that has revolutionized how teams work and deliver results. Arline, a Unitarian Universalist minister, previously served as senior minister at First Parish in Lexington and has long championed spiritual stewardship and community well-being.
In retirement, Arline launched Tending Your Yard, Tending the Earth, a grassroots rewilding initiative that began in their Lincoln backyard. What started as one acre of restored native habitat has grown into a nonprofit movement encouraging homeowners to turn traditional lawns into ecologically rich, pollinator-friendly landscapes.
Together, Jeff and Arline bring a unique, holistic approach—blending military precision, spiritual care, and systems thinking—to environmental restoration. Their proposal reflects not only their deep roots in Lincoln, but also a lifelong commitment to leaving the world—and this community—better than they found it.
Their offer preserves open space and biodiversity by restoring native plants, creating pollinator corridors, and enhancing habitat for birds, bees, and other wildlife. This is not a new mission for them—it’s one they’ve championed for years. Their own property at 100 Page Road serves as a thriving example of rewilding in action, drawing a remarkable array of species, from butterflies and pollinators to owls and even bald eagles.
The Sutherlands are ready to extend this rewilding vision across Page Road to the Panetta property. Their offer is real, it is funded, and they are ready to work collaboratively with the Town, Farrington, and other stakeholders. All they need is the opportunity—and your NO vote can provide that chance!
