The Town of East Leverett owns four contiguous properties and holds one Conservation Restriction that together border both sides of Doolittle Brook between Shutesbury Road and Teawaddle Hill Road. These properties, along with the Rattlesnake Gutter Trust’s East Leverett Meadows at the southeast corner, form a remarkably varied habitat and are linked by a network of trails:

4-H Forest: In 1964, the 35-acre 4-H Forest was given to the town by the leaders and members of the 4-H club, the Leverett Rangers. Many Leverett residents remember getting their Christmas trees here. A few Douglas fir can still be seen, if you look way up, along the east side of the Upper Trail. There is a new trail linking the upper trail to the Ed Field Trail and Depot Road. The stone walls tell even older stories of land use. The Lower Trail provides views of the active and inactive beaver ponds along Doolittle Brook.

Woodard’s Corner: This 9-acre property was purchased in 2010 by the Town of Leverett from Ken and Ann Woodard, “In fond memory of our parents Chester S. and Elizabeth L. Woodard for their contributions to the town and their love of the land, this property is preserved as open space and recreation land for the citizens of Leverett.”

Gordon King Life Estate: In August 2001, Gordon and his son deeded 3 tracts of land to the Leverett Conservation Commission for “the preservation of the Town’s natural aesthetic and ecological resources in perpetuity.” This 31-acre property bordering Doolittle Brook is one of those three pieces. (The others are north of Shutesbury Road.) More about Gordon King and this property. The property includes a blueberry patch maintained by volunteers (donations from the berry pickers fund land maintenance). Near Doolittle Brook are bog bridges linking the Gordon King Life Estate with the 4-H Forest. The bog bridge area is constantly changing, thanks to the industry and creativity of the resident beavers. The trail provides an opportunity to observe a variety of wildlife and native plants as well as the changing water flow patterns.

Adams Family and Williams Family Conservation Areas: In 1973, the Williams Family gave the Town of Leverett 16 acres bordering the west side of Doolittle Brook along the edge of their Teawaddle Hill Farm. In 1984, the Adams Family gave the town 22 acres bordering the east side of Doolittle Brook along the edge of their property. Together these properties form the large beaver dam area south of the 4-H Forest and the Gordon King Life Estate. The wildlife in this wetland can be observed from the trails on either side.