Parsonage Hill/Viburnum Woods

In 2024, Greenbelt and the City of Haverhill partnered to preserve more than 90 acres of woodlands, trails, and stream habitat. One key acquisition linked to an existing, previously landlocked Greenbelt parcel, creating public access from Haverhill to a new conservation area named Viburnum Woods — inspired by the native mapleleaf Viburnum shrubs that thrive in the land's understory.

The project included two parcels: one with 58.6 acres of mature hardwood trees, Camp Brook, and a network of trails connecting to adjacent Greenbelt land; the other, 32.7 acres, provides wildlife habitat with an active beaver family, woodlands, and wetlands.

Identified for its high ecological resilience, Viburnum Woods helps mitigate climate change impacts by maintaining intact, high-quality forests, helping to cool and clean air and water, reducing the impact of heavy storm events, and supporting critical wildlife habitat.

The preservation of this land more than doubled Greenbelt’s open space in the region, creating public access to over 90 acres of permanently protected land. The acquisition was in partnership with the City of Haverhill, which purchased and holds a conservation restriction on the new parcel.  The City and Greenbelt will also formalize parking along Hannan Ridge Road for trail access.