The Andover Village Improvement Society (AVIS) is a private land trust in Andover, Massachusetts. Founded in 1894, AVIS is the second oldest land preservation society in the United States. Its goal is to acquire land within Andover and preserve it in its natural state.
The organization controls 29 reservations totaling about , with of trails for hiking, skiing, or other passive recreational use. The largest AVIS reservations are Deer Jump at , Goldsmith at , and Rafton at . Motor vehicles, hunting, fires, or camping in these conservation lands are prohibited. Volunteer wardens are responsible for the care and oversight of each reservation.
With the rapid suburbanization and development occurring in Andover since the 1970s, AVIS has played a vital role in preserving Andover's land.
Properties As of June 2017, AVIS owns 30 sites with approximately .
Reservation Size (acres) Date Acquired Location Baker's Meadow http://www.avisandover.org/bakers.html 59 1958Argilla Road, Reservation Road Burns Reservation http://www.avisandover.org/burns.html 5 Clark Road in Ballardvale section, Chester Street (parking) Collins Reservation 4.6 1983 Pine St. in northeast section Christopher and Lillian Sherman Reservation http://avisandover.org/sherman.html 5.5 2004 Haggetts Pond Rd. Deer Jump Reservation http://www.avisandover.org/deer_jump.html 131 1960-1973Merrimack River west of I-93 Goldsmith Woodlands http://www.avisandover.org/goldsmith.html 170 1977East of Foster's Pond Greene Reservation http://www.avisandover.org/annrawlings.html 26 1969Bordered by Dascomb and Bannister roads and Andover Street Hammond Reservation http://www.avisandover.org/hammond.html 38 Salem Street, adjacent to Skug Reservation Indian Ridge Reservation http://www.avisandover.org/indianridge.html 40 1897Near Andover High School, Reservation Road Keck Reservation http://www.avisandover.org/peggykeck.html 49 1963–1968, 2008Route 125 opposite of State Police barracks Lupine Reservation http://www.avisandover.org/lupine.html 2 Corner of Central Street and Lupine Road Purdon Reservation http://www.avisandover.org/purdon.html 9 1964, 2001Central Street, Lupine Road Rafton Reservation http://www.avisandover.org/rafton.html 226 NE of High Plain Road, NW of I-495, and SW of I-93. Sakowich Reservation http://www.avisandover.org/sakowich.html 9 2011Oriole Drive Sanborn Reservation http://www.avisandover.org/sanborn.html261959,1966,2015S of Shawsheen river adjacent to I-93. Shawsheen River Reservation http://www.avisandover.org/shawsheenriver.html 27 1963Central Street, Abbot Bridge Drive Skug Reservation http://www.avisandover.org/skug.html 75 Salem Street Smith Reservation http://www.avisandover.org/natsmith.html 54 1963 Spalding Reservation http://www.avisandover.org/spalding.html 16 1973River Road near the Tewksbury border Stanley Reservation http://www.avisandover.org/stanley.html 8 1988 Sunset Rock Reservation 9 Taft Reservation http://www.avisandover.org/taft.html 62 1960s,1997Salem Street, Wildwood Road, Vine Street Vale Reservation http://www.avisandover.org/vale.html 47 West Parish Meadow http://www.avisandover.org/westparish.html 28 1992Reservation Road near West Parish ChurchWilkinson Reservation http://www.avisandover.org/wilkinson.html 23 1981Woburn Street
See also Trustees of Reservations Harold Parker State Forest Ward Reservation
References
External links Andover Village Improvement Society (AVIS) Trustees of Reservations, Massachusetts land preservation group