Conservation Lands

Dacquino Property

In December, 1997, the Amherst Conservation Commission acquired about 70 acres from Mary and David Dacquino (in the picture below). This property, purchased for considerably less than the market value at the time, is a vital piece of property that was once part of the original Johnnycake Farm owned by the Moody family. The property fronts on both Rt. 101 and Dodge Road. It contains part of the Bicentennial Trail, developed by Betty Arnold and Thorton Stearns in 1976 to extend from the Town Barn to Joe English Reservation. The Bicentennial Trail parallels Dodge Road as it passes through the Dacquino Parcel and is marked by red trefoils painted on trees.

The generosity of the Daquinos helps to maintain wildlife habitat close to the center of town and route 101. It provides a solid link in the northern greenway belt that stretches from Pond Parish, through Joe English to the northern Amherst border.

The Daquinos could have sold the property for nearly fout times what the ACC paid for it. The house was subdivide from the land to remain a gentleman's farm, as Mary Daquino called it. She said, "This will help us with closure because we never wanted to leave Amherst and this property. It would have been terrible to come back and see the land developed into house lots. Our intent is to have the land remain wooded for conservation and recreation purposes." Through deed restriction requested by the Daquinos and management of the property by the Amherst Conservation Commission, their wishes will be respected.

Access to the Daquino property and the Bicentennial Trail is available on Dodge Road. Park on Dodge Road just south of Crockett Lane, or at the Southern edge of Jake’s Pond on Dodge Road.