Andover Village Improvement Society


The Andover Village Improvement Society is a private land preservation society 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 1,100 acres, with 30 miles of trails for hiking, skiing, or other passive recreational use. The largest AVIS reservations are at 131 acres, at, and at 226 acres. 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.
ReservationSize Date AcquiredLocation
Ann Rawlings Greene Reservation261969Bannister Road
Baker’s Meadow 591958Argilla Road, Reservation Road
Burns Reservation 5Clark Road in Ballardvale section, Chester Street
Collins Reservation4.61983Pine St. in northeast section
Christopher and Lillian Sherman Reservation5.52004Haggetts Pond Rd.
Deer Jump Reservation 1311960-1973Merrimack River west of I-93
Goldsmith Woodlands 1701977East of Foster's Pond
Greene Reservation 261969Bordered by Dascomb and Bannister roads and Andover Street
Hammond Reservation 38Salem Street, adjacent to Skug Reservation
Indian Ridge Reservation 401897Near Andover High School, Reservation Road
Keck Reservation 491963-1968, 2008Route 125 opposite of State Police barracks
Lupine Reservation 2Corner of Central Street and Lupine Road
Purdon Reservation 91964,2001Central Street, Lupine Road
Rafton Reservation 226NE of High Plain Road, NW of I-495, and SW of I-93.
Sakowich Reservation 92011Oriole Drive
Sanborn Reservation 261959,1966,2015S of Shawsheen river adjacent to I-93.
Shawsheen River Reservation 271963Central Street, Abbot Bridge Drive
Skug Reservation 75Salem Street
Smith Reservation 541963
Spalding Reservation 161973River Road near the Tewksbury border
Stanley Reservation 81988
Sunset Rock Reservation9
Taft Reservation 621960s,1997Salem Street, Wildwood Road, Vine Street
Vale Reservation 47
West Parish Meadow 281992Reservation Road near West Parish Church
Wilkinson Reservation 231981Woburn Street