Sawmill Park Pollinator Pathway

The Town of Dedham has been selected as one of 12 recipients of the Massachusetts Community Biodiversity Grant Program through the Department of Fish & Game. The $30,395 award will fund the transformation of a one-acre parcel at 21 Sawmill Lane into a neighborhood park and pollinator habitat adjacent to the historic Mother Brook.

The grant will fund the following improvements at 21 Sawmill Lane:An Aerial Image Showing the Location of 21 Sawmill Lane, Dedham, MA21 Sawmill Lane (Shown in Red Outline)

  • Construction of a stone-dust pathway to connect to Condon Park
  • Planting of 11 native tree saplings and 117 shrubs and wildflowers to revegetate the parcel and provide habitat for pollinators
  • Construction of a rain garden to treat stormwater runoff before it enters Mother Brook
  • Bench for passive wildlife viewing and educational signage
  • A community seed sharing library
  • A temporary, walkable, art exhibit along Sawmill Lane Bridge consisting of 40 vinyl, weatherproof stickers featuring nature-themed art from local artists of all ages.

All work will be completed by June 30, and updates will be posted to this project page as work progresses!

The Town of Dedham has been selected as one of 12 recipients of the Massachusetts Community Biodiversity Grant Program through the Department of Fish & Game. The $30,395 award will fund the transformation of a one-acre parcel at 21 Sawmill Lane into a neighborhood park and pollinator habitat adjacent to the historic Mother Brook.

The grant will fund the following improvements at 21 Sawmill Lane:An Aerial Image Showing the Location of 21 Sawmill Lane, Dedham, MA21 Sawmill Lane (Shown in Red Outline)

  • Construction of a stone-dust pathway to connect to Condon Park
  • Planting of 11 native tree saplings and 117 shrubs and wildflowers to revegetate the parcel and provide habitat for pollinators
  • Construction of a rain garden to treat stormwater runoff before it enters Mother Brook
  • Bench for passive wildlife viewing and educational signage
  • A community seed sharing library
  • A temporary, walkable, art exhibit along Sawmill Lane Bridge consisting of 40 vinyl, weatherproof stickers featuring nature-themed art from local artists of all ages.

All work will be completed by June 30, and updates will be posted to this project page as work progresses!

  • Sawmill Park Pollinator Pathway Project is Underway!

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    It's been a busy spring season over in the Conservation Division! We were very grateful to receive the Fish & Wildlife Community Biodiversity Grant, which was announced in late March. With a deadline of June 30 to complete our project, we will be accelerating our original timeline to construct the park. Time to get to work!

    Here's what we have accomplished so far:

    • Survey of Property
    • Engineered Site Plans
    • Select Board Acceptance of Grant (at April 16 public meeting)
    • Conservation Commission issuance of Order of Conditions for work on Riverfront Area (at April 16 public meeting)

    The DPW plans to begin work the week of May 11, and expects the project to take approximately 5 weeks to construct. This work will include:

    • This will consist of removing invasive vegetation, mulching removed brush and vegetation, removing hazardous & dead trees, installing a sediment and erosion control barrier, grading and excavating for the rain garden installation, installing stone-dust pathway, and planting native shrubs, plants, and wildflowers. We will continue to post updates to this page as work gets underway!

    To subscribe to project updates, please use this link and sign up for "General News".

    It's been a busy spring season over in the Conservation Division! We were very grateful to receive the Fish & Wildlife Community Biodiversity Grant, which was announced in late March. With a deadline of June 30 to complete our project, we will be accelerating our original timeline to construct the park. Time to get to work!

    Here's what we have accomplished so far:

    • Survey of Property
    • Engineered Site Plans
    • Select Board Acceptance of Grant (at April 16 public meeting)
    • Conservation Commission issuance of Order of Conditions for work on Riverfront Area (at April 16 public meeting)

    The DPW plans to begin work the week of May 11, and expects the project to take approximately 5 weeks to construct. This work will include:

    • This will consist of removing invasive vegetation, mulching removed brush and vegetation, removing hazardous & dead trees, installing a sediment and erosion control barrier, grading and excavating for the rain garden installation, installing stone-dust pathway, and planting native shrubs, plants, and wildflowers. We will continue to post updates to this page as work gets underway!

    To subscribe to project updates, please use this link and sign up for "General News".

  • Call for Art! Deadline extended to May 14

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    Calling all artists!

    Part of the grant funds for the Pollinator Pathway Project will be used to install a nature-themed art walk along the Sawmill Lane Bridge. Mother Brook Arts & Community Center (MBACC) is currently facilitating a Call for Art, where people of all ages can submit up to 3 of their favorite nature-themed artworks. Any medium is accepted, such as photograph, painting, collage, quilt, sculpture, or drawing, and all you need to do is upload a high quality photo of your work.

    The call for artwork has been extended by a week, and the deadline is now May 14 at 5 pm!

    For the final art walk, 40 art pieces will be selected and reproduced on high-quality weather-proof vinyl stickers to be installed along the pedestrian sidewalk over Mother Brook on the Sawmill Lane Bridge. The end result will be a walkable art exhibit showcasing a diverse array of artwork from members of the Dedham community. (The art walk was inspired by the West Concord Art Loop.)

    Final selections will be made in coordination with MBACC and the Select Board. Selected artists will receive a $125 gift card to Mother Brook Arts. We can't wait to see your submissions!

    To learn more about the Call for Art, visit the Mother Brook Arts & Community Center website at this link.


    Calling all artists!

    Part of the grant funds for the Pollinator Pathway Project will be used to install a nature-themed art walk along the Sawmill Lane Bridge. Mother Brook Arts & Community Center (MBACC) is currently facilitating a Call for Art, where people of all ages can submit up to 3 of their favorite nature-themed artworks. Any medium is accepted, such as photograph, painting, collage, quilt, sculpture, or drawing, and all you need to do is upload a high quality photo of your work.

    The call for artwork has been extended by a week, and the deadline is now May 14 at 5 pm!

    For the final art walk, 40 art pieces will be selected and reproduced on high-quality weather-proof vinyl stickers to be installed along the pedestrian sidewalk over Mother Brook on the Sawmill Lane Bridge. The end result will be a walkable art exhibit showcasing a diverse array of artwork from members of the Dedham community. (The art walk was inspired by the West Concord Art Loop.)

    Final selections will be made in coordination with MBACC and the Select Board. Selected artists will receive a $125 gift card to Mother Brook Arts. We can't wait to see your submissions!

    To learn more about the Call for Art, visit the Mother Brook Arts & Community Center website at this link.


Page last updated: 11 May 2026, 08:00 AM