Marginalization is a prevalent theme in the history of Walden Woods.  Its poor soils meant that the area was of little value to the early colonial agricultural communities of Concord and Lincoln.  It was in Walden Woods that people at the margin of society therefore found themselves.  This pattern is typical of Walden Woods right into the 20th century, when gravel mining degraded the land on Brister's Hill and Concord established a municipal landfill literally a stone's throw from Walden Pond.

Closed in the 1980's, the former Concord landfill is prominently located on Route 2 at the gateway to Walden Woods. The Walden Woods Project continues to work with Concord and the state to achieve full and permanent protection for the entire site.

We believe there are good options for relocation of the public works activities currently taking place there, and for a state-town land swap that would enable transfer of the property to the Walden Pond State Reservation. The landfill site remains the single outstanding piece of unprotected land surrounding Walden Pond. The Walden Woods Project remains fully committed to its goal of permanently protecting this critical property.

Working in collaboration with town officials, the Walden Woods Project contributed over $120,000 toward plantings, and the design of a landfill restoration plan that includes native grasses, wildflowers, and a scattering of oak, pine, and maple trees. Early monitoring indicates that the native grassland habitat, an increasing rarity in this region, is developing into quality wildlife habitat. The educational and interpretive potential for this restored landscape adjacent to Walden Pond is enormous. A committee appointed by Concord's Board of Selectmen to study reuse options for the closed landfill concluded in its April 2003 report that "The Landfill Site would be an important and significant asset to Walden Pond State Reservation."

Native grasses and wildflowers have taken hold on the former landfill and are beginning to provide valuable grassland habitat.