Case Study: Ashland, Massachusetts achieves more open spaces and natural preservation with Polco

Ashland increases open space 11% with Polco

The town of Ashland, Massachusetts, faced a challenge after decades of residential development had prioritized growth over the preservation of natural areas, leaving town leaders uncertain about resident priorities. To understand what the community wanted, the new town management team utilized Polco's National Community Survey (The NCS) to gather direct feedback from residents.

Polco's service provided the data that revealed a strong resident desire for more open spaces and environmental preservation. In response, Ashland implemented a strategic plan that included acquiring over 140 acres of land for preservation, transforming a transit district, and building new community parks. As a direct result of these efforts, which were guided by Polco's data, resident satisfaction scores for the preservation of natural areas increased by 15% and for open space by 11% between 2016 and 2019, earning Ashland a national award for transformation.

Ashland, Massachusetts