* This report has evolved since written. Please check for recent updates *

Over the last few months, Support the Pink House (STPH) has submitted 9 solid land options for land to Matt Hillman, Manager at Parker River National Wildlife Refuge, who stated that he is in charge of the decisions. So far each been found to not work. We have several more on the docket to turn in.

STPH has been pursuing land daily, talking with land trusts, town admins, Refuge Managers and cold calling citizens with suitable land, scouring maps. Though this is not our role, we are doing everything we can to fulfill our mission to save The Pink House. 

​This is the job the Fish and Wildlife Service's Realty Chiefs told us was theirs, and while our 2-3 part time volunteers do not have the expertise or the resources available as they do, we have clearly proved all options have not been exhausted, as was stated to the public in the press and in their Environmental Assessment Pink House Removal Plan.

This is our update to the public, so you know all that is being done. And we invite anyone who can help to contact us to pitch in! Time is of the essence. 

If FWS has indeed sincerely reopened to land swap for this time as Manager Hillman has stated, the best chance for success is for the FWS Realty Division return to the search themselves, which is what they came to STPH offering to do when they invited us to enter another contractual partnership with them in September 2020. At that time FWS stressed how beneficial trading this one valuable acre ($425K), and the already-surplussed house would be to their mission! If they demolish it instead, not only will that cost up to $90K, the value of that acre will drop by hundreds of thousands of dollars. Add to that, what they will spend to make a viewing platform, plaques and regrading the driveway to accommodate "up to 4 cars", plus any security, fencing and monitoring, The public is puzzled how this is a better option for them, when FWS says they don't have the funding to do the far more economical minor upkeep on The Pink House while completing a deal which could eliminate all those expenses, and get them up to 400 acres of new land. 

WHAT STPH HAS DONE TO FIND SWAP LAND: 
Our board and volunteers have been working at a consuming pace, amid our day jobs, late into most nights, often 7 days a week, since we were informed on Halloween afternoon that FWS was going to announce their plans to remove The Pink House - just hours before they issued a full medial blast the next morning, November 1.

The board meets often daily or several times a week, for several hours, are in daily contact, and have been reaching out to everyone who can or should help. 

We have tried to engage elected officials, especially Congressman Moulton, and Senators Markey and Warren. 

We have talked to Refuge Managers where we have sought land - in Maine NH, MA and VA so far -  who have a big say in what lands we find near their refuges would work for them. 

​The town of Salisbury has offered hundreds of marsh acres to FWS, but have been told it's not acceptable because it's more than a mile from the Parker River Refuge. 

Volunteers who live in Ipswich and Rowley have approached their towns, and hung land fliers. One person from Rowley has stepped forward with an offering, which we are pursuing!

Newbury officials have scoured their town-owned lands several times, and met with Matt Hillman who said together they are "not enough" though we'd hope those acceptable parcels found could be combined with another parcel to make a trade. We are working on that! 

We have worked to spread public awareness of FWS criteria thought social media, in the press, and through good old fliers and word of mouth. We also have vetted any submissions to us and passed on to Matt anything that might work even in combination.

On February 7, two STPH board members, and our pro bono attorney, a wetland expert, met with at Parker River Wildlife Refuge offices with Manager Hillman to go over our list of what has been rejected by FWS to understand why they don't work, and learn what will. We were given some more specific criteria, and we pumped up the search. It is complicated by the fact that we have  only a few part time volunteers who can work on this. 



On December 14, 2023, Support The Pink House wrote the same Realty Chiefs who invited us into partnership, and Manager Hillman, asking that they at least do one last scour of the North East Region, as well as sending a dedicated memo to all Refuge Managers in the US telling them of the funding and opportunity. We felt that was not a heavy lift and reasonable to ask considering that they told us they look for land all day, and that it's their job - which is paid for by our tax dollars.  We cc'd all the elected officials in the area and state including Congressman Moulton, and Senators Markey and Warren.

But they have not resumed, which is a great disappointment for all those in the community who have appealed to FWS, and Congressman Moulton, Senator Markey and Senator Warren. We don't agree it's too much money or that they've exhausted every avenue. How can we, who are amateurs, find so much to send them?
​Support The Pink House used donor money to complete all the steps FWS required of us to ready the house for trade. And that was accomplished by the additional pro bono work of 40 trade experts, preservation advisors, and legal professionals. 

By now most everyone knows the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) is evaluating demolishing the beloved and iconic Pink House. Stopping this will likely involve a rather complicated land swap where land of a high ecological value (i.e. marshland) is exchanged for the Pink House and the 1 acre it sits on.

The owner of the land being swapped will NOT have to own the Pink House as the Support The Pink House nonprofit (STPH) has a restoration partner who will reimburse the land owner and then restore the Pink House with his own funds. This land swap will best meet the mission of the FWS, and will certainly be in the best interest of the community for the following reasons - a few of which you might not have thought of. Did I forget any?

1. Finding land for the swap should be easy because a land donation is not required.

2. There will be no concern about what will become of the Pink House and the land it sits on because the STPH’s restoration partner has agreed to place the Preservation Restriction agreed to by FWS, STPH, and the town of Newbury on the Pink House deed. He will then restore the house in compliance with this PR. (The plans and drawings are beautiful!)

3. The swap will mean the FWS will no longer be liable for the Pink House but they will still maintain access to and be able to preserve over 8 acres of ecologically valuable land they acquired when they purchased the house.

4. For the FWS the swap is the best use of undesirable, low ecological valued land that is also an asset worth close to $500,000 (the house along with the 1 acre it sits on has an assessed value of $425,000 plus the savings associated with forgoing demolition expenses and expenses for building a parking lot and viewing platform).

5. The swap will enable the Pink House, a nearly 100-year-old, beloved, and iconic landmark to be restored and preserved. A landmark that greatly benefits the community culturally and economically by attracting photographers, artists, craftspeople, tourists, and others to the area.

6. The swap will prevent the FWS from wasting the equivalent of $500,000 on a parking lot and viewing platform that is essentially duplicated just yards down the road at Greenbelt’s viewing location.

7. The swap will enable the FWS to build a substantial amount of much-needed goodwill within the local community and help it end its reputation as a bad neighbor.

8. For the town of Newbury, the swap will result in new tax revenue from the addition of a single-family home back onto the town's tax rolls.

​It is with these benefits in mind that the Fish and Wildlife Service must:
1. Permanently halt plans and activities associated with demolishing the Pink House.
2. Recommit efforts to transparently and aggressively search for suitable land for a land swap and not give up until the swap is successful.
3. Set aside resources and work with the STPH group and the community to maintain the Pink House, an unwanted, yet extremely valuable asset, from further damage until a land swap can be completed.

NOTE: The PRNWR has stated their preferred solution to this situation is a land swap and not taking down the house. The issue is more about the amount to time and resources they are willing to put in to maintain the house and searching for land. We would all like to have the swap happen sooner rather than later. If you have or know of anyone who might have land to swap please email the STPH at [email protected]

Written by Jeff Ackley, Board Member, Pink House Treasurer, Board member of EcoEnlighten.com