A stretch of woodland can become a lasting public space when a community chooses to protect it. In Westport, Connecticut, actor Paul Newman and his family helped make that possible by donating 7.5 acres beside their home to the town in 1997. The land later became part of a proposed nature preserve covering approximately 37.4 acres, bringing together two adjoining properties with a shared future as protected open space.
In a May 2009 report, WestportNow described the town’s proposal to establish an open-space zoning designation for the Newman and Poses properties. The plan aimed to protect the combined woodland while allowing limited recreational activities, reflecting the Newman family’s wish to preserve the land for the benefit of residents.
Two properties becoming one preserve
The preservation effort involved two separate properties, not two donations. Newman’s family gave the town 7.5 acres in 1997, while the adjoining 29.9-acre parcel belonged to the Poses family. WestportNow reported that the town purchased the larger parcel that same year for $3.75 million. Bringing the properties together in the preservation plan would create a larger area protected from more intensive development.
Newman died at his Westport home on September 26, 2008. Several months later, his wife, actor Joanne Woodward, wrote to First Selectman Gordon F. Joseloff in support of protecting the adjoining Poses property in her husband’s memory. In the letter, she recalled how much the family had enjoyed the land and expressed the belief that Newman would have welcomed its preservation for the wider community.
Woodward also proposed that the town work with the Aspetuck Land Trust to maintain existing trails and develop additional walking routes. This approach connected the family’s personal history with a practical plan for public access. It would allow Westport to honor Newman’s memory while protecting a landscape that had long held significance for both families.
Restricting development while allowing public access
The proposed zoning rules were intended to keep the property largely natural while allowing residents to enjoy it. WestportNow reported that permitted uses would include walking trails, benches, and nature-preserve activities. Special events and new buildings would be prohibited, while parking would be limited to 0.25 spaces per acre.
These restrictions would help prevent the woodland from becoming a heavily developed recreational facility. Although the properties already served as open space, a dedicated zoning designation would establish clearer limits on future uses and provide a framework for maintaining the land’s character.
Located along Coleytown Road and Fraser Road, the properties formed part of the landscape surrounding the Newman family’s former home. Their significance extended beyond their connection to the actor. Protecting the combined acreage would retain a substantial stretch of woodland in Westport and provide residents with opportunities for outdoor recreation without introducing buildings or large organized gatherings.
The proposed involvement of the Aspetuck Land Trust offered another way to support that balance. Maintaining the trails would help visitors access the property while keeping recreational activities consistent to protect the natural setting.
The Newman-Poses Nature Preserve
The proposal progressed through the town’s planning process in 2009. By February 2010, Westport had formally adopted the name Newman-Poses Nature Preserve. The Connecticut Post reported that the Representative Town Meeting approved the name unanimously, with 28 votes in favor and none opposed.
The shared name recognized both families’ contributions to the preserve. The newspaper reported that Newman’s daughter, Lissy, remembered playing on the land as a child and later walking through the woods with her father. Her recollections offered a glimpse of the property’s importance to the family beyond its acreage or eventual public designation.
Woodward also recalled how Lillian Poses had welcomed the Newman children onto the adjoining property. These memories highlighted the longstanding connection between the families and the woodland, helping explain why preserving both parcels held particular meaning for them.
The Connecticut Post identified the Aspetuck Land Trust as the organization responsible for maintaining the preserve. Planned recreational activities included walking, horseback riding, and cross-country skiing, while buildings would not be permitted. Parking would remain limited to provide access without encouraging intensive use.
The Newman-Poses Nature Preserve emerged from a combination of private generosity, municipal investment, and community planning. Newman’s 7.5-acre donation contributed to the foundation of the project, while the town’s purchase of the Poses property expanded the area included in the preservation plan. Westport’s subsequent zoning and naming decisions established a framework for protecting the land and making it available for public enjoyment. The preserve now stands as a recognition of both families’ connections to the woodland and the town’s effort to retain it as open space.