The South Village Stewardship Fund: A Legacy of Land and Community

Established in 2008, the South Village Stewardship Fund (SVSF) was founded as a non-profit organization with a clear purpose: to protect and preserve the agricultural heritage and open landscapes that define South Village. The SVSF is led by a board of directors made up of up to nine South Village residents. The board carries out a mission that is rooted in the vision of thoughtful land stewardship, and funded by a small fee on the sale of South Village homes. SVSF serves as a guardian of the community’s natural and cultivated spaces.

Today, the SVSF manages 117 acres of conserved Open Space, 12 acres of active farmland, a series of Quiet Paths that weave through the landscape, and two pocket parks—one along Preserve Road and another on Churchill Street.
Farming on South Village land is carried out by Common Roots, continuing a tradition of working the land that stretches back generations. Ecological restoration and maintenance across the Preserve and other green spaces are guided by Robert Hyams of Riverscape Ecology, whose expertise ensures the land continues to grow as a diverse natural habitat.

Ownership of these lands resides with the South Village Homeowners Association, and stewardship is entrusted to the SVSF—acting on behalf of the community to ensure that these natural assets endure for generations to come.