The City acquired part of the Macomber Estate, known as Raceland, in 1971 for conservation purposes. This 57 acre parcel encompasses meadows, wetlands and upland forest. The north border is Stearns Reservoir #1 of the Sudbury River, which is maintained by the
MA Water Resources Authority.
Barton Brook, a rocky babbling stream, runs through the property creating beautiful wooded wetlands. Barton Brook splits in the middle of Macomber (an unusual phenomenon); one branch drains to an emergent marsh and the other runs merrily down to the Reservoir.