In the last quarter of the 20th century, conservation also became a driving factor in the development of the town. A desire to protect existing open-space combined with the need for additional recreation areas led the town to acquire and set aside over for conservation purposes. This included the development of the North Acton Recreation Area (NARA) in the late 1990s. NARA provided the town with its first outdoor beach and swim area as well as a significant space for playing fields and an outdoor amphitheater. In 2011 NARA was renamed after Nathaniel Allen, an Acton resident who was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his actions during the Civil War.