BOSTON — At this time, the Healey-Driscoll Administration introduced over $5 million in grants to guard forest land which shall be managed as reserves. Ten land belief organizations and municipalities have been awarded grants by the Government Workplace of Power and Environmental Affairs’ (EEA) Acquisitions for Forest Reserves Grant Program. These initiatives are important to combating local weather change. They are going to enable forests to mature, strengthening how these habitats retailer carbon.
“Forests are our greatest pure carbon sinks,” stated Power and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper. “As timber age, they take up and retailer extra carbon dioxide – essential in serving to us combat local weather change. By supporting group and land belief efforts to restrict land conversion and enhance everlasting land conservation, we’re preserving forests for generations to return.”
The grant program, a results of the Forest as Local weather Options Initiative, goals to designate 10 % of Massachusetts forests as reserves, the place energetic administration is restricted and pure processes play out. Completely conserving forested land is essential, because it supplies advantages to wildlife habitats and performs a job in mitigating the impacts of local weather change. By rising the tempo of everlasting forest safety, Massachusetts is taking steps to attain the objectives outlined within the Clear Power and Local weather Plan, which goals to preserve 40 % of the state’s forests by 2050.
“Few issues are extra essential than defending the environment, and I’m elated that our state is preserving these stunning items of land in Ashland and across the total Commonwealth,” stated Senate President Karen E. Spilka (D-Ashland). “I’m grateful to the Healey Administration for dishing out these funds, and I stay up for visiting the expanded city forest.”
“As State Consultant for the Fifth Barnstable District, I’m deeply grateful to the Healey-Driscoll Administration and the Government Workplace of Power and Environmental Affairs for awarding this important grant to the Bourne Conservation Belief. This $1,051,380 funding will assist completely defend 30 acres of uncommon pine barrens habitat, increasing the City Forest and safeguarding a treasured ecosystem for generations to return,” stated State Consultant Steven Xiarhos (R-Fifth Barnstable). “Defending our forests is crucial to preserving the distinctive pure fantastic thing about Cape Cod, combating local weather change, and guaranteeing alternatives for leisure and wholesome outside actions. I applaud the Bourne Conservation Belief and the City of Bourne for his or her partnership and dedication to defending the environment whereas enhancing the standard of life for our group.”
The next grantees had been awarded funding by EEA’s Acquisitions for Forest Reserves Grant Program:
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The Bourne Conservation Belief and City of Bourne have partnered to completely defend 30 acres of unusual pine barrens habitat (pine oak habitat) inside 470+ acres of protected City Forest land that helps a community of strolling trails. |
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Ashland City Forest Enlargement
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The city of Ashland will completely defend 52 acres adjoining to the Ashland City Forest with well-developed strolling trails all through. This buy will increase the city forest and create a contiguous span of 700+ acres of protected forest throughout the Sudbury River Watershed. The Sudbury Valley Trustees are partnering with the City to guard of this oak/hickory forest. |
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Southeastern Bioreserve/ Copicut Wooden Enlargement
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The Trustees of Reservations will completely preserve 200+ acres adjoining to The Trustees’ Copicut Woods Reservation and the Southeastern MA Bioreserve, a community of 16,000 acres of protected open area in Fall River and Freetown. This forest is essential for the safety of consuming water provide, in addition to Bread and Cheese Brook, which flows to the Westport River. This grant will defend a combined age oak-pine forest with swamps and wetland forest composed of pink maple and probably white cedar. |
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Hawks Nest East Forest Reserve Venture |
The Native Land Conservancy will completely defend 16 acres in Harwich that can preserve pine barrens habitat and complement DCR’s Hawksnest State Park throughout the Six Ponds Particular District. This parcel additionally contributes to a DEP Zone II Wellhead Safety Space. |
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White Barn Farm Forest Reserve |
The Metacomet Land Belief will completely preserve 16 acres of forested land related to the White Barn Farm, a third-generation household farm in Wrentham. The forested portion of the property is recognized as prime forest land and is adjoining to 200 acres of town-owned open area. |
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The Kestrel Land Belief will completely defend 200+ acres of white pine and combined hardwood forest in Shutesbury designated Essential Pure Panorama and mapped for regional connectivity. This forest will proceed to contribute to carbon sequestration and defend a number of substantial wetlands. |
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The Berkshire Pure Useful resource Council will completely preserve 65 acres of forest habitat within the Berkshire-Taconic panorama and the Staying Related Initiative Berkshire Linkages area; a important forest linkage throughout the Appalachian Mountain vary. The property is NHESP designated Essential Pure Panorama. |
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Appalachian Path Protected Hall Enlargement |
The Berkshire Pure Useful resource Council will completely preserve 110 acres in Tyringham adjoining to Beartown State Forest that can help safety of the bigger Appalachian Path hall. The property is designated Essential Pure Panorama and helps the Merry Brook which supplies a spawning habitat for native brook trout. |
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Mass Audubon will completely defend 275+ acres of designated Essential Pure Panorama that complement Mass Audubon’s Wildlife Sanctuary in Tolland. The acquisition of a CR on this property will defend land that adjoins a 1,300 acre hall of protected land within the Farmington River watershed. |
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The Metacomet Land Belief will completely preserve 100+ acres of combined oak/hardwood/pine forest in Upton throughout the Miscoe, Warren, Whitehall Watersheds Space of Essential Environmental Concern and adjoining over 500 acres of completely protected forested open area. The property is designated forest habitat in addition to dwelling to native uncommon species, together with Jap field turtles and helps a number of vernal pool obligate species. |
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Mass Audubon will completely defend 250+ acres in Tolland close to the Richardson Brook property with NHESP designated Essential Pure Panorama and Core Habitat. This CR acquisition may even contribute to a hall of protected land within the Farmington River watershed. |
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Hilltown Land Belief will completely preserve 95 acres of forest alongside the Center Department of the Westfield River in Chester, a federally designated Wild and Scenic River. This property is proposed for defense beneath a CR to completely defend NHESP designated Uncommon Species Core Habitat adjoining a hall of three,000+ acres of protected forest. |
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The city of Easton will completely defend 15 acres throughout the Canoe River Space of Essential Environmental Concern and federally designated Canoe River Sole Supply Aquifer in coordination with the acquisition of adjoining land within the city of Mansfield. This acquisition will create a 75-acre hall of protected area with mixed-age, combined oak and white pine forest. |
$86,175 |
–Massachusetts Government Workplace of Power and Environmental Affairs
