Healey-Driscoll Administration Awards $7.5 Million for
Landscape Conservation Projects BOSTON – The Healey-Driscoll
Administration today awarded $7.5 million in grant funding to enhance and
protect large acreages of land throughout Massachusetts. Through the
Landscape Partnership Program, the Executive Office of Energy and
Environmental Affairs (EEA) is supporting six projects to improve and
expand public recreational opportunities, water supply, ecosystems, and
habitats. The program will also support the "Forests as Climate
Solutions Initiative" to protect high-quality forested
land. “We’re investing to
protect our forests and agricultural land while strengthening our
communities. This program is just one example of how we’re taking a
whole-of-government approach to making Massachusetts more resilient,” said Governor Maura
Healey. “Our Administration is proud to assist these
communities in acquiring land and creating vibrant, accessible green space
that will boost the quality of life in Massachusetts.” “As a former mayor, I
know the importance of cross-sector collaboration and the success that
comes from those partnerships,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim
Driscoll. “These grants will build connections between communities
and the nearby natural spaces. Increasing access to open space will help
connect residents to the outdoors and give our residents – especially young
people – a stake in stewarding the environment for generations to come.” The Landscape
Partnership Grant Program was created in 2011 to facilitate large-scale
projects that sustain the integrity and resilience of ecosystems, protect
the viability of farm and forest economies, and expand public outdoor
recreational opportunities while enhancing partnerships among state,
municipal, and non-profit entities. This year’s awards will conserve over
2,000 acres from Hampshire County to Martha’s Vineyard and are part of the
administration’s efforts toward building climate change resilience and
protecting critical natural landscapes. “Land conservation is
a significant part of our climate strategy. Our natural lands are the
original carbon capturers and will serve as an important tool as we ramp up
our efforts to reduce emissions,” said EEA Secretary Rebecca Tepper.
“The projects being awarded are tremendous examples of ways agencies and
organizations can work together to protect properties from the impacts of
climate change.” “By
preserving our land and making our outdoor public spaces more accessible,
we are creating a Commonwealth that builds communities, is environmentally
friendly, is climate resilient, and is more welcoming for all of our
residents,” said Senate President Karen E. Spilka. “I’m
thrilled to see these grants go to these deserving public spaces, and I’m
thankful to the Healey-Driscoll Administration for prioritizing our
environment and publicly accessible outdoor space.” “Wilderness
conservation and access to green spaces are critical to the balance of life
for both the Commonwealth's environment and that of its residents,” said
State Representative Ann-Margaret Ferrante. “Preservation of these
areas helps to maintain the natural wonder and ecological impact of
Massachusetts and its native wildlife. At the same time, maintaining access
for residents to be able to respectfully use these places as areas of
respite and recreation provides improved quality of life for our residents.
Thank you to the Healey-Driscoll Administration for this investment into
our communities.” Landscape Partnership
Grant Program awardees are: - Town of Middleborough
and Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) – Fort Hill
Conservation Project: $1.25 million to protect 278 acres that extend
protection to 2.25 miles of the Taunton River in Middleborough. In
addition to conserving important agricultural lands, mitigating future
flood impacts, and creating new opportunities for recreation, these
lands are of important archaeological and cultural significance.
- DCR and Sudbury
Valley Trustees – Nobscot Hill Project: $1.25 million to
purchase a conservation restriction on 134 acres in Framingham
currently owned and managed by the Mayflower Council of Boy Scouts of
America. This property, which provides trail connections and
recreational opportunities to members of the public, and is adjacent
to Callahan State Park, will be permanently protected for conservation
and recreational values.
- Essex County
Greenbelt Association, City of Gloucester and Manchester Essex
Conservation Trust – DeNormandie Woods Project: $1.25 million to
protect 290 acres that are part of a 1,462-acre expanse of protected
forestland spanning Manchester, Essex, and Gloucester. The property
offers a well-established trail network that adjoins water supply
protection lands and is presently enjoyed by hikers as well as trail
bikers.
- Kestrel Land Trust,
Town of Southampton, Mass Audubon, Holyoke Water Works and
Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR)—Mountain
Waters Conservation Project: $1.25 million to purchase conservation
restrictions and property totaling 1,025 acres of wild and working
land in a region notable for its ecological integrity and climate
resilience. The regions forestland feeds waterways such as the Manhan
and Connecticut Rivers and provides clean drinking water to several
urban and rural communities including Holyoke, via the Tighe-Carmody
Reservoir and Barnes Aquifer.
- Mount Grace Land
Conservation Trust, Mass Audubon, DCR – Division of Water Supply
Protection, Town of Barre and East Quabbin Land Trust – Hawes Hill
Conservation Corridor: $1.25 million to protect nine properties that
will continue to be sustainably managed by private landowners for
forestry, agriculture, and recreation. Conserving these properties
will protect drinking water, promote climate resilience, enhance
connectivity, support the local economy, and bolster conservation east
of the Quabbin Reservoir a half hour from Worcester.
- Sheriff’s Meadow
Foundation and Martha’s Vineyard Land Bank Commission – Pimpneymouse
Farm: $1.25 million for protection of 166 acres at Pimpneymouse Farm
on the island of Chappaquiddick, Edgartown. The Project directly abuts
612 acres of protected open space and makes many significant trail
connections feasible.
|
沒有留言:
發佈留言