More than 1,200 acres of forest across nine towns in western Massachusetts are being donated to land trusts who plan to open the land for outdoor recreation.
An affiliate of The Lyme Timber Company recently donated more than 1,200 acres to Kestrel Land Trust and Mount Grace Land Trust, which will permanently conserve the land.
The twelve parcels of timberland in nine towns stretch from north of the Quabbin Reservoir to the hilltowns west of the Connecticut River.
Officials with the Kestrel Land Trust said the parcels are adjacent to thousands of acres of contiguous conservation land and are high priorities for biodiversity, climate resilience, and water quality within the Connecticut River watershed.
Parcels donated to Kestrel include:
- 212 acres in Pelham adjacent to the UMass Cadwell Forest on Mt. Lincoln, and just east of the Quabbin Reservoir watershed.
- 238 acres in Williamsburg adjacent to a complex of conserved forest around Brewer Brook.
- 192 acres in Westhampton adjacent to Dead Branch State Forest, and another 43 acres in Westhampton, both with frontage on the North Branch of the Manhan River.
- 189 acres on the Westhampton-Huntington town line, adjacent to protected forest within Holyoke drinking water supply district.
- 34 acres in Whately adjacent to protected forest within Northampton’s drinking water supply district.
Parcels donated to Mount Grace include:
- 43 acres in Warwick abutting Mount Grace’s Song Conservation Area containing intermittent streams in the headwaters of Lovers’ Retreat Brook.
- 103 acres in Warwick and Northfield just south of the New England National Scenic Trail and visible from Mount Grace’s nearby Richardson Overlook on Stratton Mountain.
- 151 acres in Montague on Chestnut Hill and Stoddard Hill, including wetlands associated with Chestnut Hill Brook.
- 48 acres in Wendell sitting on Bullard Hill between the Wendell State Forest and the Whetstone Wood Wildlife Sanctuary.
Officials with the Kestrel Land Trust said the forests will be preserved and will be open to the public for backcountry recreational use.
