More than 300 acres of forest and wetlands were recently conserved in the Berkshires with an eye toward protecting wildlife habitat and expanding outdoor recreation.
The new Rockdale Highlands Wildlife Management Area spans the Massachusetts towns of Stockbridge and West Stockbridge.
It features roughly 308 acres of expansive forests, wetlands, unique geological features, and vernal pools.
Officials with the Massachusetts Department of Fish and Game said the area provides habitat for rare plants and amphibians, including at least 10 species listed on the Massachusetts Endangered Species Act.
The property features half of Mohawk Lake and 3,000 feet of Mohawk Brook, a coldwater fisheries resource and tributary to the Housatonic River that supports eastern brook trout populations.
The property was originally owned by the Stowe family, who are descendants of the famed author Harriet Beecher Stowe and the Robinson Smith family of Tanglewood.
Through a partnership with Stockbridge Land Trust, the state was able to acquire the property. Now, the property will be open to the public and stewarded by MassWildlife as the Rockdale Highlands WMA.
