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Massachusetts State Forests & Parks Stewardship
From the globally rare pine barrens of southeastern Massachusetts to the mountains of the Berkshires that harbor black bear and bobcat, public lands support a great diversity of plant and animal species. State forests and parks contain some of the largest remaining intact habitat, essential to protecting native ecosystems in the face of development and climate change. And the state owns more habitat for rare species than any other single landowner.
Massachusetts has nearly 600,000 acres of forest and parkland held in public trust by state environmental agencies. The Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) manages about 450,000 acres of land, while the remainder is under the Department of Fish and Game.
Much of the state land is forested. Forests provide scenic beauty and opportunities for recreation and renewal. They filter and store clean drinking water, clean the air, help make Massachusetts an attractive place for residents, serve as essential habitat for a variety of native plant and animal species, store large volumes of carbon, and support local economies through tourism.
Your state forests and parks are suffering. Why?
- Chronic underfunding in the state budget, causing staffing shortages and maintenance backlogs
- Damage from illegal Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) use
- Invasive species and other habitat degradation problems
- Lack of publicly reviewed management plans to prioritize and guide stewardship
With the Forests and Parks Partnership (PDF 76K), and the Massachusetts Forests and Parks Friends Network, Mass Audubon is working to address these issues.
Get Involved - Help Protect the Nature of Massachusetts on Public Lands!
These are your lands, and your involvement is important to help DCR achieve its mission of conservation and recreation.
DCR Forestlands Management
Learn more about these properties and how you can have a say in their future management.
DCR is undertaking a public engagement process to define a Forest Futures Vision. Let DCR know what you think should be done to protect habitat on state lands, and to address the full range of public interests in these lands including:
- Wilderness and Scenic Values
- Wildlife Habitat
- Recreation and Tourism
- Forest Products - to what extent should forestry occur on state lands?
Mass Audubon supports many of the recommendations in the Draft Forest Futures Vision report. See our comments on the report (pdf).
Biomass Energy
Mass Audubon has released its position statement on biomass. We oppose the permitting, construction, and operation of electric generation woody biomass facilities until 1. state forestry regulations are revised and 2. federal and state renewable energy regulations and tax credit programs are modified so that biomass facilities only receive financial incentives to the extent a facility produces more energy per unit of carbon emitted than the average fossil fuel plant. Mass Audubon also calls for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to establish a no net loss of forests policy. View the full position statement (PDF 74K) for more information.
OHV Enforcement Legislation
ATVs and other Off-highway vehicles can be fun, but improper use can result in severe damage to ecosystems and wildlife. Support legislation that would expand enforcement of OHV laws (PDF 151K) and increase penalties for illegal use. Find out who your state Senator and Representative are.
Funding Priorities
DCR manages the ninth largest park service in the nation, but the system is severely underfunded, with the annual operating budget reduced by over 30% in recent years.
Parks are understaffed, some facilities are no longer open, and the maintenance backlog of over $1 billion continues to accumulate. You can help by contacting your state legislators during budget deliberations and urging them to support DCR funding. Find out how to contact your legislators.
Other ways to get involved
For more information, contact Heidi Ricci.
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