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1,865 Acres Near Quabbin Permanently Protected

Upland hardwood and pine forest recently protected by Mass Audubon in Barre.

Barre, Mass.— Mass Audubon has added 133 acres to Rutland Brook Wildlife Sanctuary in Petersham as part of a four-year long, multi-landowner, multimillion-dollar private-public partnership. The collaborative Quabbin Corridor Connection (QCC) includes private landowners, Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust, Mass Audubon, Harvard Forest, two towns, two state agencies, and the United States Forest Service to protect lands in north-central Massachusetts.

The property permanently conserved by Mass Audubon are part of 1,865 acres protected by the QCC, and will maintain the integrity of Mass Audubon's Rutland Brook Wildlife Sanctuary. Additionally, the purchase expands the large area of contiguous protected and varied habitat critical to maintaining healthy wildlife populations. The Mass Audubon land consists of upland hardwood and pine forest, and wooded wetland.

One of the two properties added to Rutland Brook Wildlife Sanctuary was subdivided and threatened with imminent development; the other faced an uncertain future. The purchase and permanent protection by Mass Audubon was made possible by QCC, which provided funds to the Town of Barre to purchase conservation restrictions on both parcels. Other funds came from a Conservation Partnership grant from the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, Mass Audubon, and private fundraising.

New land (red outline) added to Mass Audubon's Rutland Brook Wildlife Sanctuary (blue outline). Click on the image for a bigger view.

The purchases would not have happened without the leadership of Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust in assembling a multi-parcel Forest Legacy application for the Petersham-Barre-Hubbardston area, and the cooperation of the Commonwealth's Department of Conservation and Recreation in facilitating the Forest Legacy grant. The completed QCC project results in 1,865 acres of new protected lands helping to connect a network of 80,000 acres of protected habitat interlaced among the rural homes and farms of Phillipston, Petersham, and Barre.

The QCC was funded in part by a $3,000,000 grant from the federal Forest Legacy Program. Forest Legacy underwrites up to 75% of project costs, and requires that at least one dollar for every three federal dollars be funded locally. To complete this project, landowners, local towns, project partners, and the state put up more than $1,500,000 through money raised by nonprofits, in-kind donations of legal and stewardship work, and donations and bargain sales of some of the conservation restrictions (CRs) and land.

QCC lands are 90% forested, with numerous foot trails, logging roads, and small clearings. These woods support bear, moose, fox, deer, porcupine, fisher, mink, otter, bobcat, coyote, and numerous songbirds, waterfowl, and birds of prey. Eight documented rare species live within the overall project area, including the American bittern and the harpoon clubtail dragonfly, both endangered in Massachusetts. Existing trails are used by hikers, birdwatchers, and cross-country skiers.

The QCC protects corridors of mostly forested land to allow wildlife to move between the protected woodlands and wetlands around the Quabbin Reservoir and the Popple Camp, Prince River, and Phillipston Wildlife Management Areas, and privately protected land like Mass Audubon's Rutland Brook Wildlife Sanctuary and the Harvard Forest. The lands are well suited for passive recreation due to the unfragmented open space, their contiguity with other protected forest, and the variety of terrain, from the hilly slopes leading to the summit of Prospect Hill to the lower lands along Moccasin Brook.

"We can go out our back door directly to land we know will never be despoiled and walk for hours," said participating landowners Charles Buell and Abigail Rorer. "It was our privilege to play a small part in adding to this gift to the future and we would like to thank everyone involved for making this happen. There is nothing more important in this day and age than protecting the land."

In addition to protecting critical habitat for native species, Mass Audubon's land protection efforts provide many quality of life benefits, including the protection of clean drinking water and locally grown food, and places for people to experience and reflect upon the wonders of nature. Mass Audubon works to protect the nature of Massachusetts for people and wildlife. Together with more than 100,000 members, we care for 33,000 acres of conservation land, provide educational programs for 200,000 children and adults annually, and advocate for sound environmental policies at the local, state, and federal levels. Mass Audubon's mission and actions have expanded since our beginning in 1896 when our founders set out to stop the slaughter of birds for use on women's fashions. Today we are the largest conservation organization in New England. Our statewide network of 45 wildlife sanctuaries welcomes visitors of all ages and serves as the base for our conservation, education, and advocacy work, and represents the largest private ownership of conserved land in Massachusetts. To support these important efforts, call 800-AUDUBON (283-8266) or visit www.massaudubon.org.