Catalyst Fund at Work: State Officially Takes Ownership of Land in Winchendon & Ashburnham

In December 2023, residents of Winchendon and Ashburnham packed together in confined conference rooms to deliver impassioned pleas to their local elected officials about the importance of nature. Now, less than two years later, dozens of those very same folks stood on the side of North Ashburnham Road to celebrate future generations being able to wander 1,300 acres of state-owned land that will be preserved for public enjoyment forever. 

This outcome came about thanks to passionate town members, dedicated local and state partners, and Mass Audubon’s innovative 30x30 Catalyst Fund—a creative conservation finance fund dedicated to land conservation. 

“One of my most impactful moments at Mass Audubon was being in that room and listening to residents talk about their deep, personal connections to that land and the importance of preserving it,” said Mass Audubon President & CEO David O’Neill. “To be here now walking in the forest and knowing that the land is protected and in the state’s capable hands makes us so grateful that we could be a part of it with all our amazing partners who helped make this happen.” 

From Spark to Catalyst 

Sparked by initial outreach from Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust, which coordinated grassroots efforts to preserve the land instead of it being sold to a developer, Mass Audubon took $6 million from a transformational $25 million gift from MathWorks, to buy the land as part of the Towns’ right of first refusal. 

But it was never Mass Audubon’s intent to keep the land. The Catalyst Fund was created to support the whole conservation community in accelerating the pace of conservation by allowing the organization to move quickly and to permanently protect the most biodiverse and carbon-rich land in the state, whether it will become Mass Audubon land or that of another conservation entity. 

In the case of this project, the goal was to buy the land and then transfer it to the State. Now, the Massachusetts Department of Conservation & Recreation and Department of Fish & Game will steward the land expertly into the future to be used for hiking, fishing, and hunting. 

“This land is important for so many different reasons and protecting it is a powerful statement about who we are and a legacy that we have all helped to make possible,” said Winchendon resident Jane LaPoint. 

Why This Land Matters 

The land is a connector to the 1,500-acre Winchendon Springs Wildlife Management Area and DCR’s nearly 3,000-acre Ashburnham State Forest, creating a continuous wildlife corridor that stretches all the way to New Hampshire. It also features the headwaters of the Millers River, a vital tributary to the Connecticut River, and extensive forests and wetlands that help preserve water quality. 

Two-thirds of the property is critical for biodiversity, supporting both rare and common plants and animals. It is a crucial habitat for wildlife, enhances climate resilience, and creates new opportunities for outdoor recreation like hiking, fishing, and hunting. 

“Mass Audubon is honored to have partnered with Mount Grace to preserve these forests and transfer these lands to DCR and MassWildlife, who are the stewards of so many of our state’s most special outdoor places,” O’Neill said. “The creation of the 30x30 Catalyst Fund allows us to move quickly to finance conservation projects that need the resources fast to protect critical land like these important streams and forests in Winchendon and Ashburnham.” 

The Catalyst Fund helped Mass Audubon more than double its pace of land conservation the last two years and meet its five-year goal of protecting 10,000 acres set in 2021 a full year early.

Learn more about the Catalyst Fund and how you can support it