Losing Ground 2020: Statistics
Hudson Watershed
Sixth Edition
Published February 2020, Losing Ground: Nature's Value In A Changing Climate reports on the pace and patterns of land development and land protection in Massachusetts between 2012 and 2017.
These statistics describe changes in land use between 2012 and 2017. Estimates of acres of land converted from a natural state to a developed state can be found here, as well as the rate of development in comparison to other areas. Natural land consists of forest, wetland, and water; open land consists of agricultural areas, bare soil, beaches, barrens, or low vegetation; development includes low density residential and commercial/industrial/high density residential development. Percentage calculations are based on the state's total land area, excluding major waterbodies.
Rank in relation to other watersheds is indicated.
There are 27 watersheds in Massachusetts.
There are 27 watersheds in Massachusetts.
Statistic
Value
Rank in state
Total area of newly developed land from 2012 to 2017 (acres)
161
27
Total area of newly developed land from 2012 to 2017, standardized by watershed size (acres per square mile)
0.8
27
Total area of development (acres)
7,137
26
Total area of natural land (acres)
107,940
13
Total area of open land (acres)
15,216
13
Percent developed land
6 %
25
Percent natural land
83 %
5
Percent open land
12 %
6
Size of watershed in acres
130,333
17
Size of watershed in square miles
203.6
17
The level of protection for the area is summarized below. We also consider the proportion of important conservation resources that are protected in the area, including BioMap2 Core Habitat and Critical Natural Landscape, Green Infrastructure Network, and relatively climate change resilient land. Percentage calculations are based on the state's total land area, excluding major waterbodies.
Rank in relation to other watersheds is indicated.
There are 27 watersheds in Massachusetts.
There are 27 watersheds in Massachusetts.
Statistic
Value
Rank in state
Total area of permanently conserved land (acres)
51,012
12
Overall percent permanently conserved
39 %
1
Total area of newly conserved land from 2012 to 2019 (acres)
4,843
16
Total area of newly conserved BioMap2 Core Habitat (acres)
2,346
10
Total area of newly conserved BioMap2 CNL (acres)
3,823
8
Total area of newly conserved TNC resilient land (acres)
246
11
Total area of newly conserved GIN (acres)
4,843
16
Size of watershed in acres
130,333
17
Size of watershed in square miles
203.6
17