Land Protection

A Blizzard of End-of-Year Closings Make for Holiday Treats for All!

Bob Wilber, Director of Land Protection

For the second year in a row, we had a flurry of land protection activity in late December.  The fast accumulation of acres resulted in welcomed drifts of cherished conservation land for people and wildlife, sprinkled across the commonwealth.  71 acres in Sharon near our Moose Hill Wildlife Sanctuary, 15 acres in Wendell abutting Whetstone Wood, 8 acres in Wareham at the our newest sanctuary – Great Neck, and 2 acres in Marshfield as part of the North River Wildlife Sanctuary, all arrived on time.  While not all were “gifts”, each brought smiles to boys and girls, and salamanders, birds and turtles across the land! 

Look for more details on these success stories in our next e-newsletter, scheduled to arrive in your inbox in February.  If you don't already receive our e-newsletter, please sign-up here!

Closing the deal on 15 acres in Wendell!

Dinah Rowbotham, Land Protection Program Assistant

In Wendell, Mass Audubon is rounding the bend on a project that will protect 15 additional acres at Whetstone Wood Wildlife Sanctuary!  The soon-to-be protected land is mostly surrounded by the existing sanctuary, which is managed by Mass Audubon as a wildland and is not prepared for public visitation.  Because this land enhances the sanctuary so well, has been identified by the Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program as BioMap Supporting Natural Landscape, and consists of excellent habitat for interior forest species like moose and bobcat, it has been identified as highest priority for protection in the sanctuary protection plan for Whetstone Wood.

The landowner and Mass Audubon have worked together to carefully structure this project so that both the landowner, who will continue to reside on a portion of the protected property, and Mass Audubon shall meet their goals for the conservation of the land and habitat.  Mass Audubon is purchasing 10 acres–-the northernmost 5 acres and the southernmost 5 acres–-of the property in fee to add to our surrounding landholdings at Whetstone Wood, and protecting the remaining 5 acres which will remain in private ownership and contains the landowner’s residence with a conservation restriction.  The conservation restriction on the remaining 5 acres has been carefully written to protect part of the property as undisturbed wildlands, yet specifically defines and details a residential area that accommodates the conservation-minded landowner’s home and living activities.

The photos below were taken earlier this week when I was at the property to help prepare the baseline report for the conservation restriction and complete the site inspection for the land we will acquire in fee.