New Recreation Lands Program

FLT Receives Funding to Help Landowners Create More Public Recreation Lands

The Franklin Land Trust will be part of a new program funded through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS)
to help make more land accessible to the public. The USDA announced in early September that the program will bring $836,500 to a 28 town region
of western Franklin county, northern Berkshire county, and northwestern Hampshire county over the next three years through the USDA’s Voluntary
Public Access and Habitat Incentives Program.

The funds will be used to purchase easements from willing landowners to allow the public to fish, hunt, or observe wildlife on their land. The program
will complement another NRCS program that will assist landowners in creating or enhancing wildlife habitat on their land.

This is a pilot program so there are many details yet to be worked out, such as the length and value of the easements. However, we are thrilled to
be working on creating more publicly accessible recreational lands, and finding avenues for landowners to realize financial benefits for sharing
their land with the public.

If you’re interested in learning more about the program, please contact Wendy Ferris at 413.625-9151 or wferris@franklinlandtrust.org.