Working with Partners to Conserve More Land

Thanks to your support, Franklin Land Trust assisted the MA Department of Fish and Game (DFG) to acquire two key parcels for public access and conservation in Plainfield and Rowe. State conservation organizations like the MA Department of Fish and Game often depend on non-profit land trusts to help bring local projects across the finish line. “When we work alongside our partners in conservation, we accomplish far more than we can on our own,” says Emily Boss, FLT Land Protection Specialist.

Through this partnership, FLT assisted DFG in the acquisition of a 93-acre woodlot in Rowe from landowner Betty Hicks. This parcel is part of a larger landscape conservation grant to ultimately conserve over 500 acres contiguous to the Hicks woodlot. This property is home to rare species as well as a hibernaculum that Fish and Game will monitor for bat activity. This kind of project assistance, when FLT doesn’t end up owning any land or holding any interest in the land, is one of the primary ways we help landowners reach their goals and conserve important lands. “Oftentimes, we are working diligently behind the scenes, helping landowners do what they really want to do—permanently conserve the land they love,” says Alain Peteroy, FLT Director of Land Conservation.

FLT also assisted DFG in the acquisition of a key parcel that improved public access to the Swift River Wildlife Management Area owned by MassWildlife in Plainfield. This 757-acre public conservation area is home to an abundance of diverse wildlife habitats including open grasslands, shrublands, and young forests - all of which support many wildlife species in need.

FLT has a long and successful history of partnering with the MA Department of Fish and Game for land conservation and acquisition. “This effective partnership has enabled us to leverage expertise, local connections, and resources from both of our organizations,” says Peteroy. “Together we can maximize our impact, ultimately conserving more important land in the region than we would be able to do individually.”