Conservation Actions

Protecting and restoring rare, declining, and vulnerable plants and wildlife species and their habitats is a big job that requires a variety of actions and partnerships.

All of us are needed to help address threats to biodiversity in the Commonwealth—individuals, organizations, businesses, landowners, and representatives of local, state, and federal government. Protecting and restoring habitat is one of the most effective actions we can take to ensure clean air and water, mitigate flooding, store and sequester carbon, and contribute to a resilient coastline.

This page contains a summary of the highest priority conservation actions being taken state-wide to safeguard our biodiversity, including specific actions being taken by MassWildlife. Conservation actions fall into 6 broad categories outlined in the sections below.

Conservation planning

Biodiversity goals for the Commonwealth

Pursuant to Executive Order 618: Biodiversity Conservation in Massachusetts, the Department of Fish and Game is working with numerous stakeholders and partner agencies to develop biodiversity conservation goals for 2030, 2040, and 2050, and strategies to meet those goals. This will provide a framework and an incredible opportunity to advance the Commonwealth’s conservation of its lands, waters, wetlands, coastlines, and marine areas that provide habitat for a wide variety of plants, animals, and other organisms and offer vital ecological, economic, and public health benefits to its people. As noted in the executive order, this includes an investment to halt and reverse the loss of rare and vulnerable species and their habitats.

BioMap 

For decades, BioMap has provided a framework that guides strategic protection and stewardship of lands and water that are most important for conserving biological diversity in the Commonwealth. In 2022, MassWildlife and The Nature Conservancy released a newly-updated BioMap. The updated BioMap includes a new Habitat Restoration Resource Center, as well as local and regional scaling with features customized for use at the municipal level, and identification of regionally significant natural resources.

BioMap identifies places to protect, manage, and restore habitats at multiple scales—local, statewide, and regional. Many additional conservation actions for habitats and species of greatest conservation need are identified in the Habitat and Species pages, as well as in the new BioMap Habitat Restoration Resource Center.

In association with BioMap, MassWildlife is planning an update to its 2013 Key Sites Analysis. Key Sites and Landscapes, to be completed in 2025 or 2026, provides additional information to help BioMap users prioritize conservation without being overly prescriptive. Key Sites are areas with high concentrations of state-listed plants and animals, especially those that are particularly important for global and regional conservation. Key Landscapes will identify larger landscapes that may be particularly high conservation priorities based on co-occurrence of multiple BioMap components.

State Wildlife Action Plan

The State Wildlife Action Plan (SWAP) is an assessment of health of the Commonwealth’s rare and declining plants and animals—Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN)— and their habitats, undertaken every ten years as required by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to be eligible for State Wildlife Grants, a key federal funding source for SGCN conservation. More broadly, it is an important opportunity to review the threats facing the Commonwealth’s most vulnerable plants and animals; to identify key conservation actions to halt and reverse the loss of rare and vulnerable species and their habitats; and to keep common species common.

In Massachusetts, SWAP content is provided electronically through BioMap and associated digital content, including information about the species and habitats of Massachusetts.

State Wildlife and Transportation Action Plan

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) is working in close collaboration with MassWildlife on a statewide plan to assess and prioritize opportunities to reduce wildlife and transportation conflicts, contribute to conservation of Species of Greatest Conservation Need, and improve landscape connectivity. The plan is expected to be completed in 2026. The plan will build on a longstanding collaboration between MassDOT and MassWildlife.

Department of Fish and Game Strategic Plan

The Department of Fish and Game Strategic Plan for 2025-2035 identifies multiple goals and measurable objectives related to biodiversity conservation in the Commonwealth, including many designed to benefit Species of Greatest Conservation Need and their habitats. In alignment with SWAP and BioMap implementation, MassWildlife is committed to implementing the specific conservation actions described in the strategic plan.

Conservation planning for key habitats and species

MassWildlife works with conservation partners at multiple scales to develop species and habitat conservation plans that guide monitoring, research, habitat protection, and restoration. There is often a tight connection and overlap between conservation planning and monitoring/research, as conservation plans often contain detailed monitoring protocols and may be based, in part, upon monitoring results. See the Monitoring and Research section below for examples of key conservation and monitoring efforts.

Regional conservation planning and research

It is important to look beyond Massachusetts’ borders and coordinate planning for SGCN species and habitats by working with other states in the region. The Commonwealth, including MassWildlife and its partners, participate in developing and implementing conservation actions for issues, threats, and opportunities most effectively addressed at a regional or multi-state scale. 

• The Northeast Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (NEAFWA) has a Regional Conservation Needs grant program, funded through State Wildlife Grant funds apportioned to each state, to address critical landscape-scale wildlife conservation needs by combining the resources of numerous wildlife management agencies, leveraging funds, and prioritizing conservation actions identified in SWAPs. MassWildlife also participates in the Northeast Fish and Wildlife Diversity Technical Committee and its projects, including maintaining a list of Regional Species of Greatest Conservation Need, and data management for shared species.
• The New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers signed Resolution 40-3 on Ecological Connectivity, Adaptation to Climate Change, and Biodiversity Conservation (2016), which was reaffirmed with the signing of Resolution 45-2 Concerning Ecological Connectivity, Climate Adaptation, and Food Security (2024), which recognizes the importance of ecological connectivity for the adaptability and resilience of our region’s ecosystems, biodiversity, and human communities and agrees to region wide collaboration in support of these values. This has led to the creation of an Ecological Connectivity Working Group, which will be chaired by DFG moving forward.
• The Staying Connected Initiative (SCI) is an international public-private-academic partnership that works to maintain landscape connectivity across the Northern Appalachian – Acadian Region of the U.S. and Canada by facilitating a collaborative community of practice along with partner coordination and collaboration at multiple scales and advancing important connectivity work across the region through an integrated, cross-cutting approach consisting of six primary strategies.
• The Connecticut River Watershed Partnership (CRWP) is a network of public and private partners located in the four primary Watershed states of Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont. Formed in 2005, this network provides a forum, foundation, and framework to forge partnerships that benefit wildlife, people, and environmental quality in the Connecticut River Watershed.

Proactive habitat protection

Permanent protection of land, water, and habitat is at the center of the Commonwealth’s conservation strategy. Protection of natural areas and open spaces is essential to address the ongoing biodiversity crisis, mitigate the effects of climate change, ensure clean air and water, and provide access to nature for all for recreation, health, and well-being.

Towards this end, the Massachusetts Clean Energy and Climate Plan (CECP) set goals to increase permanent conservation to at least 30% of the state by 2030, and at least 40% by 2050. BioMap, coupled with other planning tools, such as municipal open space plans, has long played an important role in helping to prioritize land protection in the Commonwealth. Going forward, BioMap is anticipated to continue to play an important role in helping to guide implementation of the CECP land protection goals and the Biodiversity Executive Order.

MassWildlife, working with the Department of Fish and Game, has a strong track record of protecting habitat to benefit the state’s rare and common animals, fish, and plants. MassWildlife managed lands are open to the public for walking, hiking, hunting, fishing, trapping, and wildlife viewing. As of 2025, MassWildlife has over 236,000 acres of land and waters throughout Massachusetts under its care and control, of which at least 18,000 acres have been protected since 2015. Most funding for land acquisition is from bond capital, with the remaining portion provided by state, federal, and private grants and the Wildlands Stamp Fund, a $5 fee added to each purchase of a hunting, fishing, or trapping license.

MassWildlife is just one of many agencies and non-governmental organizations working to meet these critical goals. For example, the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation DCR) and Department of Agricultural Resources have active land protection programs, with DCR having over 450,000 acres under its care and control alone. In addition, there are 140 local, regional and national land trusts actively working in Massachusetts, which have collectively protected over 250,000 acres. Municipalities also play a critical role in protecting lands and waters, owning nearly a quarter of the state’s conserved lands and administering the Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act, local zoning and bylaws, and protecting local drinking water supplies.  Tribal nations and federal agencies—particularly through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Wildlife Refuges—also steward thousands of acres of critical habitats across the Commonwealth.

Habitat restoration and management

Land protection is essential, but in today’s altered landscape protection alone is not enough to conserve the rich diversity of plants, animals, and habitats in the Commonwealth. This is particularly true in Massachusetts, which is the fourth most densely populated state in the country. As a result, many habitats need active restoration and management to:

• remove invasive species;
• restore natural processes;
• mitigate changes to water quality or quantity; and/or
• improve climate resilience.

In Massachusetts, we are fortunate to have a robust community of conservation organizations, municipalities, tribal nations, state, and federal agencies all committed to effective land stewardship and habitat restoration in upland, wetland, aquatic, coastal, and marine environments. On a state level, this includes agencies such as the Department of Fish and Game’s Division of Ecological Restoration, Division of Marine Fisheries, and MassWildlife; Department of Conservation and Recreation; Department of Agricultural Resources; and Department of Transportation. In addition to the rich array of municipalities and local land trusts, conservation organizations that work at the state or regional level include Mass Audubon, Trustees of Reservations, The Nature Conservancy, the Massachusetts Land Trust Coalition and many others.

BioMap’s Habitat Restoration Resource Center contains additional information about why habitat restoration is essential, how MassWildlife prioritizes habitats for restoration, and practical guidance for landowners and others interested in implementing habitat restoration and management.

Going forward, MassWildlife expects to continue prioritizing:

• Partnerships with tribes, municipalities, non-profit organizations, other state agencies, private landowners, and many others to implement landscape-scale restoration at key landscapes and sites throughout the state. Such efforts can include complex actions, such as prescribed fire, dam and culvert removal, and invasive plant control.
• Expanded focus on the restoration of aquatic and wetland resources, both on and off land under MassWildlife management (i.e., Wildlife Management Areas). This may include dam removals, culvert replacements, and restoration of stream banks and both lake and pond shores.
• Providing technical support and grants (as funding allows) to assist landowners in implementing habitat restoration.
   

Law and policy

Laws, regulations, and policies designed to incentivize conservation and compatible economic development play a very important role in biodiversity conservation in the Commonwealth, including the conservation of SGCN and their habitats. Ensuring adequate resources to implement these laws and policies is essential.

Examples of laws and regulations that specifically benefit SGCN species and their habitats

The following laws contain provisions that are fundamental to protecting and maintaining habitat values.

• The Massachusetts Endangered Species Act and rare species provisions of the Wetlands Protection Act protect state-listed species and their habitats by regulating proposed projects or activities within state-listed species habitats and, where appropriate, works with proponents to avoid, minimize and mitigate those impacts. 
• The Wetlands Protection Act regulates proposed projects within or adjacent to wetlands, floodplains, coastal beaches, and other areas from destruction or alteration, and includes provisions that pertain to broader habitat and wildlife values.
• The Rivers Protection Act helps protect water quality and wildlife habitat by regulating proposed projects within certain buffer distances of the Commonwealth’s rivers and streams. 
• The Forest Cutting Practices Act protects the many benefits of forests—from protecting water quality and quantity to conserving wildlife habitat—by regulating commercial timber harvesting activities on both public and private forestlands.
• Hunting and fishing regulations also play an important role in managing wildlife populations and their habitats and in preventing the potential for overharvest. For example, recent regulatory changes will more conservatively protect wild trout populations under threat of climate change while other habitat restoration efforts create more resilient habitats for coldwater fish. In addition, managing deer populations is an essential tool for protecting and enhancing the health of forested habitats and the SGCN that rely on them.

Water use laws and regulations

MassWildlife works with agencies and constituents to bring considerations of fish and wildlife habitat protection to a broad realm of regulations, beyond those promulgated by MassWildlife. The following laws and regulations play an important role in protecting and enhancing aquatic and associated wetland and upland habitats in Massachusetts.

• The Massachusetts Water Management Act (WMA) regulates the use of water through registration and permitting of water supply. The WMA regulations provide minimization and mitigation frameworks designed to reduce future loss of aquatic habitat associated with future increases in water withdrawal.
• The Massachusetts Interbasin Transfer Act (ITA) regulates the movement of water across major river basins with the goal of “keeping water local.” Decisions regarding the ITA serve to protect aquatic resources by assessing the potential impact of moving water out of basin.
• The Massachusetts Clean Water Act, and the Massachusetts Surface Water Quality Standards under the federal Clean Water Act, protects water quality for the surface waters of Massachusetts. This ensures that designated or existing uses of waterbodies are protected and enhanced, including but not limited to prevention and abatement of pollution to meet water quality standards. 
• As many homes in Massachusetts have septic systems, Title 5 rules play an important role in specifying how to install, use and maintain these systems. Recent changes to Title 5 rules are designed to mitigate the effects of nitrogen pollution on Cape Cod.

A variety of municipal efforts to conserve water also play an important role in protecting natural aquatic systems.

Smart growth

In Massachusetts the state and municipalities have a variety of resources and regulations to encourage smart growth. This can include encouraging higher density development in certain areas (e.g. close to public transportation, brownfields), sustainable design, and green building practices. Innovative zoning and land use planning is an important tool to protect natural resources and habitat, promote economic development, and create/maintain vibrant communities with a high quality of life.

Natural and working lands initiatives

Massachusetts has a variety of policy initiatives to maintain healthy farms, forests, and wetlands for climate resilience, carbon storage, the sustainable harvest of wood products, and recreation. The Resilient Lands Initiative outlines a number of strategies to achieve this, and the Forests as Climate Solutions Initiative has strong focus on “keeping forests as forests.” Since most forest land in Massachusetts is owned by private landowners, policies and incentives to help or encourage landowners to maintain forest lands is particularly important. This may include support for private landowners interested in a range of management practices, from passively managing forest or interested in establishing reserves, to the sustainable harvest of wood products to generate income and help meet Massachusetts’ demand.

MassWildlife plays an important role by managing the great majority of its forest land as mature and maturing forest, while also maintaining and looking for opportunities to increase forest reserves. MassWildlife simultaneously manages some forests to enhance habitat for SGCN that depend on younger, more open forest habitats.

Climate resilience

Ensuring a climate-resilient Massachusetts goes hand-in-hand with biodiversity conservation.?  For example protection of natural and working lands is a key strategy of the Clean Energy and Climate Plan and an essential conservation tool. Taking action to ensure a more resilient coastline and improve stream crossings throughout the state can be designed to simultaneously improve habitat and increase climate resilience.

Monitoring and research

A strong knowledge base is a prerequisite for cost-effective conservation.  Monitoring and research by MassWildlife and its partners supports and directs other conservation actions. Currently, MassWildlife maintains extensive databases tracking the occurrences of many species in Massachusetts, including specific monitoring projects for wildlife species that are not state-listed but are in greatest need of conservation and have regulated hunting and/or trapping seasons (for example, black bear, bobcat, and American woodcock). MassWildlife also maintains geospatial databases, as does MassGIS, of land cover features and some high priority habitat types. MassWildlife’s Natural Heritage and Endangered Program (NHESP), in collaboration with conservation partners across the Commonwealth, attempts to monitor all federally and state-listed rare animals and plants.

In addition to state-listed species, MassWildlife’s NHESP tracks other plants and animals for which the conservation status in the state is unclear. However, some of the globally rare SGCN listed in this Plan have not been tracked by any section or program of MassWildlife, and their current distribution and abundance have not been surveyed systematically in recent years. Although NHESP will continue to survey and monitor rare species to the greatest extent possible, as it does now, additional resources are needed to expand surveys, monitoring and conservation research. Examples of monitoring projects tied directly to conservation plan development are listed in the table below.

conservation actions table.csv

Get additional information about monitoring, research, and adaptive management. 

Public outreach

Participation by conservation partners and the public is critical to updating the SWAP and putting its recommendations into practice. MassWildlife works with conservation partners at multiple scales to plan and implement the conservation activities listed above, including BioMap and Executive Order 618. The SWAP is based on and incorporates BioMap, which is an important web-based tool to guide the strategic protection and stewardship of lands and waters that are most important for conserving biological diversity in Massachusetts. In collaboration with The Nature Conservancy, MassWildlife developed and launched the latest iteration of BioMap in 2022 and initiated a significant public outreach effort to promote its use to key partners including NGOs, land trusts, and local, state, and federal government agencies. This ongoing outreach includes offering in-person and online tutorials and programming, providing technical assistance and individualized consultations to BioMap users, sharing case studies, and developing written content to support users in conservation planning and implementation. In addition to BioMap, Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey signed Executive Order 618: Biodiversity Conservation in Massachusetts in 2023, which calls for a whole-of-government approach to setting and achieving biodiversity conservation goals for 2030, 2040, and 2050. This effort is expected to include a significant public outreach campaign, which will build awareness of biodiversity conservation, educate the public about native wildlife and threats, and motivate people at all levels from individuals to government agencies to contribute to the shared goals.