Overview
MassWildlife works in partnership with the Department of Fish and Game (DFG) to protect the Commonwealth’s most important fish and wildlife habitat and to expand the public's access to land and inland waters for outdoor recreation including fishing, hunting, trapping, hiking, skiing, paddling, nature photography, and wildlife watching. The Land Protection Program seeks to build upon existing Wildlife Management Areas and other protected lands to connect large tracts of habitat, allowing plants and animals to adapt to changing climate conditions. Protecting these lands also improves climate resiliency by protecting forests and wetlands that absorb carbon dioxide and floodwaters in extreme weather events.
The land protection program is funded annually through Environmental Bond capital and the Wildlands Stamp Fund, a $5 fee added to each purchase of a hunting, fishing, or trapping license. In addition, the program is supported by state and federal grants and incentive programs, as well as generous gifts from landowners and partners.
Types of acquisitions:
- WMA (Wildlife Management Area): Land owned outright by DFG/MassWildlife. Open to the public for hunting, fishing, trapping and other passive recreation. Subject to Wildlife Management Area Regulations.
- WCE (Wildlife Conservation Easement): Land subject to a Conservation Restriction granting DFG/MassWildlife development and recreation rights. Open to the public for hunting, fishing, trapping and other passive recreation.
Land acquisitions over time
Each year MassWildlife works to expand protection of lands that conserve key fish and wildlife habitats and enhance public access to outdoor recreation. The chart below shows the progress we've made over the last decades.
The dark blue bars show the number of acres acquired in a given year. The light blue line shows how the total acres of conserved land has grown over time. Variability in yearly acreage is caused by a number of factors including funding availability form grants and the environmental bonds, differences in property values across the Commonwealth, and whether the agency receives gifts.
Fiscal year 2025 land acquisitions
Land acquisition staff from the Department of Fish and Game (DFG) and MassWildlife collaborated on 31 projects during the last fiscal year (July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2025) protecting nearly 3,200 acres of forests, grasslands, water frontage, and inland water access points. This brings the total amount of land under the care and control of MassWildlife to over 239,000 acres. Land acquisition projects were completed for a total cost of $11.4M.
FY25 acquisition locations
| District | Facility | Total acreage acquired |
|---|---|---|
| Central | Browning Pond Access*, Moose Brook WCE, Muddy Brook WMA, Winchendon Springs WMA | 995.39 |
| Connecticut Valley | Brushy Mountain WMA, Flynt Mountain WMA*, Great Swamp WMA, Honey Pot WMA, Rattlesnake Mountain WMA*, Tully Mountain WMA | 485.45 |
| Northeast | Ashby WMA, Crane Pond WMA, Nissitissit River WCE, Squannacook River WMA, Townsend Hill WMA, Unkety Brook WMA | 301.53 |
| Southeast | Poor Meadow Brook WMA, Puddingstone WMA, Sippican Headwaters WCE | 557.34 |
| Western | Bungy Mountain WMA*, Flat Brook WMA, Hiram H. Fox WMA, Hog Mountain WMA*, Maple Hill WMA, Rockdale Highlands WMA*, Savoy WMA, Shaker Mill Brook WMA*, Tekoa Mountain WMA | 936.47 |
*New facility in fiscal year 2025.
Highlights
Western: In West Stockbridge, 73 acres were added to Flat Brook WMA to enhance the site’s recreation opportunities. Already an important local pheasant hunting spot, Flat Brook has been the site of recent grassland restoration efforts. The new parcel will provide another location for pheasant stocking while the current restoration project moves forward, allowing us to maintain quality pheasant hunting through the season. Eventually, fields in new parcel will also be restored, providing even more grassland habitat, alongside the WMA’s wetlands and waterways, to support rare and game species alike and all those who enjoy them.
Connecticut Valley: Recent acquisitions in Monson (~65 acres) and Holland/Wales (~290 acres) have created new WMAs where MassWildlife has traditionally been underrepresented. Both the Flynt Mountain WMA and Rattlesnake Mountain WMA, respectively, provide excellent hunting access from nearby roads, as well as an array of upland and lowland habitat types that support both game species and specialized communities. The Flynt Mountain WMA is also located near a Monson-based processor for the Hunters Share the Harvest Program, making it easy for local hunters to donate their deer harvest to families in need.
Central: In a tremendous partnership effort, DFG/MassWildlife, Department of Conservation and Recreation, Mass Audubon, Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust, and local leaders conserved 1,325 acres of forests, fields, and wetlands in Winchendon and Ashburnham. Through this project, nearly 890 acres were added to the 1,500-acre Winchendon Springs WMA, conserving priority habitat for five state-listed species, frontage on the Millers River and Estees Brook - both designated Coldwater Fisheries Resources with high fish diversity – and a healthy, diverse forest that supports American woodcock and grouse. The land connects to DCR’s nearly 3,000-acre Ashburnham State Forest, creating a continuous forest corridor that stretches north to Lake Monomonac and other protected lands in New Hampshire.
Northeast: Over 94 acres in Groton were added to the ever-growing Unkety Brook WMA – which is now over 900 acres. These parcels also directly abut hundreds of acres of conservation land owned by the Town of Groton and the New England Forestry Foundation. Located in an extraordinarily important area for reptiles and amphibians, these lands are home to four state-listed species, and multiple vernal pools, as well as are along Unkety Brook, a designated Coldwater Fisheries Resource. Their diversity of habitats, including ponds, deep marsh, shrub swamp, shallow marsh, deciduous wooded swamp, and mixed upland forest, make them important for safeguarding biodiversity and providing wildlife-based recreation.
Southeast: In an ongoing partnership with the City of Taunton, nearly 50 acres across two parcels were added to Puddingstone WMA, one of a small number of WMAs close to an urban area. Both parcels abut the City’s 280+/- acre Arthur Sharp Estate conservation land, are located within half a mile of an Environmental Justice Community, have excellent pedestrian access, and provide hunting opportunities. In addition to providing recreational opportunities for local residents, these acquisitions also conserve a unique and dramatic Puddingstone bedrock outcrop and protect priority habitat for rare species, uplands, wetlands, and streams.