Quick facts
ILF Funding: $150,000
ILF Service Area: Connecticut River Service Area
Project Location: Hampden, MA (latitude: 42.060, longitude: -72.403)
Property size: 60 acres
Project summary
Mass Audubon is using ILF Program funds to buy about 60 acres of land. Mass Audubon will incorporate the land into its Laughing Brook Wildlife Sanctuary. It will also hold conservation restrictions on the adjacent land. The 60 acres includes part of the southern bank of the Scantic River. Part of the site is in the 100-year flood zone. There are 12 acres of marsh and forested wetlands on the site. Protecting land on the riverbank will allow the river to flood the wetlands. There are also 5 vernal pools around the site that depend on seasonal water. The Scantic River is a coldwater fishery resource. This site also provides habitat for a species of special concern in Massachusetts. The Massachusetts Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program also awarded an Enhanced Off-site Mitigation Grant to the project. If the land was not bought for conservation, a developer could have built a house there. This site does not have trails or a parking area, but Mass Audubon will allow public access for passive recreation.
