Press Release  DCR Announces the Completion of Three Land Acquisition Projects in the North Quabbin Region

BOSTON — As part of the agency’s commitment to protecting Massachusetts’s natural resources, the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) today announced the acquisition of three parcels of privately-owned land in the communities of Orange, Royalston, and Wendell. The acquisition represents a total of 380 acres of land in the North Quabbin Region, which will now be protected for the future. 

“These newly protected lands mean cleaner air and more places to walk, bike, fish, and explore with family and friends,” said DCR Commissioner Nicole LaChapelle. “By securing these parcels, we're fighting climate challenges in a way people can see and feel - preserving open spaces, protecting wildlife, and making sure our kids and grandkids have access to nature close to home.” 

The three properties were acquired through DCR’s Land Protection Program, which is dedicated to conserving land that is integral to protecting biodiversity, conserving natural and cultural resources and providing recreational opportunities to members of the public.  

The newly acquired land will be added to DCR’s North Quabbin Region, which is among the largest unfragmented block of forest in the state. The region is home to a variety of native species and one of the few areas in Massachusetts comfortably inhabited by larger mammals, including moose and bears. Though all located in the same general area, each parcel presents unique properties tied to DCR’s core missions.  

The 113 acres acquired in Wendell will be added to Wendell State Forest, bringing new views of the Millers River Valley and nearby granite cliffs to the recreation area. Additionally, the site includes remnants from its past as a 19th century stone quarry, including leftover slabs of mined granite.  

Royalston State Forest will be expanded by roughly 162 acres. The area is already a well-known habitat for a variety of local wildlife, including bear, moose, porcupine and beavers. The land is also a natural habitat of the rose pogonia, one of 16 species of orchid native to Massachusetts.  

“We are pleased to work with DCR to permanently conserve and protect our property as a state forest. It's a really diverse area for all kinds of wildlife, and we’re happy to have done our part to keep it that way,” said Bob Busby, President of Channel Z Seismometry, the former owner of the newly protected land in Royalston. 

Additionally, the third parcel consists of approximately 105 acres in Orange that protects a portion of the Quabbin Reservoir watershed that supplies clean drinking water for 3 million people across the state including much of Greater Boston.  

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