News  Funding available for habitat management through Collaborative for Private Forestland

MassWildlife, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS), and the Massachusetts Forest Alliance have partnered to provide private landowners in Massachusetts technical and financial assistance offered through the Massachusetts Collaborative for Private Forestland - Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP). This RCPP is a partner-driven federal program that leverages collective resources to find solutions to address natural resource challenges on private forest land with a specific focus on improving and protecting wildlife habitat in the Commonwealth.

Interested parties should contact MassWildlife's Private Lands Habitat Biologist, Patrick Conlin, by email at Patrick.Conlin@mass.gov 

This collaboration furthers the goals and statutory responsibility of MassWildlife to conserve Massachusetts’ fish and wildlife and the habitats that sustains them. The RCPP will provide up to $1.5 million in NRCS funding through August 2023 to plan and enable practices that benefit rare and declining habitats on private lands that can help vulnerable species (like New England cottontail and eastern box turtle) and expand on existing habitat projects on public lands. 

Eligible landowners must possess forestland in Massachusetts that is at least 10 acres in size. Applications will be ranked in accordance with the species to benefit, extent of habitat, and location as it relates to mapped habitat features as well as Environmental Justice communities. More information about this and other RCPPs, along with more detailed eligibility requirements can be found from the NRCS RCPP website. 
 
The Collaborative RCPP complements other state and federal habitat management funding sources currently available in Massachusetts including: 

• MassWildlife Habitat Management Grant Program: This grant provides state funds to private and municipal landowners to support habitat management that benefits both game and non-game species while promoting public access for outdoor recreation. 

• NRCS Programs: Funding provided by the Environmental Quality Incentive Program and the Wetland Reserve Easement Program supports habitat management and protection throughout MA. These programs also include funding dedicated to the New England Cottontail Conservation Initiative and the Northeast Turtle Project for private landowners within identified focal areas.

Over the past seven years these programs have provided a combined $5M to support habitat enhancement on more than 200 sites across the Commonwealth. Conducting targeted management on private and municipal lands is an important element of habitat and wildlife conservation. Over 75% percent of all forestland in Massachusetts is privately owned; another 8% is held by municipalities. These lands are important for providing homes for rare and common wildlife as well as for providing outdoor recreation opportunities including hunting, hiking, and birding.