- Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs
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Aisha Revolus, Communications Manager
Boston — The Healey-Driscoll Administration today announced over $310,000 in grants designed to protect forests and boost local economies in Western Massachusetts. This funding will enhance access to outdoor spaces and support projects that utilize the region’s natural resources for tourism.
Through the Woodlands Partnership Program, the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) is providing funding to six rural communities and three regional organizations focused on conservation and economic development. These grants will improve outdoor recreation opportunities in public forests, ensure community safety and implement sustainable forestry practices that promote forest resilience.
“Forests play a central role in these communities. They support local jobs, improve air quality and shape the identity of the region,” said EEA Secretary Rebecca Tepper. “This funding helps protect those natural spaces while supporting local efforts that ensure people can continue to hike, camp and enjoy the outdoors for years to come.”
These grants support the goals of the Mass Ready Act by protecting forests and water resources while investing in the local economies that depend on them. From maintaining healthy woodlands to supporting tourism and outdoor recreation, this funding puts the Mass Ready Act’s priorities into action.
The Woodlands Partnership of Northwest Massachusetts was formed in 2018 through the collaboration of local residents, government officials, non-profits, and academic institutions. Together, they developed a comprehensive plan to drive economic growth and create jobs through sustainable forest management and tourism, which are vital for communities along the Vermont and New York borders.
“I’m proud to see the New England Forestry Foundation receive this Woodland Partnership grant to support their Voices for the Forest initiative,” said Senator Jamie Eldridge (D-Marlborough). “I want to thank the Healey-Driscoll Administration and Secretary Tepper for uplifting woodland conservation, forest restoration, and sustainable tourism by investing in regional organizations like Littleton’s New England Forestry Foundation. This key funding will help deepen public understanding of the vital role our woodlands play in strengthening climate resilience, protecting biodiversity, and preserving our Commonwealth’s cultural heritage.”
The projects receiving funding from the Woodlands Partnership Grants include:
- Adams - $25,000
- An Invasive Plant Management Plan for Greylock Glen: Prepare an Invasive Plants Management Plan for Greylock Glen, focusing on areas under the Town of Adams’ lease with the Commonwealth.
- Ashfield - $25,000
- Ashfield Lake Dam Vegetation Control: Implement and evaluate the efficacy of four different methods to control nuisance vegetation on a 750’ long, earth-filled-dam.
- Berkshire Natural Resource Council - $25,000
- Hoosac Range Climate Smart Forest Stewardship Plan: Develop a Forest Stewardship Plan for BNRC’s Hoosac Range Reserve, a 992-acre property located in North Adams and Florida.
- Cheshire - $13,250
- Trail Kiosks: Install two informational trail kiosks on the Ashuwillticook Rail Trail for recreational users.
- Franklin Land Trust - $75,000
- Lands for H.O.P.E. (Habitat Outreach Protection & Education): Leverage research, long-term forest management, and wildlife habitat restoration to identify and demonstrate practices that regional landowners can utilize to ensure more resilient landscapes in the face of climate change.
- Heath - $25,000
- Town Utility Task Vehicle: Purchase of a UTV to support the Fire Department’s search and rescue operations.
- New England Forestry Foundation - $75,000
- Voices for the Forest: Telling the Woodlands Partnership Story: Develop a speakers’ bureau and education programs focused on topics relevant to the Partnership’s mission and offered throughout the 21-town region, as well as video, photography and written story content that will support a Heritage Area study.
- Peru - $25,000
- Fire Department Communications Upgrade: Purchase five new portable radios utilized by the Fire Department to ensure compatibility with digital upgrades to the E911 system.
- Williamstown - $25,000
- Purple Trails Mountain Bike Trail Improvements: Construction of a one mile segment of critical intermediate level mountain bike trail within a professionally designed 20+ mile trail network in the mountains of Williamstown.
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