Conservation in Action along the South Coast of Massachusetts

The Trustees of Reservations enjoyed a productive and successful 2012 in the South Coast. Our land conservation team protected more than 515 acres in eight towns across the region and contributed to the passage of the Community Preservation Act (CPA) in Fall River. Partnerships, community-wide commitment to open space, and generous, conservation-minded landowners comprised the recipe for success in 2012!

Specifically, The Trustees longstanding local partnerships with the Westport Land Conservation Trust, Seekonk Land Conservation Trust, and Rehoboth Land Trust created the foundation for half of the acreage protected. The Trustees’ ongoing effort with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to protect core parcels in the Southeastern Massachusetts Bioreserve also made great strides in 2012, adding more than 200 acres of important habitat and natural landscape to this 13,600-acre swath of protected land.

Photo courtesy of Ed Howe

Eleven of the 15 projects were donations or deep bargain sales, demonstrating the ongoing commitment of landowners to their communities and their land. These generous landowners are true stewards of the land and have the foresight to protect their properties for the enjoyment of generations to come. Highlights include:

• Protection of three working farms covering 80 acres in Seekonk, Westport, and Dartmouth
• Acquisition of 200 acres in the Southeastern Massachusetts Bioreserve, in partnership with the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation and Division of Fisheries and Wildlife
• Acquisition of 40 acres adjacent to the East Over Reservation in Rochester and Marion
• Assisting with the adoption of the CPA in Fall River, which will provide funds for the city to protect and create open spaces, historic resources, recreational areas, and affordable housing
• Expansion of the Westport Land Conservation Trust’s Old Harbor Wildlife Refuge from 87 acres to 137 acres through the donation of conservation restrictions and trail easements enabling the public to enjoy the land.

Please join us in celebrating the spirit of partnerships and the continued commitment of communities all across Massachusetts to protect their special places!