WESTHAMPTON — Outdoor recreation opportunities have the potential to boom in Westhampton in the near future thanks to $1.25 million in state funding that will soon be used to conserve nearly 800 acres of forest next to the town center.
In the coming months, the town will work to conserve forestry of the Spruce Hill Forest Conservation Project. Through Westhampton’s open space recreation plan, the town will protect and create recreational opportunities for hundreds of acres that is built upon a corridor of 2,200-plus acres of existing protected land.
“We’ll be able to not only preserve this land because it meets all the high priority goals in terms of conservation—wanting to protect it for clean air, clean water, wildlife habitats,” said Westhampton Select Board member Jennifer Milikowsky. “There’s a lot of ecological value of this land but also, it being right behind the town village center, it is in a great position for recreational opportunities—it’s a win-win.”
The Healey-Driscoll administration awarded the grant funding through its Landscape Partnership Program, which is designed to conserve large blocks of land in the state.
Westhampton residents voted unanimously at annual Town Meeting in May to give the town the go-ahead to apply for the grant, which will enable the town to be reimbursed for expenses it occurs in conserving the land.
The town is collaborating with the Kestrel Land Trust of Amherst and the Hilltown Land Trust to collectively secure 793 acres divided into four parcels. Westhampton will maintain responsibility over two of the parcels next to the Spruce Hills Conservation Area: one sized at 126 acres and the other, 109 acres. The other two parcels, which border the Tighe-Carmody Reservoir that provides drinking water for the city of Holyoke, will be maintained by Kestrel and the Hilltown trusts.
Kestrel Executive Director Kristin DeBoer stressed the importance of large-scale conservation projects like this, to aid in the larger fight against climate change.
“Kestrel Land Trust is focused on large-scale forest conservation because that’s part of the solution to the climate crisis,” she said. “It is important for local biodiversity and wildlife habitats and it’s important for public access to nature.”
Kestrel spearheaded this project, reaching out about the grant to Westhampton and the Hilltown Land Trust early in the spring. Kestrel used the state’s BioMap tool to identify the land as a high priority area for conservation. The BioMap tool was established by MassWildlife and The Nature Conservancy in November 2022, combining more than 40 years of data to identify areas of interest for conservation.
“We prioritize forest conservation based on three things: climate resilience, wildlife habitat and drinking supply,” said DeBoer. “When all three interact, as they do in this area, it is the highest priority for forest conservation.”
As the project progresses, Westhampton will be reaching out to residents for input on recreational use of the land. Input will be a part of the town’s new open space recreation plan formed in 2021.
The town’s main recreational focus for the area seeks to make the land more accessible to the public through trail access. While rules about recreational use have not been finalized, the town hopes to collect public input about activities including hiking, bird watching, fishing and hunting.
Additionally, the two parcels protect Rice Brook, which is identified as a coldwater fisheries resource by the state Division of Fisheries and Wildlife.
“We really are in the early stages of what is possible in terms of trail development in town, so that we can really enjoy these undeveloped forests more,” said Milikowsky. “There’s a lot of neat opportunity.”
Milikowsky noted the important attention the town must give to organizing the stewardship of the land, to progress development for many years in the future. With the help of Westhampton’s newly established Recreation Committee, the town is prepared to start planning.
Established in 2011, the Landscape Partnership Grant Program was created by the state to facilitate large-scale projects that help sustain ecosystems, protect the viability of farm and forest economies, and expand public outdoor recreational opportunities. This year’s awards will conserve over 1,500 acres in Berkshire and Hampshire counties.
“It is wonderful to see this significant investment to protect and preserve our natural beauty here in Western Massachusetts,” said state Sen. Paul Mark, D-Becket, in a statement. “I am grateful to the administration for their support of efforts to keep these important spaces conserved and attractive for the people of our region and beyond.”
The program comes from the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs as part of the Healey administration’s Mass Ready Act, recently proposed on June 24. The act and its initiatives aim to absorb pollution, lower temperatures and prevent the loss of plant and animal species.
“The Mass Ready Act is a practical investment in the things that matter most to our daily lives – safe homes, reliable roads, clean water and strong neighborhoods,” Gov. Maura Healey said in a statement. “By cutting down the wait time for permits, we can start building housing, repairing infrastructure, and lowering costs sooner. This legislation will help our communities get ready for the challenges ahead and make sure our families and neighborhoods stay safe.”
The Spruce Hill Project is only half of the Landscape Partnership Program. Another $1.25 million will help protect 795 acres of the Palmer Brook Reservoir.
“At a time when federal funding for land conservation has drastically declined, we really appreciate and rely on support from the state to provide the backbone of conservation in Massachusetts,” said DeBoer. “We’re glad to have this grant.”
Sam Ferland can be reached at sferland@gazettenet.com.
