Download Section 3: The Land Trust Landscape of Western Massachusetts

Western Massachusetts: Assessing the Conservation Opportunity, a report to the Kohlberg Foundation
S e c t i o n 3 : T h e L a n d Tr u s t
L a n d s c a p e o f We s t e r n M a s s a c h u s e t t s
Land Trust History: A Massachusetts Legacy
The conservation movement, spurred by the creation of national
parks in Wyoming and California in the late 19th century, owes a
particular debt to Massachusetts. While new national parks such
as Yellowstone (1872) and Yosemite (1890) did much to highlight
the public value of conserving the nation's great natural wonders,
Massachusetts helped to birth new institutions focused on protecting open space in rapidly urbanizing and industrializing communities.
The Trustees of The Reservation (TTOR), founded by a young
landscape architect named Charles Eliot (1859-1897), was created in
1891 to hold land for public enjoyment, free of taxes. With this the
nation's first land trust was formed. Five years later, Massachusetts
Audubon (MassAudubon) was founded in response to outrage over
the treatment of birds, in particular, the use of their feathers in ladies'
hats.
TTOR and MassAudubon have helped to inspire the creation of
many regional and local initiatives. Today there are 155 land trusts
in Massachusetts; California is the only state with more land trusts,
which, notably, is 20 times the size of the Massachusetts. These land
trusts, in close partnership with the state, have together protected
one million acres of land, or 20 percent of the state's land. Of the
50 states, Massachusetts has the fourth largest amount of protected
lands.
Overview of Massachusetts' Land Trust Capacity
Nearly every town in western and central Massachusetts has a regional
or local land trust to assist with its land protection needs (see Figure
3.1, Page 45 for the western Massachusetts land trust service area).
The capacity of these land trusts, however, varies greatly. Though
age, size and the scale of their work are important, the single most
important variable that explains differences in capacity among these
organizations is previous experience in land transactions. Those that
are effective typically have more transaction experience under their
belt, either alone or often in collaboration with larger, more professional partners.
In western Massachusetts, land trust capacity is, for the most part,
evenly distributed across each of the three subregions. While the
national groups have staked out specific project areas, three regional
land trusts pursue projects of their own while assisting smaller land
trusts in their respective regions: The Berkshire Natural Resource
Council (BNRC) in the Berkshires; the Valley Land Fund (VLF)
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Today there are 155 land trusts active in
Massachusetts, only fewer than California,
which, notably, is 20 times the size of the
Commonwealth. These land trusts, often
in close partnership with the state, have
together protected 1 million acres of land, or
20% of the state's land.
Western Massachusetts: Assessing the Conservation Opportunity, a report to the Kohlberg Foundation
in the Connecticut River Valley; Mount Grace Land Conservation
Trust (Mount Grace) in North Quabbin and Opacum Land Trust in
south central Massachusetts. The southeast Quabbin and north central areas emerge as gaps in land trust capacity. Hampden, the southern most county in the Connecticut River Valley, also lacks acquisition
capacity, as the VLF, the only organization covering that region, is
moving away from acquisition towards managing a loan fund for the
region and providing technical assistance.
Lay of the Land in Western Massachusetts
The land trusts operating in western Massachusetts can be sorted into
four principal groups: international, national or regional groups that
also work outside Massachusetts; statewide organizations that focus
some of their resources in the region; regional land trusts that work
within a subregion of the western landscape; and local land trusts that
often work in a town, or several towns within a subregion.
Mu l ti S ta te and Inter nationall y-based Non-gover n m e n ta l Or ganizations Bring
E x p e r ti se and Financial and Political Clout
Land trusts with multi state or global activities play a special role in
Massachusetts, often identifying priorities of regional or even global
importance. Five land trusts operate within western Massachusetts
that also operate outside its borders. The Nature Conservancy
(TNC) operates globally, while the Trust for Public Land (TPL)
works nationally; the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) is active
in New England and the mid-Atlantic; and the New England
Forestry Foundation (NEFF) works in central and western
Massachusetts. The NEFF has focused on working forest landscapes,
including a 8,000 acre easement on Hull Forestlands LP. They are
currently working to help forestland owners in the North Quabbin
develop markets for forest products. The Conservation Fund, a
national land trust that operates much as the TPL does, only recently
stepped into the state to help strengthen a regional land trust. The
time and resources these multi state land trusts commit to any one
place, as well as the amount they collaborate with other land trusts,
vary significantly. However, they can make large contributions by virtue of their professionalism and specific expertise, e.g., TNC's focus
on science and ecoregional planning; the AMC's knowledge of recreation and trail maintenance; the TPL's understanding of community
needs and public finance; and the NEFF's expertise in forestry and
easements. These non-governmental organizations (NGOs) often
have access to both power and money and therefore sometimes can
play an important role in changing policy and directing public as well
as private funding into certain projects, or regions. These groups
have significant capacity, with collective assets upwards of $1 billion.
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Western Massachusetts: Assessing the Conservation Opportunity, a report to the Kohlberg Foundation
American Farmland Trust (AFT), though not a traditional land
trust, helps to shape state policy through its research and advocacy,
and provides technical assistance to local towns where needed. The
priorities of the three most active national NGOs in state policy
advocacy and technical assistance to towns in Massachusetts are
described below:
The Nature Conservancy: TNC deepened its focus on
Massachusetts as a result of its northern New England ecoregional planning study completed several years ago. It identified all
contiguous forest blocks and prioritized their conservation importance based on threat, relative intactness and ecological value. Two
priorities emerged from this work, and TNC has since opened
offices in Sheffield, and Westfield, to focus on acquisitions in their
Berkshire-Taconic focus area (also one of TNC's "Last Great
Places") and Westfield Basin, which is part of a larger Connecticut
River initiative.
Trust for Public Land: The TPL is active in western
Massachusetts both through its Worcester watershed program,
which works with the city of Worcester to purchase and protect watershed lands, and its Connecticut River Program, which
focuses on New England's largest watershed. The Massachusetts
portion of the Connecticut River watershed comprises half of
the study area for this report and one-third of the land area in
the state. The program, based in Northampton, seeks to increase
protection for habitat, working lands recreational lands, and water
supply lands in the region, both by working directly in selected
communities and by developing multi state partnerships that help
increase land conservation funding.
American Farmland Trust: With two highly experienced field
staff based in Northhampton, the AFT is playing a leadership
role in helping towns in Hampshire, Franklin, and Berkshire
counties develop and implement farm-friendly policies, programs
and bylaws. The AFT is targeting towns with high-quality soils,
a viable farming industry and need for technical assistance with
planning.
T h e S te wa rds of Massachusetts: Statewide Land
Tr u s ts
The Trustees of Reservations and Massachusetts Audubon are
highly sophisticated organizations with operating budgets in the millions of dollars, influential boards and sizeable memberships. Both
acquire land, primarily for their own preserves, that provide opportunities for recreation and outdoor nature education. Roughly 80 percent of TTOR's budget covers property maintenance and monitoring.
TTOR is focused on land protection and education and training, with
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TNC's Forest Blocks and Biodiversity Priorities
Source: The Nature Conservancy
Western Massachusetts: Assessing the Conservation Opportunity, a report to the Kohlberg Foundation
an emphasis on strengthening the capacity of nonprofit organizations.
MassAudubon is recognized for its outdoor nature education and plays
a leadership role on advocacy issues at the state level.
In focusing on land acquisition projects that adjoin or are near their
existing landholdings, TTOR and MassAudubon historically have shied
away from protecting land solely on the basis of ecological significance
or threat. Both organizations believe that by building on their recreational lands and managing their properties to the highest standards,
they can demonstrate firsthand to the public the value of land conservation.
The Trustees of Reservations: With 32 properties in western Massachusetts, TTOR is focusing on the Connecticut and
Worcester Watersheds, the Southeast Berkshires, Mount. Holyoke
Range, and parts of the central Highlands. Many conservation leaders acknowledge TTOR as a grandfather of sorts, helping local
and regional land trusts through their first deal with legal, financial
or MassGIS department assistance. Its Highland Communities
Initiative (HCI) in the western Connecticut River Valley has targeted municipalities for assistance, and its new Putnam Conservation
Institute (PCI) provides workshops on everything from ecologically-sound lawn maintenance to building a land trust board. With
a $50 million capital campaign nearing completion, TTOR is investing significant sums in redefining its role as a technical assistance
provider, thus hoping to integrate the HCI under the PCI’s umbrella (see Section 5 on Planning for Massachusetts' Future for more
on this effort).
Massachusetts Audubon: MassAudubon, which has 13 properties
in the region, has recently taken steps to utilize more threat-based
criteria to guide its land acquisition efforts. While less known for
its technical assistance to smaller land trusts, MassAudubon nevertheless plays an integral role in the land trust community through
its research and policy advocacy, as well as its high-quality nature
education programs. Its report, "Losing Ground: At What Cost?,"
provides a comprehensive and critical analysis of the status of, and
threats to, conservation in Massachusetts.
Re gi o n a l L and Tr usts: Wor king the Middle Gr ound
Regional land trusts - those focusing on more than one town and
often several - play an indispensable role in land conservation in western Massachusetts. They can help define a region, keep tabs on local
land trusts within their service area and convene nonprofit and public
sector leaders to discuss key issues, or provide training. By tracking
the work of statewide and multi state land trusts as well as local land
trusts, regional land trusts often facilitate collaborative work.
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Regional land trusts--those focusing on more
than one town and often several--play an
indispensable role in land conservation in
western Massachusetts. They can help define
a region, keep tabs on local land trusts
within their service area and convene nonprofit and public sector leaders to discuss key
issues or provide training.
Regional Land Trusts Operating
in Western Massachusetts
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Berkshire Natural
Resource Council
Franklin Land Trust
Hilltown Land Trust
Kestrel Land Trust
Opacum Land Trust
Mount Grace
Winding River
Land Conservancy
Western Massachusetts: Assessing the Conservation Opportunity, a report to the Kohlberg Foundation
These regional land trusts usually derive their inspiration from, and in
turn, often help to brand the landscape where they operate. Whether
it is Kestrel Land Trust's focus on the Mount Holyoke Range,
Mount Grace's on the North Quabbin, Franklin Land Trust's on
the rural farm towns of the northern Connecticut River valley region
or the BNRC's of the entire Berkshire County, the regional land trusts
provide a reliable presence that helps to brand and strengthen conservation.
Most of the regional land trusts in western Massachusetts routinely
complete land acquisition projects, though they may contract out for
staff or rely on board members. Only six have paid staff, and operating budgets can range between $10,000 and $500,000 a year. Those
with staff and operating budgets above $100,000 include Mount
Grace, Franklin Land Trust, Kestrel Land Trust, and BNRC.
Most regional land trusts have established land protection priorities
based on local needs and opportunities within their service delivery area. Beyond these simple characterizations, there is significant
variation in the operating styles of these land trusts. Mount Grace
stands out for its highly systematic approach to priority setting while
Franklin Land Trust has established an equally compelling approach
based on being opportunistic and responsive as it tries to fill gaps and
provide assistance where there is deficient land trust coverage. The
BNRC knows its priorities and upcoming deals by heart, but because
of its interest in strengthening local land trusts, it will on occasion
help a local organization complete one of its deals first. Many regional land trusts note that there are trade-offs to establishing too rigid priorities. With the cost of land increasing so quickly in the valley, some
feel they must remain opportunistic. Wait too long to study the situation, and the lot that used to cost $150,000 may wind up double that.
L o c a l L a n d Tr usts: K eeping Conser vation Local
Local land trusts, the fastest growing segment of the land trusts movement nationwide, are often formed to pursue the protection priorities
of a specific town. Frequently these land trusts are formed to protect
a particular parcel of land that the community feels is integral to its
character. Many don't last for more than a couple of years before dissolving. Notable exceptions exist, including the Minechaug Land
Trust, which has begun to expand thanks to strong leadership and a
dedicated board. Originally working for the Hamden Land Project,
Minechaug Land Trust staff went out on a limb to obtain their first
loan, a $170,000 no-interest loan from the Norcross Foundation, to
purchase a 90-acre parcel that was threatened by development. The
deal proved catalytic. People were suddenly interested in attending town meetings and helped ignite a groundswell that resulted in
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Local land trusts, the fastest growing segment of land trusts nationwide, are often
formed to pursue the protection priorities of
a specific town.
Western Massachusetts: Assessing the Conservation Opportunity, a report to the Kohlberg Foundation
the town passing the Community Preservation Act (CPA). Now the
Hampden Land Project and the Wilbraham Land Trust have
merged to form the Minnechaug Land Trust, holding 300 acres and
growing into an area in need of increased land trust service.
The Minnechaug Land Trust is one of 35 local land trusts currently
operating in the five counties of western Massachusetts. These land
trusts generally have a single volunteer representative and rely on their
boards for the majority of the work. The land trusts often have little
or no funds at their finger tips but know the people to call to make
money available and may own anywhere from 15 to 500 acres. Though
they may not own many acres, the land they do own is important, not
only for open space, but also as a symbol of local ownership and support of conservation in their town.
Local land trust priorities generally vary within a similar theme.
Retaining rural character and protecting farm and wetlands nearly
always top the list, though some land trusts have a specific focus, such
as Rattlesnake Gutter Land Trust, which was formed to protect
bird habitat such as open fields and meadows. Some local land trusts
focus on working with town conservation commissions to assume
their right to first refusal on Chapter 61 and 61A lands that are put up
for sale. If the town has a local entity to which they can transfer their
conservation option, there is a greater chance the lands will be protected. Generally, a local land trust will contact a regional land trust to
assist with this process.
Collaboration: Past and Present
Land trusts have long enjoyed a high level of partnership with various public agencies. Today, the ability of the state to partner with
land trusts has been put in jeopardy due to changes in state funding
regulations. Many state acquisition officials have been able to find federal dollars and with the launching of the Conservation Partnership
Grants, there is greater potential to keep ties between conservation
organizations and the state strong. Outside of state partnerships, many
of the organizations described above are engaged in varying levels of
collaborative activity, either with public or other nonprofit organizations. The premise of collaboration--that more can be achieved by
working together than working alone--may be of particular interest to
both land trusts and foundations in these tight fiscal times.
The different scales at which land trusts work in western
Massachusetts can facilitate collaboration. A local land trust maintains close contact with the community but often lacks the funds or
specific skills to complete a transaction. A regional or statewide land
trust might find the funds or provide technical assistance necessary to
complete a deal. And it is the national and international land trust that
can marshal the science or other rationale to establish priorities and
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Western Massachusetts: Assessing the Conservation Opportunity, a report to the Kohlberg Foundation
sometimes attract public and private funding. Of course, there often
can be competition among land trusts for funding or membership,
and one organization's priorities aren't always another’s. There are few
examples of deep, long-lasting partnerships in the region, though several efforts have the potential to evolve in that direction.
There are three types of collaborative activity currently underway in
western Massachusetts. They include informal roundtables, more formal
collaborations and technical assistance providers that serve as umbrella organizations to multiple land trusts. These different collaborative models are described below. Note: because many organizations partner
on acquisition projects, they have not broken these out as a separate
model.
I n f o r m a l r oundtables offer opportunities to discuss state
funding and regulatory changes, meet colleagues and trade notes on
organizational development. These meetings help land trusts working in the same region stay in touch and can often lead to acquisition partnerships or more formal collaboration. Examples include
the Connecticut River Valley Roundtable, the North Quabbin
Landscape Partnership, and the Western Massachusetts Land
Trust Coalition.
Fo r m a l c o l laborations take acquisition partnerships to the
next level. In these collaborations partners not only share deals but
also often jointly define their geographic focus, rank acquisitions and
pool funds. Formal collaborations in western Massachusetts include
the Quabbin-to-Cardigan collaborative, the Westfield River Wild
and Scenic Advisory Committee, the Connecticut River Lands
Committee, and the Worcester Watershed Land
Protection Partnership.
Te c h n i c a l assistance providers often service a large group of
land trusts or other conservation groups. These tend to exist only in
regions with high land trust capacity where direct acquisition needs
are being met. Notably, the only land trust technical assistance provider currently servicing a particular region in western Massachusetts
is the VLF, an organization that has evolved to garner private funding from outside the region. Also acting in the role of technical
assistance provider is the Massachusetts Land Trust Coalition
and the Quinebaug-Shetucket Heritage Corridor, Inc., based in
Connecticut. The BNRC, founded to function as an umbrella for the
smaller land trusts it helped to create, still plays an important role in
assisting land trusts with membership, easement monitoring and acquisitions. However the BNRC acts primarily acts as a land trust and
should not formally be considered a technical assistance provider.
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There are three types of collaborative
activity currently underway in western
Massachusetts. They include informal
roundtables, more formal collaborations
and technical assistance providers that
serve as umbrella organizations to multiple land trusts.
Western Massachusetts: Assessing the Conservation Opportunity, a report to the Kohlberg Foundation
Six Focus Areas Emerge as Key Conservation Priorities
Our review of land trust and collaborative priorities has revealed six
principal focus areas within western Massachusetts. Each area contains significant biodiversity, working landscapes and priority watersheds, but they vary in their degree of development threat, land trust
and collaborative capacity, community readiness and level of preexisting planning. The six areas can be characterized by watersheds
(Westfield and Worcester); by large forested areas that are important
for connectivity (Green Mountain National Forest Extension and
North Quabbin), and by regionally important ecology (BerkshireTaconic Landscape) and agricultural resources (Connecticut River
Valley). A brief description of each is provided below.
1 . We stf i e l d Water shed
The Westfield Watershed, a 380,000-acre area of intact forest and
ecologically significant rivers and streams, collects the waters of the
Berkshire Highlands and brings them down to the Connecticut River
just miles before it flows out of Massachusetts. The region includes
some of the largest tracts of intact forestland in southern New
England that also provide important habitat for endangered species.
A significant amount of conservation planning has been conducted in
the region, and 150,000 acres, or nearly 40 percent of the watershed,
is under some form of protection. A collaborative effort by nonprofit
and public agencies helped to secure Wild and Scenic designation
along 80 miles of the Westfield River. The Nature Conservancy
(TNC) has identified four blocks of intact forestland over 15,000 acres
within the watershed and has made the protection of the watershed
one of its highest priorities in the state. The Westfield River Wild
and Scenic Advisory Committee is assisting towns with river-friendly planning and land protection in this area.
2 . Wo r c e ster Water shed
The Worcester Watershed, which consists of 41 square miles and
includes 10 reservoirs, supplies along with the Quabbin Reservoir
water to Boston residents. Realizing that it must protect more of its
lands or undertake costly filtration, the city of Worcester has begun
buying watershed lands to ensure its long-term supply of water. To
date, the city has protected 6,000 acres, about a quarter of the watershed. Various conservation organizations are active in the region
with the TPL assuming principal leadership on land acquisition. The
TPL and the city have identified 3,000 acres of priority lands. There
is strong public support for watershed protection, but it has not yet
translated into passage of measures to secure increased public funding
for key acquisitions.
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An Ecoregional Approach
To Conservation:
Massachusetts' 16 ecoregions are
defined by significant variations in
geology, physiography, vegetation,
climate, soils, land use, wildlife and
hydrology. To assure the conservation of all representative ecosystems
in Massachusetts, an ecoregional
approach to conservation is necessary.
This approach is often absent from
conservation planning that is purely
number based--"protect x acres in y
years." The western Massachusetts
reserve system is one of the first statewide planning efforts that integrates
ecoregions into prioritization efforts.
Massachusetts Ecoregions
Source: MassGIS
Western Massachusetts: Assessing the Conservation Opportunity, a report to the Kohlberg Foundation
3 . G r e e n Mountain For est Extension
Massachusetts is the sixth most forested state but one of only six
states without a National Forest. The Green Mountain National
Forest, which currently stops at the Massachusetts border, protects
a portion of the Northern Boreal Forest that extends below Maine
(See the side bar for a map displaying the extent of the Northern
Appalachian Boreal Forest.). Under a proposal being developed by
the state, the Green Mountain National Forest would be extended
into Massachusetts for a new model of National Forest. The extent
of the designation would depend on acceptance by towns along
the Massachusetts-Vermont border. The state would not buy these
lands, but would, on the model of the Tully Initiative and the Forest
Legacy Program, purchase conservation restrictions on the privately
owned lands. It is not clear exactly how many acres of land might be
purchased. The state is working closely with the US Forest Service
and various land trusts. Community support in this economically
depressed part of the state for this effort is unclear. While several conservation organizations have expressed concerns about the concept
of an easement-led national forest, public support was reported to be
high at a information session held in Greenfield, Massachusetts.
4 . N o r th Quabbin
Called the North Quabbin Bioreserve by conservation organizations
working in the area, this 120,000-acre region has significant intact
forestland and provides a corridor for large mammal species that
development has forced farther north. The region faces moderate
threat from development and enjoys limited support for conservation. However, a strong conservation foundation has been laid in
the region, with almost 60,000 acres protected. The region also was
the site of the highly successful two-year Tully Initiative, in which
Mount Grace worked with the state to protect 9,000 acres, at a cost
to the state of $9 million. Current protection efforts include ongoing work by Mount Grace as well as Quabbin-to-Cardigan (Q2C), a
collaborative of conservation organizations in New Hampshire and
Massachusetts attempting to protect land from the North Quabbin to
Mount Cardigan to the north.
5 . B e r k sh i r e-Taconic Landscape
This important landscape spans three states and covers lands in Mount
Washington, Sheffield, and Egremont in Massachusetts. One of
the largest, most intact and diverse forest blocks in southern New
England, this landscape contains upward of 150 rare and endangered
species, the highest concentration in New England. With only 37,000
acres of the 120,000-acre region permanently protected, the region
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Massachusetts is the sixth most forested
state but one of only six states without a
National Forest. The Green Mountain
National Forest, which currently stops
at the Massachusetts border, protects the
only bit of Northern Boreal Forest that
extends south of Maine.
The extension of the Northern Appalachian
Boreal Forest into Vermont and Massachusetts
is evident in the map below, where the Boreal
Forest is shown in purple.
Western Massachusetts: Assessing the Conservation Opportunity, a report to the Kohlberg Foundation
faces serious threat from development and fragmentation. Several
land trusts operate in this region, most prominently the BNRC.
Several local land trusts--the Sheffield, Richmond and Williston
Land Trusts--have carved out specific niches. And The Nature
Conservancy has made this landscape one of its "Last Great Places,"
bringing considerable science to the effort and helping to brand the
region. These groups are aware of each other and work together
occasionally, but there has been no formal collaboration strategy developed. Though more affluent newcomers to the region tend to support
conservation, this has not translated into strong public support for
increased public funding for conservation.
6 . C o n n e c ticut River and Sur r ounding Lands
Running 410 miles from Canada to Connecticut, the Connecticut River
is the longest river in New England. Its wide floodplain, long growing
season and undeveloped lands make the Massachusetts stretch of the
river one of the most important for protection. Of the six regions,
the development pressure is the most intense here, and not surprisingly, public support for conservation is high, as measured by the number
of communities that have passed the CPA. There is growing activity by nonprofit and public agencies. Both the TPL and TNC have
launched initiatives here, while the Connecticut River Valley Lands
Committee, a collaborative effort, has identified acquisition priorities
in the region, and the AFT is focusing on strengthening the capacity
of town and nonprofit groups to improve land use planning in the
region. The VLF, an evolving Technical Assistance Provider, services
this region.
Decreased State Funding Changes the Way
Land Trusts Operate in Western Massachusetts
The sharp decline in, and recently altered criteria and process for, public funding have brought great change to the state's relationships with
land trusts. In the heyday of state funding, land trusts could count
on ample public dollars for acquisition projects and even for support for stewardship expenses. Extreme fluctuations in funding levels
have made it difficult for state officials to commit funds for joint land
acquisition projects. In addition to decreased acquisition budgets twothirds of the state's Department of Agricultural Resources and onethird of The Division of Fisheries and Wildlife funds now must be
awarded directly through competitive application processes to municipalities that apply and are scored for Commonwealth Capital thereby
sharply reducing the discretion of state and acquisition professionals.
This presents two challenges for land trusts and state officials in the
west. First, it requires that the towns where land trusts have acquisition priorities take the time and effort to apply for Commonwealth
43
Running 410 miles from Canada to
Connecticut, the Connecticut River is the
longest river in New England. Its wide
floodplain, long growing season and undeveloped lands make the Massachusetts
stretch of the river one of the most important for protection.
Western Massachusetts: Assessing the Conservation Opportunity, a report to the Kohlberg Foundation
Capital, which scores the town on their planning initiatives. This might
require coordination of multiple towns that do not have a professional
planner. It also requires that the towns score reasonably well on the
application, which is often unlikely given the high percentage of points
awarded for considerations applicable to more densely settled areas.
The Commonwealth Capital score counts for 20 percent of the town's
total application for acquisition funding (see Section 2 for more on
Commonwealth Capital).
Land Trust Responses to Decreased State Funding
Few land trusts have begun to work with town officials to complete
the requirements for submitting Commonwealth Capital applications, but two efforts stand out. The AFT and TTOR's Highland
Communities Initiative have actively engaged towns in planning
initiatives that could help with Commonwealth Capital applications
or CPA passage. Both of these efforts were begun before the new
administration initiated its smart growth initiative. There are two ways
to explain the lack of land trust outreach to towns. Assisting towns
with planning is slow and costly work, and there is some evidence that,
assuming willing sellers, acquisition costs less than changing zoning or
regulations. Most land trusts are not experts in municipal zoning or by
laws and do not feel capable of helping others with this work. Many
western land trusts have adopted a "wait it out" attitude towards this
administration and now are finding that, with Governor Romney close
to deciding to run for a second term in 2006, the waiting may go on a
while longer.
Towns: Partners in Conservation
Commonwealth Capital requirements have focused a spotlight on
local communities, an important partner in conservation that rarely
finds itself in the limelight. Communities have long been leaders in
local conservation, resulting in such things as the Wild and Scenic
Designation of the Westfield River; the passage of CPA in 12 western
towns; not to mention dozens of local land trusts across the state.
The recent reliance on town involvement for state funding further
emphasizes their role. While town planning boards have always had to
approve Conservation Restrictions, land acquisition could occur in a
town even with political and municipal leaders opposed to this work.
The new Commonwealth Capital requirements require that a municipality not only support conservation but also applies for funding for a
specific project.
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Commonwealth Capital emphasizes
'home rule' in a state that might benefit
more from coordination. To some extent,
Commonwealth Capital may be a harbinger of a larger trend that was emphasized
with the dissolving of the county boundaries between 1999 and 2001.
Western Massachusetts: Assessing the Conservation Opportunity, a report to the Kohlberg Foundation
Source: Massachusetts Regional Land Trusts
Figure 3.1: Western Massachusetts Land Trust Service Areas
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