Berkshire Organizations Awarded MassWildlife Habitat Grants
BOSTON — The Healey-Driscoll Administration today announced over $365,000 to restore 234 acres of wildlife habitat across Massachusetts.
The Department of Fish and Game's (DFG) Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife) is awarding MassWildlife Habitat Management grants to five organizations and two municipalities. The MassWildlife Habitat Management Grant Program (MHMGP), provides crucial financial assistance to private and municipal owners of conserved lands to improve habitat for wildlife, steward biodiversity, enhance climate resiliency, and promote public recreational opportunities. Since 2015, MassWildlife has funded 112 projects that have restored over four thousand acres of natural habitat.
"Partnership and collaboration will be essential for meeting our ambitious biodiversity and climate goals. Most forests and other wildlife habitats in Massachusetts are not state-owned, and we rely on conservation organizations, cities and towns, private landowners, and other partners to greatly expand our impact,"
said Department of Fish and Game Commissioner Tom O'Shea. "This program provides us with the unique opportunity to not only directly benefit threatened species, but also create new outdoor recreation opportunities and support the sporting community."
In Great Barrington, the Berkshire Natural Resources Council has been awarded $28,930 to treat invasive plant species on Housatonic River floodplain forest and a wooded oxbow at the Rising Pond Conservation Area.
In Lee, South Lee Associates has been awarded $17,990 to treat invasive species along the Housatonic River to improve floodplain forest and early successional grasslands that are being overgrown with woody species.
While MassWildlife and other conservation organizations have made substantial investments in land conservation within Massachusetts, many essential habitats are degraded, and vulnerable species face increasing threats from climate change. To address these challenges, the Healey-Driscoll Administration is investing in habitat management efforts on state wildlife lands and, through MHMGP, on all conserved lands across the state alongside private and municipal partners. Habitat restoration and management activities will create healthy, resilient landscapes that support a variety of species, particularly those of greatest conservation need.
"MassWildlife's Habitat Management Grant Program builds on success of ongoing efforts to advance our mission of preserving the great diversity and abundance of wildlife, plants, and habitats in Massachusetts," said Mark S. Tisa, MassWildlife Director. "Public and private investment in habitat management is critical for promoting ecological resiliency and biodiversity, and we are thrilled to work with this year's grant recipients as they commit to improving landscapes for people and nature."
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