Mount Grace & Department of Fish and Game Partner to Protect 39.5 Acres in Ashby
ASHBY— The Massachusetts Department of Fish and Game (DFG) and its Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife), in collaboration with Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust (Mount Grace), has successfully protected nearly 40 acres of forest and fields in central Massachusetts along the New Hampshire border. The newly conserved land adds to MassWildlife’s existing Ashby Wildlife Management Area (WMA), bringing it to a total of 1,176 acres. This serves as a critical missing link in an important wildlife migration corridor, connecting the Ashby WMA with the 330-acre Mount Watatic Reservation, MassWildlife’s 228-acre Watatic Mountain Sanctuary, the Department of Conservation and Recreation’s (DCR) 2,200-acre Ashburnham State Forest, and the 100-acre area conserved by Piscataquog Land Conservancy and Wapack Wilderness further north.
By combining MassWildlife and DFG’s resources and expertise with Mount Grace’s local agility, we were able to move quickly to protect land that might otherwise have been lost to development.
“This project exemplifies the kind of collaboration needed to reach the Commonwealth’s goal of protecting 30% of Massachusetts by 2030,” saidEmma G. Ellsworth, Executive Director at Mount Grace. “By combining MassWildlife and DFG’s resources and expertise with Mount Grace’s local agility, we were able to move quickly to protect land that might otherwise have been lost to development.”
“Partnerships like this are crucial to conserve our state’s irreplaceable biodiversity for future generations. As we face the intertwined crises of biodiversity loss and climate change, it is imperative that we act quickly to strategically protect large, connected, resilient landscapes for nature and people,” said DFG Commissioner Tom O’Shea. “Thank you to Mount Grace for their steadfast leadership and collaboration. Together, we can give wildlife the best chance of keeping pace with climate shifts, all while helping people connect with nature through outdoor recreation.”
Last month, Mount Grace stepped in to pre-purchase the property, with the intention of permanently conserving it with the state once funding became available. Recently, DFG purchased the 39.5-acre parcel from Mount Grace for $325,000. It will now be under the care of MassWildlife as the newest addition to the Ashby WMA, connecting the northern parcel in the headwaters of the Souhegan River with the diverse white pine, oak, and maple forest of the southern parcel. The property includes a mix of grey birch and fields, which will provide important habitat for wildlife that rely on young forests and grasslands, such as New England cottontail, ruffed grouse, American woodcock, and whip-poor-will. Additionally, the large landscape will support black bear, deer, and moose. All WMAs, including the Ashby WMA, are free to visit and open to the public for hunting, fishing, trapping, birdwatching, and other outdoor recreation activities.
“Given its prime location for connecting surrounding protected lands, this special spot has been a high conservation priority for us for many years,” said MassWildlife Assistant Director of Land and Habitat Conservation Emily Myron. “We are grateful for the dedicated partnership of Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust to help us act quickly to conserve this important habitat for wildlife and outdoor recreation.”
This acquisition represents another key piece in a larger landscape-scale puzzle—one that, when complete, will form a continuous corridor of biodiverse habitat stretching from southern Ashburnham to the New Hampshire border. Regional connectivity is important to help species move and adapt to the impacts of climate change, such as rising temperatures, changing seasons, shifting food abundance, and unpredictable weather events like droughts, wildfires, and flooding. Conserving “stepping-stone” parcels between existing large, intact habitats is a critical biodiversity conservation strategy to give plants and animals the ability keep pace with these changes.
“This effort is crucial to protect wildlife and Ashby’s natural beauty,” said State Senator John Cronin (D—Fitchburg). “I’m grateful to MassWildlife and Mount Grace for their work to preserve this critical stretch of land, maintain habitats, and provide outdoor recreation for residents and visitors alike.”
“The Ashby Wildlife Management Area is a great ecological asset of the First Middlesex District – home to swamp and marsh wetlands, pine, oak and maple forest, and a species range of deer, turkey, otter, mink, fox, and more,” said State Representative Margaret Scarsdale (D—Pepperell). “This newly protected conservation land is critical in connecting the corridor, which helps to ensure safe species migration. I am grateful to MassWildlife and Mount Grace for their dedication to protecting places like this for both wildlife and people.”
“Protecting and connecting wild landscapes is essential for the future of wildlife and the outdoor traditions we cherish,” said Chris Borgatti, Eastern Policy & Conservation Manager for Backcounty Hunters and Anglers. “By conserving critical habitats and creating migration corridors, we ensure that species have the habitat to thrive and that hunters, anglers, and outdoor enthusiasts can continue to enjoy these lands for generations to come. This effort is a great example of how partnerships can achieve meaningful conservation outcomes that benefit both nature and people.”
“We’re thrilled that MassWildlife and Mount Grace have completed this acquisition,” said Jeanie Lindquist, Ashby resident and member of the Ashby Land Trust. “We thank and appreciate the people that did the hard work to permanently protect another piece of a wildlife corridor in the northwest corner of Ashby.”