105 Acres Permanently Protected in Upton

Another conservation success! On June 17, SVT closed on a Conservation Restriction (CR) that is co-held with the Metacomet Land Trust (MLT). Through a partnership effort with the Town of Upton and MLT, the land known as Forest Heights is now permanently protected! This approximately 105-acre property abuts land that is already conserved, including the Bonner Natural Area (70 acres), which connects to the Whitney Conservation Area (34 acres) and the Warren Brook Watershed Conservation Area (222 acres). Forest Heights is now part of an extensive corridor of open space that includes over 550 acres of permanently conserved land!

Forest Heights contributes to the protection of the scenic and natural character of Upton and has significant conservation values that are now safeguarded. The entire property lies within the Miscoe, Warren, and Whitehall Watersheds Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC). The property is mostly forested and includes an area of scrub-shrub wetlands with dense highbush blueberry thicket, coastal sweet-pepperbush, and small trees such as red maple, black spruce, tamarack, and white pine. The wetland area is one of only a few locations in Upton where black spruce and/or tamarack occur. 

The property has important forest core habitat and contains a very productive certified vernal pool, which provides breeding habitat for wood frog and spotted salamander. By providing unfragmented wildlife habitat, the land contributes to biodiversity conservation in Massachusetts by focusing land protection and stewardship in the areas that are most critical for ensuring the long-term persistence of rare and other native species and their habitat. 

Conserving Forest Heights contributes to climate resiliency for our communities through its ability to provide inland flood protection, its conservation of high-quality habitat and regional connectivity, and its carbon sequestration potential, among other conservation values. The protection of these climate resilient sites is an important step in both reducing human and ecosystem vulnerability to climate change and adapting to changing environmental conditions.

In collaboration with the Town of Upton, the partners are working to formalize the existing trails on the property and construct a small parking area along North Street for public use. Stay tuned for more news in the near future on those improvements for public access. 

The property is owned by the Town of Upton and will be managed by Upton’s Land Stewardship Committee. SVT and MLT co-hold the Conservation Restriction, which was purchased for $600,000 from the Town. MLT received a Land Acquisition for Forest Reserves Grant through the Commonwealth for $220,400, and MLT raised $200,000 through private donations. SVT contributed $200,000 towards the CR purchase. 

SVT thanks the Family of George and Doris Meyers for their financial support of the project. The project partners also acknowledge the generous support of the Mass Audubon 30x30 Catalyst Fund.